| The gall bladder is an important organ for | | | | different backgrounds, and follow different eating |
| digestion, especially of fatty foods. If you have | | | | habits. The most important thing to remember is |
| had problems with your gall bladder and your | | | | that your body is unique in how it acts and reacts |
| doctor thinks it could burst, you may be faced | | | | after your surgery. Listen to your body the |
| with surgery to have it removed. Once you are | | | | closest: that's the best advice anyone can give |
| without a gall bladder, you will need to adjust your | | | | you. |
| eating habits in order to accommodate for this | | | | 2. Avoid fatty foods: |
| change. | | | | After surgery, your body is no longer able to give |
| To understand how to maintain the right diet | | | | your small intestine that extra dose of bile that it |
| after gall bladder surgery, it is important to take a | | | | is used to. That means that digestion of fatty |
| moment to understand how this important organ | | | | foods will take longer than before, since now your |
| works and what causes problems in the gall | | | | body will have to wait for the bile from the liver |
| bladder. | | | | to aid in digestion. For at least a few weeks after |
| How the Gall Bladder Works | | | | surgery, stick with eating non-fatty foods like soy |
| Your gall bladder is a pear-shaped, dark green | | | | yogurt, cooked rice, low fat soup, and cooked |
| sack that stores bile (made in the liver) until it is | | | | fruits. Important: since the fatty foods you used |
| needed by your digestive system. When you eat | | | | to eat provided you with protein, you will need to |
| certain fatty foods, the gall bladder is signaled by | | | | get your protein in other ways. Beans and |
| a hormone called CKK to start injecting bile into | | | | soy-based foods are an excellent source. |
| the small intestine to aid in the digestion of these | | | | 3. Favor softer foods: |
| fatty foods. | | | | The harder the food, the more work it takes for |
| Problems that Can Arise | | | | your body to digest it. Favor softer foods after |
| The gall bladder works hard to serve the body's | | | | surgery. For example, try pureed items like rice, |
| digestive system. But over time, it can develop | | | | vegetables and fruits. |
| certain problems in some people, including | | | | 4. Give it time: |
| becoming irritated, swollen, blocked or full of | | | | Take everything one day at a time. For example, |
| stones. If any of these things occur and there is | | | | if and when you decide to start trying fatty |
| a chance the organ could burst, your doctor may | | | | foods again, take things very slowly. Eat just a |
| recommend that it be removed completely. | | | | little at a time and wait for the reaction. If you do |
| Once the gall bladder has been removed, the | | | | not feel any cramps, indigestion or other issues |
| digestive system tends to work less efficiently in | | | | after an hour or so, you may be able to safely |
| how it digests fatty foods. While the liver is still | | | | venture a bit further in that direction. |
| able to produce bile, the digestive system no | | | | 5. Understand that things may or may not return |
| longer is able to keep a reserve of bile "on call" | | | | completely to normal: |
| like it could before. The result: more problems | | | | Remember that having your gall bladder removed |
| digestive foods like meats and dairy products. | | | | changes your body's systems and structures. |
| Diet after Gall Bladder Surgery | | | | Your body may end up adapting and adjusting |
| Eating the right diet after surgery is important to | | | | entirely to your new situation where you don't |
| maintaining your health and your comfort during | | | | notice the difference after a while. Or, you may |
| your daily life. Here are some diet tips for a more | | | | find that you have to permanently change your |
| comfortable recovery: | | | | eating habits in order to eat comfortably. As you |
| 1. Each person's reaction to surgery is unique: | | | | venture out into life after surgery, take things |
| Any advice you receive from this article, other | | | | day by day and do not rush anything. Your body |
| websites, medical professionals, or other patients | | | | will give you clear signals (usually in the form of |
| applies to varying degrees to a range of people | | | | pain or discomfort) if you are pushing things too |
| who are in different health situations, have | | | | fast, too hard. |