Understanding Jaundice: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Diet
What is Jaundice?
Jaundice is when your skin and eyes turn yellow. It happens when your liver, a super important organ, doesn’t work right. Your liver’s job is to clean your blood. And help your body digest food. When it’s not doing its job, something called bilirubin. Which is yellow, builds up in your body, making you look yellow.
Two Types of Jaundice
There are two main types of jaundice:
Yellow Jaundice (Hepatitis-Induced): This kind is caused by a virus called hepatitis. It can spread easily and make you very sick.
Liver Function-Related Jaundice: This type happens when your liver can’t work properly. It’s not caused by a virus, but by liver problems or some medicines.
How to Stay Healthy
To avoid jaundice, eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, and don’t drink too much alcohol or eat unhealthy stuff. Also, getting a vaccine against hepatitis can help prevent one of the common causes of jaundice.
So, remember, jaundice is like a yellow warning from your liver. To stay healthy, take care of your liver by eating well, avoiding bad stuff, and getting vaccinated.
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Types of Jaundice
Jaundice, the “yellowing of the skin and eyes,” comes in two main types:
1. Hepatitis-Induced Jaundice (Yellow Jaundice):
- It’s caused by hepatitis infections, like A, B, or C.
- It can affect people of all ages and has mild to severe symptoms.
- You can catch it from infected food, water, or people.
2. Liver Function-Related Jaundice:
- It’s when your liver isn’t working right.
- Your skin and eyes turn yellow because your liver can’t handle a substance called bilirubin.
- This can happen from too much alcohol, liver problems, or certain medicines.
Causes of Jaundice
To avoid jaundice, it’s important to know what causes it:
1. Poor Hygiene and Dirty Water:
- Jaundice spreads in places with bad hygiene and dirty water.
- If there’s no clean water, you’re at a higher risk of getting hepatitis-induced jaundice.
2. Handling Food Improperly:
- Not washing hands before cooking or eating can spread hepatitis.
- People who are infected can make others sick if they don’t handle food the right way.
3. Eating Raw or Contaminated Food:
- Eating undercooked or dirty food, like shellfish, can carry hepatitis A and cause jaundice.
Recognizing the Signs
Jaundice can make you feel and look different. Here are some common signs of jaundice:
- Stomach Pain: People with jaundice often feel pain in their stomach, especially around the liver area.
- Loss of Appetite: Jaundice can make you not want to eat, leading to weight loss.
- Mild Fever: Some people with jaundice may have a little fever, and they might feel tired and weak.
- Yellow Skin and Eyes: The most noticeable sign of jaundice is when your skin and the white part of your eyes turn yellow. This happens because of a substance called bilirubin.
Eating Right to Prevent Jaundice
Preventing jaundice starts with your diet. While no diet can guarantee you won’t get it, a healthy approach can really lower the risk. Here are some food tips to keep in mind:
What to Eat
High-Protein Food sources:
Devouring protein-rich food varieties is fundamental for liver wellbeing. Incorporate lean meats, fish, eggs, and vegetables in your eating routine to help liver capability.
New Leafy foods:
New products of the soil are loaded with fundamental supplements and cell reinforcements. These can assist with safeguarding your liver from harm and backing in general wellbeing.
Entire Grains:
Entire grains like earthy colored rice, entire wheat, and oats give fundamental fiber and supplements that can help with processing and in general prosperity.
Dairy Items:
Low-fat dairy items are a decent wellspring of calcium and protein. These can be remembered for your eating routine for adjusted sustenance.
What to Avoid
- Alcohol: Don’t drink too much alcohol. It can hurt your liver and make jaundice more likely. Limit or stop drinking.
- Fatty and Processed Foods: Try not to eat a lot of foods with lots of fat or processed snacks. They can be tough on your liver. Eat less of these foods.
- Hygiene and Food Safety: Always stay clean and handle food safely. This helps prevent germs and diseases like hepatitis from spreading.
Medicines and Safety
If someone has jaundice, they need medical help. Medicines can make them feel better. Here’s how to be safe:
- Isolation: If someone in your family has jaundice, make sure they use their own eating stuff (like plates and forks). Keep everything clean to stop the illness from spreading to others.
Remember, it’s all about staying healthy and protecting yourself and your family.
ALSO READ: Understanding the Signs and Treatment of Stomach Worms
Counsel a Specialist:
Always ask a doctor for advice on medicines and food restrictions specific to your situation. Jaundice is a common condition with different causes and symptoms. While it’s important to know the signs of jaundice. Preventing it through a healthy diet, good hygiene. And medical guidance is just as crucial. By learning about the main reasons it happens, recognizing its signs. And following food and medical advice, you can significantly lower the risk of getting jaundice. Remember, your health is super important, so take good care of it!
