When it comes to gallstones, many people may think it is a distant disease, but once you start to understand, you will realize that your daily lifestyle, especially consuming high-fat foods such as buffets, grilled dishes, and fast food regularly, may bring gallstones closer to you.

Gallstones are solid deposits that accumulate into hard stones inside the gallbladder. They can be found in both small and large sizes, sometimes as a single stone or many small stones. Some people may have as many as hundreds of stones. Of course, bile functions to trap fat for absorption into the body. Therefore, if stones form, it will affect the functioning of the gallbladder. If a stone blocks the common bile duct, it may cause pancreatitis, which can be life-threatening.

What are the risk factors for developing gallstones?

Obesity is the most significant factor increasing the risk of this disease because it causes an increase in cholesterol in the bile.
Consuming high-fat foods, especially buffet and grilled foods, causes obesity and leads to high cholesterol levels in the bile.
Lack of exercise and dislike of eating vegetables
People aged 40 and above because the body’s metabolism worsens, leading to increased cholesterol accumulation.
Female gender as gallstones are more common in women than men.
Women who take contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy have a higher risk of gallstones because estrogen hormones increase cholesterol levels in the bile.
Family history of gallstones increases the risk further.

From the above information, it can be seen that cholesterol is a major risk factor for gallstones, which are divided into two types:

The cholesterol type, which is the most common, accounting for about 80% of gallstone patients. High cholesterol causes stones to form and disrupt gallbladder function.
The pigment type caused by bilirubin, which is less common than the cholesterol type. These stones are smaller and often found in patients with liver cirrhosis or blood disorders such as anemia.

What are the symptoms of gallstones?

Bloating, indigestion
Nausea and vomiting
Burning sensation in the chest, gas in the stomach
After eating fatty foods, often experience heartburn and fullness in the upper abdomen (epigastric region)
Severe pain in the upper right abdomen, continuous for a long time
In cases of gallbladder inflammation, there may be fever, pain under the right rib cage at the gallbladder location, and possibly jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Do you have any of these symptoms? If yes, do not ignore them. You should see a doctor for consultation and proper treatment.

The best treatment for gallstones is “surgery”

Nowadays, surgery is not scary because it can be done laparoscopically through small incisions, making it safer, less risky, and faster to recover. The surgery involves making four small holes in the abdomen: three about 0.5 cm and one about 1 cm at the navel. A camera and small surgical instruments designed specifically for abdominal surgery are inserted through these holes. After surgery, patients usually stay in the hospital for 1-2 days before continuing recovery at home. Within a week, they can return to normal life.

Post-surgery dietary care

After surgery, fat digestion will not be as efficient as before, so it is important to eat appropriately. Avoid frying and stir-frying, and instead use boiling, stewing, or steaming methods. Also, avoid high-fat foods such as fatty meats. Choose easily digestible foods, focusing more on fish and vegetables, but do not eat too many raw vegetables as they are harder to digest than cooked vegetables. For fruits, avoid those that are very sweet and high in sugar. Choose fruits that are less sweet, easy to digest, and nutritionally rich, such as ripe papaya, avocado, prunes, and various berries.

One important thing everyone should always be aware of is that health requires attention, whether it is taking care to prevent diseases or being cautious and caring for your body when illness occurs. Even after treatment, health care should not be neglected because we use our bodies every day. Therefore, health care must be done every day as well.