diet and Hepatitis C

[Guest guest]

Okay guys you talked about it, I listened. LOL

First of all before you make drastic dietary changes,CONSULT YOUR

DOCTOR. But good nutrition is the key to staying health.

Whether you are a veggietain ha ha or a carnivore (like me, I like

my chicken,fish,turkey).

The most important thing is to keep the body in good working

order.Right.

Protein,in all folks should be 4oz or less in each meal because lets

not get crazy here. A little protein is alright,a lot of protein is

no cool. Heart diease (cause by them clogged up arteries is no fun.)

So use your basis guidelines for good nutrition. I have a diet

guideline that I got from the mayo clinic. It is a good one and very

informative.

Good luck folks, and keep your eye on the sunny side.

Love

Janet

ProGuidelines for good nutrition

Every day your body requires a certain amount of energy from

carbohydrates, protein and fats to function properly. Because no

single food provides all of the nutrients your body needs, eating a

variety of foods ensures that you get all of the necessary nutrients

and other substances associated with good health.

Eating well doesn't have to be complicated. Unless you need a

special diet for a specific health problem, the best approach is to

follow national dietary recommendations. These recommendations have

evolved over the years to keep pace with an expanding scientific

knowledge on how diet can affect health and prevent disease.

The most recent recommendations come from the National Academy of

Sciences' Institute of Medicine. These guidelines are significantly

different from those of the past, particularly in regard to

carbohydrates and fat. More fat is allowed, and carbohydrates have a

lower minimum percentage — from 55 percent to 45 percent. This is

due to research indicating that people with a certain body type and

metabolic profile may benefit from fewer carbohydrates and more

monounsaturated fat.

Use these recommendations as a guide when planning your daily meals

and snacks. If you need to lose or gain weight, some of these

recommendations may need to be adjusted. Talk with a registered

dietitian or your doctor if you have questions.

Calories: 1,600 to 2,800 a day

Your body burns (metabolizes) carbohydrates, protein and fat to

produce energy and perform other necessary functions. This energy is

measured in calories.

Your energy needs vary considerably according to your activity

level, body size, sex and age. For example, an older, petite,

sedentary woman may need only 1,600 calories a day, but a 25-year-

old woman of the same size who is very physically active may need

1,800 to 2,200 calories a day.

On average, daily calorie goals are as follows:

1,600 — children ages 2 to 6, most women and some older adults

2,000 — average adult

2,200 — older children, teenage girls, active women and most men

2,800 — teenage boys and active men

Protein: 10 percent to 35 percent of total calories

Protein is essential to human life — every cell in your body

contains it. Your skin, bones, muscle and organ tissue all contain

protein. It's found in your blood, hormones and enzymes as well.

Protein is also a nutrient found in many foods. Legumes, poultry,

seafood, meat, dairy products, nuts and seeds are your richest

sources of protein. Grains and vegetables supply small amounts.

Remember to choose your sources of protein wisely. Many high-protein

foods are also high in fat and cholesterol.

The amount of protein your body needs varies depending on your

weight. For example, a 140-pound woman needs about 51 grams of

protein a day, and a 175-pound man needs about 64 grams a day —

based on the estimated requirement of 0.364 grams per pound (0.8

grams per kilogram) of body weight. However, most Americans

typically eat far more protein than they need. Your body stores the

extra calories from protein as fat.

Even if you don't eat any animal protein, you can easily get enough

protein as long as you include in your diet some protein-packed

plant-based foods, such as beans, lentils, tofu or tempeh.

Vegetarian diet: A healthy alternative

Carbohydrates: 45 percent to 65 percent of total calories

Carbohydrates are your body's main energy source, the primary fuel

for your cells. Carbohydrates are starches and sugars. Starches —

found primarily in bread, rice, pasta, cereals and vegetables — are

complex carbohydrates. Sugars — found in fruits, milk and foods made

with sugar, such as candy and other sweets — are called simple

carbohydrates or simple sugars.

Approximately 45 percent to 65 percent of your total daily calories —

at least 130 grams — should come from carbohydrates. Complex

carbohydrates and sugars from fruit and milk are preferred to simple

sugars from candy and sweets. Your body absorbs complex

carbohydrates more slowly than it absorbs simple sugars, providing

you with more energy for a longer period of time. In addition,

complex carbohydrates, fruit and milk provide more nutrients and

fiber than sweets do.

Some foods have sugar added to them during processing or

preparation. Foods containing added sugars generally provide many

calories, but their nutrient content — vitamins and minerals — may

be quite low. In the United States, regular (nondiet) soft drinks

are the top source of added sugars. Other major sources include

candies, cakes, cookies, fruit drinks and dairy desserts, such as

ice cream.

Fat: 20 percent to 35 percent of total calories

Unlike protein and carbohydrates, fat is an extremely concentrated

form of energy that contains little water. Among its many important

tasks are aiding in the absorption of many essential vitamins,

helping maintain the structure and function of cell membranes and

assisting your body's immune system. But too much fat can have a

negative effect on your health, such as increasing your risk of

heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

The food you eat has several different kinds of fat, including:

Saturated fat. This type of fat can be found in butter, cheese,

whole milk, cream, eggs, meat, poultry, chocolate, coconut, palm

oil, lard and solid shortenings.

Polyunsaturated fat. Vegetable oils, such as safflower, corn,

sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils, are high in polyunsaturated fat.

Trans fat. Most margarines and shortenings are high in trans fat.

Commercial baked goods and fried foods, such as doughnuts or french

fries, also have significant amounts of trans fat.

Monounsaturated fat. Foods high in monounsaturated fat include

avocados, nuts, and olive, peanut and canola oils.

About 20 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories should come

from fat. To reduce fat in your diet, choose lean foods — such as

fish, skinless white poultry and low-fat dairy products — and eat

more foods naturally low in fat, such as fruits, vegetables and

whole grains.

Fats: The good and the bad

Fat in your diet: How low should you go?

Saturated fat: No more than 10 percent of total calories

Saturated fat is the main dietary culprit in raising your blood

cholesterol and increasing your risk of coronary artery disease.

Therefore, limit your daily intake of saturated fat to no more than

10 percent of your total calories.

To reduce your saturated fat intake, limit meat, butter, cheese,

whole milk, cream and eggs in your diet, along with foods made from

chocolate, lard, solid shortenings, and palm and coconut oils.

Heart-healthy eating

Cholesterol: No more than 300 milligrams (mg) a day

All foods from animals contain cholesterol. Concentrated sources

include meats, egg yolks and whole-milk products.

Limit cholesterol, but don't overemphasize its significance. The

primary dietary determinant of high blood cholesterol is saturated

fat. For some people, though, dietary cholesterol has a significant

impact on their level of blood cholesterol. Limiting cholesterol

intake is a good idea for anyone trying to keep his or her

cholesterol level down.

Sodium: No more than 2,400 mg a day

Only small amounts of sodium occur naturally in food. In fact, most

of the sodium you eat is added during food processing and

preparation. Canned soups and vegetables and many boxed or frozen

processed foods are very high in sodium, as are processed meats,

such as bacon, sausage and ham.

Healthy adults need only a small amount of sodium daily. The

recommended daily limit is 2,400 mg. This is the amount found in

about 1 teaspoon of salt. Most Americans consume about 4,000 to

5,000 mg of sodium a day. Too much sodium may contribute to a rise

in your blood pressure, putting you at risk of heart attack and

stroke.

Control sodium by limiting processed foods. Also cut back on the

salt you add while cooking and at the table. As you use less salt,

your preference for salt will decline, allowing you to enjoy the

taste of the food itself.

Sodium in canned vegetables

Processed foods: Why so salty?

Dietary fiber: 21 to 38 grams a day

Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest

and absorb. Two types of fiber can be found in food: soluble and

insoluble.

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool and helps prevent

constipation. It also reduces your risk of colon and rectal cancers.

It's found mainly in vegetables, wheat bran and whole grains.

Soluble fiber may help improve your cholesterol and blood sugar

levels. It's found in oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as

apples, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit.

The average American eats about 10 to 15 grams of fiber a day.

However, the government's dietary guidelines recommend:

38 grams for men and 25 grams for women under the age of 50

30 grams for men and 21 grams for women over the age of 50

The best way to boost your consumption of fiber is to eat a variety

of whole grains, vegetables, legumes and fruits. When buying breads

or grains, look for the word whole on the label. Try to eat breads

with at least 3 grams of fiber per slice and cereals with 3 or more

grams of fiber per serving. Try whole-wheat pasta, which has at

least three times the amount of fiber as regular pasta.

Roughing it: Fitting more fiber into your diet

Using the guidelines

Now that you know this information, how do you apply it? How do you

know if you're getting 20 percent to 35 percent of your calories

from fat or 10 percent to 35 percent of your calories from

carbohydrates? Probably the simplest way to see if your diet meets

these guidelines is to compare your daily intake to one of the

various food pyramids available and see how it matches up. You can

record the types and amount of food you eat each day and then do the

comparisons.

Food pyramid: The shape of a healthy diet

Perhaps the most accurate — but also the most complicated — way to

assess your diet in light of the above guidelines is to follow these

steps for assessing your intake:

Determine how many calories you need each day.

Determine what percentages of your calories are going to come from

fat, protein and carbohydrates.

Multiply your total daily calorie intake by each of the percentages,

then divide these numbers by calories per gram to get the number of

grams from each group that you should eat each day. There are 4

calories per gram of carbohydrate, 4 calories per gram of protein

and 9 calories per gram of fat.

Let's say, for example, that you want to take in 1,600 calories a

day and you choose to follow a plan somewhat like the Zone diet,

meaning you want 40 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 30

percent from protein, and 30 percent from fat. You'll then need to

do the following calculations:

For carbohydrates: 1,600 x 0.4 = 640 calories, divided by 4 calories

per gram of carbohydrate = 160 grams of carbohydrate a day

For protein: 1,600 x 0.3 = 480 calories, divided by 4 calories per

gram of protein = 120 grams of protein a day

For fat: 1,600 x 0.3 = 480 calories, divided by 9 calories per gram

of fat = 53 grams of total fat a day

Once you've determined how many grams from each of the three groups,

it's a matter of keeping track by reading the food labels or using

calorie, fat and carbohydrate counters.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

If after trying one or both of the methods above you still aren't

sure about the quality of your diet, seek an appointment with a

registered dietitian. He or she will be able to help you.

Related Information

Food & Nutrition Center

Serving sizes: Keeping your food portions in check

Healthy cooking techniques

Vegetables: Enjoy a wide variety

Using bread, cereals, rice and pasta

Poultry, meat and seafood: Pros of protein

tein,in all folks should be 4oz or less in each meal because lets

not get crazy here. A little protein is alright,a lot of protein is

no cool. Heart diease (cause by them clogged up arteries is no fun.)

So use your basis guidelines for good nutrition. I have a diet

guideline that I got from the mayo clinic. It is a good one and very

informative.

Good luck folks, and keep your eye on the sunny side.

[Guest guest]

I can't eat meat anymore, especially beef. Just smelling meat cooking makes me

nauseous. Also, the smell of beer, or alcohol makes me sick to my stomach.

This is all new, coming on within the last couple of months.

I start treatment in a few months for Hep C, and I still need a biopsy to see

how my liver's doing. I live in Alaska and it takes 4 months to see a Gastro/

liver specialist. Everytime I see my regular dr, it's another $65.00 and that's

with my insurance. I'm really worried that I have cirrhosis at this point

because of how I feel, and my dietary problems.

I recently read that if protein, fats and salt are making you sleepy and foggy

headed, you shouldn't eat them. Also fat soluble vitamins.

WulfeMom

diet and Hepatitis C

Okay guys you talked about it, I listened. LOL

First of all before you make drastic dietary changes,CONSULT YOUR

DOCTOR. But good nutrition is the key to staying health.

Whether you are a veggietain ha ha or a carnivore (like me, I like

my chicken,fish,turkey).

The most important thing is to keep the body in good working

order.Right.

Protein,in all folks should be 4oz or less in each meal because lets

not get crazy here. A little protein is alright,a lot of protein is

no cool. Heart diease (cause by them clogged up arteries is no fun.)

So use your basis guidelines for good nutrition. I have a diet

guideline that I got from the mayo clinic. It is a good one and very

informative.

Good luck folks, and keep your eye on the sunny side.

Love

Janet

[Guest guest]

I think the one should try for a balanced diet with a preference for

unprocessed foods. Chicken, fish, seafood, and tofu. Even beans, which

are good for torturing my bitter half.

Doug

> I recently read that if protein, fats and salt are making you sleepy

> and foggy headed, you shouldn't eat them. Also fat soluble vitamins.

[Guest guest]

I think the one should try for a balanced diet with a preference for

unprocessed foods. Chicken, fish, seafood, and tofu. Even beans, which

are good for torturing my bitter half.

Doug

> I recently read that if protein, fats and salt are making you sleepy

> and foggy headed, you shouldn't eat them. Also fat soluble vitamins.