Weight Loss & Gall Bladder Surgery a Healthy Combo

Posted: Aug 16 in Obesity and your Health, Weight Loss Blog, Weight Loss Surgery by

The gallbladder is a storage vessel where digestive fluids sit until they are needed. In cases where digestive fluids are overproduced the fluids in the gallbladder can solidify and form into painful stones. These stones, appropriately called gallstones can become stuck in the passageway and begin to interfere in the digestion process.

It is estimated that about 10 to 15 percent of the adult American population experience gallstones at one point in their lives. The stones range in size, some being as small as a pebble and others as large as a golf ball. While there are plenty of natural remedies touted about for gallstone treatment, about 80 percent of cases diagnosed require surgical removal.

Obesity Increases Risk of Needing Gallbladder Surgery in Ft. Myers  

Being overweight increases your risk of developing gallstones, and thereby increases the likelihood that you might require gallbladder surgery. A diet heavy in fatty foods and cholesterol can prompt the development of gallstones. Frequently ingesting fast foods and other highly processed snacks can contribute to the crystallization of the bile in the gallbladder, which is how gallstones are formed.

To prevent gallstones from forming it is best to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.

While being overweight and engaging in unhealthy eating habits leads to the production of gallstones, that isn’t to say that weight loss is an absolute cure to the condition. In fact, losing weight through rapid weight loss programs can prompt the development of gallstones as well. A lot of fast weight loss fad diets prompt weight loss through malnourishment, often leaving the body deprived of much needed nutrients like protein. Unfortunately, a protein imbalance is another common reason for cholesterol in the gallbladder to crystalize.

The most common symptoms of gallstones include pain in the back between the shoulder blades, pain in the upper right abdomen and pain under the right shoulder. The pain generally lasts about 30 minutes before subsiding. If left untreated gallstones can cause damage to the liver, prompt jaundice and cause other damage to the intestine and pancreas.

Surgery to remove the gallbladder is called cholecystectomy, and this is actually one of the most common types of surgery performed in the United States on American adults. It is possible to prevent gallstones by following a healthy diet that is low in cholesterol and engaging in regular activity that will help you maintain a healthy weight. Once a gallstone forms it is imperative that you contact your general surgeon in Naples and Ft. Myers.

Following gallbladder surgery in Naples or Ft. Myers, maintaining a healthy weight level and following healthy diet and exercise habits can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle for years to come.

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