Jaundice is the most common of all liver disorders. It is a condition in which yellow discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes occurs due to an increase in the bile pigment, bilirubin, in the blood.
What are the symptom of Jaundice?
The symptoms of jaundice are extreme weakness, headache, fever, loss of appetite, undue fatigue, severe constipation, nausea and yellow coloration of the eyes, tongue, skin and urine. The patient may also feel a dull pain in the liver region. Obstructive jaundice may be associated with intense itching.
What are the causes of Jaundice?
Jaundice is indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. It may be caused by an obstruction of the bile ducts which discharge bile salts and pigment into the intestines. The bile then gets mixed with blood and this gives a yellow pigmentation to the skin. The obstruction of the bile ducts could be due to gall-stones or inflammation of the liver, known as hepatitis, caused by a virus. In the latter case, the virus spreads and may lead to epidemics owing to overcrowding , dirty surroundings, insanitary conditons and contamination of food and water. Other causes of jaundice are pernicious anaemia and certain diseases affecting the liver such as typhoid, malaria, yellow fever and tuberculosis.
Dietary Treatment of Jaundice and home remedies
The simple form of jaundice can be cured rapidly by diet therapy and exercises. Recovery will, however, be slow in serious cases which have been caused by obstruction or pressure in the bile ducts. The patient should rest until the acute symptoms of the disease subside.
The patient should be put on a juice fast for a week. The juices of oranges, lemons, grapes, pears, carrots, beets and sugarcane can be taken. A hot water enema should be taken daily during this period to ensure regular bowel elimination, thereby preventing the absorption of decomposed, poisonous material into the blood stream. The juice fast may be continued till the acute symptoms subside.
The patient should take plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit juices. Dandelion leaves, radishes with leaves, endive should be added to the daily raw vegetable salad. Raw apples and pears are especially beneficial. Barley water, drunk several times during the day, is considered a good remedy for jaundice. One cup of barley should be boiled in six pints of water and simmered for three hours.
Research has shown that the liver has an excellent capacity to regenerate itself provided all essential nutrients are adequately supplied. Diets high in complete proteins, vitamin C, and B vitamins, particularly choline, and vitamin E can hasten its regeneration. Even after recovery, it is essential to maintain the diet for a long period to prevent recurrence of the trouble.
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