Have you recently been diagnosed with hepatitis? Hepatitis is a viral infection that damages your liver and reduces its functionality. It can be acute or chronic. If you don’t manage this condition early, it can lead to severe liver diseases that can be fatal. So, learn coping strategies to manage your hepatitis condition and live a better life. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Are you newly diagnosed?

Being diagnosed with hepatitis recently can be frightening, however, understand this is that you’re not alone. 1 out of 3 people worldwide get infected with the hepatitis virus in their lifetime. 6 types of hepatitis infection can affect you and some of them are acute and some of them are chronic.

In case you are diagnosed with acute hepatitis, it gets better over time with treatment and lifestyle changes. In case you are diagnosed with chronic hepatitis such as hepatitis B, this may be a lifelong concern but it’s also manageable.

Now you can follow your treatment properly and make the necessary lifestyle changes to ensure you can take good care of yourself and the people around you. If you become carefree and don’t monitor your health regularly and follow treatment, you may develop cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer which can be life-threatening. So, make sure you never do that once you’re diagnosed with chronic hepatitis condition.

Coping strategies

Here are some coping strategies that you can use to keep yourself and others around you safe and healthy while living with hepatitis:

1. Prevent the spread to others:

Hepatitis B is a very contagious disease that affects those around you. It is transmitted to others through blood and bodily fluids, but you can ensure that others around you stay safe from it by ensuring that they all get vaccinated from the hepatitis B vaccine. This is the easiest and best way to stop the spread to others and make sure they stay safe and healthy around you.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all infants and children up to 18 years old can receive the vaccination. Even people above 60 can receive the vaccine if they’re at risk.

• Avoid smoking, drugs, and alcohol:

Hepatitis infection affects your liver and everything you put in your body including food, liquid, smoke, injection, and even your breath passes through your liver. It can process all substances and try to metabolize them to produce energy and eliminate everything that seems harmful to your body such as alcohol and drugs. If you increase your intake of toxic substances, your liver has to overwork to remove those substances.

Now that you have hepatitis B, then this task becomes more difficult for your liver to handle, and not quitting these substances can be dangerous for your liver. For instance:

• If you’re a smoker or use secondhand smoke, you are at risk of developing liver cancer.
• If you drink alcohol, it can increase your risk for liver complications even if you occasionally drink just a glass of wine or beer. So, excessive drinking is even more dangerous.
• Recreational drugs not only increase your risk of liver problems but also increase the risk of hepatitis B spread through infecting syringes or straws that contain body fluids or blood after your use.

• Light exercises:

Generally, exercise is healthy for both your body and mental health. However, hepatitis symptoms can vary from person to person, which can affect your exercise routine. So, follow a personalized exercise program that your doctor recommends according to your health and condition.

Light exercises like walking can boost your immune system and decrease excess fat stored in your liver or even a short stroll to stretch your muscles and breathe fresh air can help you counter your hepatitis symptoms.

• Make necessary changes in your diet:

After being diagnosed with hepatitis B, you need to make necessary changes in your diet to ensure what you eat doesn’t stain your liver and makes you healthy. You need to eat a healthy diet that provides all the vitamins and minerals you need but it doesn’t mean you have to have a very restrictive diet unless it is medically necessary.

In case you develop advanced liver disease, then you require a special diet that may be low in salt, sugar, and fat. Consult with your healthcare professional or nutritionist to get a personalized diet plan to maintain good health.

Usually, your diet may include:

• Plenty of vegetables, legumes, and fruits.
• Plenty of cereals like rice, pasta, bread, etc.
• Lean meat, fish, poultry, or vegetarian alternatives for good protein sources.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Limit your saturated fat and total fat intake.
• Eat small amounts of sugar and sugar-containing foods.

• Practice safe sex:

As hepatitis B can spread through bodily fluids exposure, it increases the risk of transmission during sex. That’s why you need to practice safe sex by using condoms and ensuring your partner is vaccinated with the hepatitis B vaccine. This way you prevent the spread to others.

• Cover your open wounds:

Hepatitis can spread through any body fluid including blood. So, you need to cover all your open wounds with bandages and dressings. Additionally, don’t share your personal items like toothbrushes, razors, or any personal hygiene or medical supplies that may contain some body fluids.

• Manage your fatigue and sleep:

Many people with hepatitis experience fatigue and sleeping problems. You can manage your fatigue by just making a few adjustments in your daily routine to support your overall health including:

• Eat your meals on time.
• Exercise regularly.
• Planning your day especially, when fatigue usually occurs.
• Take regular breaks so you don’t feel tired during work.

To get better sleep, you can make these adjustments in your sleeping routine:

• Sleep and wake up at the same time.
• Put your phone aside half an hour before sleep.
• Take a warm bath or read a book before sleep.
• Avoid alcohol or caffeine intake in the evening.
• Sleep in a cool dark environment and only use your bed for sleep and sexual activities.

Living with hepatitis is not difficult if you properly follow your treatment and make all necessary changes in your lifestyle to keep yourself and others around you safe and healthy. However, if you notice symptoms like white or gray colored stool, dark-colored urine, increased wound bleeding, eyes white part turning yellow, etc., then you should contact your healthcare provider to manage these symptoms and prevent liver complications.

Your hepatitis needs professional medical care to ensure your liver health, visit our infectious disease doctor in Brooklyn for professional medical guidance. Don’t make your body suffer more from the infection, get professional help by visiting our infectious disease specialists in our Brooklyn clinic. They listen to your concerns and treat you accordingly. Get free tips on how to stay safe from infectious diseases. Call us on +1-347-384-5690. If you need any information on infections, log on to www.doralhw.org  to get a consultation. We have the best doctors that can help you and improve your quality of life!