I work with many people who have had their gallbladder removed. Does it always need to be removed if there are stones or gallbladder issues? Not necessarily.
Once the gallbladder is gone are all your digestive issues and other complaints gone? Not necessarily. Ongoing support once removing a gallbladder is crucial for better health. Contact me if you would like to discuss what you can do to help support your body without a gallbladder.
Still have your gallbladder and don’t really know what it does and what it needs from us? Then read on…
What does your gallbladder actually do?
It’s two main functions are to store bile and to concentrate bile. It is usually concentrated x5 while stored in your gallbladder. Bile is required for fat digestion (long chain fatty acids from saturated fats). Short chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids such as coconut oil don’t require bile for digestion.
Bile is important for:
- Digestion and absorption of fats and fat soluble vitamins
- Being an excretion route for wastes and toxins
- Deodorising your poo! It gives it a brown colour and has a gentle laxative effect. People with overly smelling poo often don’t excrete enough bile. Often constipated people are not producing enough bile either.
Besides gallstones there are other conditions that can affect the gallbladder so making sure you look after your liver will help support looking after your gallbladder. There isn’t always just a gallbladder attack with stones having had developed, you can have symptoms of gallbladder dysfunction years before stones appear and this is certainly when you should be looking at doing what you can to support yourself.
Signs and symptoms of gallbladder dysfunction
- Indigestion especially after rich fatty meals or dairy
- Abdominal bloating or feeling of excessive fullness after meals
- Reflux/heartburn
- Diarrhoea or loose urgent stools after some foods
- Irritable and moody
- Low tolerance to alcohol
- Discomfort behind right shoulder blade or on top of right shoulder
- Sweaty feet or generally sweaty
- Bad breath and coated tongue
- Fatigue after eating
7 essentials to help support your liver and gallbladder to prevent gallstones
- Keep bile fluid moving – drink more water
- Eat foods specific for your gallbladder eg lemons/limes, beetroot and their leaves, fresh mint leaves, rocket etc
- Take the right nutrients for healthy bile including vitamin C
- Keep bowels moving and avoid constipation
- Avoid problem foods (not just fat/oily foods) and restore digestion
- Reduce cholesterol – once again it’s not just about saturated fat – fructose and sucrose are often the culprit – Bile production actually gets rid of excess cholesterol it doesn’t need
- Eat the right fats – Think omega 3’s, avocados, raw nuts and seeds etc
Contact me to book in an appointment or to find out more about my 4 Week Detox Program to help your gallbladder and liver naturally – megan@balancingnutrition.com.au or 0417 679 287.
References available upon request
