Are afraid that you may be experiencing issues with your gallbladder?
What is your Gallbladder?
When experiencing pain in the right section of your abdomen you could be experiencing gallstone pain. Your gallbladder is a small organ that is around 4 inches and shaped like a pear. It can be found in the upper right side of your abdomen and below your liver.
The main function of your gallbladder is to hold bile which aids in the process of breaking down fat from what you eat in your intestine. Bile is something that is made up of fluids, fat and cholesterol and this bile is delivered into the small intestine giving nutrients an easy way to be absorbed into the body.
If you are afraid that you may be experiencing issues with your gallbladder, we will discuss not only gallbladder friendly foods but also what should be included in a gallbladder diet to avoid gallstone pain.
What are Gallstones?
Gallstone pain can be severe and often sends people running to the emergency room. They are hardened deposits of digestive fluids that can be compared to either a grain of sand or a golf ball.
If you are experiencing gallstone pain, you will be aware of it, and could require removal of the gallbladder. If you have gallstone, but they are small, you most likely won’t experience any symptoms and won’t need your gallbladder removed.
Here is a list of symptoms of gallstone pain, according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Quick onset of pain in the upper right part of the abdomen that intensifies
- Quick onset of pain that increases rapidly in the middle of you abdomen
- Pain in your back between the shoulder blades
- Pain in the right shoulder
- Vomiting and nausea
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms it’s important that you speak to a medical professional about your concerns. If you notice any of the following symptoms you should go to a doctor immediately:
- Pain in the abdomen so fierce that you cannot get comfortable standing or sitting
- If you notice your skin turning a yellow tone and also the whites of your eyes
- Pain in the abdomen accompanied by high fever and chills
Gallbladder Diet: Gallbladder Friendly Foods
When you are deciding on your gallbladder friendly foods it’s important to keep in mind that maintaining a healthy diet and weight can help prevent gallstones from forming. In order to maintain a healthy diet, avoiding foods that are high in fat and cholesterol but low in fiber is key. Other gallbladder friendly foods can include:
- Fruit and vegetables that are fresh
- Whole grains which can include bread, rice and oats
- Lean meats such as poultry, fish and beef
- Dairy products that are low in fat
- Moderate amounts of alcohol can lower risk of gallstones
- Moderate consumption of caffeine can also lower risk of gallstones
- Moderate amount of peanuts
Foods that you should avoid when trying to follow a gallbladder diet are:
- Fried foods
- Highly processed foods
- Whole fat fairy products
- Red meat that contains a lot of fat
Certain diet fads can also affect your gallbladder because they cause the liver to release cholesterol into the bile inside the gallbladder changing the normal balance going on inside the body. When the bile in the gallbladder has more cholesterol than normal it can create small salts that form into crystals ultimately leading to gallstones and a lot of pain.
Before you decide to embark of a specific diet, especially if you are female, 40 or older, Native American, Mexican American, overweight, sedentary, pregnant or have diabetes, you should speak with your doctor about possible health complications related to the diet.