While most gallstones don’t produce any symptoms, it’s still a good idea to look at how to prevent them. Once you develop gallstones, there is a big risk you’ll keep getting them throughout your lifetime.
So, how exactly can you prevent gallstones? Below, you’ll discover some of the best prevention tips you can follow.
1. Avoid Crash Diets
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for our overall health and wellbeing. It is also known to be effective at preventing the formation of gallstones. However, in your bid to lose those pounds, it’s important not to resort to crash diets.
While crash diets can make you lose weight quickly, they can also lead to a lot of health issues. Rapid weight loss is a risk factor for gallstone development, so always look to lose weight gradually.
2. Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet
What you eat will also determine your likelihood of developing gallstones. It’s imperative to eat a healthy, balanced diet. You should ditch the saturated fats, focusing on healthier fats such as omega 3s and canola oil. You’ll also want to include fiber-rich foods in your diet.
3. Partake in Regular Exercise
Inactivity is known to contribute towards your risk of gallstones. This is because it can really slow down the rate of digestion. So, you’re going to want to partake in regular exercise if you want to lower your risk. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of exercise a week for gallstone prevention.
4. Look into Medications
If you have a number of risk factors that increase your likelihood of gallstones, you may want to look at preventative medications. These include Actigall and statins. Ideally, you’ll want to avoid triglyceride-lowering drugs such as Gemfibrozil, as these can increase the risk of gallstones.
Actigall helps by dissolving existing stones, while statins such as Orlistat help to reduce bile acids. Ask your doctor which medications would be right for you, depending upon your individual risk level.
5. Cook with Olive Oil
There have been some studies which have shown that olive oil can help to reduce the risk of gallstones. It was discovered that those who consumed olive oil frequently were less likely to suffer with gallstones than those who didn’t.
It is recommended you aim for two tablespoons of olive oil a day for best results. There is an ingredient within the oil which reduces cholesterol levels in the gallbladder as well as in the blood. As most gallstones are created from cholesterol, lowering the amount produced is certainly going to help prevent them.
These are some of the best prevention tips you can follow. While it isn’t always possible to prevent gallstones, following the advice above can help. It is best to speak to your doctor before making any changes. They will be able to assess whether it is safe to adopt the methods above, or whether it is likely you will need to have the gallbladder removed.