Good diet ??

[Loobyloo54]

Can someone give me advice on what foods might possibly make you itch more , I've been reading some posts and it seems that what we eat could make it worse . I'm going crazy with itching all over at the moment - I usually have an itch in the small of my back but that's about it until now , I've just returned from a short stay in New York , so my diet may have gone off kilter a little .☹️

[Marysla]

I've cut out red meat and it has made a big difference

[butterflyEi]

Hi Loobyloo54

I believe it is best to eat foods that we can prepare ourselves so that we avoid sodium and preservatives and best to avoid carbonated so called energy drinks.

I eat a diet rich in vegetables and pulses, drink lots of water, maybe have red meat once a week, try to have some fish and the rest is chicken. One of my favourites is

jamieoliver.com/recipes/veg...

I don't use the Jamie Oliver recipe but it was the first one I found on the web.

I also particularly like a cauliflower and broccoli pasta bake (organic pasta).

Once you return to your normal diet after the New York trip and if your itch does not settle down you may need to speak to your care provider, the first line of defence seems to be Cholestyramine - AKA - Questran or Questran Light. I have been on the questran light for about 6 months but I am still itching! I also use a 2% menthol cream which I find gives temporary relief.

If you have a look at Peridot's page I think she put up a post on diet.

hope this of some help

best wishes

[Hidden in reply to butterflyEi]

Oops, sorry butterflyEi. Just noticed you mentioned the post mentioned that I put up.

I love cauliflower and broccoli myself, will have a look at the recipe you've mentioned. Providing there's no cheese (I don't do much in the way of cheese, never have) I might print it up and have a go..

[Hidden]

Hello Loobloo54.

I don't think there is a diet that can stop the itch, only probably improve on it.

Given it is supposed to be due to used bile in the bloodstream due to us needing some fat in the diet (crucial for those fat soluble vitamins we can actually lack in PBC), we are going to have used bile in the system as bile breaks down fats mainly, acts like a detergent.

I do believe some foods can make the itch feel worse, chocolate I expect due to high fat content.

I don't have much in the way of fried foods but the other day I made a few home-made scones as in thick cut small potatoes that I then deep fried in rapeseed oil (apparently it's supposed to be the best and I've found cheapest). I blot with kitchen paper and actually found that night the itch wasn't at its worst as some nights it can be! I find it seems hit and miss at the best of times. But that day I had about 6 of the scones with evening meal, I hadn't had much in the way of fat intake that day so that is more than likely the reason perhaps.

I have found that eating raw vegetables as in salad items can actually make me feel worse at night. My theory is that the body takes longer to digest raw foods as opposed to cooked. I had a salad early week (no fats present as never been into mayo or dressings) with some chicken for evening meal and that night I wasn't as good as nights I am when I have a fully cooked meal (ie jacket potato with teaspoon butter, fish and some steamed veg).

I think the best way is to eat as fresh as possible with as little additives as you can attain is probably a good thing. I posted an article on foods on here yesterday if you check out my postings. That might give you some ideas. British Liver Trust site also have a good leaflet on diet in liver conditions. Also like me you might want to take some ideas off other posters, I find there are lots of interesting ideas regardless of whether I'd uptake them or not.

[Loobyloo54]

Thankyou so much for all your replies, I don't eat much meat as I don't like like it and live on mainly vegetables, and I really don't like fish 😬, I may have to try a little more balanced diet I think , funny you should mention chocolate Peridot, I have felt unwell after eating chocolate for a couple of years or so now and thought it aggravated my angina, but methinks now it might be upsetting my liver ☹️

I'm new to this site and felt a little on the down side but feel secure in the knowledge that fellow pbcers are a shoulder to lean on , thankyou 😘

[Bonnieanne54]

Recently I did a 28 day detox for the liver and cut out everything ! Salt mustard ketchup paprika red meat tuna fish anything canned or packaged in a sodium solution eggs dairy soy and tofu and night shades. Burst of energy! Pain a bit better. Starting to reintroduce one at a time to see if I stay the same. But I may see how long I can last on almonds salmon lamb chicken turkey veggies fruit and almond milk cause I'm not hungry. And also down ten lbs first time in years !

[KatherineM_PBC in reply to Bonnieanne54]

Hi Bonnieanne - if you have swapped over to Almond Milk, do a bit of quick research as they are not all the same, many have unnecessary ingredients and you might want to know that the one you use is Carrageenan-free. Just Google 'the best and worst almond milk'. x

[Bonnieanne54 in reply to KatherineM_PBC]

Thank you ! I use new barn unsweetened from Whole Foods....says on it spring water & organs almonds no carrageenan...good to know in the future if I cat find that...

[Bonnieanne54]

Oh also sugar. Big difference caffeine artificial sweeteners except stevia

[manstin]

Hi there I'm up in Canada but for me its salt if I stay under 1000 mg a day I'm fine. I'ts been 7 months itch free before that my whole body itched and I was bleeding everywhere. it was unbearable