What Foods Should A Gallstone Patient Eat?
If you suffer from gallstones, it is important that you consult a specialist to find a treatment according to your case. Some foods can help relieve symptoms.
Gallstones are a disease that due to its symptoms we can take time to detect. You may not even take into account that you can suffer from this alteration in the body, but from now on it is important that you learn what it is and how you can cope with it.
The gallbladder is an organ that is part of the digestive system and is located on the right side of the body, very close to the abdominal cavity. It is small, but its function is essential since it is responsible for storing bile, a liquid that helps to carry out digestion correctly.
In this article we will discover the reasons why gallstones appear and what type of diet we should follow to prevent and eliminate them.
Gallstones
These are crystals or deposits that form and lodge in the gallbladder. This situation causes discomfort when the size of the pieces increases.
Its dimensions vary greatly. The smallest can be the size of a grain of sand and the largest a golf ball.
Symptoms
The signs of this condition are so common that they can complicate their detection. Pay attention, because it can be mistaken for indigestion. The symptoms, according to a study published in Nature Reviews , are:
- Pain when inhaling deeply.
- Abdominal colic
- Pain in the right side of the chest that can spread to the right shoulder or to the back.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever: usually appears when there is already an infection.
- Flatulence
- Pale stools
- Jaundice. You will take a yellow color due to the retention of bile, which is also this color.
Causes
There are different reasons that can cause gallstones. We can mention the following:
- When substances such as cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate or calcium carbonate crystallize or harden.
- Obesity, because with this condition, a greater amount of cholesterol is secreted in the bile.
- A sedentary lifestyle, with a diet high in calories and carbohydrates. They are also causes that develop obesity. In fact, a relationship between poor body composition and an increased risk of developing this disorder has been shown.
- Miracle diets. Those that help to lose 10 kilos per week. The sudden change promotes the development of gallstones or causes those already formed to increase in size and become symptomatic.
Some data
According to the study Gallstones and their complications, the prevalence of gallstones in Western countries is between 10 and 20% of the population.
In addition, it is specified that although in most cases there are no notable symptoms, in many others there are and even complications occur. As a curiosity, according to research, gallstones are suffered more by people in advanced ages and women.
Diet for patients with gallstones
Eating a balanced diet is essential to cope a gallbladder crisis . It is convenient mo dify eating habits. During these days of suffering you should eat the following:
- All the vegetables you want. Better that they are cooked: this will make their digestion easier.
- Fruits, except coconut and avocado.
- All whole grains because they are high in fiber. Consider pasta, rice, or whole wheat bread.
- Low-fat meats. Cook them on the grill. If it is chicken, it must be without the skin.
- Milk or its derivatives, but they are skimmed.
- Water.
- Fruit juice.
Cooking methods
Any of these foods must be steamed or grilled, since the main objective is to eliminate fat. It is precisely the foods that are high in fat that should be excluded from the diet. This is evidenced by an investigation published in Hospital Nutrition . Be careful with the following foods:
- Fatty meats: sausages, ribs, goose or duck.
- Fatty fish: sardines, salmon or tuna.
- Oilseeds: almonds, walnuts, peanuts, chestnuts.
- Whole milk and other derivatives such as yogurt or cottage cheese, fatty cheeses.
- Viscera: kidney, heart, liver, guts.
- Animal fat.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Desserts: cookies, chocolates, puff pastry.
- Prepared sauces.
How to prevent gallstones with diet?
The balanced diet is the principle to prevent any disease. In this case, it is no different. Here we bring you some tips:
- Consume monounsaturated fats in moderate portions. For example, from extra virgin olive oil.
- Take lecithin as it helps keep cholesterol levels low. It is found in 100% cocoa or black type chocolates, eggs, soy and milk.
- Accompany your afternoons with a turmeric tea. Curcumin is an antioxidant that benefits digestion, liver metabolism, reduces inflammation and prevents the formation of gallstones.
- Get exercise. This way you avoid being sedentary and all the problems that this entails.
Improve your diet to avoid gallstones
Consult a specialist if you have any questions. Likewise, go to the consultation as soon as you feel any of the symptoms that we pointed out before. It is better to make sure that everything is okay. Keep in mind that a good diet is the best prevention.
