Some people think of their gallbladder as being “expendable”. Don’t get me wrong, as I don’t think anybody wants any of their organs to be removed. But since many people live a seemingly normal life after getting their gallbladder removed, many people don’t think their gallbadder plays an important role in their overall health. After all, how important can your gallbladder be if you can do just fine after it’s surgically removed?
The gallbladder actually plays a very important role in your body. And while many people do seem to live a normal life without it, many others have health issues that are due to their gallbladder being removed. But most people aren’t aware that their health issues are related to this.
To better understand this, let’s take a look at the function of the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile, which is necessary for the emulsification of fats. In other words, it helps to break down the fats you eat. If have your gallbladder removed, then this will affect the bile, and your body will have problems breaking down fats, which will also interfere with the digestion of fats. This is why people who have received gallbladder surgery usually experience digestive symptoms (bloating, gas, indigestion, etc.) when eating a lot of fatty foods.
So why is this a big deal? Well, the fats and oils you consume are part of the building blocks of many of the hormones in your body. And so if you don’t have a gallbladder, then your ability to make and metabolize hormones will be impaired. This of course is also the case if you still have your gallbladder, but if it’s not functioning correctly, which is the case with many people. So if you have a malfunctioning gallbladder then you can expect to have problems with hormone metabolism. Once again, someone who has a malfunctioning gallbladder will have some of the same symptoms I listed above (bloating, belching, indigesting, pain between the shoulder blades, etc.). So when someone follows a natural treatment protocol, this is one of the primary things I will look for, as if they have an impaired ability to make hormones, then this of course will affect their recovery.
The Relationship Between Estrogen Dominance And Gallbladder Issues
If you’ve been reading these posts and articles for awhile, then you know that from time to time I’ll speak about estrogen dominance, which is a condition involving a hormone imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. This condition causes bile to become thick and sluggish, which will cause problems with the emulsification of fats, and therefore can impair hormone metabolism as well. In other words, it’s very common for someone who is in a state of estrogen dominance to have gallbladder issues. And while someone with the above symptoms might try to do a gallbladder flush to help, they need to get to the root cause of the problem, which is to correct the estrogen dominance issue. So for anyone who is looking to achieve optimal health, if the person is in a state of estrogen dominance this needs to be corrected. Once this is corrected the person will sometimes still require a gallbladder flush, although not always.
What can you do if you have already had your gallbladder removed? Obviously there is nothing that can be done to permanently fix this problem. However, there are certain supplements people can take to help emulsify the fats. Most people of course don’t do this, as they try to minimize the fats they eat, which can also cause problems. We’ve been taught to avoid fats, and while you don’t want to eat an excess amount of fats, you also don’t want to substitute eating carbohydrates for them. You need to eat a balanced diet consisting of protein, quality fats, and a minimal amount of carbohydrates. But in order to break down the healthy fats you eat, you either need a properly functioning gallbladder, or if your gallbladder has been removed, then you will need to take certain supplements which helps prevent the bile from becoming thick and sluggish.
In summary, even though people can live without a gallbladder, this doesn’t mean this organ isn’t important to our health. Without a properly functioning gallbladder, not only will this affect the ability to break down fats, but it will also affect the formation and metabolism of hormones. So if you’re looking to follow a natural treatment protocol, it is essential to have a properly functioning gallbladder. And if you have had your gallbladder removed, you then need to receive the necessary nutritional support.