Eat To Beat Gallstones

Symptoms

People with gallstones may experience indigestion or an upset stomach, often noticed after a rich or heavy meal. Many people, however, have gallstones but experience absolutely no symptoms at all.

Diet in gallbladder stone ---

Eating particular foods will not make gallstones disappear but can certainly lessen your pain whilst you are waiting for your operation.

• Steer clear of fatty, oily or fried foods which are most likely to cause pain or feelings of sickness. These high-fat foods ‘activate’ the gall bladder to release bile (needed to digest the fat) and so make your symptoms worse.

• Avoid concentrated fats like oil, butter, margarine, fat on meat or avocado, but you don’t have to eat completely fat-free. Often it’s a case of trial and error while you work out how low in fat you need to go.

• A low fat diet includes a wide range of foods such as vegetables, potato and legumes such as lentils and kidney beans, all varieties of bread, pasta and rice with oil free sauces, grilled or steamed fish or skinless chicken, grilled lean meat and low fat milk or soy drinks.

• Drink plenty of water (eight to ten glasses a day).

• Avoid alcohol

Causes of gallstones

1. Obesity

Being even moderately overweight increases the likelihood of developing gallstones because overweight people create more cholesterol and secrete more of it into their bile which is stored in the gall bladder.

2. Family history

Having close family members with gallstones also increases the chance of developing gallstones and so does having a large number of children.

3. Too little fibre and vegetables

Slow transit time (the time taken for food to pass through the digestive tract) and constipation encourage the formation of gallstones.

4. Diabetes

People with diabetes generally have high levels of triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood). These increase the risk of gallstones.

5. Female hormones

Too much estrogen from hormone replacement therapy or contraceptive pills alters the composition of the bile and decreases gallbladder movement, both of which can make you more prone to gallstones.

6. Too-rapid weight loss and/or fasting

During rapid weight loss the body burns fat, causing the liver to secrete extra cholesterol into bile. Fasting slows down the movement of the gallbladder, which further concentrates the bile which can lead to gallstones. It also leaves you constipated which only encourages bile formation.

Dietary tips to reduce risk of gall bladder stone ----

• Maintain a healthy weight by following a balanced diet and keeping up an achievable exercise plan. Make sure you eat plenty of fibre (bran cereals, grains, whole meal bread) and vegetables.

• Try to keep your cholesterol under control with diet, rather than resorting to medication.

• Avoid cleansing fasts, detox or crash diets that cause rapid weight loss - it is impossible to maintain the weight loss in any case.