Gallbladder: Should I fight to keep it?
The gallbladder. I am quickly becoming the nutritionist with a gallbladder niche, due to my own personal journey. I take saving gallbladders very seriously, but the first obstacle is to recognize if the origins of your health concerns are related to the gallbladder.
Saving a gallbladder isn't always easy, but it's always worth it. Let's also not be naive to the fact that in some cases (which is far less common than you would think), the gallbladder cannot be saved - when it ceases to function all together. If you still have functionality, you should definitely fight to keep it and here are a few reasons why!
WHY ARE GALLBLADDERS IMPORTANT?
- They help your body digest fats (which improves brain/cognitive health, heart health, joint health, gut health, overall cell function, vitamin absorption, and hormone balancing).
- They help the body release and eliminate toxins through the bile (necessary for proper liver and body function).
- They excrete excess hormones through the bile.
- Among others!
SIGNS YOU MAY HAVE GALLBLADDER ISSUES
- Nagging irritation under your right rib cage.
- Intense pain under right rib cage or along the sternum, after a higher fat meal.
- Pain between the shoulder blades for no apparent reason.
- Gray or light colored stools.
- Poor fat digestion (achy joints, dry skin, brain fog, diarrhea, IBS symptoms, bloating, vitamin ADEK deficiencies, hormone issues).
If you have any of the issues listed above I strongly encourage you to work with a practitioner and/or seek advice from your primary care doctor - with the caveat that a traditional Western Medicine doctor will often encourage you to have it removed and/or place you on a low/no fat diet even if you have partial function. Weigh your options carefully, and know that as long as your gallbladder IS indeed functioning - it CAN be saved!
Without your gallbladder, you can definitely live a healthy life, however you will need to work diligently to maintain proper fat digestion and in most cases find a long term supplement solution to assist your liver and bile flow. Spending much less time saving your gallbladder will help you avoid future brain fog, joint pain, nutrient deficiencies, unbalanced hormones, and poor digestion.
Do any of the symptoms above resonate with you? Have you ever experienced a gallbladder attack? I want to hear your story - even if that involved the removal of your gallbladder.
Join the conversation on Facebook in our FREE Private Community where you will meet individuals on the same healing journey as yourself, and have direct access to Lorraine for questions and comments!
If you're interested in diving deeper into your own health concerns, consider working with Lorraine through Nutritional Therapy.
