1. Reduce the Fat
If you had a window into your abdomen, the gallbladder would look like a small appendage to the liver. The gallbladder concentrates and stores the bile secreted by the liver until it's needed by the intestine to help digest fat. When stones prevent bile from reaching the intestine, patients can't digest fats properly. Bile can back up into the liver, causing liver damage or inflammation of the pancreas. Patients should strive for a fat content that makes up approximately a quarter of the daily caloric intake. This low fat diet helps the biliary tract drain, but prevents gallbladder overload.
2. The Fat-Vitamin Connection
Patients who want to be conscientious about their diet and gall stones may believe that all fat is bad. However, fat plays an important role in the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, including Vitamins A, D and E. Patients following a low-fat diet to help control symptoms of gall stones need to ensure that they're absorbing enough of the fat-soluble vitamins for optimal health. Ask your doctor about water-soluble forms of the fat-soluble vitamins if you follow a low fat diet long-term.
3. Get the Gas Out
Patients with gall stones often complain of painful flatulence. The patient may have pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, and in acute flare-ups the patient may have nausea and vomiting. Although food tolerance varies widely among patients with gall stones, you can avoid known gas-producing foods while awaiting surgery or other gallbladder interventions. Beans are a common culprit, and this includes soybeans for those who enjoy soymilk. Avoid cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Raw fruits can exacerbate gas too, including apples and melons.
4. Stop the Yellow With the Green
When gall stones obstruct the biliary tract, the bile stored in the gall bladder may be unable to reach the intestine. The result is jaundice, marked by a yellow hue in the skin and whites of the eyes. Patients with certain types of jaundice can be at risk for bleeding, and Vitamin K can help to control this bleeding. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, and patients with gall stones must follow a reduced fat diet. This leads to poor absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin K. Furthermore, some dietary sources rich in Vitamin K, such as broccoli, produce painful flatulence for gallbladder disease patients. Alternative sources of vitamin K include turnip greens, kale and spinach.
5. Formula Diet
In cases of severe gallbladder disease caused by gall stones, doctors may advise patients to keep the gallbladder as inactive as possible with a special formula diet. These products have the exact balance of fat, protein, carbohydrates and vitamins necessary to help patients receive the nourishment they need while the acute gallbladder inflammation subsides.
