Hepatitis B and Food

 Written by: Muhammad Nasir Sirat

The liver digests fat by storing and removing bile. The liver, like other organs of the body, could be affected by diseases. One of these diseases is hepatitis B. If hepatitis B patients do not pay attention to their foods, they might face some other health problems.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a physician about this issue.

 Maria, a resident of Kabul province says, “This is the third year that I am suffering from hepatitis B. I did not take care of my diets and now I have pain in my chest and back. The doctors diagnosed that my liver is damaged by hepatitis B.”

Abdullah, a resident of Ghor province says, “I am suffering from hepatitis. My belly and the rest of my body swollen; I am suffering from insomnia and could not eat anything.”

Doctor Sayed Adil Shah Neromand, a physician at infectious diseases hospital, Kabul city says, “If hepatitis B patients do not pay attention to their food, this would cause the disease to worsen. Eventually, they become cirrhosis of the liver. Their body would be filled with water; they might not be able to breathe easily and finally, this disease might cause their death.”

What do people think about the causes of this issue?

Noorullah, a resident of Farza district, Kabul province says, “If hepatitis B patients do not pay attention to their food, and they eat greasy and fatty foods, their disease might increase and they would face more problems.”

Doctor Neromand says, “If hepatitis B patients do not pay attention to their food, and eat high-fat, fried, spicy and very hot foods, as their liver has a problem and it can't digest fatty foods; this might cause more crucial problems and increase the amount of fat in the liver, and this problem even causes the damage of the liver. Hepatitis B patients should eat more vegetables, fresh fruits, and sugarcane juice and avoid ghee, animal fats and used oil for cooking.”