If you have tested positive for hepatitis C you should know that treatment is available and that there are also many things you can do yourself to stay healthy and well.
Taking care of yourself
It’s important to live well and protect your liver from further damage by:
- Eating a well-balanced diet. This means taking appropriate amounts of the different food groups (proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables) and liquids for nutrition. This will also help give you energy and generally keep your body healthy.
- Avoiding or reducing the use of alcohol. The liver is the main organ that processes alcohol and other chemicals in the body. If you have Hep C, your liver may not be able to function as well as it should and alcohol causes further damage to it.
- Avoiding or reducing drug use. There are some drugs, or things that drugs are cut with, that can damage the liver, just like alcohol.
- Getting vaccinated against other types of viral hepatitis (hepatitis A and B) because they also harm the liver. Having hepatitis C and hepatitis A or B at the same time puts more strain on your liver.
Protect others
You will also want to take steps to protect others from getting Hep C from you. You can reduce the risks of transmission by:
- not passing on, lending, giving away or selling injection drug equipment you have used (such as needles, syringes, cookers, spoons, filters or cotton, ties or alcohol swabs)
- not passing on, lending, giving away or selling other drug equipment you have used (such as crack pipes)
- not passing on, lending, giving away or selling any personal belongings that might have your blood on it (such as razors)
- not donating blood or other body organs
Remember that hepatitis C is a manageable, and often treatable, disease—many people with Hep C live for a long time with the disease. You need to find out as much as you can about it so you can protect your liver and enjoy a healthy life.
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