Question: My wife is 64. She had her gallbladder removed several years ago. For the last year or two, she has been taking medications for acid reflux. Is there a natural alternative?
Dr. Brownstein’s Answer:
The gallbladder is a very important organ. It is responsible for producing bile, which is needed to break down fats in our food. Without a gallbladder, there is a chance of poor digestion of fats.
We cannot live without fat in our diet. For the last 50 years, the powers that be — including
the American Heart Association, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Diabetes Association — have tried to convince us that we need to lower the fat in our diet. And we have complied with their advice.
The results of eating a low-fat diet have been disastrous — we now have more obesity, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. We don’t need to lower the amount of fat in our diets. We just need to eat good fats from unrefined food. Examples include organic sources of eggs, nuts, beans, seeds, and animal products.
However, we need to be able to properly digest these fats. That is where the gallbladder comes in. If you have had your gallbladder removed, it is impossible to produce adequate amounts of bile. I suggest taking a supplement that contains bile salts with each meal.
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