The gallbladder plays an important role in the digestive process. Many gallstones do not cause any symptoms at all and you do not need to do anything to treat them, while others can cause discomfort. Other gallbladder problems might include inflammation and infection. Diet plays an especially important role in managing gallbladder problems. Consult with your doctor before making any drastic dietary changes, particularly if you have any other medical conditions.
Significance
The liver produces a substance called bile, which the gallbladder stores. The gallbladder releases the bile to aid in the digestion of fats in the small intestine. If you eat a high-fat diet, excess cholesterol can build up in the bile, hardening into gallstones and causing other problems that lead to gallbladder disease. Following a low-fat diet, along with other dietary considerations, will reduce the likelihood of forming new gallstones and other complications of a gallbladder not functioning optimally. Most importantly, it will reduce instances of gallbladder attacks--where gallstones cause blockages in the bile ducts, resulting in severe pain.
Eating the Right Fats
Monitoring your fat intake is one of the primary dietary strategies for managing gallbladder problems. You must limit your intake of saturated fats--found in animal products like meat and dairy. The University of Maryland Medical center notes that a diet that includes healthy fats, like unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, might reduce the formation of gallstones and other gallbladder complications; examples of healthy fat include nuts, olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed and fish, particularly omega-3 rich salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring. The Wake Surgical Center of Raleigh, North Carolina, often recommends patients with gallbladder problems limit their fat intake to 25 to 50g daily.
If you do consume animal products, stick to skim milk and products made with skim-milk, non-fried foods, lean red meats such as round, sirloin and flank steak and chicken without the skin.
Other Diet Considerations
High-fiber diets might prevent the formation of gallstones, notes MayoClinic.com. High-fiber foods include whole-grain breads and pastas, brown rice, oats, all fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes. Aim for 20 to 30g daily. Fiber supplements might help, but you must drink adequate amounts of water to prevent constipation.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, research indicates that regular consumption of coffee and small amounts of alcohol--as little as 1 oz. per day--might lower the risk for gallstones. Other caffeinated beverages do not appear to have the same effect as coffee. Discuss these options with your doctor, as not everyone should consume these beverages regularly.
Watch your intake of sugary foods, as they may increase the risk of gallstone formation. Cut back on cookies, cakes, ice cream and other sugary treats.
Warning
Even if you currently have gallstones that do not produce symptoms, continuing to eat a diet conducive to their formation will increase your chances of these current gallstones becoming a problem and developing new gallstones, which could lead to a gallbladder attack. This painful condition can lead to serious complications, such as an infection that leads to gallbladder rupture.
Considerations
While diet plays a large role in managing this problem, you must seek further treatment in some cases. If you experience frequent gallbladder attacks, you will most likely have your gallbladder removed. If you cannot tolerate surgery, the doctor will use a procedure to dissolve the gallstones.
Symptoms of a gallbladder attack include increasing pain in the upper right part of the abdomen that lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, pain between the shoulder blades and underneath the right shoulder. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse advises you seek immediate treatment if any of the following symptoms manifest: your pain lasts longer than five hours; you experience nausea and vomiting; fever and chills; yellowing of the skin or eyes; or clay-colored stools.
