How to eat fat comfortably without digestive distress after gall bladder removal. This ensures adequate fat-soluble vitamins in the diet for optimal health and vitality.
How to eat fat comfortably after gallbladder surgery seems to be an increasingly common dilemma nowadays. You have to wonder if these people tried a simple, doctor-developed gall bladder cleanse before deciding to go under the knife.
Sadly, their practitioners probably never suggested this first.
Why in the world are so many people having problems with this small organ that aids in fat digestion by storing and concentrating bile produced by the liver?
Could the gallbladder laparoscopic surgery epidemic that is occurring even in young girls be related to our fat-phobic society? (1, 2)
Constantly eating rancid fats or avoiding healthy ones like butter has the potential to trigger a malfunctioning or atrophying organ from lack of proper use.
Whatever the reason, there are indeed a lot of folks walking around without a gallbladder. Many are under the incorrect impression that after removal they can no longer eat fats without digestive discomfort.
YES! You Can Eat Fat without a Gallbladder
The first thing to realize after gallbladder surgery is that you can most certainly still eat fat.
The bile necessary to digest most fat is made in the liver, not the gallbladder, and you still have a liver, right?
What you really need is a dietary strategy that compensates for the fact that your body no longer has a place to store and concentrate the bile.
The approach is similar to a person who has had her appendix removed. These people must replenish beneficial flora after intestinal illness because there is no longer a place where good bacteria remain secure during bouts of gastroenteritis.
Please note that the tips outlined below are also very helpful to those who have been eating lowfat for a long time and are just now coming around to the fact that whole, traditional fats in the diet are critical to health.
Many times, folks who start to embrace and eat a plentiful amount of fats again after many years of avoidance experience the same digestive challenges as someone after gallbladder surgery. It’s almost like their bodies have “forgotten” how to digest fats!
So whether you are adjusting to life after gallbladder surgery or simply trying to adjust to eating fats again, keep these tips in mind for making the transition that much easier.
Cholesterol Needed After Gallbladder Surgery
It is very important thing to realize after gallbladder surgery that you still need cholesterol to produce bile which assists with the digestion of regular long-chain fats and oils. Note that short or medium-chain triglycerides like coconut or palm oil do not require bile for digestion.
One of the benefits of cholesterol is the easy production of bile. The very foods that have sufficient and healthy quantities of cholesterol are those that are, you guessed it, quite fatty, like liver, egg yolks, cream, and butter. (3)
Avoiding fat after gallbladder surgery is potentially going to compound problems with digesting fat in the long run as you won’t be getting the healthy, unprocessed cholesterol you need to produce bile!
Do you see the vicious cycle that can occur if you avoid fat after gallbladder surgery?
Please note that this discussion does not include oxidized cholesterol like what is in pasteurized, homogenized dairy (UHT organic milk and skim milk included) and the vast majority of processed foods.
Oxidized cholesterol is to be avoided in the diet and is the type of cholesterol that can trigger heart disease. (4)
Bitters Stimulate Bile Production
Once you are comfortable with the fact that you can and should eat fat after gallbladder surgery and that it is wise to do so in order to provide your liver with the raw materials necessary for bile production, the next step is to “train” your liver to produce the bile. This way, you will have the digestive juices you need at the proper time to digest the fats you eat with your meals.
Eating at regular intervals that your body can adjust to can go a long way toward this goal.
If a regular routine for consuming your fats does not prove helpful after a period of time or you are temporarily off schedule for whatever reason, use of traditional bitters or quality digestive enzymes can be used in conjunction.
Herbal bitters are plant-based extracts that are rich in minerals (vetted and recommended source).
Bitters work better than digestive enzymes in my experience. They are an ancient tonic for stimulating the liver to produce bile.
Traditional Asian cultures have long valued bitters for their digestive benefit. They also use them for their cleansing properties which promote increased strength and healing.
A single teaspoon of bitters in a small amount of water in the morning and in the evening should be sufficient to stimulate your liver to produce adequate amounts of bile. A spoonful of cold-pressed, organic sunflower lecithin after a fatty meal can also be helpful.
Still Can’t Eat Fat Comfortably After Gallbladder Removal?
If despite all your best efforts, you still have digestive issues with fats after gallbladder surgery, you can use a bile salts supplement to assist you.
Supplements should be a last resort, however. It is always best to encourage the body to do its job unassisted if at all possible.
The important thing to keep in mind is that the need for healthy, unprocessed fats does not change after gallbladder surgery. You still need these fats for optimal health. Therefore, finding a way to consume them comfortably is of paramount importance.
Keep in mind the research of Dr. Weston A. Price. The most revered foods in ancestral cultures were all fatty and of animal origin. These foods contained large amounts of Vitamins A, D, and K2 which were responsible for their strong, sturdy babies and children, resistance to chronic and infectious disease, easy fertility, and vitality into advanced age.
These fat-soluble activators supercharge mineral absorption into the tissues. Thus, eating lowfat is a recipe for disaster! It will likely contribute to a mineral starved state and other deficiencies and health challenges over time.
Fat is a critical nutrient that you cannot do without and still enjoy vibrant health.
Finding a successful strategy for consuming foods with the fats you need is the best approach after gallbladder surgery…not avoiding them as recommended by conventional medicine.
References
(1) More Young Women Suffering from Gall Bladder Disease
(2) Your Gall Bladder Needs Fat!
(3) Digestion and Absorption of Food Fats
(4) Atherosclerosis. 2000 Mar;149(1):181-90
I had my gallbladder surgically removed last December 25, 2015 due to gallstones attack. After a year I noticed that I gain weight especially around my waist.
They talked me out of my healthy gallbladder, due to pain in that area, they used fear based medicine to convince me, oh know it will blow up, you’ll die, turns out it was a healthy organ, no stones, just a gallbladder full of green bile. I asked the surgeon why did you remove, he says go to pain management, I’m like .. ? I was already a skinny runt, got skinnier, my pain got worse, they alienated me after that, so much for U.S. medical care..
I find that small nutrient dense meals work for me, I will never be able to eat large meal again, (I tried) I’ll never “eat out” again, nor will I eat at family gatherings. It took me two years before I was able to eat raw again, now I don’t eat much meat at all, a little lean meat, some nuts, some fish, no dairy, no processed, no grains, limited starches, low carb too.
I take enzymes too.
Eat coconut oil and coconut milk. Put them in your protein shakes. It will make a huge difference.
After gallbladder removal, I understand your body isn’t able to absorb critical fat soluble vitamins or essential fatty acids. Does this lead to a compromised imune system? I’m discovering these issues now at age 62. I had my gallballder out 32 years ago. What can I do to correct this? I have been diagnosed with cervical cancer recently and it’s critical for me to boost the imune system to over come it.
I had my gall bladder removed at the age 3.since then I haven’t gain weight according to my height.now I m 17 and my height is 6ft nut I have weight just 65kg, please give me advice on how to increase my weight.
I lost my gallbladder in 2012, have not been able the last 5 moths to eat any fats at all. Only Chicken soups homecooked and white Fish. Has everything in it Spinach, Zucchini, Carrott, Brown Rice, celery and Chicken cooked well done. There are a few times I eat a small slice of cheese. I do eat Toast there are a few things I can eat….any meats cooked, baked of otherwise is not good. Makes me ill. It is extremely depressing. I want my Gallbladder back. Had no stones, ate lower fat for years. But not completely fat free! I eat Gluten Free too! Take probiotics. I also have Gastritis terribly bad and I am stressed out over this. I have other immune problems Psoriatic Arthritis, Psoriasis is active , hypothyroid. Take Meds for Acid Reflux as it is truly bad. I am 60. Will things ever get better? Should I see a specialist? I have little to no energy. Can anyone help please. Thanks for sharing,
Barb, I sympathise with you and your struggle. I had my gallbladder out in July 2014 after 4 months of severe illness with an infected gallbladder, small stones and being unable to eat hardly at all upto my op. After the op, I found I did not handle many foods well and was feeing rough more often than I felt well though without the pain. I kept having to go to bed in the daytime exhausted and really felt off colour.
In the end, I kept a strict food diary and realised that actually I could not eat meat or dairy products or processed food. Not even eggs. I therefore went onto a whole food mainly plant based diet with a little white fish included. Lot’s of vegatables, fruit and bean based meals and potatoes sweet and ordinary. I have transformed my health on this plan. I no longer feel unwell and have more energy and no longer have to sleep in the daytime. I think you have to really try and listen to your body and write down everything that you eat and start off with a real basic whole food diet and go from there. If your body is spending it’s energy trying to digest food it’s not happy with, maybe it’s time to give it a break.
My digestion now works fine. I also cut out normal shop bought bread and went onto bread made with Rye. I was having heaps of trouble with bloating and constipation, and it has all gone away. So start with your intake of foods and see if you can find out like I did, that I just needed to re-think my food intake and let my body tell me what it was happiest on.
I wish you luck and good health.
Thank you Steven I just had my gall bladder out a month ago and the Dr told me to go on the Paleo diet but to use dairy and cut out grains and that good fats were ok I was doing ok for awhile but now am experience some discomfort I live your trial and error method I’m going to give that a try Thanks again!
First you eat Apple 1 or 2 a day.eat banana or guava and roasted black chickpeas in night and when you eat lunch, diner must use salad Green fresh food. And one important think take water in the start of lunch or diner if need then just seep it….. So you live long and happy life and concern first to yours doctor about that diets plan.
Thanks With Best wishes….
My gallbladder was removed in 2007. Besides a healthy, high fiber diet I have found digestion success with Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar. I mix about 1 tbsp in
5 oz. water or juice and drink that an hour or so before bed. Starting this year, I also take Align probiotic supplement everyday.
Hi Gail, I had my gallbladder removed just over to weeks, and I have a lot of muscle problems and feeling stress with it not sure what to take but I might have a go of what you recommended. would either of the above help with my muscle or do I also need to take anything else.. thank you
Ann W.
Sarah,
I would agree with the comments of Raine, above…
Bile salts are no longer advised, as they can actually do more harm than good, in the long run. Swedish bitters, dandelion, burdock, yarrow, digestive enzymes (NO papain or bromelain), and possibly non-soy lecithin are now the recourse recommended… as well as the Paleo way of eating (GAPS is based on Paleo/Primal, but it is STRONGLY recommended to follow the introductory diet as suggested, FIRST).
Why no Papain or Bromelain? I am currently taking Bluebonnet Full Spectrum Optimum Enzymes. Can you recommend a better one?
There are some puzzling assertions in this article; as health reporter and someone who has battled GB disease, “lack of use” is not really a documented or acknowledged cause of GB disease, and doubtful that that’s the cause for most people in the U.S. It’s linked to diet, exercise, food allergies, stress, and hormones/pregnancy.
Bitters are indeed helpful in promoting bile production, and you don’t have to just consume “bitters,” there are Chinese medicine supplements such as GB 6 that provide the same stimulus, as well as things like dandelion tea.
Most concerning is your citing of the “gall bladder cleanse/flush” in your sources, which has been widely criticized even by those in the naturopathic and integrative med communities. If someone unknowingly has asymptomatic stones–and millions do–and does this cleanse, they could end up with a blockage as the GB frantically squeezes to try to address all that oil, and this could result in an emergency removal or damage to the bile ducts, liver, even pancreatitis.
See a qualified holistic-minded practitioner and/or nutritionist to address dietary changes to support your body after surgery, and even more important, before, and see if surgery can be avoided entirely. The medical community is very cavalier about recommending removal and it has lifelong implications, including increased rates of digestive cancers.
The gall bladder cleanse linked to in this article is the same protocol recommended by Dr. Lawrence Wilson MD. There are risks to anything in life and anyone who is concerned should seek a thorough exam from their physician before undertaking.
I was laughed at by the medical doctors and pretty much told I was crazy for wanting to do a cleanse to dispel my stones. I had a lot and rather large stones. I did the cleanse anyway and saw many stones. My doctor told me that there was no way and scheduled the surgery. When they took out my gal bladder, the stones were gone. Wish I would’ve gone with my instinct.
How to digest cheese if anyone had cheese at a time of breakfast. .?
Sarah, I’m just confused by the oxidized cholesterol you speak of in the article. You have recommended, on many occasions, to use a good quality butter like Kerry Gold (when raw is not available), which is a pasteurized butter- does this mean that the cholesterol in this butter is oxidazided and bad for your health then? It’s just very confusing. Will cooking dairy at high temperatures for example to prepare a pizza or in dairy based sauces, cause a healthy cholesterol to otherwise be oxidazided?