Does it seem like the human body is overloaded with an excess of organs? Tonsils, two kidneys, an appendix, a whole stomach, a whole colon, a spleen, wisdom teeth (okay, wisdom teeth not organs--but seriously, why do we have them?!). The body can function just fine with the removal of some or part of these organs. But what about the gallbladder?
According to an article in the NY Times, more than 600,000 cholecystectomies (gallbladder removal surgeries) are performed EVERY YEAR [1]. That number is crazy! Yes, some of them are necessary, but in Ute Mitchell’s case, it was just part of the “package deal” when undergoing liver surgery. Mitchell, a fellow nutritional therapist, needed a large part of her liver removed, so the doctors took her gallbladder, too. It wasn’t until after the surgery that she actually learned about the importance of the gallbladder and its very big responsibility in the digestion process.
After extensive research, Mitchell accurately and succinctly describes the function of the gallbladder, as well as what happens to this process after a cholecystectomy [2]:
The liver, our body’s powerhouse, produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder until food enters the small intestine. The gallbladder receives a signal to release bile, which breaks down fats into fatty acids. Without the gallbladder, the liver continues to produce bile and it trickles into the small intestine at all times. In many humans this means that there won’t be enough bile to break down fats, [which] in turn leads to the excretion of these fats, usually as diarrhea.
Gallbladder removal decreases metabolic effects as well as increases the risk of many health issues including but not limited to [3]:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Cirrhosis (liver fibroides)
- Small intestine carcinoid (tumors)
Once the gallbladder has been removed, a change in diet is necessary to avoid the aforementioned health concerns. Many major medical websites tend to recommend a low fat diet to patients, but this is NOT the way to go.
Low fat diets have a tendency to slow bile excretion from the liver, which can lead to cysts in the liver and stones in the gallbladder.
Mitchell recommends the following diet for everyone who has undergone a cholecystectomy [2]:
2) Liver Flush: Please check with your doctor before you do a flush. The liver flush by “The Liver Doctor” to be extremely helpful for my overall well-being, and my liver surgeon did not have any concerns about it.
3) Raw Vegetables: You don’t have to become a vegetarian, but increase your amount of raw veggies. Your gut and liver will thank you.
4) Milk Thistle and Dandelion Tea: These are great for the liver. And a healthy liver produces better bile.
5) Spicy Foods: Mustard, garlic, and horseradish – all of these are great for the liver and bile ducts.
6) Water: Need I say more? Water is the most abundant macronutrient in our bodies. Its many benefits cannot all be listed here. Just take my word it (and the word of every single other health or medical professional ever).
Mitchell made these changes to her diet and started seeing positive results almost immediately:
24 hours - diarrhea gone
A few days - stomach ache and heartburn gone
A few weeks - pain-free
The power of a good diet is incredible.
https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/31/us/personal-health-gallbladder-surgery-is-easier-is-it-too-common.html
https://paleoflourish.com/humans-need-gallbladders-guest-post-ute-mitchell/?fbclid=IwAR1Il-56DCVewPcm324LG39ygXFM11bIqteZ9iorLpZRzuYSJx9LPCDUlJc
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27347902