Got GALLBLADDER problems ?
The liver and the gall bladder are connected as the liver produces bile which is then regulated by the gall bladder.
The liver’s main functions are metabolism regulation, blood purification and bile production. In the digestive functions, a sluggish liver or gall bladder means that not enough bile reaches the duodenum. The role of BILE is to emulsify fats. It breaks down large fat globules into tiny droplets to prepare them for digestion by pancreatic enzymes.
The liver, along with the kidneys, is a filtering organ of the body. The more fats and toxins ingested, the harder it must work. Many of the major illnesses of our time are due to grossly overburdened livers.
CAUSES of imbalance:
Over indulging in fatty food, starches and junk food is probably the most common cause of liver/gall bladder problems. Alcohol, when taken in large quantities over a long period, will cause cirrhosis of the liver. Viral hepatitis may be another cause.
EFFECT of imbalance:
An under functioning liver/gall bladder will interfere with the absorption of essential fatty acids and with the metabolism of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. an inadequate flow of bile will effect the elimination of many toxic substances from the body.
When the gall bladder has been surgically removed, the flow of bile into the duodenum is irregular causing problems of too much or too little bile in the system. One of the functions of bile is to disinfect the colon. TOO LITTLE bile leads to constipation and other colon problems and can be linked to candidiasis. TOO MUCH bile may cause gastrointestinal irritations. A careful revision of dietary habits should be effected before one considers gall bladder surgery as the absence of the gall bladder may result in mineral (e.g. magnesium) and vitamin deficiencies within a few short years (because the lack of bile acids prevents the absorption of vitamin A, D, E, & K, and whatever fat has been broken down, deficiencies are produced. People with insufficient bile flow are usually so deficient in vitamin A that they have difficulty in driving a car at night, sewing, or doing other close work. Although a low fat diet is recommended to decrease these digestive problems -it keeps the gall bladder quiet until healing has occurred-, when the gall bladder has to be removed obviously a low fat diet cannot rectify this situation or increase the absorption of needed vitamins).
A liver cleanse and gall bladder flush regimen are recommended to anyone contemplating gall bladder surgery. Please consult with a naturopath or nutritionist to have a plan designed especially for you.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Avoiding fatty foods is the main recommendation. However, all ingested toxins will affect the liver: poor quality food, rancid and junk food, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, prescription drugs, etc.
Taking a digestive aid containing bile and pancreatin is particularly important if the gall bladder has been removed.
The vitamin choline is necessary for bile production and can be taken along with a B complex.
When the liver/gall bladder are not functioning optimally, it is a good idea to do a liver detox monthly.
A liver detox program of juice fasting (beet juice, carrot juice, black radish extract, dandelion extract) over 3 days is an excellent way to purity the liver. Distilled water with chlorophyl and lemon is an effective blood purifier and liver cleanser.
PS: WOMEN are more likely to experience gallbladder problems than men and this is partly due to the effects of the female hormone estrogen.
Removal of the gallbladder is one of the most common surgeries performed in the USA and Australia today. Gallstones are incredibly common and they occur in 10 to 15% of the population. Women are more likely to experience gallbladder problems than men and this is partly due to the effects of the female hormone estrogen.
A gallbladder performs several important roles in your body:
What happens when you don’t have a gallbladder?
Your liver continues to manufacture bile, but there is no longer a place to store it or concentrate it. Therefore bile continually slowly trickles into the intestines. If you eat a fatty meal, you will not be able to secrete a large enough amount of bile into your intestines, therefore the fat will be poorly digested. This means many people experience diarrhea, bloating, nausea or indigestion.
Not digesting fat well means you will not be able to digest essential fatty acids, including omega 3 and omega 6 fats. It also means you’ll have a hard time absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins D, E, A and K. A lot of the antioxidants in vegetables are fat soluble: lycopene, lutein and carotenoids are all fat soluble. If you don’t produce adequate bile, you will not be adequately absorbing these life saving compounds from foods. If you take any of the above mentioned nutrients in supplement form, without sufficient bile you will sadly not absorb them well.
How to have a healthy liver and good digestion without a gallbladder
First of all it’s important to realise that you developed a gallbladder problem in the first place because you had an unhealthy liver. If your liver is not healthy, it will make poor quality bile. The bile will be prone to forming sludge and stones. Just removing the gallbladder doesn’t solve that problem, and in fact sludge and stones can form within the liver, compromising its function.
Here are some vital tips to follow:
CAUSES of imbalance:
Over indulging in fatty food, starches and junk food is probably the most common cause of liver/gall bladder problems. Alcohol, when taken in large quantities over a long period, will cause cirrhosis of the liver. Viral hepatitis may be another cause.
EFFECT of imbalance:
An under functioning liver/gall bladder will interfere with the absorption of essential fatty acids and with the metabolism of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. an inadequate flow of bile will effect the elimination of many toxic substances from the body.
When the gall bladder has been surgically removed, the flow of bile into the duodenum is irregular causing problems of too much or too little bile in the system. One of the functions of bile is to disinfect the colon. TOO LITTLE bile leads to constipation and other colon problems and can be linked to candidiasis. TOO MUCH bile may cause gastrointestinal irritations. A careful revision of dietary habits should be effected before one considers gall bladder surgery as the absence of the gall bladder may result in mineral (e.g. magnesium) and vitamin deficiencies within a few short years (because the lack of bile acids prevents the absorption of vitamin A, D, E, & K, and whatever fat has been broken down, deficiencies are produced. People with insufficient bile flow are usually so deficient in vitamin A that they have difficulty in driving a car at night, sewing, or doing other close work. Although a low fat diet is recommended to decrease these digestive problems -it keeps the gall bladder quiet until healing has occurred-, when the gall bladder has to be removed obviously a low fat diet cannot rectify this situation or increase the absorption of needed vitamins).
A liver cleanse and gall bladder flush regimen are recommended to anyone contemplating gall bladder surgery. Please consult with a naturopath or nutritionist to have a plan designed especially for you.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Avoiding fatty foods is the main recommendation. However, all ingested toxins will affect the liver: poor quality food, rancid and junk food, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, prescription drugs, etc.
Taking a digestive aid containing bile and pancreatin is particularly important if the gall bladder has been removed.
The vitamin choline is necessary for bile production and can be taken along with a B complex.
When the liver/gall bladder are not functioning optimally, it is a good idea to do a liver detox monthly.
A liver detox program of juice fasting (beet juice, carrot juice, black radish extract, dandelion extract) over 3 days is an excellent way to purity the liver. Distilled water with chlorophyl and lemon is an effective blood purifier and liver cleanser.
PS: WOMEN are more likely to experience gallbladder problems than men and this is partly due to the effects of the female hormone estrogen.
Bonus info
Things you must know if you don’t have a gallbladder
Removal of the gallbladder is one of the most common surgeries performed in the USA and Australia today. Gallstones are incredibly common and they occur in 10 to 15% of the population. Women are more likely to experience gallbladder problems than men and this is partly due to the effects of the female hormone estrogen.
A gallbladder performs several important roles in your body:
- Enables fat digestion
- Enables absorption of fat soluble antioxidants and vitamins A, E, D and K
- Assists the removal of cholesterol from your body
- Assists the removal of toxins that have been broken down by the liver
What happens when you don’t have a gallbladder?
Your liver continues to manufacture bile, but there is no longer a place to store it or concentrate it. Therefore bile continually slowly trickles into the intestines. If you eat a fatty meal, you will not be able to secrete a large enough amount of bile into your intestines, therefore the fat will be poorly digested. This means many people experience diarrhea, bloating, nausea or indigestion.
Not digesting fat well means you will not be able to digest essential fatty acids, including omega 3 and omega 6 fats. It also means you’ll have a hard time absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins D, E, A and K. A lot of the antioxidants in vegetables are fat soluble: lycopene, lutein and carotenoids are all fat soluble. If you don’t produce adequate bile, you will not be adequately absorbing these life saving compounds from foods. If you take any of the above mentioned nutrients in supplement form, without sufficient bile you will sadly not absorb them well.
How to have a healthy liver and good digestion without a gallbladder
First of all it’s important to realise that you developed a gallbladder problem in the first place because you had an unhealthy liver. If your liver is not healthy, it will make poor quality bile. The bile will be prone to forming sludge and stones. Just removing the gallbladder doesn’t solve that problem, and in fact sludge and stones can form within the liver, compromising its function.
Here are some vital tips to follow:
- Keep your intake of dairy products and grains to a minimum or avoid them altogether. Dairy products (milk, cheese, ice-cream, yoghurt) worsen all cases of gallbladder disease, liver disease and they are very difficult to digest. Food intolerance is a common cause of gallbladder problems, and there is research that links gluten intolerance with gallstones. A good reason to keep your intake of grains low is to reduce the risk of developing a fatty liver. There is a great deal of helpful information in our book Save your Gallbladder, and what to do if you’ve already lost it.
- Take a good quality liver tonic such as Livatone. The herbs St Mary’s thistle, dandelion root and globe artichoke leaves all increase bile production and bile flow. Taurine is an amino acid necessary for bile production. This should help to make you feel more comfortable after a meal, and should reduce the risk of stones forming inside your liver.
- Take an ox bile supplement. This is the most important recommendation for people who have lost their gallbladder. A lack of bile can produce symptoms such as bloating and indigestion after meals, light colored stools, diarrhea, fatigue after meals and nutrient deficiencies. Taking a good quality ox bile supplement with each meal is wonderful for completely eliminating these symptoms in most individuals.
- Eat some good fats and avoid the bad fats. Your doctor may have recommended you follow a low fat diet after having your gallbladder removed. This is not necessary and in fact it is harmful. Your body desperately needs good fats so you include moderate quantities of extra virgin olive oil, avocados, coconut milk and oil, nuts and seeds in your diet.
- You may need a vitamin D3 supplement. People with compromised liver or digestive function are often vitamin D deficient. Exposure of your skin to the sun’s UVB rays enables your body to manufacture vitamin D. However, this process occurs in your liver and kidneys. People with a sluggish liver often do not manufacture vitamin D adequately. Therefore it’s a good idea to get a blood test and take a supplement. 5000 IU of vitamin D3 is a safe and effective dose for most people, but it’s best to be guided by your own doctor.
- Include some bitter and sour foods in your diet. They should help to improve your digestion and make it easier to tolerate good fats in your diet. Suitable bitter and sour foods include lemons, limes, radicchio lettuce, chicory, endive and dandelion leaves. These leaves are fairly easy to grow at home if you are lucky enough to have your own veggie patch.
Source: www.tammy153.wordpress.com, www.liverdoctor.com
