GallStones Diet – What are the possible foods you can eat to fight them?
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]y sister and my mother have gallstones. And I don’t want to be like them. So, I’m starting to follow a diet that can help fight against the formation of these stones in my gallbladder.
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat are gallstones?
They are made of cholesterol and calcium salts that form in the gall bladder or bile ducts. They grow slowly and silently in a way that they won’t cause a problem. However, when they are triggered, they can cause painful attacks which may require medication, or worse, surgery. Luckily, we can prevent these painful stones from building up. If you have had them before, then there are ways that you can prevent them from recurring.
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat possible diet you can follow to prevent gallstones?
Focus on foods rich in magnesium
In a study conducted from the University of Kentucky, researchers learned that consuming a diet rich in magnesium can significantly lower your risk of developing stones in your gallbladder by at least 30%. Male participants who got the lowest risk took 454 mg of magnesium each day from supplements and food.
Here are some foods that bring a healthy amount of this mineral to your body:
Almonds
Buckwheat flour
Tahini
Pumpkin seeds
Brazil nuts
Spinach
Burghul
Get enough good fats
Don’t avoid fats. But don’t eat bad fats, either. You must only focus on the good fats that can prevent gallstones. Healthy fats are those that tackle your gall bladder to empty on time and push more bile acids to your digestive system in order to properly absorb your meal. Saturated fats are a no-no to people who are suffering from gallstones. But a diet rich in healthy fats, like canola oil, olive oil, fatty fish and nutty, can help prevent recurrence or occurrence of gallstones.
Reduce sugar intake
You must also cut back on sugar intake while you add more fiber to your diet. Consuming 40 grams of sugar a day can double your risk of developing gallstones. According to experts, it can be caused by an increase cholesterol level in the bloodstream triggering a surge of insulin. By adding more fiber to your diet, you are beating the cholesterol and sweep it out of your body.
Get a drink
Beer, red wine and spirits can be protective to your gallbladder if you take ONE drink each day. Alcohol is known to raise good HDL cholesterol while it gets rid of bad cholesterol or LDL out of your body. But don’t make this as your excuse to get drunk like Justin Bieber.
Drink a cup of coffee
Coffee lovers will surely love the fact that they are protected against the possibility of gallstones formation. Thanks to the components of coffee that can trigger the release of bile acids, thereby, lowering levels of cholesterol that may form into stones in bile fluid. However, make sure that you only drink ONE TO TWO cups a day. Taking more than that may cause negative side effects.
Lose weight
It turns out, losing weight is not only beneficial to help you fit into a smaller size dress. It is also effective in beating your odds of suffering from gallstones. Women whose waistlines are measured 92 centimeters are more likely to suffer from gallstones compared to women with less than 66 centimeters of waists. Thus, if you are not on your healthy weight range yet, you might want to start losing weight NOW.
[dropcap]Truly[/dropcap], it is clear that having a healthy weight and eating the right food can help prevent different types of diseases, including the formation of gallstones. If you are at risk of such disease, make sure that you opt for the right gallstones diet to avoid such condition.
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