If you want to improve gallbladder function and avoid getting your gallbladder removed, there are four key steps that @gallbladder.nutritionist went through when she joined me for an episode on the Are you menstrual? podcast.

The biggest takeaway is that if you want to support your gallbladder, you have to support your liver.

The first step in shrinking gallstones and avoiding gallbladder surgery is to address inflammation, especially in the gut. The gut connects to the liver through the gut-liver axis. Inflammation and stress in the gut will also lead to a higher toxic burden and further disrupt gallbladder function and hormone balance. You will remember from a couple posts back that we need healthy hormones for good gallbladder motility.

When you restore bile to its normal composition, this can start shrinking gallstones. This means you need to get to the root cause of what’s causing the bile to thicken in the first place. Is it cholesterol metabolism, poor thyroid function, overgrowth in the gut, or poor diet?

When you normalize the composition of bile, this helps ensure it will leave the gallbladder and be excreted into the digestive system. Toxins and estrogen also leave the body in bile. When we are not having regular bowel movements and/or have saturated bile we can reasborb toxins and hormones.

The previous three steps will improve bile composition and begin to shrink gallstones, but there are two types of herbs that can also help:
1. Cholagogue- helps to increase bile from gallbladder to intestine (ex: dandelion, gentian, oregon grape, burdock).

2. Choleretic: helps to increase production and secretion of bile from the liver. (ex: turmeric, yarrow, barberry, artichoke, peppermint).

Listen to the gallbladder podcast episode on the Are You Menstrual? Podcast to learn more!

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