The Best Natural Remedies for Hepatitis C

author avatar Dr. Eric Berg 08/31/2023

Hepatitis C is sometimes referred to as the "silent infection." That's because many people don't realize they even have hepatitis C until liver damage is already present. Once a person has discovered they have this condition, they need to take advantage of natural remedies for hepatitis C, conventional treatment, or a combination of both immediately. If hepatitis C is caught early enough, it may be possible to take care of it with natural remedies alone.

If you think you may have hepatitis, getting tested by a doctor as quickly as possible, and following their treatment plan is crucial. But, even if you have to utilize conventional treatment, you should also consider these incredible natural remedies for hepatitis C as well. Sometimes it takes an individual trying different things to see what works best for their own unique body.

In this article:

  1. What You Need to Know About Hepatitis C
  2. The Best 5 Natural Remedies for Hepatitis C
  3. One Last Thing You HAVE To Do
     

What You Need to Know About Hepatitis C

Essentially, hepatitis C is an infectious liver disease involving a virus.

But, let's break that down a little bit more.

The hepatitis C virus doesn't attack the immune system. Instead, it actually causes an inflammatory response within the liver. This makes the hepatitis C virus very different than many other viral infections.

But, here is the thing about a virus, you can't kill it. Being able to "kill" a virus is a huge misconception. You can't kill a virus because it was never alive in the first place. A virus is a piece of genetic material wrapped in a sack that can invade your own cells and create damage if your cells are susceptible or weakened to the virus.

So, since you can't kill the virus, really what you need to do is try to keep the virus in remission for as long as possible. But, certain things like stress, feeling burnt out, getting older, or certain chemicals can activate the virus.

One of the biggest triggers to stay away from is stress. One of the most common things I've noticed in people with hepatitis C is that they're always really stressed out. It seems like every time they're in a situation in their life where they're caught between a rock and a hard place and they're just overly stressed.

The best thing you can do in this situation is to remove that stress from your life. Whether it's emotional stress, or maybe environmental stress, you need to take care of it because that stress will keep the virus unstable. So, change your environment—move out of the neighborhood, change your relationships, do what you can to relieve the stress.
 

Symptoms

When a person is first infected with hepatitis C, their liver becomes inflamed. This can produce different flu-like symptoms, or it may not produce any symptoms at all. Some people may go years without experiencing any symptoms or ever knowing they have hepatitis C. In fact, it's estimated that 45–85 percent of people who have the hepatitis C virus don’t even know it. Unfortunately, by the time many people start noticing the symptoms, and find out they have hepatitis, the condition has progressed. If it has been years, and the condition has really progressed, the liver damage is likely already causing health issues like cirrhosis.

People who have hepatitis C. may notice symptoms like:

  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Fatigue
  • Yellowed eyes and skin, called “jaundice”
  • Swelling of the belly
  • Bruising easily
  • Bleeding easily
  • Taking longer for bleeding to stop
     

Side Effects

Chronic hepatitis C causes inflammation and tiny scars in the liver which disables the proper liver function. The side effects of this happening can be detrimental. The liver does essential work for the body. It detoxifies the blood, produces bile, stores nutrients, breaks down hormones, and more. If the liver is not functioning properly because of liver disease or hepatitis C, it can have a significant negative impact on the entire body.

Some of the serious side effects or health concerns that can stem from a liver disease like hepatitis are:

  • Cirrhosis
  • Liver failure
  • Liver Cancer
  • Death
     

Milk thistle plants and seeds on a white wood surface. | Natural Remedies for Hepatitis C


The Best 5 Natural Remedies for Hepatitis C

1. Milk Thistle

The milk thistle plant is an herb with distinctive purple flowers. For centuries this unique plant has been used to promote a healthy liver. The active ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin.

Both milk thistle and its active ingredient are still at the top of the most used alternative herbal remedies for helping those with liver damage. In fact, it's regularly used along with conventional medicine when trying to help patients overcome liver conditions of all kinds, including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and hepatitis C.

Milk thistle is known to have antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. You can find milk thistle in supplement form online or at a health supplement store.
 

2. Selenium

Selenium is a natural trace mineral that may help keep hepatitis in remission. Selenium is necessary for key enzymes that detoxify the liver. They not only detoxify, but these enzymes also protect your cells against damage and stress. Selenium is incredibly important when it comes to detoxing the liver.

Not only is selenium fantastic for liver support, but it seems most people with hepatitis don't have adequate levels of selenium. So, supplementing with selenium may help optimize your treatment response. When choosing a trace mineral supplement look for something plant-based. These supplements may come in capsule or liquid form, and you can find them online or at a health supplement store.

A fantastic source of selenium is brazil nuts. But, you can also get it from other sources like:

  • Pork
  • Tuna
  • Oysters
  • Clams
  • Shrimp
  • Lamb
  • Grass-fed beef
  • Mushrooms
  • Seeds
     

3. Oregano Oil

I'm sure most of you probably have a bottle of dried oregano hiding somewhere among your spices. Oregano is an incredibly popular herb, and it has been for centuries. Oregano oil is obviously a little different than dried oregano, but it's still made from fresh oregano plants.

Although oregano has a long history of being the perfect companion to many Italian dishes, it's flavor really isn't the most impressive thing about it. Oregano has also been used throughout history for its medicinal benefits.

Oregano oil is packed with beneficial antioxidants. It's known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-candida, anti-microbial, and anti-viral properties. In fact, this is one of the best anti-viral oils that I know of.

You can take oregano oil in the form of little pearls, and you can find it online or at a health food store.
 

4. Vitamin D

Research has shown that people with chronic hepatitis C, commonly have a vitamin D deficiency. Getting vitamin D you desperately need will produce many different benefits. It may help improve immune function, mood, concentration, stress, and may even help fight diabetes which can be a common health problem among people with hepatitis.

As we talked about before, what you really need to do is try to keep the hepatitis virus in remission for as long as possible. Getting lots of sun will help with that. Lots of sun and vitamin D help keep viruses in remission. While some viruses are activated with the sun, hepatitis is not one of them. You can also try taking vitamin D supplements if you find it difficult to spend a lot of time outdoors.
 

5. Garlic

Consuming a lot of garlic has a ton of health benefits, and may help keep viruses like hepatitis C in remission. A lot of these benefits can be traced back to the strong antioxidant power garlic possesses.

A healthy liver naturally breaks down toxins, but a damaged liver can have a difficult time keeping up with this essential job. However, the antioxidants found in fresh garlic are known to protect the liver from natural and environmental toxins. Certain compounds in garlic may also help support the detoxification process.

Garlic is another one of those foods that have been around for centuries and has been used not only for flavor but for its incredible health benefits. It's highly nutritious and contains compounds that have medicinal properties. Garlic even seems to have anti-inflammatory effects which inhibit inflammation in the liver.

To really get all of the benefits garlic has to offer, it may be best to consume fresh crushed garlic. However, if you don't care for garlic, you can find garlic supplements online or in health supplement stores. Another form of garlic you might want to try is black garlic.

Black garlic has been slightly heated and aged. This process takes the intensity out of the strong natural taste and smell of garlic. So, this may also be a great solution for those who don't really care for garlic or find fresh garlic difficult to consume. The fermentation process also increases its bioavailability. Black garlic has a ton of benefits, including the ability to decrease pathogens in the body.

 

One Last Thing You HAVE To Do

Of course, one of the big things you need to focus on if you have hepatitis C is your diet. Eating the right foods can have a significant positive impact on those with hepatitis.

Be sure to avoid sugar, eat a lot of healthy foods, and stick to eating organic foods. If you aren't already, you may want to consider a low carb diet like the ketogenic diet. The healthy keto diet provides many truly incredible benefits for the entire body

The odds of beating hepatitis C are improving. Switching to a healthier diet, and taking advantage of these natural remedies for hepatitis C, could help you gain the upper hand in the battle.

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