The gallbladder is a tiny pear-shaped organ located on the right side of the abdomen just beneath the liver. It holds the bile; the product of liver and pours it into the intestine. It continues its destined work until the incoming bile causes stone formation inside it which hinders its workability. If the bile is overloaded with cholesterol and bilirubin than it can cause the stone formation in this tiny part of the digestive system. 80 percent of gallbladders stones are composed of cholesterol and the rest of 20 percent are of bilirubin and both these components are associated with your dietary intake. The foods increasing cholesterol level and bilirubin level are responsible for gallbladder stones and some of the dietary habits too. Have a look at some of those foods which are going to play against this tiny organ to keep it healthy.
Table of Content
Junk Food:
Chips, burgers, cookies, and cakes are really delightful to your taste buds but a great foe to your gallbladder. They are enriched with unhealthy fats and hard to break down. They gravely increase the level of cholesterol and bilirubin which are main components of gallbladder stones. So if you want to keep gallbladder free from a stone than chose the fresh fruits and vegetables as the snack.
High-Fat Foods:
Most of the cholesterol of the body is formed in result of high-fat food intake. And when this cholesterol reaches to the gallbladder it starts depositing there. So keep the fat content low in your dietary intake by avoiding high-fat foods like dairy products, fatty meat, eggs, and sweets.
Related: 13 Surprising Habits Proven to Trigger Kidney Stones
Fried and Processed Food:
The fried and highly processed foods are associated with a high risk of gallbladder stone formation. These foods elevate cholesterol level as these have a high content of fats and also enhance bilirubin level, as the liver is doing too much effort to detoxify these foods and in the result, too much bilirubin is produced. And both these components sum up in the result of gallbladder stones.
Refined Foods:
The apparently healthy and safe outlook of these foods may deceive you but believe us that these refined foods like white bread, refined pasta and white rice are another major reason for gallbladder stone development. These refined foods immediately convert into fats and have low fiber content. High fats produce more cholesterol and low fiber content make a friendly environment for this cholesterol to start depositing in the gallbladder.
Is it Time to Quit?
It seems that almost all types of foods around you are going to cause gallbladder stone formation or at least increasing the risk of it. But do not panic it’s not the time to quit. Just keep following points in mind and follow them to live with a healthy stone-free gallbladder.
- Avoid fatty, processed and fried foods as much as possible.
- Add up the fresh fruits and vegetables in your dietary intake.
- Eat high fiber diet which keeps the cholesterol and bilirubin level low and hinders their deposition in the form of stones.
- Drink 6 to 8 glass of waters to regulate the blood cholesterol and bilirubin level.
- Never overeat. It will keep your gallbladder full and increase the risk of stone formation.
- Eat little chunks of food throughout the whole day and give proper time to the tiny gallbladder to empty itself completely.
How To Proceed?
Doctor’s from several specialties may be involved in your treatment and management if you are diagnosed with gallstones. On presentation with initial symptoms like nausea and abdominal pain, you would most probably visit a general practitioner. To find a general practitioner in Rawalpindi log on to Marham and book an appointment online easily from the comfort of your home.
After primary analysis, you would be referred to a gastroenterologist who will suggest you undergo an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis, finally, you will be scheduled for surgery for gallstone removal called cholecystectomy. This is performed by general surgeons, to find a general surgeon in Rawalpindi visits Marham-Find a doctor.
After surgery, you may experience some gastric disorders but these usually subside with time. Developing healthy eating habits can be helpful in preventing these and staying healthy post surgery.
