The gallbladder, a small organ situated near the liver, is the cause of the gallbladder disease, an illness that affects millions of people each year. Fats cannot be digested through normal procedures, a special substance is needed by the body in order to digest them. This substance is called bile, and is created by the liver. The gallbladder has the role of keeping the bile produced in the liver until fats enter the stomach. In this moment the gallbladder releases the bile and fat is digested and absorbed by the body through the intestine's walls. When the body gets older, problems can occur in the gallbladder - the bile crystallizes and small stones form inside the pear-shaped organ - gallstones. These stones may be a problem and sometimes this problem can only be fixed through surgery.



Recent research has proven that diet has an important role both in preventing the gallbladder disease and after the surgery too.

People who are trying to lose weight fast and have a diet designed specially for this purpose are at a much greater risk of developing gallstones inside the gallbladder. This is because a fat-free diet changes the composition of the bile and increases the amount of cholesterol in it. Furthermore, if someone does not eat enough fat substances, no bile is needed by the stomach so bile remains unused in the gallbladder. Bile that stays in the gallbladder too long and also has a lot of cholesterol will surely start to cristallize and form gallstones inside.

A medicine that reduces the concentration of cholesterol from the bile was created, but it has not been approved yet. With its help bile could spend more time in the gallbladder before the cristallization process occurs, because cholesterol helps this process speed up.

Also, after someone was operated and his/her gallbladder was removed, a special diet must be followed after the surgery. If the gallbladder was removed then the bile and the fat digestion cannot be controlled properly by the body. So if you eat too much fat, the stomach can't handle it because there isn't enough bile to digest it all, and it eliminates it quickly through diarrhea.

Here are a few tips that must be respected by those who had their gallbladder removed and those who have problems with it and with gallstones:

-do not eat large meals. It's better to eat more smaller meals

-do not eat too much fatty foods

-drink low-fat milk

-do not try to suddenly loose a lot of weight

Diet is an important factor in many diseases, and gallbladder is just one of them. A heathy diet can prevent this illness because certain substances found in food help the body eliminate some of the gallstone which could cause problems. If you eat many fresh vegetables not only will you reduce your risks of getting gallstones, but you will help prevent a lot more diseases, so remember how important diet is for your health.