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How to use herbal bitters to stimulate bile production for improved liver and gall bladder efficiency and more effective digestion of fats without uncomfortable symptoms.
For those who need a bit of help transitioning off a low-fat diet as the body adjusts to digesting healthy fats again, herbal bitters can help!
An ancestral diet rich in whole, natural fats like cream, butter, and coconut oil is sometimes a shock to the system for those who have avoided these nourishing foods for years, perhaps even decades.
Eating healthy fats might even trigger symptoms of nausea and bloating at first.
The cause is a liver and gallbladder that are not accustomed to producing and storing the amount of bile necessary to digest the proper levels of fat present in a traditional diet.
The solution is not to throw in the towel and go back to a low-fat diet! This is true even for those who have had their gallbladders removed.
In many cases, a slow and steady increase in the quantity of fats consumed will allow the liver and gallbladder to gradually adjust.
This protocol for digesting fats after gallbladder surgery works particularly well for those who are consuming coconut oil as a supplement before meals.
Coconut oil is an effective appetite suppressant for weight loss.
Another helpful strategy is to employ the regular use of herbal bitters, an ancient remedy that modern science has all but forgotten.
Bitters Stimulate Bile
Herbal bitters are extracts of medicinal plants that are rich in minerals. It is a traditional tonic for stimulating the production of bile.
More liver efficiency correspondingly improves the digestion and absorption of fats.
It is critical that sufficient bile is produced to digest the fats present in the diet.
This liver enzyme also permits assimilation of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2. These nutrients are critical to health as noted by researcher Dr. Weston A. Price. These activators synergistically supercharge mineral absorption.
Even those who have had their gallbladders removed find herbal bitters a welcome aid. They provide amazing relief when consuming a meal rich in fats.
People who thought they could not eat much fat ever again are often delighted with the results!
Traditional Asian cultures have long valued herbal bitters not only for their digestive benefit but also for their cleansing properties which promote increased strength and healing.
Most health food stores have herbal bitters available for purchase at very reasonable prices. Â
I suggest considering this brand or this brand if herbal bitters are something you wish to try.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?
Please note that most brands of herbal bitters are not appropriate for pregnancy or nursing.
This particular herbal bitters formulation made with chamomile is safe to use.
It is appropriate for the occasional nausea, bloating, and heartburn issues that may occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Some women find it helpful for morning sickness as well.
Gallbladder Cleanse May Be Needed
If despite your best efforts using herbal bitters, you still have a problem digesting fats, you may wish to consider a liver and gallbladder cleanse.
There may be some small gall or liver stones inhibiting the bile flow process.
Once removed, the problem may resolve without supplementation.
Reference
(1) Bitters:Â Revival of a Forgotten Flavor
More Information
Tips for Easy Fat Digestion after Gallbladder Surgery
Nutritional Balancing Basics: Your Missing Link to Restored Health?
Love this article! Take caution where you buy your bitters. Not everyone has the original recipe of swedish bitter. Here’s a company who has a lot of information on the product and where it came from, it seems they also have the original recipe of 19 different herbs. https://www.opassoap.com/elixirs-tinctures/schwedenbitter-swedish-bitter
After taking swedish bitter for quite sometime, you should allow your body a break to let your system work solely on its own. Then if you are not confident with your digestion or nutrition uptake, go back on the bitters.
I take Opas bitters all the time, even for detoxing.
I have no gallbladder (also Chron’s) and have been on the GAPS for 3 weeks had to go back to stage 1 due to diarrhea. How long to I give the bitters before I try something else.
Thanks for the advice I got my andrographis from http://regenerativenutrition.com/natural-health-supplements.asp, hope it will begin to aid my digestion.
Bitters: Invaluable Aid to Fat Digestion – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/ho6JDWQ1
We need healthy fats in our diet. Low fat and No Fat diets are why so many people have lost their gall bladders… http://t.co/e2DakOl9
I recommended this to one of my friends who has no gallbladder recently (I hope she’s using it!). So many people… http://t.co/QT6LRaIh
I haven’t had any problems digesting fat since my gall bladder was removed, but hubby has. He took ox bile for a time, but over the course of a couple years, his body adjusted and doesn’t need it anymore. My grandma used to swear by a teaspoon of (real, homemade) apple cider vinegar in a little water before a fatty meal. Do you know if ACV works in the same way as bitters?
Sarah, I have an important question that I hope you can answer! I am intrigued by this posting about bitters as I have had digestion problems for a while now that I can’t seem to resolve. Your posting of Agricultural Society’s gallbladder and liver cleanse link really make sense to me and I think I just may have to follow suit! But my concern is in relation to the GAPS diet for which I have not started yet but will fairly soon, maybe in this next year… My question is do you think it’s better and more beneficial to do the gallbladder/liver cleanse first then start GAPS *OR* do GAPS first then do the gallbladder/liver cleanse? I can’t seem to sort it out in my head which one would logically come first!
Thanks in advance : )
Karen E.