The biggest jaundice myth most Indians still believe: ‘…is not how we treat hepatitis’

5 min readNew DelhiJul 29, 2026 09:00 PM IST LiverDoc, aka hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, took to X to bust the myth that jaundice, which is not a disease and is a symptom of a disease, can be liver-related or non-liver-related. “Just want to pitch in here (again, sigh). This is a long-standing myth in South Asia when it comes to jaundice. Jaundice is not a disease; it’s the symptom of a disease. It can be liver-related or non-liver-related. Acute hepatitis leading to jaundice is the most common cause of jaundice in India. It’s due to food and water borne viruses. These are self-limiting. Meaning it will go away in a few days to weeks and does not require treatment. But it does require nutrition. Going on a bland diet, eating boiled food, sustaining on vegetables and avoiding oil is not