What to eat for a healthy gallbladder? Discover the best foods to include and which ones to avoid in your diet to support gallbladder function and prevent gallbladder disease.

Importance of a Healthy Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated just under the liver. It plays a crucial role in the digestive system by collecting and storing bile from the liver. Problems that can affect the gallbladder include gallstones and cancer, but diet can play a significant role in maintaining its health. Research suggests that following a healthful diet can lower the risk of gallbladder disease, making it essential to understand the dietary guidelines for a healthy gallbladder.

The Gallbladder Diet: Balancing Nutrients

While there is no specific diet for a healthy gallbladder, following certain dietary guidelines can help reduce the stress on the gallbladder and support its optimal function. A 2015 study looked at the dietary habits and risk of gallstones in 114 females, broadly describing two types of diets: a healthful diet and an unhealthful diet.

People who followed a healthful diet pattern, which included a high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, spices, and legumes, were less likely to develop gallbladder disease. Conversely, those who followed an unhealthful diet, characterized by a high intake of processed meat, soft drinks, refined grains, red meat, high-fat dairy products, sugar, tea, solid fat, baked potato, snacks, egg, salt, pickled food, and sauerkraut, were more likely to develop gallbladder issues.

Plant-Based Foods: The Foundation of a Healthy Gallbladder

A diet rich in plant-based foods can provide the essential nutrients the body needs to maintain a healthy gallbladder. Plant-based foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can help prevent gallbladder disease. Antioxidants play a crucial role in neutralizing free radicals, reducing oxidative stress, and preventing cell damage that can lead to various diseases, including cancer.

Lean Protein: Supporting Tissue Repair and Growth

Protein is essential for the repair and growth of body tissues, but it’s important to choose lean protein sources to avoid putting too much stress on the gallbladder. Low-fat protein foods such as poultry, fish, zero-fat dairy products, nuts and seeds, soy and soy products, and legumes are suitable options. A 2016 study found a link between a high intake of vegetable protein and a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Fiber: Enhancing Digestive Health

Fiber supports digestive health and may offer protection from gallbladder disease by enhancing the movement of food through the gut and lowering the production of secondary bile acids. A 2014 study found that people who followed a high-fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, reducing their risk of developing gallbladder disease. Sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

Healthful Fats: Protecting the Gallbladder

Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, may help protect the gallbladder. Sources of these healthful fats include cold-water fish, nuts (such as walnuts), seeds (such as flaxseeds), and oils from fish or flaxseed. While some people may benefit from supplements, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplements, as they may not be suitable for everyone.

Other Supportive Factors

In addition to the dietary guidelines, other factors can also support gallbladder health. Moderate coffee consumption has been shown to have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder and intestinal activity. Adequate calcium intake from sources like dark, leafy greens, dairy products, and fortified dairy alternatives can also support gallbladder health.

By following a balanced, nutrient-rich diet that includes a variety of plant-based foods, lean proteins, fiber, and healthful fats, individuals can help maintain a healthy gallbladder and reduce the risk of gallbladder disease. Regular check-ups with a healthcare professional can also help monitor gallbladder health and address any underlying issues that may arise.

Does a high-fiber diet help prevent gallbladder disease? Yes, a 2014 study found that people who followed a high-fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, reducing their risk of developing gallbladder disease.

What are some good sources of fiber for gallbladder health? Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains are all excellent sources of fiber that can support gallbladder health.

How can unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, help protect the gallbladder? Unsaturated fats like those found in cold-water fish, nuts, seeds, and their oils may help protect the gallbladder by supporting its function.

Does moderate coffee consumption have benefits for gallbladder health? Yes, research suggests that substances in coffee may have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder and intestinal activity.

Why is an adequate intake of calcium important for gallbladder health? Calcium is present in dark, leafy greens, dairy products, and fortified dairy alternatives, and an adequate intake of calcium can support gallbladder health.

Foods to eat and avoid

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated just under the liver. It collects and stores bile from the liver. Problems that can affect the gallbladder include gallstones and cancer, but dietary choices may help prevent these.

Research suggests that people who follow a healthful diet have a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Knowing what foods to choose and which ones to avoid may help the gallbladder stay healthy, especially for people who have already experienced gallstones or other gallbladder problems.

There is no specific diet for a healthy gallbladder, but following some guidelines can help keep the gallbladder healthy and functioning well.

In this article, find some diet tips for keeping the gallbladder healthy.

The gallbladder diet aims to help reduce the stress that diet can impose on the gallbladder, either by easing digestion or by supporting the gallbladder.

A 2015 study looked at the dietary habits and risk of gallstones in 114 females.

For this study, the researchers broadly described two types of diet:

Healthful diet: A high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, spices, and legumes.

Unhealthful diet: A high intake of processed meat, soft drinks, refined grains, red meat, high-fat dairy products, sugar, tea, solid fat, baked potato, snacks, egg, salt, pickled food, and sauerkraut.

People who followed a healthful diet pattern overall were less likely to develop gallbladder disease.

Here are some tips on foods that can help keep the gallbladder healthy.

Plant-based foods

A healthful diet will provide a variety of nutrients. A diet that includes a range of plant foods can provide the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

Plant-based foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These may help prevent gallbladder disease.

Antioxidants are nutrients that help rid the body of toxic molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals develop in the body as a result of natural processes and environmental stresses, including processed foods. As free radicals build up, oxidative stress can result. This can cause cell damage, which can lead to various diseases, including cancer.

Which other foods provide antioxidants? Find out here.

Lean protein

Protein is essential for the repair and growth of body tissues. Red meat and dairy products are good sources of protein, but they can also be high in fat, and a high fat intake can put stress on the gallbladder.

Low-fat protein foods are a suitable option. They include:

• poultry
• fish
• zero fat dairy products
• nuts and seeds
• soy and soy products
• legumes, such as beans and lentils
• dairy alternatives, such as soy milk

Processed meats and dairy products are often high in added salt. Fresh foods without added sugar are a more healthful option.

A 2016 study found a link between a high intake vegetable protein and a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Why do people need protein? Find out here.

Fiber

Fiber supports digestive health, and it may offer protection from gallbladder disease by enhancing the movement of food through the gut and lowering the production of secondary bile acids, experts say.

In 2014, researchers looked at how a high-fiber diet affected the production of biliary sludge during a rapid weight-loss diet for people with obesity. Biliary or gallbladder sludge is a substance that increases the risk of developing gallbladder disease. It can build up in people who fast or lose weight quickly.

Those who followed the high fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, which reduced their risk of developing gallbladder disease.

This suggests that fiber can help prevent gallbladder disease in people who need to lose weight quickly, and perhaps overall.

Sources of fiber include:

• fruits
• vegetables
• legumes
• nuts and seeds
• whole grains

Learn more here about dietary fiber and its benefits.

Healthful fats

Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, may help protect the gallbladder.

Sources include:

• cold-water fish
• nuts, such as walnuts
• seeds, such as flaxseed
• oils from fish or flaxseed

People can also take supplements, but they should check first with a doctor, as some supplements are not suitable for everyone.

Learn more here about how healthful and unhealthful fats.

Coffee

Moderate coffee consumption may help protect gallbladder function.

Research suggests that substances in coffee may have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder, and possibly intestinal activity, too.

Click here to learn more about the health benefits of coffee.

Calcium

An adequate intake of calcium in the diet can support gallbladder health.

Calcium is present in:

• dark, leafy greens, such as kale and broccoli
• dairy foods, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• fortified dairy alternatives, such as almond or flax milk
• sardines
• orange juice

People with a risk of gallbladder disease should choose zero fat dairy products.

What are the best plant-based sources of calcium?

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate may help prevent gallbladder disease. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of these nutrients.

Vitamin C is available in:

• red and green peppers
• oranges and other citrus foods
• kiwifruit
• broccoli
• strawberries
• tomatoes

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that cooking in water may remove some of it from the food. Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources.

Magnesium is present in:

• almonds and cashews
• peanuts and peanut butter
• spinach
• beans, including black beans and edamame
• soy milk
• potato
• avocado
• rice
• yogurt
• banana

Good source of folate include:

• beef liver
• spinach
• black-eyed peas
• fortified cereals
• asparagus

Supplements are also available, but it is best to get nutrients from dietary sources. People should ask their doctor before taking supplements.

Which foods are good sources of vitamin C? Find out here.

Some foods may increase the chances of developing gallbladder disorders such as gallstones.

People who have concerns about the health of their gallbladder should consider avoiding or limiting the following food types.

Refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key part of most people’s diet, and unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains and oats, can provide essential nutrients.

However, refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of gallbladder disorders. In one study, researchers found that eating 40 grams (g) or more of sugar a day doubled the risk of gallstones with symptoms.

Carbs to limit or avoid include:

• added sugars and sweeteners
• white flour
• other refined grains
• premade baked goods, including cookies and cakes
• candy and chocolate

Find out more here about carbohydrates.

Unhealthful fats

The gallbladder produces bile that helps the body digest fats. A high intake of fats, and especially saturated and trans fats, may put extra strain on this process.

Researchers have found that people who consume red, processed meats, and egg as part of an overall unhealthful diet have a higher risk of gallstones.

Unhealthful fats are present in:

• red, fatty meats
• processed meats
• other processed foods
• full-fat dairy products
• fried foods
• many fast foods
• premade salad dressings and sauces
• premade baked goods and desserts
• chocolate and other candies
• ice cream

People who have surgery to remove their gallbladder will still be able to digest food, but they may need to make some dietary changes, at least for the first few days or weeks.

A doctor may advise a person to:

• eat small meals on the days after surgery
• follow a low-fat diet for several weeks

If the individual experiences bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive symptoms, it may help to:

• avoid caffeine
• avoid spicy or fatty foods
• avoid anything that makes symptoms worse
• gradually introduce more fiber into the diet

Anyone who notices greasy, frothy, or foamy stools should contact their doctor.

Gallstone flush

A gallbladder cleanse, flush, or detox is a dietary trend that scientists have described as “misleading.”

Supporters say it can reset the gallbladder, flush out gallstones, improve digestive health, and enhance the function of the gallbladder.

One example is to:

• eat a strict diet, including apple juice, for 2 weeks
• follow up by drinking Epsom salts and a mixture of olive oil and citrus juice

There is little evidence to support the use of this diet, and experts say such recommendations may be dangerous.

Some people have reported seeing “stones” leave the body in stool, but analysis has shown these to be clumps of oil and citrus juice.

Anyone who has concerns about gallbladder disease should see a doctor.

Is detox a good idea? Find out more here.

When to see a doctor

Not everyone with gallstones will notice symptoms, but if symptoms do occur, they may include:

• nausea
• pain
• yellowing skin
• a fever

Anyone who notices these symptoms should see a doctor.

People can take several steps to improve gallbladder health.

These include:

Weight management: Keeping body mass index (BMI) within a healthy range can help prevent gallbladder problems, as obesity is a risk factor.

Avoiding rapid weight loss: When a person loses weight rapidly, this can put a strain on the liver and gallbladder and may increase the risk of gallstones. It is best to lose weight steadily. Fasting or receiving nutrition intravenously can also contribute to gallbladder disease.

Avoiding allergens: In some people, an allergic reaction can trigger gallbladder symptoms. Taking an allergy test, following an elimination diet, and avoiding specific allergens may be helpful for some people.

Quitting smoking: Smoking tobacco can contribute to gallbladder dysfunction, including gallbladder cancer.

A high-fiber diet that favors plant-based foods may boost gallbladder health. Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants and are low in fat and calories.

Many of the foods to avoid, such as saturated fat, are present in animal products.

However, a plant-based diet is not automatically healthful. People should favor fresh foods over processed ones and check the labels on premade foods for added fats, salt, and sugar.

Foods to eat and avoid

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated just under the liver. It collects and stores bile from the liver. Problems that can affect the gallbladder include gallstones and cancer, but dietary choices may help prevent these.

Research suggests that people who follow a healthful diet have a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Knowing what foods to choose and which ones to avoid may help the gallbladder stay healthy, especially for people who have already experienced gallstones or other gallbladder problems.

There is no specific diet for a healthy gallbladder, but following some guidelines can help keep the gallbladder healthy and functioning well.

In this article, find some diet tips for keeping the gallbladder healthy.

The gallbladder diet aims to help reduce the stress that diet can impose on the gallbladder, either by easing digestion or by supporting the gallbladder.

A 2015 study looked at the dietary habits and risk of gallstones in 114 females.

For this study, the researchers broadly described two types of diet:

Healthful diet: A high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, spices, and legumes.

Unhealthful diet: A high intake of processed meat, soft drinks, refined grains, red meat, high-fat dairy products, sugar, tea, solid fat, baked potato, snacks, egg, salt, pickled food, and sauerkraut.

People who followed a healthful diet pattern overall were less likely to develop gallbladder disease.

Here are some tips on foods that can help keep the gallbladder healthy.

Plant-based foods

A healthful diet will provide a variety of nutrients. A diet that includes a range of plant foods can provide the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

Plant-based foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These may help prevent gallbladder disease.

Antioxidants are nutrients that help rid the body of toxic molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals develop in the body as a result of natural processes and environmental stresses, including processed foods. As free radicals build up, oxidative stress can result. This can cause cell damage, which can lead to various diseases, including cancer.

Which other foods provide antioxidants? Find out here.

Lean protein

Protein is essential for the repair and growth of body tissues. Red meat and dairy products are good sources of protein, but they can also be high in fat, and a high fat intake can put stress on the gallbladder.

Low-fat protein foods are a suitable option. They include:

• poultry
• fish
• zero fat dairy products
• nuts and seeds
• soy and soy products
• legumes, such as beans and lentils
• dairy alternatives, such as soy milk

Processed meats and dairy products are often high in added salt. Fresh foods without added sugar are a more healthful option.

A 2016 study found a link between a high intake vegetable protein and a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Why do people need protein? Find out here.

Fiber

Fiber supports digestive health, and it may offer protection from gallbladder disease by enhancing the movement of food through the gut and lowering the production of secondary bile acids, experts say.

In 2014, researchers looked at how a high-fiber diet affected the production of biliary sludge during a rapid weight-loss diet for people with obesity. Biliary or gallbladder sludge is a substance that increases the risk of developing gallbladder disease. It can build up in people who fast or lose weight quickly.

Those who followed the high fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, which reduced their risk of developing gallbladder disease.

This suggests that fiber can help prevent gallbladder disease in people who need to lose weight quickly, and perhaps overall.

Sources of fiber include:

• fruits
• vegetables
• legumes
• nuts and seeds
• whole grains

Learn more here about dietary fiber and its benefits.

Healthful fats

Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, may help protect the gallbladder.

Sources include:

• cold-water fish
• nuts, such as walnuts
• seeds, such as flaxseed
• oils from fish or flaxseed

People can also take supplements, but they should check first with a doctor, as some supplements are not suitable for everyone.

Learn more here about how healthful and unhealthful fats.

Coffee

Moderate coffee consumption may help protect gallbladder function.

Research suggests that substances in coffee may have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder, and possibly intestinal activity, too.

Click here to learn more about the health benefits of coffee.

Calcium

An adequate intake of calcium in the diet can support gallbladder health.

Calcium is present in:

• dark, leafy greens, such as kale and broccoli
• dairy foods, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• fortified dairy alternatives, such as almond or flax milk
• sardines
• orange juice

People with a risk of gallbladder disease should choose zero fat dairy products.

What are the best plant-based sources of calcium?

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate may help prevent gallbladder disease. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of these nutrients.

Vitamin C is available in:

• red and green peppers
• oranges and other citrus foods
• kiwifruit
• broccoli
• strawberries
• tomatoes

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that cooking in water may remove some of it from the food. Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources.

Magnesium is present in:

• almonds and cashews
• peanuts and peanut butter
• spinach
• beans, including black beans and edamame
• soy milk
• potato
• avocado
• rice
• yogurt
• banana

Good source of folate include:

• beef liver
• spinach
• black-eyed peas
• fortified cereals
• asparagus

Supplements are also available, but it is best to get nutrients from dietary sources. People should ask their doctor before taking supplements.

Which foods are good sources of vitamin C? Find out here.

Some foods may increase the chances of developing gallbladder disorders such as gallstones.

People who have concerns about the health of their gallbladder should consider avoiding or limiting the following food types.

Refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key part of most people’s diet, and unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains and oats, can provide essential nutrients.

However, refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of gallbladder disorders. In one study, researchers found that eating 40 grams (g) or more of sugar a day doubled the risk of gallstones with symptoms.

Carbs to limit or avoid include:

• added sugars and sweeteners
• white flour
• other refined grains
• premade baked goods, including cookies and cakes
• candy and chocolate

Find out more here about carbohydrates.

Unhealthful fats

The gallbladder produces bile that helps the body digest fats. A high intake of fats, and especially saturated and trans fats, may put extra strain on this process.

Researchers have found that people who consume red, processed meats, and egg as part of an overall unhealthful diet have a higher risk of gallstones.

Unhealthful fats are present in:

• red, fatty meats
• processed meats
• other processed foods
• full-fat dairy products
• fried foods
• many fast foods
• premade salad dressings and sauces
• premade baked goods and desserts
• chocolate and other candies
• ice cream

People who have surgery to remove their gallbladder will still be able to digest food, but they may need to make some dietary changes, at least for the first few days or weeks.

A doctor may advise a person to:

• eat small meals on the days after surgery
• follow a low-fat diet for several weeks

If the individual experiences bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive symptoms, it may help to:

• avoid caffeine
• avoid spicy or fatty foods
• avoid anything that makes symptoms worse
• gradually introduce more fiber into the diet

Anyone who notices greasy, frothy, or foamy stools should contact their doctor.

Gallstone flush

A gallbladder cleanse, flush, or detox is a dietary trend that scientists have described as “misleading.”

Supporters say it can reset the gallbladder, flush out gallstones, improve digestive health, and enhance the function of the gallbladder.

One example is to:

• eat a strict diet, including apple juice, for 2 weeks
• follow up by drinking Epsom salts and a mixture of olive oil and citrus juice

There is little evidence to support the use of this diet, and experts say such recommendations may be dangerous.

Some people have reported seeing “stones” leave the body in stool, but analysis has shown these to be clumps of oil and citrus juice.

Anyone who has concerns about gallbladder disease should see a doctor.

Is detox a good idea? Find out more here.

When to see a doctor

Not everyone with gallstones will notice symptoms, but if symptoms do occur, they may include:

• nausea
• pain
• yellowing skin
• a fever

Anyone who notices these symptoms should see a doctor.

People can take several steps to improve gallbladder health.

These include:

Weight management: Keeping body mass index (BMI) within a healthy range can help prevent gallbladder problems, as obesity is a risk factor.

Avoiding rapid weight loss: When a person loses weight rapidly, this can put a strain on the liver and gallbladder and may increase the risk of gallstones. It is best to lose weight steadily. Fasting or receiving nutrition intravenously can also contribute to gallbladder disease.

Avoiding allergens: In some people, an allergic reaction can trigger gallbladder symptoms. Taking an allergy test, following an elimination diet, and avoiding specific allergens may be helpful for some people.

Quitting smoking: Smoking tobacco can contribute to gallbladder dysfunction, including gallbladder cancer.

A high-fiber diet that favors plant-based foods may boost gallbladder health. Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants and are low in fat and calories.

Many of the foods to avoid, such as saturated fat, are present in animal products.

However, a plant-based diet is not automatically healthful. People should favor fresh foods over processed ones and check the labels on premade foods for added fats, salt, and sugar.

Foods to eat and avoid

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated just under the liver. It collects and stores bile from the liver. Problems that can affect the gallbladder include gallstones and cancer, but dietary choices may help prevent these.

Research suggests that people who follow a healthful diet have a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Knowing what foods to choose and which ones to avoid may help the gallbladder stay healthy, especially for people who have already experienced gallstones or other gallbladder problems.

There is no specific diet for a healthy gallbladder, but following some guidelines can help keep the gallbladder healthy and functioning well.

In this article, find some diet tips for keeping the gallbladder healthy.

The gallbladder diet aims to help reduce the stress that diet can impose on the gallbladder, either by easing digestion or by supporting the gallbladder.

A 2015 study looked at the dietary habits and risk of gallstones in 114 females.

For this study, the researchers broadly described two types of diet:

Healthful diet: A high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, spices, and legumes.

Unhealthful diet: A high intake of processed meat, soft drinks, refined grains, red meat, high-fat dairy products, sugar, tea, solid fat, baked potato, snacks, egg, salt, pickled food, and sauerkraut.

People who followed a healthful diet pattern overall were less likely to develop gallbladder disease.

Here are some tips on foods that can help keep the gallbladder healthy.

Plant-based foods

A healthful diet will provide a variety of nutrients. A diet that includes a range of plant foods can provide the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

Plant-based foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These may help prevent gallbladder disease.

Antioxidants are nutrients that help rid the body of toxic molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals develop in the body as a result of natural processes and environmental stresses, including processed foods. As free radicals build up, oxidative stress can result. This can cause cell damage, which can lead to various diseases, including cancer.

Which other foods provide antioxidants? Find out here.

Lean protein

Protein is essential for the repair and growth of body tissues. Red meat and dairy products are good sources of protein, but they can also be high in fat, and a high fat intake can put stress on the gallbladder.

Low-fat protein foods are a suitable option. They include:

• poultry
• fish
• zero fat dairy products
• nuts and seeds
• soy and soy products
• legumes, such as beans and lentils
• dairy alternatives, such as soy milk

Processed meats and dairy products are often high in added salt. Fresh foods without added sugar are a more healthful option.

A 2016 study found a link between a high intake vegetable protein and a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Why do people need protein? Find out here.

Fiber

Fiber supports digestive health, and it may offer protection from gallbladder disease by enhancing the movement of food through the gut and lowering the production of secondary bile acids, experts say.

In 2014, researchers looked at how a high-fiber diet affected the production of biliary sludge during a rapid weight-loss diet for people with obesity. Biliary or gallbladder sludge is a substance that increases the risk of developing gallbladder disease. It can build up in people who fast or lose weight quickly.

Those who followed the high fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, which reduced their risk of developing gallbladder disease.

This suggests that fiber can help prevent gallbladder disease in people who need to lose weight quickly, and perhaps overall.

Sources of fiber include:

• fruits
• vegetables
• legumes
• nuts and seeds
• whole grains

Learn more here about dietary fiber and its benefits.

Healthful fats

Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, may help protect the gallbladder.

Sources include:

• cold-water fish
• nuts, such as walnuts
• seeds, such as flaxseed
• oils from fish or flaxseed

People can also take supplements, but they should check first with a doctor, as some supplements are not suitable for everyone.

Learn more here about how healthful and unhealthful fats.

Coffee

Moderate coffee consumption may help protect gallbladder function.

Research suggests that substances in coffee may have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder, and possibly intestinal activity, too.

Click here to learn more about the health benefits of coffee.

Calcium

An adequate intake of calcium in the diet can support gallbladder health.

Calcium is present in:

• dark, leafy greens, such as kale and broccoli
• dairy foods, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• fortified dairy alternatives, such as almond or flax milk
• sardines
• orange juice

People with a risk of gallbladder disease should choose zero fat dairy products.

What are the best plant-based sources of calcium?

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate may help prevent gallbladder disease. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of these nutrients.

Vitamin C is available in:

• red and green peppers
• oranges and other citrus foods
• kiwifruit
• broccoli
• strawberries
• tomatoes

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that cooking in water may remove some of it from the food. Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources.

Magnesium is present in:

• almonds and cashews
• peanuts and peanut butter
• spinach
• beans, including black beans and edamame
• soy milk
• potato
• avocado
• rice
• yogurt
• banana

Good source of folate include:

• beef liver
• spinach
• black-eyed peas
• fortified cereals
• asparagus

Supplements are also available, but it is best to get nutrients from dietary sources. People should ask their doctor before taking supplements.

Which foods are good sources of vitamin C? Find out here.

Some foods may increase the chances of developing gallbladder disorders such as gallstones.

People who have concerns about the health of their gallbladder should consider avoiding or limiting the following food types.

Refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key part of most people’s diet, and unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains and oats, can provide essential nutrients.

However, refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of gallbladder disorders. In one study, researchers found that eating 40 grams (g) or more of sugar a day doubled the risk of gallstones with symptoms.

Carbs to limit or avoid include:

• added sugars and sweeteners
• white flour
• other refined grains
• premade baked goods, including cookies and cakes
• candy and chocolate

Find out more here about carbohydrates.

Unhealthful fats

The gallbladder produces bile that helps the body digest fats. A high intake of fats, and especially saturated and trans fats, may put extra strain on this process.

Researchers have found that people who consume red, processed meats, and egg as part of an overall unhealthful diet have a higher risk of gallstones.

Unhealthful fats are present in:

• red, fatty meats
• processed meats
• other processed foods
• full-fat dairy products
• fried foods
• many fast foods
• premade salad dressings and sauces
• premade baked goods and desserts
• chocolate and other candies
• ice cream

People who have surgery to remove their gallbladder will still be able to digest food, but they may need to make some dietary changes, at least for the first few days or weeks.

A doctor may advise a person to:

• eat small meals on the days after surgery
• follow a low-fat diet for several weeks

If the individual experiences bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive symptoms, it may help to:

• avoid caffeine
• avoid spicy or fatty foods
• avoid anything that makes symptoms worse
• gradually introduce more fiber into the diet

Anyone who notices greasy, frothy, or foamy stools should contact their doctor.

Gallstone flush

A gallbladder cleanse, flush, or detox is a dietary trend that scientists have described as “misleading.”

Supporters say it can reset the gallbladder, flush out gallstones, improve digestive health, and enhance the function of the gallbladder.

One example is to:

• eat a strict diet, including apple juice, for 2 weeks
• follow up by drinking Epsom salts and a mixture of olive oil and citrus juice

There is little evidence to support the use of this diet, and experts say such recommendations may be dangerous.

Some people have reported seeing “stones” leave the body in stool, but analysis has shown these to be clumps of oil and citrus juice.

Anyone who has concerns about gallbladder disease should see a doctor.

Is detox a good idea? Find out more here.

When to see a doctor

Not everyone with gallstones will notice symptoms, but if symptoms do occur, they may include:

• nausea
• pain
• yellowing skin
• a fever

Anyone who notices these symptoms should see a doctor.

People can take several steps to improve gallbladder health.

These include:

Weight management: Keeping body mass index (BMI) within a healthy range can help prevent gallbladder problems, as obesity is a risk factor.

Avoiding rapid weight loss: When a person loses weight rapidly, this can put a strain on the liver and gallbladder and may increase the risk of gallstones. It is best to lose weight steadily. Fasting or receiving nutrition intravenously can also contribute to gallbladder disease.

Avoiding allergens: In some people, an allergic reaction can trigger gallbladder symptoms. Taking an allergy test, following an elimination diet, and avoiding specific allergens may be helpful for some people.

Quitting smoking: Smoking tobacco can contribute to gallbladder dysfunction, including gallbladder cancer.

A high-fiber diet that favors plant-based foods may boost gallbladder health. Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants and are low in fat and calories.

Many of the foods to avoid, such as saturated fat, are present in animal products.

However, a plant-based diet is not automatically healthful. People should favor fresh foods over processed ones and check the labels on premade foods for added fats, salt, and sugar.

Foods to eat and avoid

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated just under the liver. It collects and stores bile from the liver. Problems that can affect the gallbladder include gallstones and cancer, but dietary choices may help prevent these.

Research suggests that people who follow a healthful diet have a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Knowing what foods to choose and which ones to avoid may help the gallbladder stay healthy, especially for people who have already experienced gallstones or other gallbladder problems.

There is no specific diet for a healthy gallbladder, but following some guidelines can help keep the gallbladder healthy and functioning well.

In this article, find some diet tips for keeping the gallbladder healthy.

The gallbladder diet aims to help reduce the stress that diet can impose on the gallbladder, either by easing digestion or by supporting the gallbladder.

A 2015 study looked at the dietary habits and risk of gallstones in 114 females.

For this study, the researchers broadly described two types of diet:

Healthful diet: A high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, spices, and legumes.

Unhealthful diet: A high intake of processed meat, soft drinks, refined grains, red meat, high-fat dairy products, sugar, tea, solid fat, baked potato, snacks, egg, salt, pickled food, and sauerkraut.

People who followed a healthful diet pattern overall were less likely to develop gallbladder disease.

Here are some tips on foods that can help keep the gallbladder healthy.

Plant-based foods

A healthful diet will provide a variety of nutrients. A diet that includes a range of plant foods can provide the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy.

Plant-based foods are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These may help prevent gallbladder disease.

Antioxidants are nutrients that help rid the body of toxic molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals develop in the body as a result of natural processes and environmental stresses, including processed foods. As free radicals build up, oxidative stress can result. This can cause cell damage, which can lead to various diseases, including cancer.

Which other foods provide antioxidants? Find out here.

Lean protein

Protein is essential for the repair and growth of body tissues. Red meat and dairy products are good sources of protein, but they can also be high in fat, and a high fat intake can put stress on the gallbladder.

Low-fat protein foods are a suitable option. They include:

• poultry
• fish
• zero fat dairy products
• nuts and seeds
• soy and soy products
• legumes, such as beans and lentils
• dairy alternatives, such as soy milk

Processed meats and dairy products are often high in added salt. Fresh foods without added sugar are a more healthful option.

A 2016 study found a link between a high intake vegetable protein and a lower risk of gallbladder disease.

Why do people need protein? Find out here.

Fiber

Fiber supports digestive health, and it may offer protection from gallbladder disease by enhancing the movement of food through the gut and lowering the production of secondary bile acids, experts say.

In 2014, researchers looked at how a high-fiber diet affected the production of biliary sludge during a rapid weight-loss diet for people with obesity. Biliary or gallbladder sludge is a substance that increases the risk of developing gallbladder disease. It can build up in people who fast or lose weight quickly.

Those who followed the high fiber diet accumulated less gallbladder sludge, which reduced their risk of developing gallbladder disease.

This suggests that fiber can help prevent gallbladder disease in people who need to lose weight quickly, and perhaps overall.

Sources of fiber include:

• fruits
• vegetables
• legumes
• nuts and seeds
• whole grains

Learn more here about dietary fiber and its benefits.

Healthful fats

Unsaturated fats, such as omega-3, may help protect the gallbladder.

Sources include:

• cold-water fish
• nuts, such as walnuts
• seeds, such as flaxseed
• oils from fish or flaxseed

People can also take supplements, but they should check first with a doctor, as some supplements are not suitable for everyone.

Learn more here about how healthful and unhealthful fats.

Coffee

Moderate coffee consumption may help protect gallbladder function.

Research suggests that substances in coffee may have various benefits for gallbladder function, including balancing certain chemicals and stimulating the action of the gallbladder, and possibly intestinal activity, too.

Click here to learn more about the health benefits of coffee.

Calcium

An adequate intake of calcium in the diet can support gallbladder health.

Calcium is present in:

• dark, leafy greens, such as kale and broccoli
• dairy foods, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk
• fortified dairy alternatives, such as almond or flax milk
• sardines
• orange juice

People with a risk of gallbladder disease should choose zero fat dairy products.

What are the best plant-based sources of calcium?

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate

Vitamin C, magnesium, and folate may help prevent gallbladder disease. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of these nutrients.

Vitamin C is available in:

• red and green peppers
• oranges and other citrus foods
• kiwifruit
• broccoli
• strawberries
• tomatoes

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that cooking in water may remove some of it from the food. Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources.

Magnesium is present in:

• almonds and cashews
• peanuts and peanut butter
• spinach
• beans, including black beans and edamame
• soy milk
• potato
• avocado
• rice
• yogurt
• banana

Good source of folate include:

• beef liver
• spinach
• black-eyed peas
• fortified cereals
• asparagus

Supplements are also available, but it is best to get nutrients from dietary sources. People should ask their doctor before taking supplements.

Which foods are good sources of vitamin C? Find out here.

Some foods may increase the chances of developing gallbladder disorders such as gallstones.

People who have concerns about the health of their gallbladder should consider avoiding or limiting the following food types.

Refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key part of most people’s diet, and unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains and oats, can provide essential nutrients.

However, refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of gallbladder disorders. In one study, researchers found that eating 40 grams (g) or more of sugar a day doubled the risk of gallstones with symptoms.

Carbs to limit or avoid include:

• added sugars and sweeteners
• white flour
• other refined grains
• premade baked goods, including cookies and cakes
• candy and chocolate

Find out more here about carbohydrates.

Unhealthful fats

The gallbladder produces bile that helps the body digest fats. A high intake of fats, and especially saturated and trans fats, may put extra strain on this process.

Researchers have found that people who consume red, processed meats, and egg as part of an overall unhealthful diet have a higher risk of gallstones.

Unhealthful fats are present in:

• red, fatty meats
• processed meats
• other processed foods
• full-fat dairy products
• fried foods
• many fast foods
• premade salad dressings and sauces
• premade baked goods and desserts
• chocolate and other candies
• ice cream

People who have surgery to remove their gallbladder will still be able to digest food, but they may need to make some dietary changes, at least for the first few days or weeks.

A doctor may advise a person to:

• eat small meals on the days after surgery
• follow a low-fat diet for several weeks

If the individual experiences bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive symptoms, it may help to:

• avoid caffeine
• avoid spicy or fatty foods
• avoid anything that makes symptoms worse
• gradually introduce more fiber into the diet

Anyone who notices greasy, frothy, or foamy stools should contact their doctor.

Gallstone flush

A gallbladder cleanse, flush, or detox is a dietary trend that scientists have described as “misleading.”

Supporters say it can reset the gallbladder, flush out gallstones, improve digestive health, and enhance the function of the gallbladder.

One example is to:

• eat a strict diet, including apple juice, for 2 weeks
• follow up by drinking Epsom salts and a mixture of olive oil and citrus juice

There is little evidence to support the use of this diet, and experts say such recommendations may be dangerous.

Some people have reported seeing “stones” leave the body in stool, but analysis has shown these to be clumps of oil and citrus juice.

Anyone who has concerns about gallbladder disease should see a doctor.

Is detox a good idea? Find out more here.

When to see a doctor

Not everyone with gallstones will notice symptoms, but if symptoms do occur, they may include:

• nausea
• pain
• yellowing skin
• a fever

Anyone who notices these symptoms should see a doctor.

People can take several steps to improve gallbladder health.

These include:

Weight management: Keeping body mass index (BMI) within a healthy range can help prevent gallbladder problems, as obesity is a risk factor.

Avoiding rapid weight loss: When a person loses weight rapidly, this can put a strain on the liver and gallbladder and may increase the risk of gallstones. It is best to lose weight steadily. Fasting or receiving nutrition intravenously can also contribute to gallbladder disease.

Avoiding allergens: In some people, an allergic reaction can trigger gallbladder symptoms. Taking an allergy test, following an elimination diet, and avoiding specific allergens may be helpful for some people.

Quitting smoking: Smoking tobacco can contribute to gallbladder dysfunction, including gallbladder cancer.

A high-fiber diet that favors plant-based foods may boost gallbladder health. Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants and are low in fat and calories.

Many of the foods to avoid, such as saturated fat, are present in animal products.

However, a plant-based diet is not automatically healthful. People should favor fresh foods over processed ones and check the labels on premade foods for added fats, salt, and sugar.

Gallstones diet sheet | Patient

Sometimes bile pigments or calcium deposits form gallstones. Sometimes just a few small stones are formed; sometimes a great many. Occasionally, just one large stone is formed.

About one in three women and one in six men form gallstones at some stage in their lives. Gallstones become more common with increasing age. The risk of gallstones forming increases with:

• Pregnancy.
• Obesity.
• Diabetes.
• Smoking.
• Rapid weight loss.
• Having a close relative with gallstones.
• Taking certain medicines such as the contraceptive pill.
• Eating a generally unhealthy diet, particularly a diet which is high in fat.

You can reduce your risk of developing gallstones by:

• Eating vegetable protein – for example, beans and pulses.
• Increasing fibre intake.
• Eating nuts.
• Increasing dietary calcium.
• Increasing vitamin C intake.
• Drinking coffee.
• Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol.

The role of the gallbladder in digestion

The gallbladder plays a part in the digestion of food. It collects and stores bile, then releases the bile into the small intestine when food enters the small intestine from the stomach. This helps with the digestion of food because the gallbladder contains bile salts (and other substances) which break down fat.

The bile duct which connects the gallbladder to the small intestine can become blocked by gallstones. This may cause symptoms such as pain, bloating, a feeling of sickness (nausea), and being sick (vomiting). The stone may cause a blockage and make it difficult for the bile to be released from the bile duct.

Dietary changes to help with symptoms of gallstones

There is no specific diet for treating symptoms of, or to prevent, gallstones. Most people with gallstones will have surgery to remove the gallbladder in an operation called a cholecystectomy. However, eating a low-fat diet is likely to reduce symptoms while you are waiting for the operation, as the gallbladder will not be stimulated to release bile into the small intestine. If you find that any particular foods trigger the onset of the pain then try to avoid eating those foods until you have had your gallbladder removed.

Once you have had the operation there is no need to follow any particular diet, although of course it is always a good idea to eat as healthily as possible.

If you are overweight, attaining a healthy weight will be beneficial. However, it is important to do this gradually, as rapid weight loss has been associated with the development of gallstones. A safe weight loss of 1-2 lbs (0.5 to 1 kg) per week is recommended.

Summer crunch salad

Crunchy summer salad of green beans, juicy tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, fresh herbs, and parmesan…

A healthy balanced diet consists of:

• Plenty of fruit and vegetables. Aim to have at least five portions each day.
• Plenty of starchy carbohydrates. Examples include bread, rice, cereals, pasta, potatoes, chapattis and plantain. Choose wholegrain varieties where possible.
• Some milk and dairy products (2-3 portions per day). Choose low-fat dairy products.
• Some meat, fish, eggs and alternatives such as beans and pulses.
• Limited amounts of foods high in fats and sugars. Limit saturated fat that is found in animal products, such as butter, ghee, cheese, meat, cakes, biscuits and pastries. Replace these with unsaturated fats found in non-animal products, such as sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds. But remember that unsaturated fats can also trigger gallstone pain.
• Make sure your diet is high in fibre. This can be found in beans, pulses, fruit and vegetables, oats and wholegrain products, such as bread, pasta and rice.
• Drink plenty of fluid – at least two litres daily, such as water or herbal teas.

Try not to eat too much fat at one mealtime. It might be helpful to have smaller, more frequent meals. Some people find that specific foods are the triggers for symptoms. Keep a food and symptom diary to identify trigger foods. Avoid these foods for a two-week trial period and note any improvements in symptoms.

Editor’s note

Jul 2017 – Dr Hayley Willacy has read a study by researchers at Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford on vegetarianism and gallstone disease – see below. British vegetarians tend to consume more fibre, less fat and have a lower BMI – all factors which are associated with lower rates of gallstone disease. Therefore, it might be expected that vegetarian diets would have a protective effect for gallstone disease. However, this study has shown there is a small but statistically significant positive association between vegetarian diet and symptomatic gallstone disease.

Cutting down on fat

A high-fat diet and fatty foods can sometimes cause discomfort and painful symptoms. They may also cause fatty stools (steatorrhoea), which are oily, pale and smelly. Steatorrhoea is a sign that fat is not being digested properly.

Here are some ways to cut down on fat in the diet.

Note: many processed foods that are low in fat can contain high amounts of sugar. Check the labels for high-sugar products and try to keep these to a minimum. A product that is high in sugar contains more than 10 g of sugar per 100 g.

Reduced-fat, light and low-fat are not the same thing. If a product is low-fat, this means that the product contains 3 g or fewer of fat per 100 g and is actually low in fat. A reduced-fat product does not mean that the product is necessarily low in fat. It means that the product contains 25% less fat than the original product, which is usually a very high-fat product, such as mayonnaise or Cheddar cheese. This is similar for ‘light’ products, which contain about a third fewer calories than the original product, or 50% less fat. Therefore, keep these to a minimum when choosing reduced-fat or lighter products.

Practical tips to cut down on fat

Adopting some healthy habits can really impact on the amount of fat you consume. Here are some tips you can use during cooking and food preparation.

• Try to avoid processed foods and cook from scratch when possible. This will help you to have control over how much fat goes into your food.
• Check labels for high-fat products. A product that is high in fat contains 17.5 g or more of fat per 100 g. Try to avoid foods with red colour coding on the label for fat. Look for foods that contain 3 g of fat or fewer.
• Bulk out meals with vegetables and pulses. For example, a Bolognese sauce could be made with half the amount of meat by adding kidney beans and mushrooms.
• Use oil spray when cooking, or wipe off extra oil using a paper towel.
• Measure your oil when cooking, rather than pouring it. A good measure is about one teaspoon per person.
• Try to use fat/oil in food only when it is absolutely necessary.
• If you are cooking meat that is sticking to the pan, a small drop of water may help rather than adding more oil.
• Make your own dressings using low-fat yoghurt, lemon/lime juice and herbs.
• Remove all visible fat and skin from meat and choose leaner cuts of meat.
• Skim fat off the top of casseroles and stews.
• Try not to fry food. Bake, steam, boil, grill or roast on a drip tray instead.

Can you recommend a diet after gallbladder removal?

I recently had my gallbladder out and I keep having diarrhea. Is there a gallbladder removal diet I should follow?

Answer From Elizabeth Rajan, M.D.

After having their gallbladder removed (cholecystectomy), some people develop frequent loose, watery stools. In most cases, the diarrhea lasts no more than a few weeks to a few months. There isn’t a specific gallbladder removal diet that you should follow if you have this problem, but there are a few things you might consider.

First, it helps to understand why you’re having diarrhea. Diarrhea after gallbladder removal seems to be related to the release of bile directly into the intestines. Normally, the gallbladder collects and concentrates bile, releasing it when you eat to aid the digestion of fat. When the gallbladder is removed, bile is less concentrated and drains more continuously into the intestines, where it can have a laxative effect.

The amount of fat you eat at one time also plays a role. Smaller amounts of fat are easier to digest, while larger amounts can remain undigested and cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Although there isn’t a set gallbladder removal diet, the following tips may help minimize problems with diarrhea after you’ve had your gallbladder out:

• Go easy on the fat. Avoid high-fat foods, fried and greasy foods, and fatty sauces and gravies for at least a week after surgery. Instead, choose fat-free or low-fat foods. Low-fat foods are those with no more than 3 grams of fat a serving. Check labels and follow the serving size listed.
• Increase the fiber in your diet. This can help normalize bowel movements. Add soluble fiber, such as oats and barley, to your diet. But be sure to increase the amount of fiber slowly, such as over several weeks, because too much fiber at first can make gas and cramping worse.
• Eat smaller, more-frequent meals. This may ensure a better mix with available bile. A healthy meal should include small amounts of lean protein, such as poultry, fish or fat-free dairy, along with vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

You may also try limiting foods that tend to worsen diarrhea, including:

• Caffeine
• Dairy products
• Very sweet foods

Talk with your doctor if your diarrhea doesn’t gradually go away or becomes more severe, or if you lose weight and become weak. Your doctor may recommend medicines, such as loperamide (Imodium A-D), which slows down intestinal movement, or medications that decrease the laxative effect of bile, such as cholestyramine (Prevalite). Your doctor may also suggest that you take a multivitamin to compensate for malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

With

Elizabeth Rajan, M.D.

• Chronic diarrhea: A concern after gallbladder removal?

May 26, 2021

Show references

1. Blasco YR, et al. Low-fat diet after cholecystectomy: Should it be systematically recommended? Cirugia Espanola. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.cireng.2019.12.006.
2. Disease process. Nutrition Care Manual. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org. Accessed April 19, 2021.
3. Bonis PA, et al. Approach to the adult with chronic diarrhea in resource-rich settings. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 19, 2021.
4. Gallbladder nutrition therapy. Nutrition Care Manual. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org. Accessed April 19, 2021.
5. Diarrhea nutrition therapy. Nutrition Care Manual. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org. Accessed April 19, 2021.
6. Diarrhea. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/diarrhea. Accessed April 16, 2021.

See more Expert Answers

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Low-Fat Diet for Gallbladder Disease: Care Instructions

Overview

When you eat, the gallbladder releases bile, which helps you digest the fat in food. If you have an inflamed gallbladder, this may cause pain. A low-fat diet may give your gallbladder a rest so you can start to heal. Your doctor and dietitian can help you make an eating plan that does not irritate your digestive system. Always talk with your doctor or dietitian before you make changes in your diet.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• Eat many small meals and snacks each day instead of three large meals.
• Choose lean meats.
  • Eat no more than 5 to 6½ ounces of meat a day.
  • Cut off all fat you can see.
  • Eat chicken and turkey without the skin.
  • Many types of fish, such as salmon, lake trout, tuna, and herring, provide healthy omega-3 fat. But, avoid fish canned in oil, such as sardines in olive oil.
  • Bake, broil, or grill meats, poultry, or fish instead of frying them in butter or fat.
• Drink or eat nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, or other milk products each day.
  • Read the labels on cheeses, and choose those with less than 5 grams of fat an ounce.
  • Try fat-free sour cream, cream cheese, or yogurt.
  • Avoid cream soups and cream sauces on pasta.
  • Eat low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet. Avoid regular ice cream.
• Eat whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta. Avoid high-fat foods such as croissants, scones, biscuits, waffles, doughnuts, muffins, granola, and high-fat breads.
• Flavor your foods with herbs and spices (such as basil, tarragon, or mint), fat-free sauces, or lemon juice instead of butter. You can also use butter substitutes, fat-free mayonnaise, or fat-free dressing.
• Try applesauce, prune puree, or mashed bananas to replace some or all of the fat when you bake.
• Limit fats and oils, such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and salad dressing, to no more than 1 tablespoon a meal.
• Avoid high-fat foods, such as:
  • Chocolate, whole milk, ice cream, and processed cheese.
  • Fried or buttered foods.
  • Sausage, salami, and bacon.
  • Cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, cookies, and other pastries.
  • Prepared snack foods, such as potato chips, nut and granola bars, and mixed nuts.
  • Coconut and avocado.
• Learn how to read food labels for serving sizes and ingredients. Fast-food and convenience-food meals often have lots of fat.

Where can you learn more?

Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd

Enter Z797 in the search box to learn more about “Low-Fat Diet for Gallbladder Disease: Care Instructions”.

Current as of: December 17, 2020

90,000 with and without him “

Etude of Dr. Ivanov on the gastrointestinal tract: on gallstone disease and cleansing the liver according to Malakhov. Part 4

In previous articles on digestion, the candidate of medical sciences, osteopath Alexander Ivanov spoke in detail about various diseases – gastritis, flatulence, constipation, etc. stones and other diseases, about tubing and massage of internal organs.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE LIVER

The liver is the biochemical laboratory of our body. One of its important functions is detoxification, that is, neutralizing toxins (substances foreign to us) – hormones, antibiotics, drugs, alcohol, heavy metals that enter our body from the external environment (food, water, air). In addition, the liver is involved in digestion, producing bile, as well as in almost all types of metabolism (protein, fat, carbohydrate, mineral).

It is no coincidence that in many traditional healing systems (for example, in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine), the liver is assigned the main role in maintaining human health. Thus, the role of the liver can hardly be overestimated.

GALL BLADDER – A FAITHFUL FRIEND AND LIVER ASSISTANT

The gallbladder is a faithful friend and helper of the liver. The latter can produce up to 600 ml of bile per day, and the gallbladder, which is a bag with a volume of 70 – 80 ml, essentially stores this bile.

During fasting, the gallbladder is able to absorb (suck) up to 90% of the liquid component of bile, concentrating and preserving it. Eating food stimulates the gallbladder, and bile begins to flow into the lumen of the duodenum (part of the small intestine), participating in digestion.

HIPPOCRATES ABOUT BILD, OR WHY DO WE NEED BILD?

Bile is produced by the liver and is, on the one hand, an emulsifier (solvent) of fats, and on the other, that cleansing medium with which the liver and our body get rid of substances we do not need – toxins (cholesterol, antibiotics, heavy metals, hormones, alcohol ).

In terms of chemical composition, bile consists mainly of water and electrolytes (salt), as well as organic substances (cholesterol, bilirubin, bile salts).

Even Hippocrates spoke of bile as one of the forms of the internal environment of the body. He introduced the idea of ​​a person’s temperaments and concluded that if a person has a lot of bile, then he is prone to irritability, irascibility and anger. No wonder there is such an expression as “a bilious person.” Such “bile” people are prone to heart disease and blood vessels, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks.He attributed this type of people to choleric people. With an excessive amount of “black” bile, a person is prone to apathy, depression, fears, which corresponded to a melancholic temperament.

Today, the ideas of Hippocrates, to put it mildly, are outdated, and today the temperament of a person (a type of higher nervous activity) is not determined by bile. However, from the point of view of psychosomatics, there is a grain of truth in his observations.

STONES IN GALL BLADDER

The appearance in the gallbladder of dense formations of stones is called gallstone disease, or calculous cholecystitis.The diagnosis is made on the basis of ultrasound data. Symptoms of calculous cholecystitis: dull, aching pain in the right hypochondrium of a constant nature or arising one to three hours after eating, most often fatty, fried or smoked, while there may be a bitter taste in the mouth or a metallic taste, belching, bloating, upset stool, insomnia and irritability. Treatment of calculous cholecystitis is usually surgical. But in some cases, the treatment can be conservative – medication.For example, with small cholesterol stones, the tactic of dissolving stones with the help of bile acid preparations is used, as well as fragmentation of stones – a method of extracorporeal shock wave therapy.

CHOLELYSTONE DISEASE: WHEN TO DO THE OPERATION?

The operation to remove the gallbladder is called cholecystectomy. Previously, before the advent of endoscopic surgery, the gallbladder was removed, leaving rough abdominal scars and adhesions. At the moment, operations are less traumatic, only small punctures remain, which are hardly noticeable on the skin.

Can a person live without a gallbladder? Yes, it can, but there is nothing superfluous in the body, and the removal of the gallbladder is always a tragedy for the whole body. After surgery, dyspepsia, upset stools such as constipation or diarrhea may often appear. The pancreas and liver begin to suffer.

Among some doctors there is an opinion that if stones in the gallbladder are found, then the operation must be done, as they say, just in case of fire. However, in the Western medical literature on this issue, they say that if the stones are less than 3 cm in diameter and there are no clinical manifestations (pain), then it is not worth removing the gallbladder.Indications for removal of the gallbladder are attacks of hepatic colic (the risk of blockage of the bile ducts by a stone) and large stones (more than 3 cm) – this condition increases the risk of developing gallbladder carcinoma.

CAUSES OF CHOLELYSTONE DISEASE

Gallstone disease is more common in women than in men, as estrogens (female sex hormones) play an important role here. A sedentary lifestyle (sedentary work), a violation of the diet (abuse of fatty and fried), irregular nutrition (long breaks between meals and prolonged fasting), burdened heredity – all these are risk factors for cholecystitis.

Biliary dyskinesia

Dyskinesia (literally “movement disorder”) of the biliary tract is a violation of the outflow of bile along the biliary tract. It can be hyperkinetic (excessive tension, spasm) and hypotonic (on the contrary, contractile weakness of the gallbladder). Dyskinesia occurs most often due to spasm of the sphincter of Oddi (the place where the bile duct flows into the intestine), with kinks of the gallbladder or in violation of the diet.The most common cause of sphincter spasm is chronic stress. Dyskinesia can be the cause of gallstones – gallstones.

Most often this disease occurs in young children due to the imperfection of their digestive system. The manifestations of dyskinesia can be abdominal pain, colic, pain in the right hypochondrium, yellow coating on the tongue, bitterness in the mouth.

In case of dyskinesia, the doctor may prescribe a fractional diet 5 – 6 times a day, choleretic drugs, antispasmodics or abdominal massage.Manual medicine methods, such as osteopathic techniques, are effective and safe.

TUBAGE STRAIGHT AND INDIRECT

In medical practice, there are methods of artificial drainage (removal) of bile from the gallbladder. Medical tubage (from the French word tubage “washing”) is a therapeutic and prophylactic measure aimed at removing bile from the gallbladder using choleretic agents. It can be performed using a duodenal probe (direct tubing) or without it (indirect tubing).This method is used for biliary dyskinesia, acalculous cholecystitis, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) and duodenal ulcers (duodenitis). Many sanatoriums still use this method, which is very effective for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

LIVER CLEANING ACCORDING TO MALAKHOV

I would like to warn dear reader against various liver cleanses according to recipes from the Internet or books of “folk healers” such as Gennady Malakhov and Andreas Morritz .Also now very popular “enema”, where for decent money you will be starved, stuffed with laxatives, do daily enemas and carry out a la tubage. All this is called cleansing the body. For me, this is complete obscurantism. I have nothing against alternative methods of treatment, but I am for a reasonable approach to each person. The methods of Ayurveda, therapeutic fasting, unloading and dietary therapy have a place to be, but only under strict medical supervision and in the hands of professionals.

MASSAGE OF THE INTERNAL ORGANS, OR HOW CAN OSTEOPATHY HELP IN DYSKINESIA?

In the arsenal of modern medicine there are safe, but effective methods of eliminating functional problems – dysfunctions of internal organs, including the gallbladder. An osteopathic doctor, with the help of his sensitive hands, will diagnose and identify areas of restriction and tension of internal organs. With the help of his hands, the doctor will delicately relieve the spasm, drain the bile and restore the work of the gastrointestinal tract.Such gentle osteopathic techniques are suitable for both young children and adults with gallbladder problems. The duration of a session with an osteopathic doctor takes no more than one hour, the frequency is on average one session per week. The course of treatment can last a month.

SUMMARY

1. The liver produces bile and stores it in the gallbladder. At the time of eating, bile is secreted into the intestines and breaks down fats.

2. The gallbladder is an important organ, without which our body begins to ache.

3. The formation of stones in the gallbladder is not always an indication for surgery.

4. Regular and balanced nutrition, regular physical activity and drainage of the biliary system are effective measures to prevent gallstone disease.

5. Tyubage (direct and indirect) is a medical procedure, and it is not safe to carry out it yourself at home.

6. Cleansing the liver using folk methods is often harmful to health.

7.Dyskinesia (impaired outflow of bile) is of a functional (emotional) nature and is usually associated with spasm of the muscular sphincter. Manual treatments such as osteopathy are effective in treating dyskinesia.

Be healthy!

Alexander Ivanov

The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial office

90,000 Gallbladder diseases – symptoms and treatment

The first visit of a patient to a doctor about biliary colic does not mean that he has an acute process.Almost always, a careful examination reveals the presence of signs of chronic suffering of this organ. In other words, cholecystitis develops gradually and therefore an acute attack of cholecystitis is an exacerbation of a chronic, latent gallbladder disease.

In chronic cholecystitis, the most common symptoms are indications of pain in the right hypochondrium, bitterness in the mouth, poor appetite, nausea, and sometimes vomiting of bile in the morning.

Exacerbation of the disease is accompanied by attacks of unbearable cutting pain in the right hypochondrium or in the epigastric region. The pain has a typical irradiation (direction) – up, to the right and behind – to the area of ​​the right shoulder blade, to the right shoulder, to the right half of the neck, sometimes spreads throughout the abdomen, increases with a deep breath, in the position on the left side. Pain syndrome may be accompanied by nausea and repeated vomiting with an admixture of bile, which does not bring relief.Pallor and yellowness of the skin is noted. The tongue is coated with a yellow-brown bloom, dryish. The mobility of the abdominal wall in the upper right part is limited. Here, a zone of increased skin sensitivity, pain on palpation (pressure), and sometimes a symptom of muscle protection are determined.

It should be emphasized that the localization of pain in the right half of the chest, the right scapula is as characteristic of diseases of the gallbladder as ischemic heart disease is characterized by pain in the chest and in the left arm.It is important to find out the immediate, provoking cause of the pain syndrome. An attack of cholecystitis is most often associated with the abuse of fatty foods and other errors in food. Relapse of an attack is most often caused by a stressful situation, nervous tension, mental trauma. In persons suffering from cholelithiasis, pericholecystitis, an attack often occurs in connection with physical exertion, horseback riding, cycling, or driving on bumpy roads.

Transient jaundice that develops after an attack is characteristic of cholelithiasis, but it can also be with hypermotor dyskinesia.In some cases, in violation of the outflow of bile, patients note the appearance of discolored feces (white-gray) within 1-2 days.

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In uncomplicated cholelithiasis, an attack of pain begins suddenly and just as suddenly stops, the patient already the next day feels quite satisfactory.

More often, chronic diseases of the biliary tract occur with so-called minor symptoms – general malaise, subfebrile condition, unexpressed dyspeptic symptoms, pain or discomfort from the heart. Such patients visit doctors of various specialties for a long time, but unsuccessfully, who sometimes erroneously diagnose rheumatism, thyrotoxicosis, neurocirculatory dystonia, peptic ulcer, gastritis, neuralgia, etc., while the cause of all these symptoms lies in latent cholecystitis, dyskinesia, or cholelithiasis.It may be the other way around, the patient is being treated for various diseases of the gallbladder, in fact, the true cause is duodenal ulcer.

In elderly and senile people, there is a painless course of cholecystitis, which is associated with a change in the threshold of pain sensitivity, the body’s inactivity in old age.

In patients with chronic diseases of the biliary tract, the stomach may be involved in the process, while belching, bitter taste in the mouth, heartburn, nausea, and anacid are often noted.Stool disorders (diarrhea, constipation) are possible. All these disorders affect the state of the central nervous system, patients become nervous, irritable, and suffer from insomnia. Conversely, individuals suffering from chronic diseases of internal organs may develop gallbladder dyskinesia.

Hypotonic (atonic) dyskinesia

usually characterized by mild, dull pain (feeling of heaviness) in the right hypochondrium. Pain, as a rule, is accompanied by nausea when eating, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, poor tolerance of food odors.

90,000 Treatment of gallbladder diseases – treatment in Medline in Kemerovo

Despite its small size, the gallbladder is an important organ in the digestive system. It performs the function of collecting bile from the liver and regulating its secretion into the duodenum, depending on the food intake.

The function of bile is to activate digestive enzymes in the intestines and emulsify fats (the process of breaking down large droplets of fat into smaller ones) to facilitate the digestion process.In addition, resorption (reabsorption) of protein, important salts, amino acids into the blood occurs in this organ, as well as the secretion of mucus and a special hormone – cholecystokinin.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a neuropeptide hormone produced by the intestinal mucosa. It is responsible for: reducing the release of hydrochloric acid; stimulation of the pancreas, digestive enzymes, bile secretion, contraction of the gallbladder, is directly related to the relaxation of the bile duct sphincters and stimulation of the vagus nerve.Lack of this substance in the body is fraught with:

• disorders in the work of the gallbladder
• violation of the flow of bile into the duodenum
• Violation of the digestive tract in general

In addition, this hormone is involved in maintaining calmness, regulating sleep, suppressing fear and pain, and mental stress.

Gallbladder Interesting Facts

• The gallbladder contains about 50 ml of bile formed in the liver cells, then through special bile ducts, which form a complex network, it enters the gallbladder, where it is stored until a person is eaten
• As soon as food enters the duodenum, the gallbladder contracts, and bile, along with pancreatic juice, moves into the intestines
• A healthy person can produce from 500 to 1000 ml of bile per day
• It contains water, bile acids, inorganic substances, vitamins A, B, C, D, amino acids, phospholipids, cholesterol, bilirubin, proteins, mucus and drug residues
• Bile functions: neutralization of gastric juice; activation of intestinal and pancreatic enzymes; inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines; improvement of intestinal motility; elimination of toxic substances and drugs

Major pathologies of the gallbladder

Cholelithiasis (cholelithiasis) is a disease of the biliary system associated with a violation of bilirubin metabolism and cholesterol, characterized by the formation of stones inside the liver, in the common bile duct and in the gallbladder.

According to the mechanism of formation, 3 types of stones are distinguished:

• cholesterol
• pigment bilirubin brown
• black

Cholelithiasis can be asymptomatic for a long time, sometimes manifesting itself in the form of bouts of hepatic colic.

Chronic non-calculous cholecystitis is a prolonged inflammatory process that affects the inner membrane of the bladder and is not accompanied by the formation of stones.

The main causes of the disease:

• bacterial infection – intestinal microflora (Escherichia coli, enterococcus), staphylococci and streptococci, Proteus, typhoid and paratyphoid sticks, anaerobic microflora
• parasitic invasion – feline fluke, lamblia, roundworm
• reverse reflux of bile from the intestine – dangerous by the pancreatic enzymes in it, which, when entering the bladder, begin to digest its wall (this pathology is also called chemical cholecystitis)
• allergies – food and aerogenic allergens
• inflammatory diseases of the digestive system – especially negatively affected by hepatitis and pancreatitis
• bile stasis

Biliary dyskinesia – functional disease of the biliary tract associated with a change in the tone of the gallbladder or ducts.As a rule, it is accompanied by periodic pain in the right hypochondrium and dyspeptic disorders. Dyskinesia usually occurs with constant stress, psychoemotional stress, neuroses. Depending on the change in the tone of the bladder, pain (hyperkinetic) and dyspeptic (hypokinetic) types of the disease are distinguished.

Acute cholangitis – an inflammatory process in the stage of acute exacerbation, which affects the bile ducts. It usually occurs as a complication of chronic cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, or after removal of the gallbladder.The development of infection is facilitated by stagnation of bile, compression of the ducts by tumors, stones. There are obstructive, recurrent, bacterial, secondary sclerosing cholangitis.

Cholecystitis – inflammation of the gallbladder. Signs of the disease – pain in the right hypochondrium of a pulling nature, may increase after eating. Drug treatment – antibiotics, choleretic and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Cholesterosis – the process of deposition of cholesterol in the walls of the gallbladder, for a long time does not manifest itself in anything.Treatment – diet and diet.

Polyps – benign tumor, asymptomatic, except in cases of blockage of the exit from the gallbladder. Treatment is surgical removal of polyps.

Cancer of the gallbladder is a rather rare pathology, in most cases it is the outcome of a chronic inflammatory process in the organ. Treatment is removal of the gallbladder and chemotherapy. Allocate adenocarcinoma, mucous, solid and squamous cell carcinoma.Gallbladder cancer is characterized by high malignancy, early metastasis and invasion of adjacent organs.

Pay attention

• Diseases of the gallbladder are the second most frequent diseases of the liver and biliary tract and the third in all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• With regard to age, people over 50 are more likely to suffer from them, and women are more affected than men.

Symptoms of gallbladder diseases

• Pain – localized in the hypochondrium, of varying intensity (less with the bend of the gallbladder, more pronounced with cholecystitis and stones, may be absent with polyps).The pain increases within 24 hours after eating, especially fatty, fried or smoked food. If a stone leaves the gallbladder and blocks the common bile duct, a sharp paroxysmal pain occurs – hepatic colic
• Nausea, intermittent vomiting, flatulence (bloating) and stool disorders (loosening or a tendency to constipation) – these symptoms of digestive disorders are associated with the flow of bile into the intestines in an incomplete volume or a change in its composition, the process of food digestion is disturbed
• Bitter taste in the mouth – accompanies almost all diseases of the liver and gallbladder
• Raspberry tongue – redness of the tongue, a specific symptom of various problems with the liver or biliary tract
• Intense color of urine – the urine becomes deep yellow, up to brown.This is due to the fact that in diseases of the gallbladder, bile acids are partially absorbed into the blood and excreted in the urine, which gives it a characteristic staining
• Light stool – normally brown stool is provided by the presence of bile acids in it, respectively, with a decrease in the flow of bile into the intestines, the stool becomes light
• Jaundice of the skin and sclera (from subtle to pronounced yellow coloration of the skin and sclera) – occurs when bile acids enter the blood from the gallbladder and settle in the tissues of the body (jaundice)

Diagnosing Problems

When the above symptoms appear, in addition to a doctor’s examination, laboratory and instrumental diagnostics are necessary.

In the medical center “Medline” at the services of patients:

• Clinical blood test – to identify the inflammatory process in the body, in which there is an increase in ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and the number of leukocytes
• Duodenal intubation is an informative diagnostic test in which a thin tube (probe) is inserted into the duodenum and bile is collected through it for examination in a laboratory. This is how the chemical composition of bile, inflammatory elements (leukocytes and mucus appear), atypical cells in tumor processes are determined.Also, bacterial inoculation of bile on nutrient media is carried out in order to identify the causative agent of infection
• Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs – this method of examination visualizes the gallbladder, its kink, the thickness of the walls of the gallbladder, the expansion of the common bile duct, the presence of stones, polyps, etc.
• Fine needle biopsy – under ultrasound guidance, a thin needle is inserted into the gallbladder to take a piece of tissue for analysis.Microscopic examination reveals atypical (tumor) cells
• X-ray with contrast agent – contrast agent is injected intravenously. Then it, together with liver cells, is excreted and accumulates in the gallbladder. This allows you to estimate the size of the bubble and the change in shape (deformation) 90 168
• Computed and magnetic resonance imaging (CT and MRI) – radiation layer-by-layer examination of tissues and organs, shows even small small tumors, polyps and stones (inclusions) and changes in them

Treatment of gallbladder diseases

The drug therapy prescribed in the gastroenterology department of the Medline clinic is complex – taking into account the cause of the disease and pathological changes.There are fundamental principles that are followed here in the treatment of all gallbladder diseases.

Etiotropic therapy is aimed at completely eliminating the cause of the disease. For this, antibiotics are used for cholecystitis, surgical treatment for cholelithiasis, polyps and tumors of the gallbladder.

Pathogenetic therapy – used to restore the function of the gallbladder (antispasmodics for hyperkinetic type of dyskinesia), reduce the intoxication of the body with cholecystitis and tumors.Enzymatic preparations with bile acids (mezim) are used to improve digestion.

Symptomatic therapy – treatment aimed at reducing discomfort and discomfort, pain relievers (ketans, analgin) and anti-inflammatory (paracetamol) drugs, antispasmodics (no-shpa, drotaverine) or their combinations (noshpalgin, spazmalgon).

Diet. Diet for gallbladder disease is to minimize the harmful effects of food on the functioning of the gallbladder.For this, table No. 5 according to Pevzner is used, which excludes fatty meats and poultry (pork, duck), rich broths (enhances the contraction of the walls of the gallbladder).

It is advisable to eat lean meats (beef, rabbit), poultry (chicken), fish (preferably river fish), dairy products, vegetables and fruits. The process of cooking is also important; you cannot fry or smoke it. All dishes are steamed or stewed.

Food.A very important factor in gallbladder problems is not only what food you can and cannot eat, but also how and when to eat. The most optimal is 5 meals a day in small portions, the last dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime. Snacks on the go and dry food are not allowed.

diet, menu, recipes / Blog / Clinic EXPERT

Doctors

Chief physician, therapist, gastroenterologist, hepatologist of the highest category, Ph.MD, associate professor

Doctor gastroenterologist, Ph.D.

Zinovieva Evgeniya Nikolaevna

Chief physician, therapist, gastroenterologist, hepatologist of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor

03 August 2020

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Removal of the gallbladder or cholecystectomy – an operation that significantly affects the characteristics of digestion and requires adjusting the diet. In a healthy person, bile is synthesized by the liver and enters the gallbladder through the ducts.In it, there is a thickening or concentration of bile. When eating, the gallbladder secretes through the ducts into the duodenum the amount of bile required to ensure normal digestion.

Cholecystectomy significantly changes the process of digestion. The bladder is removed, and bile enters the duodenum directly from the liver through the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts. As a result, bile of a different composition enters the intestinal lumen. This negatively affects peristalsis and leads to disruptions in the digestive process.Such bile is relatively liquid, it does not adequately protect the intestines from microorganisms, which leads to an increased risk of dysbiosis.

Nutritional rules after removal of the gallbladder

The main goal of a proper diet after removal of the gallbladder is to normalize bile secretion and digestion of food. To avoid the adverse consequences of the operation, it is necessary to adjust the food intake and the diet itself.

• More frequent food intake (4-5 times a day) reduces the burden on the digestive system.
• A significant reduction in the intake of fatty foods after cholecystectomy is designed to prevent spasm of the pylorus of the stomach and the sphincter of Oddi and the development of symptoms: bitterness in the oral cavity, nausea, discomfort in the right hypochondrium, pain in the hypochondria.
• People with gallbladder removal should eat predominantly low-fat foods that are cooked without frying. Protein and plant foods, steamed and boiled or baked, are the basis of the diet of people who have undergone cholecystectomy.Rehabilitation of patients after cholecystectomy is based on these principles of therapeutic nutrition. Do not be alarmed: this is a healthy diet that all people should generally adhere to!

Non-compliance with the diet – consequences

After removal of the gallbladder, the secreted bile is enough to digest a significantly smaller amount of food, so overeating can have unpleasant consequences. Failure to comply with the diet prescribed by the doctor after cholecystectomy is fraught with the addition of other problems of the gastrointestinal tract (dysfunction of the intestines, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, etc.)) various complications: colitis, cholangitis, esophagitis, duodenitis and other diseases. Nutritional therapy is especially important for patients who underwent cholecystectomy due to calculous cholecystitis.

Improper nutrition, significant consumption of fried and rich in animal fats food can lead to re-formation of gallstones already in the ducts.

Diet in the hospital

The length of stay in the hospital is largely determined by the technology of performing cholecystectomy.The gold standard in the treatment of cholecystitis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This type of operation is favorably distinguished by minimal trauma and a shorter hospital stay (usually 1-3 days). After laparoscopy, the patient’s recovery is relatively quick and painless, and the diet is less conservative both in the hospital and in the following weeks.

Unfortunately, laparoscopic cholecystectomy cannot always be performed due to the peculiarities of the course of the disease and the individual characteristics of the anatomical structure of the gallbladder and ducts.For this reason, the doctor is forced to resort to open (laparotomic) cholecystectomy. Depending on the degree of invasiveness of the operation, the length of stay in the hospital may increase (5-10 days or more). The increased invasiveness of this approach to gallbladder removal results in more significant dietary restrictions on in the first weeks after surgery.

After laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the patient spends 2 hours in the intensive care unit, recovering from anesthesia.Then he is transferred to the conditions of the ward, where appropriate postoperative therapy is carried out. For the first 5 hours, the patient is prohibited from getting out of bed and drinking. Starting in the morning of the next day, it is allowed to drink plain water in small portions (up to 2 sips every 15 minutes). You can get up about 5 hours after surgery. It is permissible to do this only in the absence of weakness and dizziness. The first attempts to lift should only be made in the presence of a nurse.

Starting the next day, the patient can move around the room and start eating.It is permissible to use only liquid food (oatmeal, kefir, diet soup). Gradually, the patient returns to his usual fluid intake – this is important for diluting the bile. The first week after the operation it is important to completely exclude the use of the following foods and drinks:

• strong tea
• coffee
• alcohol
• sweet drinks
• sweets
• chocolate
• fried foods
• fatty foods
• salted, pickled.

The patient’s diet in the hospital contains a variety of low-fat fermented milk products: yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt. Also, buckwheat and oatmeal porridge in water, mashed potatoes, grated boiled lean beef, chopped white chicken meat, carrot soufflé, beetroot dishes, lean soups, bananas and baked apples are gradually introduced into the diet.

Diet in the first week after discharge from the hospital

Usually, after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the patient is discharged already on days 1-3.At home, it is necessary to organize proper nutrition, taking into account the recommendations given at discharge. Food should be taken in small portions, 6-7 times a day. It is advisable to arrange meals on a specific schedule, this will reduce the load on the digestive tract. The last meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime.

To normalize digestion, it is necessary to provide abundant drink throughout the day (total fluid intake – 1.5 liters). The optimal drink is sterilized non-acidic juices with pulp, rosehip decoction and mineral water, the brand of which should be agreed with the doctor.

In the first week after discharge from the hospital, it is necessary to adhere to the therapeutic diet “Table No. 1” and avoid fresh vegetables and berries, rye bread, as these products increase bile secretion. The main emphasis in nutrition is on mashed meat, fish and vegetable dishes, steamed. Food should not be hot or cold.

Examples of dishes that can be consumed during this period:

• steamed chicken roll
• milk soup
• steamed meat soufflé
• cottage cheese casserole
• protein steamed omelet
• or low fat buckwheat or oatmeal
• Adyghe cheese

The first days after the operation to remove the gallbladder, the diet is as limited and conservative as possible.On the 5-7th day – a smooth transition between surgical diets 1a and 1b (sometimes called 0b and 0c). A sample menu for one day for surgical diets 1a and 1b is shown below.

Sample menu for one day for a surgical diet 1a

• 1st breakfast: protein omelet of 2 steamed eggs, 200 g of chopped liquid oatmeal with milk and 5 g of butter and tea with lemon juice.
• 2nd breakfast: zero fat cottage cheese and 100 g rosehip broth.
• Lunch: 50 g steamed meat soufflé, 200 g mucous soup with semolina, 100 g rosehip broth and 150 g milk cream.
• Dinner: 200 g of chopped liquid buckwheat porridge with 5 g of butter, steam boiled fish soufflé and tea with lemon juice.
• Finishing meal: 100 g rosehip broth and 150 g fruit jelly.
• Total daily dose: 40 g sugar, 20 g butter.

Sample menu for one day for a surgical diet 1b

• 1st breakfast: 200 g of milk porridge from rice with 5 g of butter, steam omelet from egg whites, sweet tea with lemon juice.
• 2nd breakfast: 100 g of chopped baked apples, 120 g of chopped cottage cheese with the addition of cream, 180 g of rosehip broth.
• Lunch: 100 g of steamed meat cutlets, 300 g of creamy soup with vegetables, 200 g of mashed potatoes, 150 g of fruit jelly.
• Afternoon snack: 180 g of fruit juice, 150 g of chopped boiled chicken.
• Dinner: 200 g of chopped milk oatmeal porridge with 5 g of butter, 100 g of steamed soufflé from boiled fish, tea with 50 g of milk.
• Finishing meal: 180 g of kefir.
• Total daily dose: 60 g sugar, 20 g butter, 100 g white crackers.

Diet in the first month (2-4 weeks after surgery)

The first month after surgery is especially important for restoring the normal functioning of the patient’s digestive tract and improving overall well-being. It is this period of time that is key for the normalization of the digestive functions of the body. Therefore, during its duration, it is necessary to carefully follow the recommendations prescribed by the doctor.These include not only nutritional requirements, but also a set of measures to ensure proper physical activity, drug therapy and wound care.

Following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, dieting is usually necessary for 1 month. Then, in agreement with the gastroenterologist, relaxation in the diet can be made, the range of products consumed can be expanded, and dietary restrictions can be lifted.
With open cavitary cholecystectomy, the period of severe dietary restrictions is longer than with cholecystectomy.Regardless of the type of operation performed during the first month, it is recommended to exclude from the diet:

• fried foods
• fatty foods
• spicy and spicy foods
• smoked foods
• alcohol.

Also during this period it is recommended to completely stop smoking, as it slows down the postoperative recovery of the body. Dishes should be slightly warm and cold or hot foods should be avoided. Regular meals are required 4–6 times a day, it is advisable to take food at about the same time.The introduction of new products into the diet should be carried out gradually, carefully listen to the body’s reaction and, if necessary, consult a gastroenterologist.

From the second week, in the absence of complications, diet 5a is used. This is a variation of Diet 5, characterized by reduced chemical and mechanical effects on the digestive tract, which makes it preferred after cholecystectomy. This diet is very gentle – all foods are boiled or steamed.The 5a diet menu is based on boiled fish and meat, steamed cutlets, protein omelets, vegetable soups, steamed cottage cheese puddings, mashed potatoes, fruit jelly, chopped cereals in milk, stewed vegetables.

In case of poor tolerance of the 5a diet (bloating, diarrhea, pain in the hypochondrium), the 5sh diet can be prescribed, which is characterized by even greater delicacy in relation to the digestive system.

Example menu:

• First breakfast: half a serving of semolina in milk, tea, 110 g of steam omelet from egg whites.
• Second breakfast: rosehip broth, 100 g of fresh unleavened cottage cheese.
• Lunch: 100 g of boiled meat soufflé, half a serving of mashed soup with vegetables and oatmeal, 100 g of fruit jelly, 100 g of carrot puree.
• Afternoon snack: 100 g of baked apples.
• Dinner: half a portion of mashed potatoes, boiled fish, tea.
• Finishing meal: jelly or kefir.
• Total daily dose: 200 g of white bread, 30 g of sugar.

The food should not contain hot seasonings, any smoked and spicy foods are prohibited.Food is taken warm; cold and hot foods should be avoided.

Diet one month after surgery

People who have undergone cholecystectomy are advised to adhere to basic diet option 5 for 1-1.5 years after surgery. After that, relaxation is possible, for example, switching to diet number 15, but an individual approach and consultation of a gastroenterologist is required. It is necessary to keep the consumption of sweets, animal fats, eggs, milk under special control.

In the event of malfunctions in the digestive system, a review of the diet with the help of a doctor is required. In some cases, it is possible to return to the diet 5, 5a or 5sh. To improve the digestive processes, the attending physician may recommend the use of enzyme preparations, such as mezim-forte or festala.

There are a number of rules that should be followed throughout life for people who have undergone cholecystectomy:

1. You should eat 4-5 times a day, avoid long breaks between meals.It is advisable to train yourself to eat at about the same time.
2. Portions should be small so that the diluted bile can handle the incoming food.
3. Refractory animal fats should be completely excluded: pork, beef and lamb.
4. The main cooking methods should be boiling, stewing and steaming.
5. An abundant drink of 1.5–2 liters per day is indicated.
6. To avoid dysbiosis in the duodenum caused by the absence of the gallbladder, regular use of fermented milk probiotics is desirable.The elimination of sweets also allows you to fight dysbiosis.
7. Elimination of coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages helps with increased diarrhea.

Below are the lists of foods allowed and prohibited for consumption after cholecystectomy.

List of permitted foods:

• stewed vegetables and vegetable purees
• steamed cutlets and meatballs
• boiled lean meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit, lean beef)
• cooked sausage
• fish soup
• fish soup low-fat cabbage soup
• vegetable and fruit salads
• vinaigrette
• whole milk
• fermented milk products
• juices
• vegetable fats
• a little butter.

List of prohibited products:

• fatty types of poultry (goose, duck)
• lamb, pork, other fatty types of meat
• hot spices
• alcohol
• cocoa
• marinades
• smoked food
• muffins
• sweets
• sweetened carbonated drinks.

Recipes

We offer several recipes that can be used after 2 months from the date of cholecystectomy.

1. Carrot salad with honey and raisins. Grate 100 g of fresh peeled, grate, add 10 g of washed raisins, place in a salad bowl, pour 15 g of honey, garnish with lemon slices.
2. Fruit salad. Wash and peel the fruit (30 g kiwi, 50 g apple, 30 g banana, 30 g strawberries, 30 g tangerines). Cut the fruits, put in a salad bowl, season with 20 grams of 10% sour cream.
3. Buckwheat soup with milk. Rinse with 30 g of buckwheat, pour 300 ml of hot water, boil, salt, add 250 ml of hot milk, 2 g of sugar and bring to readiness.Add 5 g butter.
4. Boiled sea bass. Peel, wash, cut into small pieces and boil about 100 grams of perch in salted water. Add 5 g of parsley and 10 g of chopped carrots.
5. Steam haddock with butter. Peel, rinse and steam about 100 g of haddock. Drizzle with 5 g of melted butter and sprinkle with 5 g of dill.
6. Low-fat cottage cheese with lingonberries and sour cream. Grind about 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese, pour 20 g of 10% sour cream and sprinkle with 30 g of lingonberries with sugar.
7. Boiled Brussels sprouts. Rinse about 250 g of Brussels sprouts ends and boil in lightly salted water. Drizzle with 10 g of butter before use.

90,000 🧬 Surprises of the gallbladder

Gastroenterologist, hepatologist GMS Clinic Sergey Vyalov gave an interview to the stopkilo.net Internet portal and spoke about the problems and treatment of the gallbladder.

Introduction

The gallbladder is one of the “special” organs that can literally prepare surprises.Such surprises represent an unexpected attack of severe pain in the abdomen on the right, somewhere under the ribs, which we call “bilious colic”.

The gallbladder acts as a kind of reservoir that collects and stores bile until the right moment, and then throws it out for digestion. If the bile begins to be poorly “stored” or “stagnate”, then its composition changes. Then it all depends on how far the process has gone …

But it all starts with a violation of the normal contractions of the gallbladder – it contracts either too quickly and strongly, or too weakly and slowly.Both of these disorders lead to improper bile secretion and changes in the composition of bile, and in the long term – to the formation of stones.

Most often, errors in nutrition lead to this, when we overeat or eat a lot of fatty, fried, smoked foods. In some people, an additional contribution to the development of gallbladder diseases is made by high cholesterol levels, hormonal imbalance, taking certain medications, and a hereditary predisposition. Stress, emotional and nervous tension also leads to dysfunction of the gallbladder.That is why the last stage, cholelithiasis, often affects women after a critical age. Although in recent years, gallbladder diseases have become very “younger” and are very often detected even in children!

Sensations located in the upper abdomen (in the stomach area) or under the ribs on the right are most often associated with a disease of the stomach or gallbladder, and in rare cases, even the intestines. It is very difficult to distinguish them from each other on your own. When examining the abdomen, the doctor can easily determine what exactly led to the onset of symptoms.A connection with food intake may suggest: if symptoms appear after eating, the problem is most likely related to the gallbladder or stomach. If the symptoms with food intake do not have a clear connection, there is reason to assume a problem with the intestines.

Symptoms

Typical symptoms of gallbladder disease are uncomfortable or painful sensations in the upper abdomen or under the ribs on the right, often associated with eating. Many people have mild nausea, a bitter taste in the mouth, a heaviness under the ribs, or an aching sensation.Most often they occur when the gallbladder is provoked with fatty, fried, spicy or smoked food. However, they can develop a few days after taking antibiotics, antifungal and antiviral drugs.

Chronic cholecystitis develops for a long time and slowly, often manifests itself as discomfort and pain. Acute cholecystitis has more severe symptoms, the temperature may even rise, the pain is forced to sit bent over and hold on to the right side, sometimes even to the back.And I want to go to the doctor. Most often, these symptoms are fairly typical in most people.

Cholecystitis, in essence, is an inflammation of the gallbladder, which is accompanied by a violation of its contractions, and a violation of bile secretion.

It is the violation of normal bile secretion that leads to an increase in pressure in the bladder, concentration and thickening of bile. It begins to collect in clots, flakes and lumps appear, which crystallize in the form of stones in a bubble.If cholecystitis is not treated, it can become acute or stones will appear in the bladder. We call this sequential change of stages the “bilious continuum.”

The lifestyle does NOT significantly affect the state of the gallbladder or the development of the inflammatory process in it. Nutrition is more important, as well as taking medications that are excreted along with bile.

The relationship between stress and increased anxiety and gallbladder contractions is important.Very often, an emotional breakdown or a nervous period can lead to the development of the disease.

Recommendations

For diseases of the gallbladder, table No. 5 is recommended. It is also used in the treatment of liver and pancreas diseases. Food for diseases of the stomach or intestines is different from the food required for diseases of the gallbladder. The main restrictions apply to fatty, fried, spicy and smoked foods, as well as alcohol. We have developed a special application for the phone “Table No. 5”, which details nutrition issues.

Cold and hunger treat the most acute period of acute pancreatitis, which sometimes occurs due to gallstone disease. Therefore, there is such a stereotype. Also, hunger is sometimes used for biliary colic. With exacerbation of cholecystitis (not acute cholecystitis!), The standard of treatment is drugs that restore contractions of the gallbladder and ursodeoxycholic acid preparations (ursosan). In the initial period of exacerbation, antispasmodics are used (mebeverin, drotaverine, gimecromone).Further, it is possible to use prokinetics (itomed), but they are not used for cholelithiasis, only in the early stages. These drugs normalize bile secretion. It is strictly forbidden to use choleretic drugs without ultrasound results!

This recommendation is not a guideline for treatment – treatment should be prescribed by a doctor after examination!

In some cases, indeed, diseases of other organs can lead to the development of cholecystitis. Duodenitis is the most common disease, which, due to edema of the “exit” of the biliary tract, leads to impaired bile flow.This increases pressure in the gallbladder and promotes inflammation or stones. Also contributes to cholecystitis and dysfunction of the gallbladder is an excess of bacteria in the intestine, the so-called bacterial overgrowth. This condition can occur after food poisoning, long-standing constipation or prolonged diarrhea, as well as inflammatory bowel disease and diverticular disease.

Source: stopkilo.net

When to run to the gastroenterologist ?! – Euromed clinic

– Elena Evgenievna, with what complaints do patients most often apply?

– Most common: abdominal pain and heartburn.
There are many causes of abdominal pain: from functional disorders associated with stress to serious illness.

Often worried about pain in the right hypochondrium due to dysfunction of the biliary tract, a feeling of discomfort in the epigastric region due to gastritis. In spring and autumn, peptic ulcer disease is often exacerbated.
The situation can worsen against the background of stress and inaccuracies in nutrition. Moreover, as a rule, these two factors are interrelated: a stressful state for many is a trigger for eating disorders: someone’s appetite increases or, conversely, disappears, and a person eats irregularly or overeats, reduces control over the quality of food, etc.e. All this inevitably leads to problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Heartburn is not a separate disease, but a symptom: a burning sensation behind the breastbone. In fact, this is a chemical burn with the acidic contents of the stomach when it is thrown into the esophagus, where the environment is more often alkaline. This leads to damage to the esophageal mucosa with hydrochloric acid and, which breaks down proteins, the enzyme pepsin. Sometimes with reflux disease, there is no heartburn, but there is a feeling of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, which are confused with angina pectoris.All this significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life. It is possible and necessary to treat this disease. Frequent reflux of acid from the stomach into the esophagus, especially with an admixture of bile from the duodenum, can even lead to oncological diseases of the esophagus.
Treatment is usually long, since the situation has been developing for years, and it will not be possible to change it instantly. In addition to medication, changes in lifestyle and dietary habits are required. With the help of drugs, we can reduce the amount of acidic products produced, which will lead to the fact that less of it will be thrown into the esophagus, respectively, less heartburn is manifested.There are also a number of drugs that adsorb acid and remove it. These are quick action tools. They help get rid of heartburn for 30-40 minutes. Usually it is these drugs that are actively promoted in advertising and they will also be offered by the pharmacist in the pharmacy. The patient, however, must, of course, be guided by the doctor’s recommendations

Food for reflux disease should be in small portions so that the volume eaten does not exceed the volume of the stomach, and for better control of appetite – frequent: 4-5 times a day.Food must be thoroughly chewed to crush it as much as possible and release more saliva, which, having an alkaline reaction, neutralizes the acid.

For reflux disease, boiled, baked, stewed vegetables, liquid cereals, pasta, lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, cottage cheese, stale bread and crackers, jelly, mousses, jelly, mashed soups, dairy products are recommended.
They increase acid formation in the stomach and therefore are not recommended: smoked meats, fatty, spicy, salty, mushrooms, raw vegetables, sour fruits and juices, carbonated drinks, black bread, buns, fast food, strong tea and coffee

– Leads to heartburn nutritional error or is its appearance due to genetics?

– Both.
Genetically determined by the feature of the sphincters between the esophagus and the stomach. A fairly common problem is connective tissue dysplasia, that is, its increased elasticity, resulting in flat feet, varicose veins, “unstable vertebrae”, weakness of many sphincters, including the gastroesophageal and esophageal opening of the diaphragm. That is, they do not close tightly enough, and food easily enters the stomach from the esophagus.

The number of parietal cells in the stomach is also genetically determined, which determines the quantity and quality of hydrochloric acid produced by them.
Heartburn in pregnant women

Pregnant women often complain of heartburn. This is due to two main points. Firstly, in the process of the growth of the baby and the enlargement of the uterus, intra-abdominal pressure increases, the load on the stomach and intestines increases, which can provoke the reflux of acid and bile into the esophagus. By the way, this often leads to constipation in pregnant women. Secondly, pregnant women have a special hormonal background aimed at reducing the tone of the uterus and, at the same time, the esophageal sphincters relax, as a result of which acid reflux can occur.
If you have such problems – do not have to endure and wait that “after childbirth it will pass by itself” … Immediately contact a gastroenterologist. The doctor will select the treatment: there are drugs that are approved for use during pregnancy. You will also discuss with your gastroenterologist how to change your diet and lifestyle in order to get rid of this problem.
Ideally, contact a gastroenterologist at the stage of pregnancy planning – this way you can avoid many problems with the gastrointestinal tract that arise during this period in a woman’s life.

– One of the most common diagnoses is gastritis. What is the reason and how is it treated?

– Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining. This diagnosis, indeed, is very often made, and quite often – without proper justification. This diagnosis is made morphologically, that is, after the morphologist describes the existing inflammatory changes as a result of a biopsy of the gastric mucosa. Then it’s gastritis. Only on the basis of complaints can a competent doctor write in the diagnosis only “functional dyspepsia syndrome”.
Complaints with gastritis are quite diverse: it can be pain, a feeling of a full stomach even with a small amount of food eaten, belching, vomiting, etc. It depends on the characteristics of the production of gastric juice, on the vegetative status of the patient, on the characteristics of his lifestyle, dietary stereotype – all very individually.

Myth

Probably everyone has heard the opinion: “if you eat dry food, you will get gastritis.” In fact, it is not! The food should just be without additional liquid, it does not need to be washed down with water, tea, coffee, etc.The liquid dilutes the acidic contents in the stomach and impairs the quality of food digestion. But there is really no need to eat “on the run” – the most important thing for a good digestion process is to chew food thoroughly! A large amount of saliva released when chewing is necessary for the assimilation of food.
What provokes gastritis? Stress, systematic violation of the diet, violation of the frequency of nutrition, abuse of semi-finished products, concentrates, spices, sour, spicy, peppery, salty, smoked, fried, too hot, too cold or otherwise thermally, chemically or mechanically irritating food, carbonated drinks, coffee , alcohol, smoking; lack of thorough chewing of food.

In addition, gastritis is often caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium needs acid-free conditions to exist, for this it “envelops” itself with a cloud of urease – an enzyme that creates an alkaline environment. All this damages the mucous membrane up to its atrophy, and can also lead to the development of gastric and duodenal ulcers, significantly increasing the risk of developing stomach cancer. 95% of stomach ulcers and 85% of duodenal ulcers worldwide are associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.Other causes of damage to the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum is the frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
In the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcer, drugs are used that reduce the acid production of the gastric mucosa, improve its healing, and if Helicobacter pylori is detected, a course of antibiotic therapy is used. The patient must be prescribed a gentle diet.
All these activities are prescribed only by a doctor. Self-medication can be not only ineffective, but also harmful to the patient.

– Is stress also one of the reasons for the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

– Yes, the classic triad for making this diagnosis: stress, pain, stool disorder (diarrhea, constipation or their alternation). The very name of the disease contains its essence: the intestine is irritated, sensitivity is increased.

The peculiarity of this disease is that the patient has no visible lesion of the intestinal mucosa. No examinations can establish what actually happens to the human body, and the disease is clearly manifested.
The mechanism of the onset of symptoms is associated with the characteristics of the intestine. The intestine has its own nervous system, which is part of the autonomic nervous system. In stressful situations, malfunctions of the entire nervous system of the body begin, the brain gives the wrong signals to the intestines, and the intestine incorrectly informs the brain about the processes taking place in it. As a result, intestinal motility is impaired, the threshold of pain sensitivity decreases, and even minor discomfort causes severe bouts of pain.

In addition to stress and a low pain threshold, the risk of developing IBS is increased by eating disorders, a sedentary lifestyle, hormonal disruptions (for example, in pregnant women), and a genetic predisposition. IBS can also develop after some infectious bowel disease.
The main difficulty in IBS is that the symptoms are very unpleasant, and the correction must be carried out, first of all, of the psychoemotional state, which is quite difficult without the help of a competent psychologist. At the same time, there is still a problem that often patients do not even admit to themselves that they need psychological help.
When making this diagnosis, it is very important to show signs of cancer. However, in our time it is always important, even in young patients, but especially in older people. IBS more often appears in young people, so if similar symptoms are observed in mature patients, first of all, the doctor should exclude cancer.

– For antibiotic therapy, doctors often advise taking probiotics or prebiotics. Is it really necessary?

– Antibiotics affect the intestinal flora, this is undeniable.Often, against the background of antibiotic therapy, the patient develops dysbiosis (“dysbiosis”), that is, a qualitative and / or quantitative change in the ratio of microorganisms that live in the intestine. Dysbiosis is manifested by a violation of the stool, flatulence (excessive gas formation), the presence of inflammation on the mucous membrane. As a prophylaxis for the development of this unpleasant condition, it is recommended to take pro- and prebiotics.
Probiotics are medicines or biologically active food supplements that contain live microorganisms that are representatives of the normal human microflora.They are designed to restore the disturbed balance of microorganisms inhabiting various mucous membranes of a person, and therefore are used for the treatment and prevention of immunodeficiency, dysbiosis and related diseases. Probiotics stimulate the immune system at all levels, as proven by numerous clinical studies.

Prebiotics are food ingredients that are not digested by human enzymes or absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. They stimulate the growth and vital activity of beneficial microflora: by breaking down to fatty acids, they increase acidity in the colon, inhibiting the growth of opportunistic microflora, which also creates favorable conditions for the development of normal microflora.
Prebiotics are found in dairy products, cornflakes, cereals, bread, onions, chicory, garlic, beans, peas, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, and many other foods. They also exist in the form of dietary supplements.

It is believed that probiotics in tablet and liquid forms are less effective, since they cannot always pass through the highly acidic environment of the stomach, which is aggressive to bacteria, bile. And only capsules are designed to dissolve in the colon – where bacteria should live.
Not so long ago, symbiotics also appeared on the market – combination preparations that combine pre- and probiotics. Today they are considered to have the most advanced mechanism of action.
I recommend choosing drugs that normalize microflora together with a doctor – because it is quite difficult for a non-specialist to understand all the variety of existing means, and it is unlikely that it will be possible for a non-specialist to understand what is suitable in each specific case.

– Why are constipation dangerous?

– Constipation is a condition characterized not only by a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements: less than 3 times a week, but also by the appearance of dense, dry feces or the absence of a feeling of complete emptying of the bowel or emptying of the bowel with tension or the use of additional techniques for bowel emptying by patients.
Long-term constipation causes:
chronic intoxication (poisoning), which leads to sleep disturbance, unmotivated fatigue, increased fatigue and, finally, to depression, deterioration of the skin and hair;
the formation of intestinal diverticula (wall protrusions), which can cause abdominal pain, and when an infection joins, inflammation of the intestinal mucosa (diverticulitis) and the need for intensive antibiotic therapy or surgical treatment if intestinal obstruction occurs;
varicose hemorrhoidal veins, chronic anal fissures;
colon cancer.
It is necessary to start solving the problem of constipation not with self-medication, but with a visit to a gastroenterologist. There are many reasons for constipation. These can be very serious diseases. Only a competent specialist can understand this. Solving constipation on your own can make your condition much worse.

– Is a delicate problem like flatulence treated?

– Flatulence (increased gas production) is associated with fermentation. There can be many reasons: insufficient bile secretion, insufficiently concentrated bile, disturbances in the secretion of pancreatic juice – as a rule, problems with the sphincter of Oddi.All this leads to a change in the intestinal bacterial flora. As a result, flatulence develops. This is a common problem, but it can be solved. Although I will not say that it is always simple and fast. The main thing is to find the root cause, since flatulence can be a symptom of various diseases.

– Sometimes a person suffers from bad breath or bad taste in the mouth. Is this a symptom of any disease?
– Halitosis – bad breath – can occur for various reasons.First of all, I would recommend going to the dentist and checking the condition of the teeth and oral cavity. ENT diseases are in second place. If everything is in order in these areas, then, indeed, halitosis can be a consequence of digestive problems.
As for the taste in the mouth, it can be a symptom of certain diseases. But here everything is very individual: the taste can be sweet, bitter, sour, metallic, etc. It can be constant or appear only after eating or, conversely, on an empty stomach, etc.Therefore, we must look and look for the reason.

– Often, patients who have performed an ultrasound of the abdominal organs find out that they have a kinked gallbladder – how serious is it?

– Deformities of the gallbladder – kinks, membranes, etc. increase the risk of bile stagnation. The gallbladder should normally be emptied almost completely after every meal. Because this gallbladder has to work harder to contract, some patients may experience pain.After its contraction, part of the bile can remain behind the bend and “stagnate”, which can lead to the formation of stones. For patients with deformity of the gallbladder, I recommend monitoring their condition: see a doctor, do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs once a year to see the state of the bile and gallbladder. If an ultrasound diagnostic doctor notes that bile is “viscous”, “heterogeneous”, “inhomogeneous”, etc., it is important to immediately consult a gastroenterologist and undergo a course of therapy to prevent the formation of stones.It is especially important to take the prevention of gallstones seriously if any of your close relatives have these problems.

– What methods of preventing gastrointestinal diseases can be used? Maybe you need to take medications or do tyubazhi?

– No prophylactic drugs should be used without a doctor’s prescription. All medications have side effects and are not recommended to be taken without indications.
To carry out a tubazh (a procedure that is the intake of choleretic agents for the simultaneous emptying of the gallbladder), certain indications and contraindications are also required.More often the doctor prescribes this procedure in combination with other therapeutic measures, selects drugs, etc.

The best prevention of gastrointestinal diseases is proper nutrition: in small portions, with thorough chewing of food until gruel. You need to take food at least 4-5 times a day, be sure to have breakfast within an hour after a night’s sleep. The volume of water drunk per day must be at least 1.5 liters.

Try to minimize the amount of food that provokes the development of diseases.We have already listed them above: fast food, pickles, smoked meats, fried, spicy, etc. Add physical activity: A sedentary lifestyle has been proven to contribute to gastrointestinal troubles, while abdominal exercise, brisk walking, and yoga are beneficial for bowel function.
Organize your lifestyle so that you stay healthy for a long time – and you will protect your body from many unpleasant problems.

Cholelithiasis – what to do? – Medical center “Lotos”

Pirogova Irina Yurievna

Deputy chief physician for organizational and methodological work, head of the center of gastroenterology and hepatology, gastroenterologist

What should a person do if such a thing as gallbladder stones suddenly and insidiously burst into his life?

Cholelithiasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the biliary tract, accompanied by the formation of stones most often in the gallbladder (cholecystolithiasis) or bile ducts (choledocholithiasis).

The disease is based on a change in the viscosity of bile (dyscholia) associated with a violation of the physicochemical properties of bile. Stones are formed as a result of the deposition of bile pigments, cholesterol, certain types of proteins, calcium salts, infection of bile, its stagnation, and lipid metabolism disorders.

According to the World Health Organization, gallstones can be found in 10-12% of the world’s population. In advanced economies – even more often.This disease affects every fifth woman and every tenth man. Over the past decade, the incidence of this disease has doubled.

Gallstones are cholesterol (the vast majority, about 90% of the variants of gallstones), as well as pigmented and mixed stones. So, due to the oversaturation of bile cholesterol, cholesterol stones are formed, precipitated, and crystals are formed. A disturbance in the gallbladder of the motor boat leads to the fact that these crystals are not excreted into the intestines, which, ultimately, leads to their gradual growth.Pigmented stones (they are also called bilirubin stones) are formed with increased breakdown of erythrocytes, which occurs with actual hemolytic anemia. As for the mixed stones, they are a kind of combination based on the processes of both forms. Contained in such stones cholesterol, bilirubin and calcium, the very process of their formation occurs as a result of inflammatory diseases affecting the biliary tract and, in fact, the gallbladder.

Causes contributing to the formation of gallstones

• unbalanced diet – predominance of animal fats
• hormonal disorders
• sedentary lifestyle
• disorders associated with fat metabolism, weight gain
• inflammation and other abnormalities in the gallbladder
• various types of liver damage
• pregnancy
• fasting
• heredity
• diabetes mellitus, etc.

Classification

Based on the features of the disease adopted today, the following classification is distinguished in accordance with the stages that are relevant for it:

1. Physicochemical (initial) stage – or, as it is also called, the pre-stone stage. It is characterized by changes in the composition of bile. There may be no special clinical manifestations at this stage, or they may be minimal. It is detected mainly by ultrasound diagnostics, biliary sludge or bile drying in the gallbladder is determined.This stage is most favorable for drug (non-surgical) treatment.
2. The formation of stones is a stage that is also defined as latent stone carriage. In this case, there are no symptoms of gallstone disease, however, the use of instrumental diagnostic methods allows us to determine the presence of stones in the gallbladder (ultrasound diagnostics, computed tomography). Depending on the size, density of calculi, indications for drug or surgical treatment are determined.
3. Clinical manifestations are a stage, the symptoms of which indicate the development of an acute or chronic form of calculous cholecystitis. Mostly the treatment of this stage is the surgical removal of the gallbladder with stones.

Operate or not

Only a surgeon or gastroenterologist can answer this question after an individual consultation.

Medicamentous litholysis

Non-surgical treatment of cholesterol stones is currently possible, but it must be timely, at the stage of formation of a soft and small stone (that is, in the first or second stage of cholelithiasis).

To determine the possibility of therapeutic treatment of cholecystitis with stones, it is necessary to study the gallbladder using computed tomography to determine the density of the stone and bile.

At the “Lotos” Medical Center, MSCT of the gallbladder is performed with determination of the density of calculi. This test has many advantages over abdominal ultrasound, because determines the density of the stone, which means its ability to dissolve. Dense, calcareous stones in Hounsfield CT units are more than 100 units and cannot be dissolved by drugs.Soft, cholesterol from 30 to 90 units can be dissolved with medication. The size of the stone also matters – stones dissolve up to 10-15 mm, when the gallbladder is filled less than 1/3.

In order to dissolve small stones, preparations of special bile acids, similar to those found in human bile, can be used. Bile acid preparations are effective not only for dissolving calculi, but also for preventing their formation. They are appointed by a specialist gastroenterologist.The course of treatment is at least six months, and only under the supervision of a doctor.

Is it necessary to remove the gallbladder if the stone does not bother

Currently, the overwhelming majority of surgeons agree that patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis should not immediately undergo prophylactic cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) with a newly discovered small stone. The risk of developing severe complications with small single stones is assessed as low, therefore, such patients should regularly undergo ultrasound examinations of the abdominal cavity and follow the recommendations on lifestyle and nutrition.

In the case of calculous cholecystitis, when the patient periodically suffers from bouts of biliary colic, doctors recommend cholecystectomy, which should be performed routinely. Each subsequent attack can cause the development of acute cholecystitis, which can be accompanied by severe complications from the liver and pancreas.

If a picture of acute cholecystitis develops – biliary colic lasts more than 3 hours, the pain is localized in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, is not relieved by antispasmodic drugs, the temperature rises, nausea and vomiting occur – an ambulance should be called.

Radical treatment of the disease

Surgery for gallstone disease is the gold standard in the treatment of this pathology. Its purpose is to remove a receptacle for calculi, avoiding recurrence of biliary colic, as well as preventing the appearance of obstructive jaundice, cholangiogenic sepsis, and biliary peritonitis. Performed in a planned manner, that is, even before the development of complications, the operation is safe. The chance of complete recovery after surgery is about 95%.

“Off”, that is, gallbladder clogged with stones, cannot be cured without surgery.

The operation can be performed in two ways – abdominal and laparoscopic.

Abdominal surgery

This is a “major” operation in which an incision is made on the anterior abdominal wall under general anesthesia. As a result of this access, surgeons can thoroughly examine and feel all biliary tract, conduct a local ultrasound or X-ray with contrast to remove all existing stones. The method is indispensable for inflammatory and cicatricial processes of the area under the liver.The disadvantages of this intervention are: a longer recovery period after surgery; a greater chance of developing incisional hernias; cosmetic defect; more often complications develop after surgery.

Laparoscopic method

The most commonly used method of surgical treatment. Surgery laparoscopy, performed for gallstone disease, is an intervention under visual control using a fiber optic device connected to a monitor through several small incisions in the abdominal wall.

The laparoscopic method has many advantages over abdominal surgery:

• the wound hurts not so much and not so long
• it does not restrict breathing
• intestinal paresis is not expressed
• less severe cosmetic defect

There are also negative sides to laparoscopic cholecystectomy – there are more contraindications for surgery. In particular, the laparoscopic method cannot be used not only for severe disorders of the heart, blood vessels and lungs, but also in the following cases: obesity, peritonitis, late pregnancy, acute pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice, fistulas between internal organs and bile ducts, gallbladder cancer , adhesions in the upper abdominal cavity, acute cholecystitis (if more than 2 days have passed since the disease), cicatricial changes in the hepatobiliary zone.

Regardless of how many stones are found in the gallbladder – one large or many small ones – the gallbladder is removed completely.

This is how the removal of the gallbladder looks on the monitor of the laparoscopic unit:

In our medical center, highly qualified surgeons in a high-tech surgical hospital will be able to perform cholecystectomy with the method that is necessary in your specific case.

Is it possible to live without a gallbladder

The pathologically altered gallbladder cannot fully perform its functions, and is the cause of constant pain and a source of chronic infection. Therefore, cholecystectomy, performed in accordance with the indications of a qualified physician, improves the patient’s condition and does not affect the digestive function.

If you or your loved ones have gallstone disease, you need to act quickly and correctly, without starting the disease.A properly selected examination and treatment in our center will help to cope with the problem of gallstones.

Be healthy!

– Pirogova Irina Yurievna

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