Gallbladder Health-What You Consume Impacts Gallstones

Most people don't even realize they have a gallbladder. Unlike the liver, many people can exist without their gallbladder, as its prime function is to stockpile bile produced by the liver, and at the proper time release it into the intestines to aid in digestion of fats. But when problems occur, usually in the form of gallstones, it's most commonly treated by surgically eliminating the gall bladder. Over a half million people within the United States have gall bladder surgery each year, and it is estimated you've got about a 60% chance of having no change in health following the surgery. That leaves 40% which will still have symptoms.

Point is, it's usually not wise to get rid of body parts unless you absolutely have to. Many people have experienced uncontrolled fat gain after gall bladder surgery, and although the liver will still be there to provide bile after the storage area (gallbladder) is gone, the liver may become overwhelmed to provide enough bile once confronted with large amounts of fats, particularly saturated or hydrogenated fats. This condition will likely lead to huge troubles for some people. But if the gall bladder is to the point where it is producing gall stones that could be detrimental to overall health, it might be the only real option.

Clearly, the best way to go is to prevent gall bladder surgery in the first place, and the best power we've got over this is through suitable diet. Excess body weight will dramatically raise your chances of gallstones, as does a diet that's high in fat and cholesterol and low in fiber, for example:

* Fresh vegetables and fruits

* Whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice

* Fish, poultry and very lean meat

* Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts

* Low-fat dairy products

Conversely, some of these foods you ought to avoid or severely limit in your diet are high-fat foods including:

* Fried foods

* Highly processed foods, such as white bread or doughnuts

* Whole milk dairy products

* Fatty red meat

When changing your diet drastically so that you can lose weight, be aware that rapid weight reduction can exasperate the issues with gallstones. If there is little or no fat in your diet, the gallbladder, whose job it is to secrete bile to digest fat, will become inactive without having to secrete bile. This inactivity is when gallstones are more likely to form. Then when you eat a meal high in dietary fat, the gallbladder goes to work doing its duty, and you become very vulnerable to a gallbladder attack. Aim for a gradual weight reduction of one to two pounds per week with a little fat to keep bile moving from your gallbladder, and at all times accompany a good diet with habitual exercise.

Gall bladder problems, it is alleged, come with the diet that modern Western society has adopted, which is high in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats. Changing your eating routine will not get rid of gall stones that you already have, but engaging in a diet that's well balanced in a variety of nutrients while limiting all of the bad stuff may well help ease your symptoms and put off what so many individuals are going through. Despite the fact that gallbladder surgery has become common, like we used to say in athletics, surgical procedure is only simple when it's performed on someone else. Gall bladder surgery is something to avoid if at all feasible, and a better diet is something we can all control.