Diet And Supplements After Gallbladder Surgery
If you have gone thru a gallbladder surgery you now need to know how you can have the healthiest digestive system possible, without it.
Unfortunately, many people are under the impression that the digestive process will remain unchanged after gallbladder removal and that the gallbladder is an “unnecessary organ”. This is only partially true as we can certainly live without the gallbladder, however, overall health and nutrition may change due to its absence and GI problems such as frequent diarrhea, gas, bloating and pain may remain an ongoing problem. It is possible to develop gallstones in the liver and when underlying health issues are not resolved, gallbladder removal will unfortunately not represent a “fix”. The good news is, there are steps you can take to help make up for what you are missing.
A healthy gallbladder plays an important role in digestion and its absence affects many areas of health and digestion. The gallbladder typically ensures that correct amounts of bile are released into the small intestine to correspond strategically with the food we eat. When the gallbladder is removed, the liver will continue to produce bile but it leaks into the intestines in a continuous trickle, regardless of whether there is food in the stomach and regardless of its fat content. The concentration, volume and chemical components of bile are no longer stored and regulated precisely. This has a negative effect on how we digest fats and eventually, can lead to fat-soluble vitamin deficiency, poor cholesterol metabolism, and a lack of essential fatty acids due to poor absorption of dietary fat.
With obesity and food allergies on the rise in North America, the cases of gallbladder disease are also on the rise and over 750,000 cholecystectomies are performed annually in the US. Many health experts believe that the majority of these are unnecessary as they do not address the cause of the problem but only a symptom. As well, once the gallbladder is gone, careful adjustments to diet and supplementation become a lifelong necessity for health and comfort.
Ox Bile
To ensure optimal digestive function and nutrient absorption, people who have had their gallbladder surgically removed will need to take some form of bile salts, such as Ox bile- which is exactly what it sounds like- and enzymes or other supplements with each meal. Without these aids, the bile which reached the small intestine from the liver will not increase in volume and potency appropriately when needed for high fat meals.
Not only does this lead to unpleasant abdominal symptoms, but those fats will not be effectively absorbed and their energy used without help. The production of certain hormones, brain function, mood, tissue health and many areas of our physiology suffer without these essential fats and fat-soluble vitamins.
Ox bile should be taken just a few minutes before eating a meal or taking supplements containing fat. If you take too much, the usual result is diarrhea. If that happens, just reduce your dosage.
Lipase & Pancreatin Enzymes
Enzymes such as lipase and pancreatin can assist with digesting fats and preventing GI symptoms. Enzyme formulas which are high in lipase are useful and these are available in most health food stores.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods and drinks have long been healing and helpful for digestive health. They help to keep liver and intestines functioning well, populate the gut with good microorganisms and ease the discomfort of gas and digestive upset.
Essential Vitamins D, A, E, B-12
You may want to increase dietary sources of certain vitamins. Vitamin D is extremely important for cell function. It is a potent cancer inhibitor and bone-builder. Vitamin A is also a key anti-cancer, healthy cell and immune function vitamin. Vitamin K is essential for blood health and function, and vitamin E is another immune-boosting, antioxidant.
Natural food sources of these fat-soluble vitamins should be increased after gallbladder removal and bile salts as well as herbal bitters can be taken to increase bile and maximize their absorption. B 12 requires a lot of stomach acid to absorb and may require supplementation as well after gallbladder removal. Without sufficient B12, you may notice a lack of energy, brain fog, weakness and depression.
Essential fatty acids are also key for mood and brain function as well as healthy skin and tissues. High-quality fats–especially omega-3 fats — are essential for good health and if you don’t have a gallbladder you will have an impaired ability to absorb them.
Certain fats are easier than others for people to digest after gallbladder removal surgery. Coconut oil doesn’t require bile acids for its absorption, and it is rapidly absorbed in the upper part of the small intestine therefore it is not only very nutritious but easy on the gut and not likely to cause discomfort.
Regular Cleansing
Gallstones are solidifications of toxicity in the body that have crystallized by the use of electrolytes such as calcium and magnesium. Gallbladder surgery does not address the cause of gallstone formation; all it does is remove the sack in which the body has been mainly storing the gallstones in. Unless the toxic dietary habits and flawed lifestyle habits are addressed and changed, the body will continue to manufacture gallstones, even in the absence of the gallbladder.
Therefore, cleansing after gallbladder removal is probably more important than before. Cleansing programs like The Pulverexx Protocol not only dissolve gallstones in the common bile duct, but in the liver itself, the place where gallstones begin forming.
