The Gallbladder Lesson

For the past couple of years, I’ve had a glitchy gallbladder. I probably should have had it removed a while ago, but I kept thinking I could improve the situation with diet and some holistic options. As with many of my ideas, I was wrong. My gallbladder problems reached a dramatic crescendo, with me in an ER. I had to cancel an important business trip for the needed surgical removal of said organ as soon as possible.

As luck would have it, my doctor’s schedule and my schedule were not lining up. The surgery, which turned out to be not as urgent as originally assumed, would have to be put off for six weeks. The doctor let me know in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t very carefully monitor my diet, I would be back in the hospital and not feeling very well at all.

I’ve spent most of my adult life either talking about being on a diet or being on one. A few years ago, I committed to stopping both of these miserable paths. I found myself somewhat confused about feeding myself in a way that was both enjoyable and still good for me. It seemed that I often talked about eating to be healthy, but was actually eating to lose weight or eating to spite the years of dieting.

For the first time in my life, I actually had to eat in a way that was good for my body. I also wanted to eat in a way that was good for my soul. In other words, enjoyable. I honestly wasn’t sure where to begin. The doctor recommended lots of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and very little fat. I’ve eaten this way in the past, but only with the thought of losing weight and pretending to want to be healthy. This time I truly wanted to choose health and to also enjoy my meals.

Eating for Health Makes You Feel Better Physically and Emotionally

Who would have guessed that when one eats truly for health, incorporates fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and some decent recipes, one feels fabulous! This has been a shocking revelation. I’ve chosen foods that I like and that are actually good for me and I’m not tied to the outcome of losing weight. I’ve realized that I’ve either been dieting or actively sabotaging dieting, all while claiming to love my body as is. Turns out I was lying to myself and everyone else.

Food, body weight, body image, and eating have become land mines for so many of us. Every food has been, at one time, either labeled as good or bad. I know women who drink bone broth all day long. I know others who say, “Screw it” and go for burgers at every meal. Neither feels good either physically or emotionally. We are all a hot mess around our diets and it’s no easy task to change that.

My gallbladder is now gone and I’m free to eat what I’d like. I’m working hard at connecting to my body to feed it what it needs to feel good and enjoy what I’m eating. It’s clearly going to be an interesting adventure!

Love,

Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC