How to prevent gallstones?

Question

My father was recently diagnosed with gallstones and had to undergo an operation to remove them. I really feel bad for him, and I’m also afraid of getting gallstones myself. How do you prevent them from forming?

Answer 1

Your diet is one of the primary contributing factors in the development of gallstones. Stay away from saturated fats, sugar, and too much carbs. It is also beneficial if you can minimize your intake of meat and meat products. If you must eat them, choose chicken over red meat.

Eat healthy by loading up on green leafy vegetables and fiber.  For snacks, replace your daily dose of salty junk foods with nuts and other healthier alternatives. But most importantly, do not forget to drink plenty of water every day.

Also, certain drugs can trigger the formation of gallstones. That is why it is advisable to check with your doctors first before taking any medication. This is important if you believe that you are at risk at developing gallstones. Among the suspect medications are cholesterol- lowering drugs and hormone therapy. Inform your doctors about you worries before taking any of them to prevent complications in the future.

Answer 2

One effective way to prevent gallstones is by keeping your weight in check. Studies have shown that obesity can increase your risk of developing gallstones as well as suffering from other health problems. So it is time to make plans, and act on them, about shedding a few pounds each week if you think that you are over your ideal weight. But do not engage in crash diet programs because they are actually found to help in the formation of gallstones! You’ve been warned. Losing weight should be done gradually and steadily, and once you succeeded in losing a few pounds, try your best to keep them off.

Answer 3

I think that exercise and proper diet are the most effective ways to prevent gallstones. The obvious benefits of regular exercise have been proven over and over in preventing most kinds of illnesses. Aside from helping keep your weigh in check, hitting the gym also strengthens your body and makes you feel better.

Watching your diet, on the other hand, helps control your intake of salt, sugar, and fats that are proven to increase your risk of developing gallstones. This does not mean that you need to give them up altogether but just to moderate your intake. Just remember that too much of anything can be harm.

Comments

This is very interesting. Although this sounds like a cliché, but as someone asking questions like how to prevent gallstones, he’s probably not very into exercising in the first place. So it’s very important to point this out!