The following measures can greatly reduce your risk of liver cirrhosis:

• Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation. Alcohol is a toxin that must be filtered by your liver. In the process, liver cells become damaged. If you have cirrhosis, you should not drink alcohol.
• Protect yourself from hepatitis C. Because there's no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, the only way to protect yourself is to avoid exposure to the virus. See your doctor if you have or have had hepatitis C or think you may have been exposed to the virus.
• Protect yourself from hepatitis B. Getting a vaccine for hepatitis B is the best way to protect yourself and others. Know the health status of every sexual partner. If you don't know, use a new condom every time you have sex. And if you use needles to inject drugs, be sure they're sterile and don't share them.

Talk to your doctor about getting a vaccination for Hepatitis A if you have not been exposed to this virus or vaccinated. Coffee also may play a role in preventing cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse. One cup of coffee a day reduced the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 percent. Four cups a day reduced the risk by 80 percent.

The cirrhosis often progresses slowly, and you can take steps to reduce further liver damage:

• Avoid alcohol.
• Limit medications.
• Avoid people who are sick.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Restrict salt.
• Avoid raw shellfish.