Festive Feasts Exacerbate Gallstones

The Christmas and New Year holidays, in addition to pleasant emotions and entertainment, are associated with sumptuous meals and frequent overeating and alcohol.
 

This festive "abundance" can lead to not only unnecessary weight gain, which is subsequently difficult to normalize, but the exacerbation or manifestation of various diseases - diabetes, hypertension and last but not least cholelithiasis.


Cholelithiasis or better known as gallstone disease is associated with the formation of stones of different sizes and compositions in the gallbladder. Although relatively rare, when they are the result of metabolic disorders, stones can also form in the bile ducts.
 

Gallstones are formed by changes in the fluid contents of the gallbladder.
 

Bile juice plays an important role in breaking down the food we eat. Bile juice is formed in the liver and accumulates in the gallbladder, and from there through the bile duct flows into the duodenum.
 

The fluid that is excreted from the bile is mostly water, but contains cholesterol, bile acids and salts, bilirubin, etc. If the amount of any of these substances increases, conditions are created for the formation of gallstones.


Types of gallstones.

Gallstones are solid formations. Depending on their composition, gallstones are divided into two main groups: cholesterol and pigment.
 

Cholesterol stones are the most common and represent over 80% of all gallstones. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are yellowish-white in color. They are brittle and easily destroyed.
 

Pigmented stones (bilirubin) are small in size and irregular, polygonal in shape. They are dark brown to black in color, hard and difficult to break. Most often they reach a large number.

Factors for the development of gallstones are:

• Increased amount of cholesterol or bilirubin in the composition of bile
• Deficiency of bile acids, salts or lecithin.
• Stagnation of bile in the bladder.
• Obesity. In overweight, a reduced amount of bile salts in the composition of the juice is observed.
• Gender and age. It has been found that women suffer from gallstones 3-4 times more often than men. In people over the age of 50, this difference decreases, and after 60 years the incidence increases significantly.
• Ethnicity. Some ethnic groups have an increased risk of gallstones. For example, Indians and Mexicans have the highest rates of gallstones.
• High estrogen levels. Estrogen levels increase during pregnancy, during hormone replacement therapy, or when taking contraceptives. The female hormone raises the level of cholesterol in the bile and reduces the movements of the gallbladder.
• Cholesterol lowering drugs. Drugs that lower cholesterol in blood vessels and cells increase its amount in bile.
•  Diabetes. In patients with diabetes, high levels of fatty acids and triglycerides increase the risk of stone formation.
• Hemolytic anemia and cirrhosis. In these diseases, conditions are created for the formation of pigment stones as a result of increased radiation in the bile of substances that are generally present in small quantities in it (such as a pigment called bilirubin).
• Prolonged and drastic diets. Starvation or irregular food intake cause a decrease in the movement of the gallbladder. Elevated cholesterol levels are a prerequisite for the formation of cholesterol stones.
• Sudden weight loss. With rapid weight loss, the body metabolizes fat from broken down fat stores. Larger amounts of fat reach the liver, and more cholesterol is released to the bile.
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If the gallstones are not large, the disease can be completely asymptomatic, or with symptoms that are easily ignored by patients.
 

Most often, however, gallstone disease is acute, with severe pain in the upper right abdomen.
 

Bile crises usually occur at night or after overeating. The first symptoms are pain, bloating, gas and indigestion.
 

Often the pain can spread to the back and even between the shoulders. The pain is recurrent and lasts from 30 minutes to several hours. The pain may be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fever and yellowing of the sclera of the eyes. Another characteristic feature is light stools.
 

In the presence of these symptoms, it is advisable to seek medical attention in a timely manner to avoid more serious complications.
 

Prevention
 
Proper diet and regular physical activity are the best way to prevent gallstones. Studies show that regular exercise minimizes the risk of gallstones.
 
 
Since most gallstones are cholesterol, it is recommended to avoid foods high in cholesterol. Foods rich in sugars and animal fats and low in fiber are thought to significantly increase the risk of gallstones.
 
 
According to studies conducted by Spanish doctors, cholelithiasis is twice less common in vegetarians than in meat eaters. This is due to the fact that vegetarians consume less fatty foods, and are less likely to suffer from obesity, which is a major prerequisite for gallstone disease.
 
 
However, vegetarians are not immune to stone formation, especially those who consume a lot of vegetable oils.
 
 
Another provoker of gallstone disease is an irregular stomach. It has been found that in people suffering from constipation, the risk of disease is higher. A proper diet that regulates bowel function also reduces the risk of gallstones.
 
 
Sometimes bile crises occur as a result of food allergies. In such patients, stopping the food that causes the allergy leads to significant relief of bile complaints.