TCM Alternative Treatment for Alcoholic Liver Disease
Since the TCM approach to health always centers on helping the body find balance, cases of kidney and liver yin deficiency are aided by strengthening, nourishing and moistening kidney and liver yin. While TCM practitioners have many tools at their disposal to accomplish yin fortification, a patient can be actively involved in regaining his or her health through nutrition. Restructuring food intake can have a dramatic influence over the body’s yin-yang balance. Foods known to fortify kidney and liver yin include:

-- Fish, most kinds of fish, fresh water clams, oysters
-- Meat, duck, pork
-- Dairy, eggs
-- Fruit, lemons, limes, mulberries
-- Nuts/Seeds, black sesame seeds
-- Legumes, aduki beans, black beans, black soya beans, kidney beans
-- Vegetables, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, yams, alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, kelp, seaweed, string beans

Treatment in Western Medicine:
1. Medication for treating symptoms
-- propylthiouracil (a type of medicine originally designed to treat overactive thyroid glands)
-- colchicine (a medication originally designed to treat gout)
-- anabolic steroids (a more powerful type of steroid medication)

2. Nutritional therapy
Nutritional therapy is another important part of treating alcoholic liver disease. Most people with alcoholic liver disease are also malnourished for a number of reasons. These include poor diet, loss of appetite and loss of liver function, which interferes with the digestion of important nutrients. Research has also found that being malnourished makes the liver more vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol. A high-calorie diet that contains plenty of protein and carbohydrates is usually recommended for people with alcoholic liver disease. You may also be advised to take mineral and vitamin supplements.

3. Stopping drinking alcohol
Treatment for alcoholic liver disease involves stopping drinking alcohol. This is known as abstinence. Abstinence can be vital depending on what stage your alcoholic liver disease is at. For example, if you have:
-- alcoholic hepatitis, life-long abstinence from alcohol is recommended
-- cirrhosis, life-long abstinence is essential to prevent you from dying of liver failure
-- alcoholic fatty liver disease, you should consider at least two weeks of abstinence before drinking again

4. Self-help groups
Many people with a dependence on alcohol find it useful to attend self-help groups. Our Support Service Directory can help you find a support group. Medication is available to help people abstain from alcohol. Disulfiram (sold under the brand name Antabuse) can be used if you are trying to abstain but are concerned that you may relapse, or have relapsed in the past. Acamprosate is another medication sometimes used to aid alcohol withdrawal. Disulfiram causes extremely unpleasant physical reactions if you drink any alcohol, including nausea and vomiting. This deters you from drinking alcohol.