HAVE YOU HAD YOUR GALLBLADDER REMOVED? COULD THIS BE RELATED TO YOUR THYROID ISSUE?
Every year, thousands of Canadians and Americans have their gallbladder surgically removed…and issues with weight gain, digestion, fatigue, headaches….and thyroid function follow. Have you had your gallbladder removed? Or, do you still have your gallbladder but struggle to lose weight? Here’s what you need to know when it comes to your gallbladder your surgeon didn’t tell you. Your gallbladder impacts your health by concentrating and regulating the flow of bile, the digestive juice responsible for breaking down dietary fats, making it easier to absorb and use for energy. Bile is also essential for healthy thyroid function and metabolism. Oh yes….if you’ve lost your gallbladder or your diet reduces bile production, you will struggle with optimal thyroid function.
That’s because when bile breaks down dietary fat, your body releases a specific enzyme. And this enzyme converts the thyroid hormone T4 into the active hormone T3. This is important because T3 is required for metabolism…fat loss and metabolism. In fact, a major European study found that people who improved their bile health skyrocketed their metabolism by a whopping 53%! On the other hand, without enough bile your thyroid function — and metabolism — grinds to a halt, triggering unexpected weight gain, fatigue, thinning hair, mood swings and more.
So the deal is…
If you want to kick your metabolism into high gear, which makes maintaining a healthy weight so much easier, your body needs a good supply of quality, free-flowing bile. But here’s the problem… your body makes less bile as you age and due to environmental toxins, chemicals, and stress, the bile you do have may be thick and sticky, reducing its ability to break down thyroid-revving fats.
If you find yourself running out of energy by mid-afternoon and struggling with bloat, thinning hair, and slow (or no) weight loss, then sluggish bile could be the culprit. These symptoms are some of the most common problems women and men alike experience. A change in your diet and a few targeted supplements is recommended to address this issue. Oh yes….I almost forgot….and if you have gallstones, these are made of cholesterol that precipitated out of the bile and with specific herbal remedies and diet change we can either try and dissolve them or reintroduce them back into the bile…but it takes a change in diet and time.
Marie-Josée Brown, CHCP, ROHP Certified Holistic Cancer Practitioner Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner