Gallstones
Usually the size of a pea, but sometimes as big as a pebble, gallstones can be extremely painful when they get lodged in the bile duct - the narrow tube connecting the liver with the gall bladder. They occur in 1 in 10 people and are particularly common in women over the age of 40 who have a less than ideal diet.
They happen when there is an imbalance in the components of bile - an important digestive juice composed of various salts and pigments. The biggest cause of this imbalance is eating a diet that's high in fat, sugar and coffee, and low in fibre found in fruit and vegetables.
So, to avoid this often painful ailment, try to cut out those tempting, unhealthy snacks and opt for fruit or crudit' of veg instead. Interestingly, beans have been found to aggravate gallstones, while olive oil has been found to improve the problem.
How about a dish that will help alleviate gallstones? Here's my recipe for Warm Red Cabbage with Walnuts...
Ingredients
1 small red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
300 grams red cabbage, sliced thin
50 grams walnut halves
2 tbsp walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
- In a large wok, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for approximately 1 minute.
- Add the cabbage and sauté for a further 3 minutes
- Serve and sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle with the walnut oil
Read also:
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An A to Z of Healthy Eating - B
There are bundles of beneficial foods beginning with ‘B’… bananas, blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrants are all great sources of vitamin C, while beetroot and broccoli are good sources of calcium, iron, folic acid and phosphorus. -
How do I get the most out my Nutrichef Meal Plan?
The question I get asked most often is how to maximise the benefit of being on a Nutrichef Meal Plan... -
Detox Diets and Cleansing
Our body handles toxins by neutralising them, transforming them into something harmless or eliminating them all together. We try to cough up toxins that we breathe, while those landing on our skin may be washed away by sweat. Toxins in our food are dealt with by the liver, gallbladder and colon, while those that dare to enter us in liquid form may be partially flushed out by the liver, kidneys and bladder.
