Listen to weight sufferers or experts and they will tell you that losing weight is never easy. Infact, if you’re suffering from the yo-yo syndrome, which is to do with frequent losing and gaining of weight overtime, then it could be a painful process too. This is on account of the fact that a yo-yo dieter who continuously sheds and gains weight is 70 percent more likely to develop gallstones according to a recent study. So losing weight cannot just be difficult but painful too.
What are Gallstones?
Gallstones are chunks of hardened cholesterol that form in the gallbladder. The main role of the gallbladder is to digest fats with the help of stored bile. Now, gallstones can get really painful if they choke the duct that releases bile into your intestines.
The gallbladder is merely a storage bin and hence can be entirely removed professionally by a doctor incase of a severe gall bladder problem.
Overweight, is said to be one of the major factors that lead to the formation of gallbladder stones. So if you want to reduce the risk of developing them, you would have to focus more on weight control. However, weight loss programs should focus on a stable and gradual weight loss that can prove to be helpful rather than complicated.
5 Ways to Prevent Gallstones and Lose Weight
As a new study reveals that excessive weight loss can also lead to the problem of gallstones, experts have given some ways to prevent them. Some measures to reduce the risk of gallstones while you are trying to lose weight are listed here below:
- Bulk Up On Fiber: Introduce fiber in your diet through vegetables, fruits, etc because fiber combines with cholesterol in a way to remove it from the system.
- Drink Plenty of Water: Experts opine that water neutralizes the effects of cholesterol and thereby helps in dissolving the same more effectively before it could become the root cause of any problem. 6 TO 8 glasses of water an absolute must or an average adult.
- Stack Up On Vitamin C: Next, experts are of the opinion that gallstones could be a result of Vitamin C deficiency. So include as much vitamin C in your diet like the intake of citrus fruits, etc that can help protect you against gallstones.
- Do Not Skip Meals: The next best way to prevent gallstones while you are trying to lose weight is to avoid skipping your meals. It is reported that keeping the stomach hungry for long can reduce the contractions of the gallbladder an such a condition is ideal for developing gallstones.
- Avoid Eating Really Low-Calorie Diets: Experts opine that some amount of fat is essential for the body. More importantly, if you consume less fat, there is little for the gall bladder to contract or empty its bile for digestion. Experts are of the opinion that a minimum 10g of fat in the form of meals or snacks is required for the gall bladder to contract.
The key to preventing gallstones while losing weight effectively is to maintain a reasonable level of weight. However, if the excess pounds get on you, try shedding the calories both slowly and sensibly. If you looking forward to a strict weight loss regime discuss benefits of ursodiol, a medication that can help prevent gallstones.
