“You have gallstones” is a sentence that you hope you will not hear.
That pain in your right side stomach after a meal, feeling bloated, or just having that annoying bitter flavor in your mouth. It all makes sense now. You might know people who have gallstones, but you never thought that you would become one of them. With the low-fat diet pamphlet in your hand, you are exiting the doctor’s office, trying to understand what just happened, and most importantly, what to eat now.
One thing that I came across (personally and working with my patients and clients) is what is allowed and what is not. Does this meal, or ingredient, have too much fat, or is it safe for me?
After my gallstone diagnosis in 2020, I saw online so many times advice to cut fat completely because if there is no fat, there is no pain, and you should be ok. At first, it makes sense if there is no fat, the gallbladder doesn’t have to contract itself to empty, and then there is no pain. Simple, right? Oh boy, we are so wrong!
When I was working as a nurse at the gastroenterology department, I was helping my patients with a gallbladder diet after they got their diagnosis (and this was years before I got my own gallstone diagnosis). And one thing I noticed is that most of my patients were following zero to almost non-fat diet, and instead of getting better, they were getting worse. In the hospital, we call it the low-fat diet trap, and it is very easy to fall into. At the beginning of my gallstone journey, I fell into it too.
To understand why it is a trap, first you have to understand how the gallbladder works and what role it has in digestion.
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ tucked underneath the liver that collects the liquid called bile. The liver is producing bile all the time, and that bile is being stored in the gallbladder. The bile sits in the gallbladder until the time we consume any amount of fat, and then, the gallbladder contracts and releases the bile into the beginning of the bowel.
What is the low-fat diet trap?
The low-fat diet trap starts when you start skipping meals and avoiding fat. The gallbladder doesn’t empty itself, but continues receiving the bile. And since the gallbladder can’t expand itself to hold more bile, the only thing it can do is to start making existing bile thick, so there will be enough room for the bile.
The thick bile is very hard to move, it can create gallbladder sludge, form new gallstones, or even enlarge existing ones. And this thick bile requires a lot of force to move, and your gallbladder has to contract itself so fiercely to move that thick bile. This forceful contraction can cause pain, bloating, a bitter flavor in your mouth, push the gallstone to the bile duct to block it, or even trigger a gallbladder attack.
When you go on a completely no-fat diet, or eat too little fat, your gallbladder can’t empty itself, and this makes your gallstones even worse. And since a lot of people have a no fat, a very small amount of fat association when it comes to gallbladder diet, it is so easy to fall into the trap.
The Trap That Comes Right After
After the first trap of eating too little fat, you might come across the second trap, and that is too much fat trap. I have found that many of my patients and clients, after learning how the gallbladder works and that it needs fat, start overcorrecting and eating too much fat instead.
The gallbladder needs fat to empty itself, but if you include too much fat in your diet, it will have to squeeze itself so fiercely to release enough bile to digest the fat. And this can cause pain, bloating, bitter flavor in your mouth, push the gallstone to the bile duct to block it, or even trigger a gallbladder attack.
How to Get Out of Both Traps
First thing you have to do is take a deep breath, and not feel bad about it. Falling into too little or too much fat is often very easy. I even fell into them in the beginning.
Secondly, you will want to change slowly your diet, and start incorporating a moderate amount of fat. Try to include it in your every meal. The best way to do it is to have nutritionally rich, balanced meals during the day.
Thirdly, the source of fat sometimes means more than the amount of fat. Not every source of fat is great for the gallbladder, and some sources can have a negative impact on the gallbladder by lowering the quality of bile. Sometimes, even the sources of fat that are positioned or marketed as healthy, can be a problem, and cause problems. I cover this in my Gallbladder Diet Support Group. You can check it out here.
Is a Low-Fat Diet Really the Answer?
Even though low-fat diet is associated with gallstones, unfortunately, it is not the key to managing the gallstones. It plays a role in one segment of managing gallstones (and you want to follow it only in a specific case, and that is during recovery from gallbladder attack), but it is not the key to reduce chances of pain, or help you overcome food fear.
The key to manage gallstones, minimize the chance of pain, digestive issues like bloating is by improving the quality and the flow of the bile.
When the bile is thin, then the gallbladder does not have to contract itself so fiercely to release the bile. With this, you are lowering the risk of pain, enlarging the existing stones, or creating new stones. When the bile does not sit in the gallbladder for too long, it will not become sluggish or start creating sludge.
By improving the quality and flow of the bile, you are also reducing other symptoms of gallstones, like bloating, heaviness in your stomach, bitter flavor in your mouth, pain, and digestive issues. It will help you overcome food fear (because there will not be surprise pain after the meal), and help you feel good again.
How to Improve Your Bile Quality and Flow
Improving the quality and flow of the bile is done through diet and lifestyle adjustments. When it comes to diet, you want to choose ingredients that are great for gallbladder health, improve the quality of bile, and help the gallbladder empty itself regularly. Besides the ingredients, it is important to have structured meals during days that will keep your digestive system going. On top of that you have to adjust the lifestyle, and start creating habits that will help you manage your gallstones.
Managing gallstones is not just about following the low-fat diet pamphlet and figuring out what to eat. It requires a holistic approach and embracing lifestyle changes, not just avoiding fat. I have been managing my own gallstones with these strategies since 2020, and I’m helping others to do it too. Join my Gallbladder Diet Support Group, and let’s find the strategies that work best for you together, so you can reduce pain, overcome food fear, and manage gallstones.
Medical Disclaimer: I am a gastroenterology nurse, but I am not your medical provider. This post is for informational and educational purposes only and is based on my personal experience and professional background. If you think you are experiencing gallstones or a gallbladder attack, please consult with your GP immediately.
