Diet
If you have hepatitis B you do not have to follow a special diet . Just like anybody else, you should eat a balanced diet. This means eating regular meals, including plenty of fruit and vegetables and avoiding excessive fatty and sugary foods. Most people need two portions of food a day which provide a good source of protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, pulses, beans, cheese, milk and milk products. Eating a wide variety of different foods will help to ensure that meals are enjoyable as well as providing an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin supplements are not required by the majority of people who are eating well. If you are concerned you can ask your doctor for guidance. People who are experiencing symptoms from hepatitis B may need further advice to help them to eat well.
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol completely if you can, particularly if you have chronic hepatitis B. Drinking alcohol will speed up damage to your liver. If you cannot manage this, drink as little as possible and not more than the recommended amount of alcohol (no more than 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 for men). It is also important to give your liver two consecutive alcohol-free days each week.
Complementary care
Complementary care is therapy you might seek in addition to your clinical medical treatment. Some people with hepatitis B have found that massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, t’ai chi, meditation and similar therapies help relieve symptoms such as tiredness and muscle ache. However, not all complementary therapies are safe or effective and some products can damage the liver or interact with medicines for your liver disease.
At present, healthcare professionals are not clear on the role and place of some therapies in managing liver disease. More research needs to be done on the use of these therapies. You may wish to discuss the use of these therapies with your doctor and make sure that your practitioner is registered with an accredited body and informed about hepatitis B.