10 Ways To Keep Your Gallbladder Healthy

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that stores the bile produced by the liver. It releases bile into the intestine which helps in nutrient absorption. Metabolic dysfunction in the body can lead to poor bile production and sluggish bile flow, which can cause serious health problems. Owing to the importance of its function, it is important to keep your gall bladder healthy and protect it from problems.

Many diseases lead to the removal of the gallbladder. Those who have their gallbladder removed suffer from bloating or diarrhea and disrupted digestion. It is therefore very important to maintain a healthy gallbladder. This article gives important tips on how to keep your gallbladder healthy.

Below are mentioned few strategies to keep your gallbladder healthy:

#1. Keep Yourself Hydrated – Dehydration leads to thicker bile production which leads to its sluggish movements. This makes water extremely important for bile production and gallbladder health. Water is otherwise also is important for overall health. Hence, drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated to keep your gall bladder healthy.

#2. Lose Weight – People who are overweight are at a higher risk of suffering from gallstones. One of the most important ways to keep your gall bladder healthy is to effectively manage weight. Also if you want to lose weight go for an easy and a gradual weight loss regimen. Losing weight drastically also increases gallstones risk.

#3. Fermented Veggies and Drinks – Fermented vegetables and drinks help improve the production of digestive juices. Sauerkraut, pickles, pickled ginger, coconut water, lemon water, and kimchi contain enzymes, probiotics, and organic acids which improve digestion and also have an antimicrobial effect. Hence, in order to keep your gall bladder healthy, it is advisable to include one of these in your meals, especially when eating a heavy meal with proteins or fats.

#4. Bitter Herbs – Bitter foods such as mint, fennel, dandelion, leeks, turmeric, parsley, and cumin are very good for the liver and the gallbladder. Such foods stimulate the digestive juices and give a boost to the bile flow. Many people begin their meal with a peppermint or a ginger tea, pickled ginger or a salad of arugula, dandelion or cilantro. You can include these foods in your diet to keep your gall bladder healthy.

#5. Increase Vitamin C and Vitamin E Intake – Vitamin C and vitamin E reduce the amount of cholesterol in bile. You can increase the intake of food sources that are rich in these vitamins to keep your gallbladder healthy. Also taking a multi mineral supplement is good for gallbladder as the minerals bind to the bile acids, decreasing the risk of gallstones formation.

#6. Get Physically Active – Physically active people are always in a good shape. As being overweight contributes to the formation of gallstones, it is important to at least exercise for 30 minutes daily, to keep your gallbladder healthy.

#7. Gluten-Free Diet – If a person is suffering from celiac disease, the release of cholecystokinin is reduced. As a result, the gallbladder does not receive the signal to release bile for the digestive purpose. This leads to bile being present in the gallbladder for a long time which increases the risk of gallbladder diseases. Thus, reducing the intake of gluten rich foods for people intolerant to gluten is needed to keep the gallbladder healthy.

#8. Eat Smaller Meals – Larger meals aggravate the symptoms of gallbladder disease. Smaller meals on other hand are easy to digest and also keep up the functioning of the gallbladder. Hence, to keep your gallbladder healthy, have small, frequent meals rather than having a large one time meal.

#9. Eat Healthy Fats – Eating a high-fat diet can put pressure on the gallbladder to release bile and can lead to an attack if you already have gallstones. A very low-fat diet fails to stimulate the gallbladder contraction and can promote the formation of gallstones. Fat restriction, therefore, is not a solution for a healthy gallbladder. You can introduce healthy fats and oils such as omega-3 oils, fish oils, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and coconut oil in the diet to keep your gall bladder healthy.

#10. Sleep Well – According to a Chinese medicine the active time for gallbladder healing is 11pm-1am, and for liver healing is 1am-3pm. Getting sound sleep by 11 pm can help gallbladder and liver repair, which is needed to keep your gall bladder healthy.

A healthy gallbladder is really important for a good long-term health. The above changes can be really helpful to keep your gallbladder healthy, so try to incorporate them and seek medical help, where necessary.

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