DEAR READERS,
K.A.N. from Mount Pleasant, St. Andrew, has suffered with a recurring stomach pain for years. She has also had associated episodes of yellow, bitter tasting vomits and finds that after eating a meal, she belches a lot.
The problem is worse with eating greasy foods, at which time she also experiences a burning sensation in her stomach. She has seen several private physicians about her complaint, but it was not until she visited the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) that she was told she had gall stones and was admitted to hospital for a few days.
K.A.N. says that the abnormal pain is no longer severe and is asking LIFELINE for 'tips' on what a person should eat and what they should avoid when they have problems like hers. She does know that greasy food troubles her stomach and is already avoiding these food types.
The gall bladder is a small pea-shaped organ found under the liver. The liver produces bile to aid in the digestion of fats. Bile is greenish-yellow in colour and contains enzymes which work to break down fats in food, so that they can be digested and be absorbed into the body. When the gall bladder is diseased, the digestion of fats can be impaired significantly. Gall stones are the most common disease which affects the gall balder. Some people have no symptoms at all when they have gall stones, while others experience severe pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. The pain is felt when the gall bladder contracts and attempts to expel the stones it contains. The pain is often associated with nausea and vomiting and the problem, if not treated, can lead to inflammation of the gall bladder, or cholecystitis.
If gall stones are causing pain, nausea and vomiting the removal of them from the gall bladder should seriously be considered. This would involve, abdominal surgery, either by a traditional incision, or by using laparoscopy, where a scope is introduced via the abdominal wall to the gal bladder and the stones removed.
K.A.N. is on the right track with her decision to avoid grease. All fatty food should be eliminated from the person's diet. As the gall bladder function is either impaired with disease or ceased fully after surgical excision, there is great difficulty for that person's gastrointestinal tract to process fats. Small frequent meals tend to be processed better than eating large amounts of food at longer intervals.
Carbonated drinks should also be avoided as they can cause pain in a diseased gall bladder, while olive oil and beets contain phyto chemicals that thin bile and therefore should be eaten frequently.
Digestive enzymes can also be obtained from the health food stores to help with the processing of any fats present in the diet.
Many vitamins and supplements can help to improve digestion and lecithin supplements are thought to aid the transportation of fats and so are a useful supplement for the person with gall bladder disease.
One home remedy to help gall stones to pass, is to ingest three tablespoons of olive oil with lime or lemon juice, twice a day, before breakfast and before going to bed.
Those who want to avoid developing gall stones should practice the following:
If obese (fat), loose weight.
Cut fat concentration.
Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing gall stones by as much as 40 per cent.
Write to:
Lifeline
P.O. Box 1731
Kingston 8
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