Gallstones Diet Advice

High concentration of compounds found in bile leads to the formation of crystalline bodies known as gallstones. They can occur either in gallbladder, small intestine, pancreas or in bile duct. They are nothing but crystallized cholesterol that occur when bile salts are unable to dissolve the excess cholesterol in the bile. They are more common among women than in men, mostly affecting those above 65 years of age. Hence, due to the direct relation between cholesterol and gallstones, diet plays a major role in controlling and eliminating the problem. Therefore, seeking diet advice and following a proper diet sheet helps in losing weight, thereby lowering cholesterol and flushing out the gallstones without surgery.

Gallstones is among the most common diseases affecting Americans. Fat, female, fertile, and flatulent is what describes the most high risk people for this disease. They sometimes occur without any symptoms, but the most common gallstone symptom is severe pain in the abdomen that lasts from 30 minutes to several hours. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery, and alternative treatments like shock-wave lithotripsy and dissolution are the most common gallstone treatment methods. They are recurrent in nature if not removed totally. Hence, it is important to seek advice to reduce this risk, and follow a healthy diet for gallstones.

Ideal Diet Plan

Instead of larger meals, diet advice for gallstones recommends small but frequent meals in a day. The following is what an ideal diet to reduce gallstones looks like:

06:30 A.M. (Before breakfast): Fresh fruit juice or lukewarm water with honey and lemon juice.
08:00 A.M. (Breakfast): A mixed-fruit plate, 2 slices of whole wheat bread and a cup of skimmed milk.
10:30 A.M. (Mid-morning): Fresh fruit juice.
01:30 P.M. (Lunch): A large bowl of salad with lemon dressing, vegetable soup, few spoons of brown rice, steamed vegetables and an apple or any other fruit as dessert.
05:00 P.M. (Post lunch): Fresh fruit juice, or lemon or carrot juice.
08:30 P.M. (Dinner): Vegetable juice, baked or boiled potato, brown rice or whole wheat bread, two steamed vegetables and a glass of buttermilk.

Tips

# 1: Drink as much water as you can, as they help wash off the harmful toxins in the body. Lack of water leads to dehydration, which in turn leads to toxin accumulation. So make it a daily habit to drink at least 2 liters of water.

# 2: To get rid of gallstones, adopt a high fiber diet. Fibers help in digestion of food, so take healthy water soluble fibers found in fruits and vegetables. Fruits such as blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, dates, oranges, apricots, etc., are a rich source of fiber.

# 3: Include whole grains in your diet to flush off the gallstones and aid digestion. Source of whole grains are whole grain bread, bran flakes, whole grain pasta, brown rice, etc.

# 4: Stay away from red meat and fatty foods and replace them with at least three servings of vegetables a day. Beans, corn, and broccoli are usually listed in the prescribed diet for gallstones.

# 5: Lose weight gradually by switching to healthy alternatives in your diet. This is also what most practitioners would advice for gallstones diet. Avoid going for fad diets to lose weight rapidly.

# 6: Exercise. Yes! A common cure for many dreaded diseases, but something most of us tend to ignore. So, bringing regular and vigorous exercise in your everyday routine reduces the rick of gallstones.

Following a gallstones diet reduces their risks. As in many diets, it is not about cutting down on food, but switching to healthier food to lower cholesterol. But along with the diet, it is also important to bring about changes in your lifestyle to lead a healthy, disease free life.