Poor gallbladder! That’s no way to treat such an important organ in the body!
The gallbladder is commonly thought of as unnecessary since it doesn’t produce anything. That doesn’t mean that your gallbladder isn’t working! On the contrary this little organ does a lot more than most people think!
What you are about the read is not at all medical advice. These are just cool facts that you may not have known about the gallbladder. As always, it’s best to consult with your doctor about any procedure that you need.
So…what does it do?
The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile. Bile is made by the liver. Bile is sent to the gallbladder where it’s held until the duodenum (part of your small intestine) senses some fat or protein in your meal. Then a hormone (hormones are messengers) is sent to the gallbladder to signal it to release bile so that your protein and fat can be broken down.
If the gallbladder doesn’t get a message to release bile, perhaps you don’t eat much protein or fat or the hormone needed to stimulate bile isn’t made, the bile will stay in the gallbladder and continue to concentrate. Eventually the bile left will become thick and viscous and then hard and create a stone. When gallstones try to pass out of the gallbladder they can get stuck in the bile duct, causing pain.
Is that all it does?
Absolutely not!!! In order to get more insight into just how important the gallbladder is, we have to look at it from a Traditional Oriental healing perspective! It’s fascinating to me what the gallbladder is in charge of!
The gallbladder’s influence is from head to toe!
In Traditional Oriental healing, not only is there a gallbladder organ, there is also a gallbladder channel or meridian. It starts right at the corners of the eyes and ends at the tips of the fourth toes! Literally! Gallbladder points surround the head like a lid and go through all of the sinews (which are tendons or ligaments) on the side of the body. So the gallbladder, in addition to storing bile for proper fat digestion, is also a big influence in:
*brain function, especially ALL sensory input
*flexibility of the sinews (It’s hard to move if those are dry and hard!)
*proper function of reproductive organs
*hormone balance
When there are problems in the gallbladder organ or channel, you may experience:
*migraines
*joint problems
*constipation
*dry and peeling skin due to fats not being properly broken down.
In Traditional Oriental healing, all organs have mental activities and emotional characteristics associated with it. The gallbladder is the organ that governs the ability to make proper decisions quickly. A well functioning gallbladder also gives you the ability to think AND see clearly, giving you the courage to take initiative. Bouncing back after a traumatic event fairly quickly is a sign of a strong gallbladder. When gallbladder function is deficient, there is a lot of hesitation! You might have a tough time making a decision (or you make weak ones that have awful consequences), speaking up when needed, and asserting yourself or standing up for yourself or others when the time is right. If you have hesitation emotionally, your body will also show the same hesitation with constipation, an over production of mucous or phlegm (which is heavy, sticky, slow and hard to move out of the body) and pain and stiffness in joints and sinews.
In other words, you have no get-up and go physically, mentally or emotionally!
Well, what if I had my gallbladder removed?
Generally, there are greater possibilities of issues that can occur after surgery. Clients that we see regularly that no longer have a gallbladder often have IBS, TMJ, frequent skin eruptions like rashes and lots of difficulties with pain, similar to fibromyalgia. Gallbladder dysfunction or removal can accelerate the aging process, as the gallbladder in Traditional Oriental healing is connected to the proper function of all the organs in the body and when the gallbladder is removed, all of the organs must work harder to function. That increased wear and tear ages you faster.
All is not lost if your gallbladder is gone. Again, you still have the channel or meridian that can be stimulated by your practitioner. Specific supplementation (our Pyramid Protocol works very well for this!) will help to improve digestion, absorb nutrients and remove wastes more efficiently. It’s more than just taking ox bile or bile salts, though that doesn’t hurt. Contact us if you would like for us to assess your issue and design a complete plan of action.
And as always, QiQong is very helpful in working with the liver/gallbladder system. Right now we are focusing on these organs in QiGong class, because Springtime is liver/gallbladder time. Our Stomach and Liver QiGong and Save Your Joints DVDs are excellent movement systems to include in your daily health maintenance.
DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Charlotte Reflexology does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be mentioned on this website. Reliance on any information appearing on this website is solely at your own risk.
