Your gallbladder, which is a small sac sitting above your liver, has a fairly simple job: store the bile your liver produces until it is needed to help digest fats. A gallbladder attack can cause great pain that lasts for hours. This condition is caused by gallbladder stones.
Gallbladder Stone Formation
The bile your liver produces is comprised of cholesterol, pigments and salts. As your gallbladder absorbs water from the bile, it thickens. For some people, this thickened water, combined with the cholesterol and pigments, form small crystals. As these crystals grow, gallstones begin developing. Approximately 80 percent of these stones are made of cholesterol, while the rest form from the pigments and salts. Most patients with gallbladder stones never experience symptoms and do not receive treatment. If treatment is necessary, it usually involves either surgery to remove the gallbladder or medication to dissolve the stones. If your symptoms are mild, your doctor may recommend dietary changes to complement drug therapy; this may relieve the discomfort the gallstones cause.
Maintain a Low-Fat Diet
Bile breaks down fat in the food you eat, making it easier for your body to digest. However, if you have gallstones, high-fat food can result in a gallbladder attack due to the gallstones causing difficulty in fat digestion. Replace red meat with lean poultry or fish, choose a baked potato over french fries, eat nuts rather than potato chips and eat your veggies without butter.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
Mayo Clinic explains a diet high in fiber can prevent the formation of new gallstones. Foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and cereal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, legumes and lentils are all excellent choices. Fiber helps remove fat and toxins from your body. Although this may not completely eliminate all the gallstones you have, it might reduce the amount.
Increase Your Vitamins
A lack of vitamins C and E may contribute to the formation of gallstones, according to Mayo Clinic. If you have a deficiency of these vitamins, or of calcium, you may have an increased risk of gallbladder stones. Citrus fruits such as oranges and strawberries can supply you with vitamin C, while nuts and seeds provide vitamin E. You can also find what you lack in a multi-vitamin or supplement. Always talk to your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications.
