Welcome to Gabriel Atanbiyi Blog: Gallbladder – Amazing Foods That Can Help Maintain It!

When it comes to taking care of your gallbladder, incorporating healthy foods is the most important. Let’s see some good foods for gallbladder.

Some Quick Facts About Gallbladder

The gallbladder performs a good job in storing the bile, till you require it for the process of digestion.
The gallbladder is also known as a storage pouch.
To have a healthy gallbladder, one must have low cholesterol and low-fat ingredients in meals.
When you have diet good for your heart, it is indirectly good for your gallbladder too.
Having a rapid reduction in body weight can lead to gallstones.
Nearly 12 percentage of the total population has the gallstones, however, only a few give problems and get detected.
In case of gallstones, the escaped stones can lead to severe conditions like jaundice and pancreatitis, resulting in surgeries.

Gallbladder – An Important Organ Of The Body

Confused what a gallbladder is! Well, it is that small organ which resides right behind your liver. The function of this tiny organ is to store all the bile that is created by the liver. This sack like organ comes with a muscular wall and serves as a reservoir. It stores all the bile and uses it when the body requires it. However, this organ is highly avoided until it gives you a signal through pain. The bile it contains is useful in digesting the fatty foods, by transforming it to the small intestine when required. It also provides you with other nutrients like fat-soluble Vitamins, namely Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and Vitamin E, which get absorbed by the walls of the intestine and merge into the bloodstreams to travel in the body where they are required.

When the amount of cholesterol gets deposited in the bile in excess quantity, it gets transformed into stones, that lead to unbearable pain. This pain is observed in the upper right side of the abdomen along with other infections and complications which can last from minutes to hours. This pain is mostly observed after having a meal that is high in fats. In serious conditions, when the infection affects to access level or the gallbladder bursts out, the last option is to carry out a surgery.

Some Symptoms Of Having Gallbladder Diseases

Gallbladder disorders are generally less threatening, which can be easily treated with the help of a surgery. However, the disorders bring a lot of discomfort along with them when they become noticeable, or when inflammation is observed leading to blockage of bile.

Some of the gallbladder disorder symptoms visualized commonly are:

Pain in the abdomen on the right side
Bloating
Constipation
Diarrhea
Burping, flatulence or belching, mostly after heavy meals
Nausea
Indigestion
Headaches
Hot flashes over eyes, or headaches over eyes mostly at night
Pain after having fatty meals
Vomiting
Back pain in the upper right side

Some symptoms of gallbladder attack due to gallstones:

When the bile gathers in excess quantity, it leads to blockage, which requires quick medical treatment. Signs of such situation are:

Chills
Fever
Severe pain in the right side of the abdomen that lasts for more days
Vomiting and nausea
Loss of appetite
Pain below the shoulder blade or under the breastbone

Hence, if you are observing any of the above symptoms, no matter they are acute or constant, speed up your way to the nearby doctor, or move to the emergency room in case of serious conditions. The gallbladder attack can also be harmful due to the gallstones in there and hence, avoiding medical help can be dangerous. The disease is likely to attack the women rather than the men. Henceforth, a proper diagnosis, including the ultrasound scans, the treatment and the diet is required to be monitored efficiently.

Good Foods For Gallbladder

Had a lavishing recipe for lunch or dinner today! Amazing! But did you know if it is healthy for your gallbladder or not! Yes, unknowingly, the ingredients you have in your meals can also be harmful for your gallbladder. However, there are some good foods for gallbladder that would help you in improving the health.

Some healthy good foods for gallbladder are as below:

1. Food Rich In Fiber

Major of the fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, and also help you with a balanced meal. Fiber is also an essential ingredient for your gallbladder. The intake of fruits and vegetables protect the gallbladder from the development of gallstones. This is the easiest way to obtain fiber for your gallbladder, as fruits and vegetables are mostly included in meals through salads, lunch and dinner. To make your gallbladder healthy, have beets, cucumbers, okra, sweet potatoes, avocado, tomatoes, grapes, apples, lemons, papaya, berries, carrots, green leafy vegetables, etc. in your meals on a regular basis.

2. Water

Doctors mostly ask the patients to have adequate amount of daily water needs to keep the body properly hydrated. However, water also helps in maintaining the water level required in the bile. Having an adequate amount of water that is presumed to be nearly 8 glasses, at regular intervals would provide you with all the necessary benefits. Drinking water with proper intervals would also remove the unwanted elements from the body through urine. This is also beneficial for the gallbladder, as it would not absorb the unwanted compounds.

3. Pectin Rich Food Ingredients

Pectin is one of the dietary fibers that holds the cholesterol in the stomach and helps in its extraction from the body. Cholesterol is one of the reasons that lead to gallstones, and thus, having ingredients that are rich in pectin protect your body from the growth of gallstones. Some of the pectin rich ingredients are citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, etc.

4. Flaxseeds

Flax seeds have proved to be quite helpful in boosting your health in various ways. Eating even a single spoon flax seeds in your routine can gift you with a healthy gallbladder, as it comes with mucilaginous fiber, also known as the fiber gel. This kind of fiber gel helps the liver to combine the bile with acids, that results to a healthy gallbladder.

5. Omega 3 Fatty Acids Food Items

Omega 3 fatty acids are a good fat for the body. It is quite essential in the formation of anti-inflammatory elements in the body, which is also healthy for the gallbladder as it protects from the growth of gallstones. Some rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids are flax seeds, avocados, olive oil, etc.

6. Food Rich In Iron

People suffering from iron also have a risk of developing gallstones. The lack of iron in the body develops the growth of pigment gallstones, that can also lead to serious conditions. Hence, it is also important to gain iron through ingredients like dark green leafy veggies, whole grains, sea vegetables, and much more. Combining these ingredients with red meats would also help you in deducting the cholesterol levels that can be harmful to your gallbladder.

7. Turmeric

This well-known spice in yellow is quite famous for its healing properties that help the liver in better functioning. It comes with various antioxidants and hepatoprotective elements, that adds a good nutrient for the better functioning of the body organs that include the gallbladder too. However, if you are taking medicines to lower down thickening of your blood, make sure you control the intake of turmeric as it is an effective blood thinner too. A smaller portion would be fine.

8. Citrus Fruits

The deficiency of Vitamin C is also a basic reason of gallstones. Citrus fruits help in protecting from the growth of gallstones as they contain a good amount of Vitamin C in them. Hence, you can include some extra amount of citrus fruits like bell peppers, broccoli, etc. to protect your gallbladder from getting stones.

Apart from all these, you can also include other ingredients to your routine like vegetable juices, green veggies like dandelion leaves, swiss chard, celery, hemp oil, fish like salmon and trout, garlic, onion, vinegar, shallots, etc. to have a healthy gallbladder. You can also have some of the healing herbs to solve your gallbladder problems like parsley, peppermint, globe artichoke, etc. So, include them in your meals and gift your body a healthy gallbladder.

Food Ingredient That Is Harmful to Your Gallbladder

Just as there are good foods for gallbladder, there are ingredients that are harmful to it too.

1. Sweeteners and Sugars

This category includes all kinds of refined carbohydrates, sweeteners and sugars that include food like white pasta, rice, flour, bread, corn syrup with high fructose, cookies, snack food items, soda, and much more.

2. Frozen Foods

Yes, frozen food items contain a good level of additives that make it hard for the gallbladder to perform its task. Hence, limit the intake of ice cream, carbonated water, colas, alcohol, fruit juice, chocolates, etc.

3. Processed Food Items

Are you a big fan of processed food items like potato chips, pies, cookies, spicy food, red meat, fried foods, margarine, etc.! Start avoiding them as such packed snacks are quite harmful to the gallbladder.

Also, ingredients like eggs, fowl, chicken, pork, corn, gluten, dairy products like cream, cheese and milk, coffee, oranges, grapefruits, nuts, vegetable oils, red meats, black tea, tap water, cabbage, cauliflower, oats, etc. are harmful to your gallbladder. Also, smoking and all kinds of food allergens should be avoided to keep your gallbladder safe and healthy.

Some Natural Ways To Boost Your Gallbladder

With some simple routine ways, you can easily manage the functioning of the gallbladder. When the gallbladder is upset somehow, it makes the digestion of fats in the meals hard to digest, which may lead to various other symptoms. Here are some natural ways that help in boosting the health of your gallbladder.

1. Maintain A Proper Weight

Yes, if you maintain your weight properly, you would also have a healthy gallbladder too. Consuming meals which contain lesser amount of cholesterol that wouldn’t damage the bile, reduced risk of attack, etc. is the best way to keep your gallbladder healthy. A well-balanced diet, that includes all the necessary nutrients in required quantity would surely help in managing the weight. You should also have a watch on the number of calories, fats and cholesterol you are having in your meals.

2. Avoid Skipping Meals

Yes, having meals at regular intervals is also equally necessary. The reason behind it is that skipping even a single meal would increase the collection of bile in the gallbladder. In this way, the bile would come out of the gallbladder before you have your next meal. Instead, you can try having small portion of meals that would minimize the risk of the removal of the bile. To clean the gallbladder accurately, you can consume food items that are rich in mono-saturated fats like nuts, avocado, fish, olive oil, etc. rather than skipping meals.

3. Daily Workout

Is your routine stuck up to the chairs without any activity! This can surely be harmful to your gallbladder. Sitting ideal would slow down your digestive system, which includes the movements of the bowels too. As a result, the bile wouldn’t even move out of the gallbladder, causing you some mild or serious problems. Hence, make a routine to practice some mild exercise that would not help your gallbladder and other body organs work smoothly.

The risk of developing gallstones rises for the pregnant women as in their case, the estrogen level rises during pregnancy. The risk can be limited by avoiding meals that contain a good amount of fats in it. The fats not only help in the growth of gallstones but also gift you with serious gallbladder problems. To fight against them, increase the intake of fiber through vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. Staying hydrated by having the adequate amount of water is also a good choice to avoid gallbladder disorders for the pregnant women. Having water would also help in breaking the fiber elements that would allow the nutrients to reach to your fetus. Hence, in this way, you can also keep your gallbladder healthy and also keep your infant nourished with nutrients.

Thus, by adopting a proper routine that includes good foods for gallbladder and some work out timings, you can surely help your gallbladder function smoothly avoiding the disorders that damage it. Avoiding processed and canned food items would help you to a great extent, in controlling your gallbladder. Soups are no doubt healthy for you, however, to make it healthier, you can remove the extra oil from it using a paper towel. Start measuring the oil you are using while cooking instead of simply pouring it. Include boiled, baked, steamed, roasted or grilled meals, avoiding the fried ones for not disturbing your gallbladder functions. These are small but quite important techniques that would help your gallbladder in various ways.

So, next time you are thinking what to cook, make sure you cook something that helps your gallbladder stay strong and fit.

Welcome to Gabriel Atanbiyi Blog

Saturday, 9 September 2017

Gallbladder – Amazing Foods That Can Help Maintain It!