How to Avoid a Gallbladder Attack

Gallbladder disease is a painful outcome of modern lifestyle. Gallbladder removal surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the US. Incidentally, this disease is rampant in the US and other developed nations, with approximately 2 million Americans suffering from this disease.

The high incidence of this disease amongst developed countries can be largely attributed to an unhealthy diet form, also referred as 'Western diet'. However, this disease is no more confined to developed nations alone, as large number of people in developing countries are also falling prey to this disease.

Unsurprisingly, this can also be attributed to Western diet, which is becoming very much a part of meal in these countries.

Gallbladder is a small pear shaped organ in the abdominal cavity. Its function is to store bile secreted by liver and release it whenever required. Bile is required to digest fatty foods, as it saturates the cholesterol in fatty foods. However, when the amount of cholesterol exceeds the bile, it does not get saturated. As a result, small crystals of cholesterol form inside the gallbladder.

Sometimes, these crystals are grain sized while at times they may grow to the size of a golf ball. When this crystal tries to leave gallbladder and enter a narrow duct connecting liver and small intestine, it often gets stuck in the narrow tube. As a result, you may experience sharp, stabbing pain in your abdominal region which may extend to shoulders and back. This is an onset of a gallbladder attack. It may last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Gallbladder disease often originates from an unhealthy diet. Western diet, which often comprises processed meats and refined grains is the worst you can feed your body. This diet is exceptionally high in salts, sodium and preservatives, all of which are detrimental to your health.

Besides, this diet is extremely high in bad cholesterol, which is mainly responsible for the formation of gallstones. Hence, the first thing that you should do in case you are wondering about what to do to avoid a gallbladder attack is say goodbye to a Western diet. After that, you should follow a healthy diet which is low on fats.

There are some people who are more susceptible to developing gallstones than others. These include elderly, women who have had two or more children, pregnant women and those on birth control pills or estrogen therapy. Besides, a family history of gallstones also improves your chances of developing gallstones.

Thus, if you belong to any of these high risk groups, you should make appropriate changes to your diet as early as possible. A low fat gallbladder diet is the best remedy for a gallbladder attack.

This diet is also rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and is ideal for gallstones. However, make sure you avoid citrus fruits and vegetables belonging to cabbage family. Cucumbers, beets, green beans, sweet potatoes, okra, tomatoes, fresh garlic and onions are some of the vegetables that you should consume.

One should avoid consumption of red meat, eggs and high fat dairy foods such as whole milk, cheese etc. Fat can come from healthy sources such as flax seed oil, olive oil etc. Herbs such as dandelion and milk thistle are considered to be effective remedies for gallbladder attack symptoms.

Thus, diet is the only way to prevent gallbladder problems. You can consider about a surgery only as a last resort. Giving up a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle can also have a very positive impact on your health.