The Gallbladder - Histamine Connection
Do you struggle with histamine intolerance? Do you also seem to get severe, unrelenting stomach pains that feel in the upper right stomach and radiate to your back? Do you get pain in your shoulder blade?
These are all symptoms of gallbladder pain and inflammation which can sometimes mean gallstones. Our gallbladder is not given enough credit for it’s long list of functions, some of which include helping to digest fats, remove fat soluble toxins and to help absorb fat soluble vitamins.
On several initial calls I have with women who are struggling with histamine intolerance, there is frequent complaints of either gallbladder pain which when investigated has no cause and they are told, "everything looks normal", or they’ve had their gallbladder removed for which no cause was found. I can relate to that as I went to the hospital due to severe gallbladder pain, was given Maalox and was sent home with no answers.
Another common complaint is difficulty digesting fat, having slow motility and having hypothyroidism and/or Hashimotos disease which are all connected to gallbladder health. The thyroid is intimately connected to our gallbladder and liver health since we must convert the inactive T4 to active T3 which is primarily the livers job.
So what is it that's impairing our gallbladder function which is causing an increase in histamine symptoms?
More often than not, it is mold found in your home, place of work (hospitals are big sources), schools and even our food. You don't have to see mold in order to be exposed. It can often hide in dry wall, under carpets, inside AC units and even in your car.
Our precious gallbladder uses bile to bind to fat soluble toxins and excrete them through our feces and urine. The problem though is 80-90% of bile gets "recycled" which means you can be recirculating these toxins over and over again. In addition, we know mold toxins actually turn off genes which control detoxification in our liver which simply means it's preventing your body from disposing of the toxins correctly which leads to a high mycotoxin load.
Mold toxins are one of the top sources of histamine intolerance symptoms for this very reason. Even mold exposure you may have had 10-20 years ago can still be affecting you or just starting to be affecting your health now because you've finally filled your "toxicity" bucket. Mold unfortunately does not go away on it's own and it requires specific binders and liver support in order to be properly removed from the body.
Many other toxins we're facing today are fat soluble which adds even more burden on the gallbladder to have to remove these. Some examples include parabens, phthalates, fluoride, flame retardants (in nearly all new furniture), car exhaust, and heavy metals. In addition, the liver/gallbladder bile duct is a very common place to have parasites such as liver flukes, which are a common cause of "mystery" gallbladder symptoms with no apparent cause.
Another example of how mold in foods can affect your gallbladder include aflatoxin which is a type of mold that commonly grows on peanuts and has been connected to gallbladder cancer.
So what can you do to start supporting your gallbladder if you are struggling with these symptoms?
Avoid processed foods, especially foods with processed omega 6 oils like canola, soy, cottonseed, grapeseed
Consume healthy fats like macadamia, coconut, avocado, olive, tallow, ghee
Eat bitter foods which help to stimulate bile flow including artichoke, dandelion greens, dandelion root tea, kale.
Use a bitters tincture prior to consuming a fatty meal to improve fat digestion and absorption.
Avoid excessive fasting or even intermittent fasting which can worsen slow bile flow. Instead eat regular meals with proportioned ratios of protein, fat, fiber and carbohydrates.
Use castor oil packs to support lymphatic flow, help purge the liver of parasites and support liver detoxification.
Run a mycotoxin test to check yourself for mold.
Get a home inspection or use an ERMI test to check your home for mold. If you suspect you're working in mold, go to your employer to have them test.
If you're a woman, check your hormone with a DUTCH test as it is very common to be estrogen dominance and to have issues with your gallbladder function. (Keep in mind, blood testing for hormones is NOT accurate, so if you are told your hormones are normal from a blood test- it is likely meaningless if you are having hormonal symptoms).
Consume enough bile supporting nutrients like choline and taurine.
If you've been wondering why you have issues with your gallbladder, digesting fat, suffer from hormone imbalances and/or struggle with histamine intolerance, a friendly reminder that everything in your body is connected and it is trying to tell you a story! Don't try to ignore your symptoms because that is your body's way of asking for help!
The gallbladder is not an "accessory" organ despite what you may have been told and it plays a valuable role in regulation of toxins, hormones and digestion. If you've been told you may need your gallbladder out, I encourage you to follow the steps above to begin regaining the health of your gallbladder back as most people are able to recover, even when presented with the only option as surgery.