The liver is one of the most important organs of the human body. It is an extremely complicated organ that performs tasks that include cleaning of toxins, protein synthesis and hormone production. The liver is made up of many different parts which is why it is always difficult to treat conditions that affect the liver.
jaundice is a condition that literally means the yellowing of the body. This is a condition where an individual will suffer from yellowish skin and possibly yellow eyes as a result of some problem with the liver. The liver produces bilirubin which is passed in the bile and in urine. When there is liver damage or infection, the amount of bilirubin increases substantially. The patient will therefore have yellowish skin as the color of bilirubin is yellow.
Jaundice may be associated with other diseases and conditions that affect the functioning of the liver, even if the liver itself is not damaged. Jaundice causes, apart from those associated with the liver include malaria, thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Jaundice causes associated with the liver include hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and extreme drug consumption including alcohol consumption. Jaundice is actually a symptom and not a condition in itself. The jaundice causes should therefore be treated so that this condition corrects itself. In some cases, the jaundice causes may not be associated with any disease but may be caused by blockages in the bile system. This would hinder the flow of bile and may cause jaundice. Gall bladder stones, gall bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer are causes of jaundice not associated with a disease or with the liver.
Jaundice treatment depends entirely on what the underlying condition is. If the underlying condition is associated with the liver, then a specific jaundice diet needs to be followed after the condition has been treated. Depending on the cause, jaundice treatment will include specific medications. Jaundice is a serious condition and a jaundice cure must be sought for at the earliest. A doctor should be consulted when the patient is suffering from jaundice as this is the only way that the condition can be properly diagnosed and managed.
The jaundice diet is a specific diet that should be followed by an individual suffering from the condition. Jaundice involves the liver in some way or another regardless of the cause of the problem. Therefore, the appropriate jaundice diet is one that does not stress the liver out. The liver also produces certain substances that help with digestion. Fatty foods, for example, are broken up by bile. These should be avoided when following a jaundice diet as their digestion is not properly possible if the liver is suffering from some serious condition. The jaundice diet should be followed based on the recommendations of the doctor who is the only person who will have all the information needed to make a valid call. During an infection of jaundice, the patient may need to be on a diet of soup and juice only. This will help the body receive nutrition and energy without giving it any food to digest or break down. Once the individual's skin returns to normal color, it is a sign of jaundice recovery. At this stage, the jaundice diet will be one of fresh fruits and boiled vegetables only. Certain specific fruits like bananas should be avoided. Any heavy vegetables should also be avoided at this stage.
The importance of a jaundice diet should not be underestimated by any one. When the liver is under stress, it is important to give it a rest so that it is able to regenerate itself and function normally again. Failure to do this will result in repeated liver failure with possibly catastrophic damage occurring.
answered by M W