Your Gallbladder Does More Than You Know
Whether you have gallstones or other stressors on your Gallbladder, certain herbs may help support the organ in different ways. The gallbladder is a small organ that is located just below the liver and to the right of the stomach. It is shaped like a pear with its stem pointing up to the liver. It is about 5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter. It has a smooth surface and is covered by a thin layer of mucous membrane. It stores bile which is produced by the liver. The bile helps in the digestion of fats and oils, and it is also responsible for the secretion of bile into the small intestine.
The gallbladder can store up to a liter of bile at one time. This bile contains acids, enzymes, cholesterol and bilirubin. When the gallbladder becomes full of bile, it sends a signal to the brain telling it that the body has had enough bile. The signal causes the gallbladder to contract and release the contents into the duodenum. The bile flows through the bile ducts to the liver where it is processed before being reabsorbed into the blood stream.
Gallbladder Disorders
Gallstones
If the gallbladder is unable to release its contents into the duodenum, they may become stuck in the gallbladder and form a gallstone which is made up of calcium salts and cholesterol. The stones can be soft or hard and vary in size from 1 mm to 10mm. Most gallstones are not painful, but they can cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, indigestion, gas, constipation and diarrhea. They are most common in women between the ages of 20 and 50 years; and are more common in people who have high cholesterol.
Parasites can also cause gallstones. Parasites can live in the gallbladder and cause the gallbladder to become inflamed and irritated. The inflammation can cause the gallbladder to produce bile that is full of parasites. The parasites can then travel through the bloodstream and lodge in other organs such as the kidneys and the pancreas. When they reach these organs, they can cause problems there as well.
Cholecystis
Cholecystis is an inflammation of the gallbladder. It occurs when the gallbladder becomes inflamed due to infection, inflammation or irritation caused by gallstones. Symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, severe pain in the upper abdomen, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), and dark urine.
Gallbladder Cancer:
Gallbladder cancer is a type of cancer that develops from the cells lining the gallbladder. It is most common in older people. Symptoms include pain in the right side of the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, jaundice, anemia and blood in the stool.
Here is just a partial list of herbs that will help to either cleanse, increase bile, or dissolve gallstones:
Comments are closed here.