You may have seen Hep C advertisements around the web, targeting Baby Boomers. Why?
It’s recommended that all Baby Boomers get tested for Hep C. They, as a generation, were at just the wrong time for medicine and disease spread. Stories of reusing needles to give vaccines, for instance, are common. The practices that prevent the spread of disease just weren’t in place (an interesting aside, the medical community has always been strangely resistant to germ theory).
And if you have Hep C, chances are you have no idea. Hepatitis C can stay “silent” for decades, meaning that there’s no overt symptoms. Instead, it slowly damages the liver. When symptoms do appear, it usually means things are really, really bad: liver failure, and possibly the need for a transplant.
Testing catches Hepatitis C before it reaches that point, although some people will delay treatment until they can get one with fewer side effects.
Traditional treatment for Hepatitis C includes interferon, which lowers the viral count, but doesn’t cure it. There are also pretty severe side effects. Newer treatment costs almost 100K, but is reputed to cure the Hepatitis C infection.
In addition, many choose to support their immune systems. Having a chronic illness like Hepatitis C means the immune system is constantly working, and won’t be as strong when it faces other diseases like minor colds, to more serious infections.
Liver support is important too. Multivitamins that target cleansing (like Liver MGR), as well as a diet that’s gentle and nourishing to the liver. Coffee has shown positive benefits, but alcohol will make it work more, for instance.
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