Gallbladder Symptom Treatment Is Possible Without Surgery
Traditionally, western medicine has treated the gallbladder with little care or respect. Considered to be an unnecessary organ, when gallbladder symptoms arise due to gallstone formation, the North American solution is cholecystectomy, or, gallbladder removal surgery. While it is certainly possible to live without this small, pear-shaped organ, and gallbladder surgery is arguably easier than drastically changing lifestyle and diet, this modern solution is not without long-term repercussions.
What is the gallbladder for anyway?
The gallbladder’s main role is to store bile, which is secreted by the liver.
This small, oblong organ not only stores bile needed for dietary fat digestion, but it concentrates the bile and releases the precise amount required to digest each meal. Cholesterol, calcium salts and bile pigments like bilirubin make up the contents of this greenish liquid.
Small crystals and larger stones can form out of the bile elements- usually cholesterol. Though they are often harmlessly passed through a bile duct and out of the digestive system with no gallbladder symptoms, sometimes they cause serious problems.
The stones may block various ducts or the main bile duct, leading to immense pressure, inflammation and pain. Estimates are that roughly 20% of women and 10% of men in the US have gallstones. Certain risk factors such as being female, over 40 and obese, increase your chances. There are risk factors, which can be controlled, however, and there are simple diet and lifestyle changes that help your body to naturally break down stones while preventing them in the first place.
Cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal surgery is the most common treatment for gallstones, which are symptomatic- that is, causing pain. If you have had a gallbladder attack due to a gallstone blockage, you know that severe pain, though usually infrequent, might make the idea of gallbladder removal sound appealing.
What many people don’t realize, however, is that the dietary imbalances and hormonal factors linked to gallstone formation can continue to form them in the liver after the gallbladder is removed. As well, cutting out the gallbladder removes regulation and concentration of bile so instead, a steady, weak trickle of bile enters the small intestine at all times. Food is digested, but fats, often poorly so.
As well, fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, D and K may not be absorbed as effectively after gallbladder removal, leading to vitamin deficiencies. Often patients are prescribed concentrated bile salts to supplement and assist with digestion. Long term issues can include gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea when eating many foods that contain fat.
If you have begun to experience uncomfortable gallbladder symptoms, the good news is that there are natural ways to avoid surgery for most people.
Start by reducing the amount of fat in your diet and focus on the healthiest sources for this important nutrient such as coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and wild caught fish.
Eliminate fried or processed food as well as hydrogenated, trans and saturated fats as much as possible.
So yes there alternative gallbladder treatments that will allow you to keep your liver. One of such to naturally increase the flow of bile by consuming more green, leafy vegetables and liver-supportive herbs and supplements.
To do this try consuming the following foods:
- Broccoli
- Artichokes
- Apple cider vinegar
- Swiss chard
- Spinach
- Kale
- Beetroot
- Apples
- Jasmine tea
- Green tea
- Radishes
- Cardamom
- Lemon
- Dandelion root
- Licorice root
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Carrot
- Celery
- Peppermint tea
A second gallbladder treatment is the Pulverexx Protocol and it allows you to dissolve gallstones.
