Gallstones form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. The liquid, called bile, is used to help the body digest fats. Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder until the body needs to digest fat. At that time, the gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into a tube called the common bile duct that carries it to the small intestine, where it helps with digestion.
Bile contains water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. Bile salts break up fat, and bilirubin gives bile and stool a yellowish color. If the liquid bile contains too much cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin, under certain conditions it can harden into stones. Gallstones during its initial development show no signs or symptoms. In the initial stage, gallstones are not calcified. They are also of negligible size. Therefore they are rarely detected through x-rays. However, sometimes, in its early stage, the presence of gallstones can result in allergic symptoms in some people. When the gallbladder of these people are x-rayed or scanned, the gallstones may not show up. You may then think that you have no problems as there are signs of gallstones. However, gallstones may actually be lodged in the tubes in the liver.
There are two types of gallstones, cholesterol stones and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are usually yellow-green and are made primarily of hardened cholesterol. They account for about 80 percent of gallstones. Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may develop just one large stone,or hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination of large and small stones.
Now that you know what gallstones are, how can you naturally prevent gallstones? Here are six natural suggestions:
1. Eat Food Rich In Magnesium- A diet rich in magnesium appears to reduce the risk of developing painful gallstones, according to the experts. You should take 400 mg of this marvelous mineral daily. Raw cacao contains one of the highest sources of magnesium in any food. Magnesium acts as the relaxing counterpart to calcium and it also helps to balance brain chemistry.
2. Increase serving of Fruits and Vegetables- By increasing your consumption of water-soluble fiber, you can naturally flush your body with fiber. This is a good way to flush cholesterol which could cause gallstones.
3. Drink Coffee- Recent research indicates that coffee increases the flow of bile and may help to decrease the risk of gallstones. Be sure to only buy regular coffee (not de-caf) and possibly organic coffee. For those who know they need to kick the coffee habit, Yerba Mate offers a good substitute. A highly mineralized South American food, Yerba Mate tastes somewhat similar to coffee, but instead of depleting the adrenal glands, it nourishes them with B-vitamins, 15 amino acids, 11 polyphenols, and provides more magnesium and chlorophyll. Whereas coffee provides a caffeine jolt, mate's energy comes from the B-vitamins, blood purifying properties and a component called mateine.
4. Reduce Intake of Saturated Fats- You should decrease the amount of saturated fats you consume (namely red meats and pork). This will greatly decrease the chance of developing cholesterol-based gallstones (almost all gallstones are composed of cholesterol).
5. Take Vitamin C- Vitamin C is needed by the body to convert cholesterol to bile acids in the body. When you take moderate amounts of vitamin C, between 500 and 1500 mg a day, vitamin C works to build the immune system and also greatly reduce the risk of having gallstones.
6. Start Exercising- Exercising will naturally help you to stay healthy. By having a regular exercise schedule you can actually prevent future gallstones from forming.
Author Resource:-
Janice Janky is an alternative medicine advocate. For more articles on natural remedies for common ailments, visit her web site at http://www.natural-add-remedies.com
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