Over nutrition is the crucial factor in gallstone
development, and refined
carbohydrates are a prominent culprit. The refined foods
abundant in our semisynthetic diets are a product of civilization-as are
gallstones, since those who live in countries that take their food in a natural
state do not produce them.
When fiber is removed from food it is rendered less bulky,
less chewy, sweeter, and more fattening. All this makes it prone to cause saturation of the bile. When bile becomes saturated, it may crystallize
certain materials dissolved in it, forming a tiny grain on which other crystals
can develop into gallstones.
Refined fats are just as instrumental in gallstone
formation. The more fat in a meal, the more bile is released-and
the more concentrated it is with cholesterol and bile salts. Generally, people eat much
more fat than can be taken care of by the 1-2 ounces of bile stored in the
gallbladder. Therefore, more bile must be produced to emulsify
the fats and accompany them through the wall of the intestine into the
bloodstream. This overworks the liver, since this cycle is quite energy
consuming.
In addition, decreased exercise - a national disease in
America
- is also
instrumental in the formation of saturated bile.
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENT
Gallstone symptoms include belching, regurgitating food,
and finally, obstructive symptoms, including pain in the right upper abdominal
quadrant. The pain is of a
colicky nature, and is often intense and accompanied by severe nausea and
vomiting.
To treat gallstones, one should immediately reduce overweight
and maintain normal weight. (To calculate one's normal weight, allow 100 pounds
for the first 5 feet. Then add five pounds per inch of height thereafter for a
woman, and six to seven pounds for men, depending on how muscular he is.)
The first dietary measure should be to remove free fats from the diet and
decrease the number of rich foods served. One may eat freely of
fruits and vegetables prepared in a simple way, without sugar or fat. One
should reduce
one's salt intake, since it is dehydrating to many body fluids,
including bile. All heavy foods, such as meat, milk, eggs,
cheese, nuts, wheat germ, margarine, cooking oil, sugar, and salt, should be
removed immediately until
symptoms subside. If one is overweight, sugar, oil, and margarine should be permanently omitted.
It is wise to avoid gas-forming foods such as radishes,
Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, dried beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and so forth. Coffee and
candy should be avoided, as should the use of fresh breads
(except for quick breads). Eating between meals should be forbidden, as well as large
meals.
Drugs reported to reduce gallstones have unwanted side
effects, and oral contraceptives have been reported to increase the likelihood
of gallstones. However, vitamin C has been reported to reduce
their incidence. To insure plenty of vitamin C, something raw should be eaten
with each meal.
The first dietary measure should be to remove free fats
from the diet and decrease the number of rich foods served.
Hot fomentations over the upper abdomen can greatly
reduce gallstone pain. The use of catnip tea can quiet the
gastrointestinal tract and the gallbladder,
and an ice
rub over the area of pain can bring great relief. Swelling and inflammation around the bile duct
produces a large portion of the pain. Both heat and cold can be helpful in reducing swelling
and promoting drainage by increasing the concentration of white
blood cells in the area to help eliminate products of inflammation.
NOTE: This article presents
principles designed to promote good health, and is not intended to take the
place of personalized professional care. The opinions and ideas expressed are
those of the writer. Readers are encouraged to draw their own conclusions about
the information presented.
_______________________________________________________
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