Looking
for another good reason to eat your vegetables? Green leafy
veggies are high in magnesium, and magnesium seems to be
good for your gallbladder.
A recent
study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed
that adequate magnesium consumption can reduce your risk of
gallstones. In this study, more than 42,000 men were
followed for 16 years; those who had the highest intake of
magnesium from foods (on average 454 mg per day) also had a
30 percent lower risk of developing gallstones.
Magnesium is
important for multiple biochemical processes in the body,
and adequate levels are needed for the health of our heart,
bones, blood, nervous and immune systems, and multiple other
tissues. Inadequate magnesium intake seems to increase the
risk of abnormal blood cholesterol levels as well as
increased secretion of insulin and development of the
metabolic syndrome (elevated blood pressure, blood sugar,
blood lipids, weight, and waist circumference), and these
together are felt to increase the risk of gallstones.
Magnesium deficiency is also associated with a higher risk
of inflammation, osteoporosis, heart disease and stroke.
Magnesium is
found in many foods including spinach, broccoli, nuts
(especially almonds), beans, whole grains and seafood.
High-fiber foods, dairy products, some meats, and chocolate
(yes!) also tend to be high in magnesium. Results from the
most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) suggested that many Americans were deficient in
their intake of this mineral; intake was lowest among older
folks. Once again, even though we may describe ourselves as
the "best fed" nation in the world, there are many
in our midst with nutrient deficiencies. Vitamin D, another
nutrient that many people don't get enough of, is needed to
help absorb magnesium (as well as calcium) from the gut.
Gallstones
are very common in the United States; NHANES suggested that
more than 20 million Americans have gallbladder disease.
There are a number of things that increase the risk of
gallbladder disease including:
-Genetics
and gender: Native Americans have one of the highest rates
in the United States. Women in general are at higher risk
than men, especially Hispanic women. Having a first-degree
relative with gallstones also adds to your risk.
-Age:
the highest incidence of gallstones occurs in adults between
the ages of 40 and 70.
-Obesity
and sudden weight loss.
-Diabetes
and elevated lipids.
-Lack
of exercise.
-Estrogen:
women who are pregnant are at higher risk; birth control
pills and estrogen replacement therapy after menopause also
increase risk.
But here's
the good news: besides magnesium, there are a number of
things that can protect you from gallbladder disease include
the following:
-Coffee:
2-4 cups of regular coffee per day has been shown to reduce
the incidence of gallbladder disease by up to 45 percent;
decaf coffee did not provide the same benefit.
-Vitamin
C: the NHANES study showed that women with the highest level
of vitamin C had a reduced risk of gallbladder disease.
-Vegetable
protein and healthy oils like olive and safflower oils also
seem protective.
In summary,
to reduce your risk of gallstones, consider the following:
-Eat
plenty of foods high in magnesium and vitamin C
-Go
for healthy oils instead of animal fats
-Increase
your intake of vegetable protein
-Exercise
regularly and maintain a healthy weight
-If
you lose weight, do so gradually
-If
the caffeine doesn't bother you, drink regular coffee every
day
-For
insurance, take a multivitamin with minerals every day that
has both vitamin C and magnesium.
