PKD DIET

Alkalinity PLD

Most of the medical articles on liver disease are NOT related to cystic livers but to cirrhosis, hepatitis, or other diseases of the liver. Collectively, together as a group, we have found alkalanity to be helpful in diminishing polycystic liver symptoms.

Until we have clinical trials with individuals with liver cysts testing alkalinity we will not KNOW that alkalinity is beneficial nor will we know the reason for this benefit. In the meantime, we are drawing upon our collective experiences. Our empirical knowledge tells us logically that alkalinity is key for improvement in our cystic liver disease. However there can be many reasons for alkalinity improving cystic liver symptoms.

Alkalinity

The liver is the main organ of the body that detoxifies, metabolizes all that we ingest; all that we are exposed to; all that we breathe in. The liver's job is the first catch all point for these waste products, for these by products. The liver changes it to a water-y compound to be excreted by the kidneys. By remaining alkaline we can help lessen the workload of the liver.

Animal proteins, hormones

Meats, dairy, cheeses, cow milk, goat milk, caribou milk and cheeses, yogurts made from animal milks all contain hormones. Hormones make liver cysts grow. This is known thanks to the Italians with an electron microscope who looked at the cell walls of liver cysts and found them to have hormone receptors. Avoiding all animal proteins will lessen cyst grow. By lessening cyst growth we lessen symptoms. Women have a greater chance of getting severe liver cysts due to female hormone. Pregnancy and birth control pills and hormones is thought to be a factor. Limiting or avoiding all types of hormones is beneficial for diminishing liver cyst symptoms.

Candida Albicans

Candidiasis or yeast or an overgrowth of yeast so the internal bacteria of the body becomes unbalanced seems to go along with cystic liver enlargement. A treatment for candidiasis is potassium citrate or alkalinity. Urologists know that yeast cannot grow, is unable to grow in an alkaline environment so the body bacteria remain in balance through alkalinity. One symptom that a yeast infection exists within the body is a strong desire to eat sweets, to eat sugar, to eat pastries, to eat baked goods. The yeast requires sugar, concentrated sugars to survive. Yeast will demand more and more sugar to survive. The end product of yeast utilizing sugars is alcohol waste. It is for this reason that I avoid concentrated sugars, yeast, alcohol, vinegars, and alcohol ferments.

Candida albicans autoinduces hyphal morphogenesis by raising extracellular pH.
The above article explains that if we have candida, a yeast overgrowth, the yeast actually produces a lowering of the overall systemic pH. Eating sugars makes our body acidic. To maintain health it is important to have a slight leaning toward the alkaline. Before reading this article it was not clear as to why concentrated sugars were harmful to severe PLD. When a cystic liver is very enlarged we crave sugar; the yeast overgrowth demands sugar to survive. We crave sugary sweet desserts. If one can become alkaline through foods, juices, or some over the counter potassium citrate (checked by a doctor) one can more easily resist sugar. Candida overgrowth produces acidity. Alkalinity is required to diminish PLD symptoms.

Two Hit Mechanism

It is known that liver cysts have the two-hit mechanism. This increases liver cyst formation. The two-hit mechanism has been explained this way: many may inherit liver cystic organ disease but it is the breakage of DNA, the mutation of DNA that can lead to an increase in symptoms, an increase in cyst formation. Anything we can do to limit our exposure to herbicides, pesticides, chemicals, and carcinogenic agents will help maintain the integrity of our DNA. By maintaining the integrity of DNA we can minimize our liver cysts. Eating more raw fruits and vegetables, turmeric, broccoli sprouts (or DIMs), milk thistle, artichoke, saffron, etc. all help maintain DNA integrity.
Helpful Liver Foods

PLD Diet

There are a few things that help liver cysts: eliminate caffeine, eliminate bleach, avoid all hormones, true and false. Hot lemon juice and saffron tea seem to help diminish pain. More on PLD Pain.
The PLD Diet or eliminating these items helps diminish liver symptoms:

Best Healing Liver Foods

Avoid certain foods:

Avoid chemicals:

Avoid endocrine disruptors:

We are  sharing our experiences with PKD/PLD Diet, an adjunct diet envisioning it complementing a physician's prescribed medical therapy. Consider testing this with your doctor's prior knowledge, who can  adjust it according to your own uniqueness by adding it to your current  treatment.

Medical Disclaimer