Gallbladder Symptoms Don’t Need To Make Mealtimes Miserable
For a growing number of Americans, mealtimes have become a painful reminder that their digestive systems aren’t working as efficiently as they should.
The gallbladder is a small storage tank for bile, located just under the liver. Bile is a greenish liquid secretion which the liver produces to help digest the fat in our food and this organ has the task of concentrating then releasing the bile through the common bile duct and into our intestine to meet with food.
When we eat meals containing fat, signals trigger the gallbladder to squeeze and release the correct volume and concentration of bile. A number of factors may interfere with this process and lead to gallbladder symptoms like pain and poor digestion instead of the easy digestion we should experience.
Whether you have begun to experience symptoms of gallbladder distress, or if you want to do your best to get ahead of issues and prevent them, changing your diet and lifestyle to be liver and gallbladder friendly are great steps toward healthy digestion.
Start With A Flush!
A gallbladder and liver flush usually involve consuming those foods and supplements which naturally increase bile flow, thin the bile and help break down deposits and small stones which have formed in the gallbladder.
Apples and apple juice—these are known for softening gallstones and increasing bile flow.
Apple cider vinegar is also believed to increase the production of healthy bile which increases the outflow, clears the ducts and provides a higher volume of bile to break down fat, decreasing unpleasant GI symptoms such as gas and bloating.
Lemon juice – this is popular gallbladder treatment or remedy for active, painful gallbladder symptoms such as biliary colic caused by a lodged gallstone. Use a few teaspoons of fresh organic lemon juice, in a glass of warm water and sip for 10 minutes during pain then repeat as needed. The increase in release of bile can flush out the ducts and relieve pressure.
Foods to consume in higher quantities include green leafy vegetables- especially bitter greens like collard, swiss chard, arugula. Vegetables such as beets, artichokes and radishes are particularly well-known for improving liver health and gallbladder function.
While adding gallbladder-healthy foods and juices, you’ll also need to reduce or completely remove a few things to reduce your gallbladder symptoms.
First, remove junk food. This means eliminating refined, processed food such as cookies, cakes, chips and anything deep fried. Although healthy, wholesome fats such as extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil are good for you, overall fat consumption should be lowered when the gallbladder is irritated or suffering attacks because fat stimulates contractions. Remove all saturated, trans fat and hydrogenated fats and replace with flax, hemp, avocado oil and other wholesome fats in small amounts.
Luckily, tea have been linked to improved gallbladder health, but it is recommended that you reduce or eliminate drinking alcohol and coffee when suffering active gallbladder symptoms.
Most importantly, don’t wait until you are in pain and meal times become miserable, to make some changes. Your gallbladder can be healthier and digestion better each day with these supportive measures.