In 2012, gallbladder removal surgery was cited as the most common elective surgery performed in the United States.
Roughly ten years ago, I heard a lot about the gallbladder for the first time. I was around thirty then (yes, I’m sharing my age) and not yet working in the health field. I’ve always been interested in health, especially the nutritional aspect, but I hadn’t started my formal education yet. I was a salon owner at the time, and one of my clients told me he needed to take time off work for gallbladder removal surgery. That sounded strange to me. I didn’t know what functions the gallbladder played, but I also didn’t think the human body comes with any unnecessary body parts. If you’re a medical professional or health guru, you may be surprised at how naive I was. Still, when it comes to my lack of knowledge about one of my very own organs, I was probably in the majority!
Since those days, I’ve completed a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Education, Health Science, and Health Administration, and I’ve almost finished my master’s degree. I’ve been to numerous seminars about nutrition, and I continually pursue my own self study on nutritional topics. I blog, give talks, and offer one-on-one counseling with people who want to improve their health through nutrition. I was even inspired by the challenge of writing a book to help educate people about their bodies and nutrition. Through all of these endeavors, my guiding passion has been to spread the message that eating healthy is the key to being healthy.
I moved with my husband to Utah a few years ago and started working in our chiropractic and nutrition clinic. That’s when I was first awestruck by the staggering number of people who were undergoing gallbladder removal surgery (or cholecystectomies) every year—including pregnant women, young adults, and, sometimes, even children. Both concerned and curious, I began to research the topic from a nutrition standpoint.
My first impression was surprise at the lack of information about natural alternatives to gallbladder removal surgery. I was also interested in why nobody was promoting the valid reasons for why gallbladders are even worth saving. I first developed a health talk, but what I learned seemed so important that I decided I should write a book to get the information out and share it with as many people as possible. My husband, a chiropractic physician specializing in whole food nutrition, was completely supportive.
I enlisted his help, especially relying on his clinical experience with gallbladder nutrition. I also researched a number of scientific, peer-reviewed medical journals and was even able to incorporate my love of healthy food into the book. Wanting to make it interesting, educational, and applicable to everyday life, I include some recipes that incorporate foods associated with maintaining a healthy gallbladder. All in all, it’s an easy read that’s not bogged down with too much confusing medical terminology.
The end result is Gallbladder Matters, available from Selene River Press both in print and ebook editions. For anyone in the health field, or anyone personally affected by gallbladder removal surgery, and for their friends, loved-ones, or patients, this book makes a great gift and an important reference.
Selene River Press did a phenomenal job of turning our dream into a reality. Our hope is that Gallbladder Matters will be a life-changer as well as the first step in reducing the number of unnecessary gallbladder removal surgeries performed in this country every year.
Catherine has a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Education, Health Science, and Health Administration, and is almost finished with her master’s degree. She’s been to numerous seminars about nutrition, and continually pursues her own self study on nutritional topics. She blogs, give talks, and offers one-on-one counseling with people who want to improve their health through nutrition. She was even inspired by the challenge of writing a book to help educate people about their bodies and nutrition. Through all of these endeavors, her guiding passion has been to spread the message that eating healthy is the key to being healthy.
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