There’s no question that gallstones hurt. For many, the pain seems to suddenly attack, and can stick around for anywhere from one to four hours. Oftentimes, these attacks send people rushing to the ER, scared for their lives.
If you get these attacks regularly, your doctor will probably recommend surgery, with the same indifference he uses when ordering his morning latte. It’s downright alarming how many doctors recommend gallbladder removal like it’s no big deal…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: surgery should always be your last resort. (Unless, of course, your gallbladder is diseased or ruptured).
The simple fact is, you don’t need to have your gallbladder removed to avoid painful gallstone attacks. And a recent study backs me up on this.
The “sad” fact behind gallstone attacks
This Johns Hopkins study determined that while most patients who were hospitalized with gallstone attacks had their gallbladders removed, 70 percent of the patients who didn’t have surgery still fared well over a four-year follow-up period.
Of course, the researchers claimed that it “isn’t clear” why so many people were able to avoid recurring gallstone attacks despite foregoing surgery. But if you ask me, the answer is simple.
If you want to prevent painful gallbladder flare-ups (or really any kind of flare-ups), take a closer look at what you’re eating.
Firstly, the fatty, processed foods that are unfortunately a large part of today’s Standard American Diet (SAD) are a major contributing factor to gallstone disease.
Remove the bad fats, and replace them with good kinds. Swap greasy, fatty foods for foods rich in healthy monounsaturated fats — like salmon, avocado, and macadamia nut oil.
I also recommend adding more alkaline foods to your diet. These foods are important because they lower acidity within your blood, which in turn, levels out your body’s pH balance. And when your pH level is too acidic, it can create excess inflammation, which is a root cause of gallbladder problems.
Below is a snippet of my Alkaline Cheat Sheet from my latest book, The A-List Diet to help you get started.
Eat More | Eat Less |
Aged cheese, butter, cream, goat cheese | Cottage cheese, ice cream, processed cheese |
Almonds, cashews, chestnuts, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds | Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts |
Arugula, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, garlic, kale, mushrooms, onions | Carrots, lima beans, peanuts, snow peas, rhubarb, zucchini |
You can find the full list on page 102 of the book. And if you’d like to learn more about alkalization and achieving pH balance, refer to Chapter 1.
Aside from a happier gallbladder, working these foods into your diet also comes with additional benefits… You may find that you’ve shed some of those excess pounds and look and feel healthier! And If that’s not a win-win, I don’t know what is.
If you want to learn more about the full-body benefits of proper nutrition and how to adopt a healthier lifestyle, I urge you to check out my latest healthy eating innovation, the A-List Diet. This strategy makes it much easier to lose weight (and maintain your results), improve your overall health, prevent chronic disease, and thwart inflammation. Click here to order your copy of The A-List Diet today!
Source:
“Effectiveness of Guideline-Recommended Cholecystectomy to Prevent Recurrent Pancreatitis.” Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;112(3):503-