Does Gallbladder Diet Food Taste Terrible?
More people than ever today are being told that they need to adopt a gallbladder diet. The problem of gallbladder disease appears to be on the rise in America with estimates that more than 1.2 million cholecystectomy surgeries are performed annually. Gallstones are common and for some people the likelihood of developing them is higher due to ethnicity, gender, age or heredity.
For most people experiencing the aching pain of a gallbladder attack, the medical advice received is that taking the offending organ out is the only way to permanently relieve that pain. In some cases, such as infection or rupture, surgery is certainly necessary, but in the majority of individuals pain can be completely eliminated by following the right natural gallbladder treatment program.
On many more occasions, however, simple changes to the diet can make a big impact- both relieving pain and helping to prevent further development of gallstones or gallbladder inflammation.
But Doesn’t Diet Food Taste Terrible?
Many people imagine bland, boring food and deprivation when they hear the word diet. Often, this is because diets have historically been used to help people lose weight.
The gallbladder diet is a bit different. It’s a healthy way to eat which, combined with physical activity, should result in a reduction of excess body fat, however losing weight is not its purpose. The purpose for the changes in eating habits is to ease stress on the gallbladder, relieve pain and help prevent future gallbladder disease.
If the food you crave the most is deep fried, high in sugar, fat and processed ingredients, then the gallbladder diet will take some getting used to for you. It is estimated to take 18 days or more to adjust to a new habit and begin to change your tastes.
Those who eat a lot of processed food, sugar and trans fats have actually trained themselves to crave it and some willpower will be needed to swap out healthier options. For many, however, the instant pain relief that comes when eliminating saturated, hydrogenated and deep-fried fats makes the sacrifice well worth it.
You can still eat fat though, and the good news is, you need fats to stay healthy and your gallbladder does too. Fat content in our food is part of what makes it taste good and what makes meals satisfying. Without them, we couldn’t absorb fat-soluble vitamins and we’d lack energy.
Fat deprivation diets actually trigger gallstone formation and poor gallbladder health as it becomes sluggish and immobile with no regular stimulation. Add tasty olive oil, coconut oil, flax and nut oils instead. Wild caught fish and grass fed dairy are good in small amounts. Try eating more nuts and seeds to stay satisfied and add flavor to foods.
You may still tea when following a gallbladder friendly diet. Plenty of fresh fruits are considered helpful and bitter, green leafy veggies along with beets and artichokes.
Whole grains and natural sources of fiber are important for digestive health and your gallbladder friendly diet will likely contain lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to be taken in small amounts daily as well.
