What Causes Gallbladder Disease?

Dr. Judy here to teach you what causes gallbladder diseases. As a traditional naturopath with 33 years of experience and 2 natural health clinics, I have a different perspective on why millions of people are suffering with gallbladder disease!

Effects 20 million Americans – 25% of women by age 60 and 50% by age 70 – why so many women?

Probably due to hormonal changes and women going on HRT (hormonal replacement therapy) which doubles the risk of gallbladder disease. Estrogen raises triglycerides, a fatty acid that increases the risk for gallstones to develop.

Men have a 20% risk of gallstone disease by the time they reach 76

The liver produces bile, a thick substance that aids digestion by making certain things like fats, cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins (like Vitamin A and E) easier to absorb. Bile has many other functions like the ability to eliminate bilirubin and too much cholesterol and drugs from your body.

Your biliary tract is made up of ducts (small tubes) that carry bile from your liver to your gallbladder and then into your small intestine. The gallbladder stores bile and when bile is needed it pushes bile through the bile ducts and into the small intestine.

However, the flow of bile can get blocked!

Ways in which bile is blocked:

• gallstone formation – those that get out of the gallbladder and into the ducts
• gallbladder surgery due to injury to the bile ducts
• pancreatitis – which can narrow bile ducts that go through the pancreas
• tumors in the gallbladder, pancreas, or liver
• parasites

When the bile ducts become blocked, the gallbladder gets inflamed called cholecystitis), disease sets in!

Function of the gallbladder

How does disease happen anyway?

Gallbladder disease is taken care of by the medical profession by surgery – but there is another way! Because in fact, surgery doesn’t always get rid of the pain! Sometimes stones lodge in other places – like biliary tract or the liver is over worked.

Factors that can lead to Gallbladder disease:

• heredity – Mexican Americans, Native Americans and Europeans
• Age – people over 60
• Gender – mostly women, overweight
• Diet
• Obesity
• Constipation

Worst foods to eat:

• meat products esp pork, like ham, bacon, sausage
• dairy products – milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheese
• nuts – roasted and even raw if you’ve had a problem

To prevent Gallbladder Disease:

• Lose the weight                                
• eat low fat foods
• Make sure you’re having 1-2 bowel movements/day

To know more about eliminating your gallbladder symptoms, Click Here.

To your health,

Dr. Judy