Anyone who experiences it can attest that battling a gallstone problem is excruciating. A gallstone malfunction is caused by bile from the liver that forms in a stone shaped mass that, if large enough, will block the gallbladder's passages, resulting in intense pain and serious medical problems. If you’ve had a stone and you want to keep your gallbladder, diet is the only option. What’s interesting is that a successful gallbladder diet is also remarkably healthy as well as eerily familiar to a diet of the past.
McDougal Flashback
Ever since the 1970’s doctor John A. McDougall has pitched a diet based around whole, unprocessed and low-fat foods. In his late teens, McDougal suffered a stroke that he latter claimed was caused by a diet largely based around meat products. McDougal claims that his diet reduces the chance of disease while boosting your health. This is a model diet for your gallbladder. The gallbladder’s job is to process fats and assist the liver. The McDougal diet provides the right balance with foods low in fat as well as healthy for your liver.
What to Eat and What Not To Eat
In general a healthy gallbladder diet incorporates less fat, fiber, healthy proteins, antioxidants, liver detoxifiers and lots of fruits and vegetables.
- Healthy meat. Reduce your meat intake and stick to healthy meats. Cold river fish like wild salmon that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids is best. Stick to lean meats and avoid red meat products.
- Beets. Beets are great liver detoxifier and essential for your gallbladder diet. Beets contain betaine, which thins out bile and helps your liver to function more efficiently.
- Grains. Healthy grains such as brown rice and whole wheat are high in fiber. Fiber binds to fat cells and in result helps with your gallbladder’s functioning.
- Flax seeds. Use ground up flax seeds that your body can absorb. These are a great source of fiber and vital plant produced omega 3 for your diet.
- Oils. Use cooking oils that are healthy for you like olive and seed oils. These oils contain lecithin, which helps to dissolve gallstones.
- Dairy. Try to cut back on dairy foods in your diet. Dairy is high in fat and actually increases the production of gallstones.
- Vegies. Include lot of vegetables in your diet, as they are a great source of dietary fiber and natural liver detoxifiers.
The gallstone diet is a well-balanced plan that is good for most everyone. It promotes foods the lower weight, improves liver function, decreases the chance of disease and generally leads to an all around healthier diet. Even if you don’t have gallstone issues, this diet is worth a shot.
Matthew Sommer writes health tips and helps people to compare insurance quotes.
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