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No fat recipes
Do you have any no fat recipes for a person with gall stones?
Gall stones are usually formed from an excess build up of cholesterol in the Gall Bladder. High Estrogen levels can also increase the prevalence of gall stones, so yes the five F's could have something to do with it. This is due to estrogen being stored in the fat deposits of the body and reducing liver function.
The gall bladder and the liver have a close relationship when digesting foods, so in order to maintain a healthy gall bladder it is important to support the liver as well. The liver produces the cholesterol and then it is secreted into the gall bladder to form bile and stored here until needed. Bile is needed for digestive purposes to emulsify fats and oils. When the liver and gall bladder are congested due to gall stones or poorly functioning digestion, complaints arise such as reflux, indigestion, gall bladder pain, stomach pain, heaviness after eating rich, fatty or fried foods, constipation or nausea.
I am wondering what your cholesterol levels are. Have you had them checked recently? The ideal level of cholesterol for women is below 5. A blood test which tests for cholesterol levels is a fairly accurate indication of how well the gall bladder is dealing with an excess of fats in the blood stream. When serum triglycerides (fats from foods) levels are raised this is indicative that there is too much cholesterol being consumed in the diet. The body also manufactures cholesterol at night in the liver.
Some diet tips to support the liver are;
* Drink plenty of water - at least 2 litres a day.
* Squeeze some lemon juice in a glass of warm water every morning to
help cleanse the gall bladder and kick start the digestive processes
for the day.
* Eat lots of fresh fruit, especially apples. Apples have a special affinity for binding to excess cholesterol.
* Increase vegetables in your meals, especially the family of
cruciferous vegetables such as brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and
green beans which encourage the liver to detoxify and support gall
bladder function. Preferably steam your vegetables rather than boiling
to retain maximum nutrients.
* Reduce intake of animal fats (meat and dairy foods), fried, oily, rich and fatty foods.
* Increase dietary fibres such as oat bran, slippery elm powder, flax
seed and psyllium seeds, the fibre in these foods ensures that the
excess cholesterol and bile salts are excreted via the bowels.
* Use plenty of garlic, ginger, chilli and onions in cooking. The
sulphur compounds found in these foods increase liver detoxification
and help the gall bladder to function more effectively.
* Reduce saturated fats (oils) and transfatty acids, refined
carbohydrates and sugar. Saturated fats and transfatty acids are
commonly found in foods such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, bakery foods,
margarine, donuts, processed and tinned foods.
* Fish is good, especially deep sea fish such as salmon, snapper,
mackeral, anchovies, cod, sardines and halibut as they contain Omega 3
essential fatty acids, which are very beneficial oils. Aim for at
least 4 meals/ week of fish. If you find that occasionally you
experience reflux or indigestion when eating fish, drink some lemon
juice prior to the meal. Lemon juice does the same job as bile to
break down the oil in the fish.
* If you are carrying a few extra kilos then try to lose a little
weight, exercise regularly and manage stress. Shedding excess weight
will take the strain off the liver, reduce excess oestrogens which are
stored in the adipose tissue (fats) and improve digestion.
* Use cold pressed oils such as Virgin Olive Oil, have it raw on
salads, add it to food after it has been cooked rather than heating it.
* Increase bitter foods in your diet as they stimulate gall bladder
action and reduce stasis of the bile, foods such as lemon juice,
rocket, endive, kale, ginger and apple cider vinegar.
Some meal suggestions for high cholesterol and gall stones are:
* Oat Porridge with low fat milk or soy milk and fresh fruit e.g.
strawberries, berries or prunes. Add some brewers yeast, grated apples
or psyllium to it also.
* Yoghurt with fresh berries and sunflower seeds or a sprinkling of muesli.
* Wholemeal toast with avocado, tahini & tomato.
* Garden salad with tinned tuna in brine.
* Roast vegetable salad with grilled chicken breast
* Homemade vege soups with legumes (e.g. minestrone)
* Chickpea and vegetable curry and rice (no coconut milk)
* Try making sushi - great fun for the kids to try.
* Couscous with kidney beans and tomatoes.
* Salmon & vegetable patties with garden salad.
* Try supplementing black tea with organic herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile, ginger and green tea.
Dandelion coffee can be made with a little bit of honey and soy milk. These herbs encourage digestion and liver detoxification.
The following website contains some good healthy recipes you might like to try: www.organicfood.com.au
Natural remedies for gall bladder insufficiencies
* Globe Artichoke may improve the function of the gallbladder and is a litholitic (breaks down gall stones)
* Burdock (root) may restore the function of the gallbladder and improve liver detoxification
* Dandelion may increase the flow of bile to the gallbladder and may
also stimulate the release of stored bile from the gallbladder
* Ginger helps to stimulate the secretion of bile from the gallbladder
* Greater Celandine may exert normalizing actions on the gallbladder