Dietary Balance and Gallbladder Care

  Bile actually refers to a system of ducts. It includes the bile ducts inside and outside the liver, the gallbladder, the bile ducts inside the duodenal papilla and other structures, not just “bitter bile” as we think. The cells lining the capillary bile ducts in the liver are responsible for secreting bile; the gallbladder is responsible for storing and concentrating bile, which is also known as the “bile store” and has the role of regulating the pressure in the bile ducts; the extrahepatic bile ducts are responsible for transporting bile; and the muscles surrounding the bile ducts in the duodenal papilla are responsible for excreting bile into the intestine.  The secretion of bile is continuous, while the discharge of bile is intermittent with eating. 3-5 minutes after eating, the food stimulates the cells of the duodenal mucosa to secrete a hormone called “cholecystokinin”, which causes the gallbladder to contract and the sphincter of Oddi to relax to achieve the excretion of bile, and the excreted bile contains biliary secretion and bacteria. On the other hand, the sphincter of Oddi relaxes and tenses, and the bile enters the gallbladder for re-concentration and storage.  This process is regulated by neurological and humoral factors (gastrointestinal hormones, metabolites, drugs, etc.). The length of each bile evacuation phase is related to the type and amount of food. About 15% of bile remains in the gallbladder after each bile evacuation phase, and the bile is drained into the intestine to participate in the digestion of major fats.  Because we do not eat for a long time at night, bile will enter the gallbladder in large quantities to concentrate and store it; therefore, people who do not eat breakfast for a long time or those who do not eat regularly have an increased possibility of gallstone disease, so we advocate regular eating.  Because the sphincter of Oddi is a natural stenosis, we do not advocate lithotripsy in patients with cholelithiasis, this if the stone once can not pass because of the part of the sphincter of Oddi, then abdominal pain, jaundice and even biliary pancreatitis of all kinds of symptoms soon appear, aggravating the disease, remember this and urinary stones advocate lithotripsy is completely different.  In addition, the performance of biliary tract diseases is very close to the performance of stomach and liver diseases in the early stage, so when many people word that: “stomach pain” after a long period of taking stomach medicine, the effect is not good, in fact, many times a simple ultrasound can be basically clear, and can make the correct treatment as early as possible.  Because biliary roundworm is one of the precipitating factors of gallstone disease, intestinal roundworm is now less common in cities, but still seen in rural areas at present, because roundworm is a parasite transmitted through the mouth, hand hygiene after good attention can well eliminate the occurrence of such diseases.  Drinking water to keep 2000ml/day can dilute the bile and facilitate the excretion of bile. Avoid constipation, because the excretion of bile is also inhibited when constipated. In addition, eating more fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts can provide all kinds of vitamins needed for bile intestine and liver circulation, which is beneficial to health.