More than You Know!
Crystal Maceira
July – August 2022 • Vol 3, No 122
In the last issue, we talked about the liver and the 76 plus herbs we have on hand that can benefit the liver in some way. I only thought it fitting that we discuss its partner—the gallbladder.
The gallbladder is a small organ that is located just below the liver and to the right of the stomach. It is shaped like a pear with its stem pointing up to the liver. The gallbladder is about 5 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter. It has a smooth surface and is covered by a thin layer of mucous membrane. It stores bile which is produced by the liver. The bile helps in the digestion of fats and oils, and it is also responsible for the secretion of bile into the small intestine. The gallbladder can store up to a liter of bile at one time! The bile contains acids, enzymes, cholesterol and bilirubin.
When the gallbladder becomes full of bile, it sends a signal to the brain to tell it that the body has had enough bile. The signal causes the gallbladder to contract and release the contents into the duodenum. The bile flows through the bile ducts to the liver where it is processed before being reabsorbed into the blood stream. Let’s take a closer look at the three most common gallbladder disorders.
