41. Your letters: Listeners Avoiding Surgery

In this episode, Miles Hassell, MD answers heartfelt listener letters about gallbladder disease and knee pain—sharing real-life stories of patients who successfully avoided major surgeries through lifestyle medicine. From tackling gallstones with diet and exercise to managing osteoarthritis without knee replacement, Dr. Hassell highlights how small, consistent changes—like removing sugar, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, incorporating probiotic foods, and staying active—can dramatically improve health outcomes. Key Takeaways: Gallbladder health: Slow weight loss, high-fiber foods (like beans, whole intact grains, and celery), healthy fats (like olive oil & egg yolks), and eliminating ultra-processed foods can reduce the need for surgery. Joint health: Motion is medicine—combined with diet, probiotics, and targeted supplements (gelatin, glucosamine, MSM, niacinamide), some people improve without joint replacement.  Check with a doctor before starting a supplement. Lifestyle first: Whether preventing or recovering from disease, nutrition, fitness, and weight management are powerful tools. Coffee lovers rejoice: Coffee itself is protective against gallbladder disease! Also make sure to check out episode 23: Osteoarthritis Unlocked        Get your copy of Good Food Great Medicine, 4th ed.: https://a.co/d/1D6hIYM More references can be found at www.GreatMed.org Would you like Dr. Hassell to answer your question on the air?  Contact us! Phone/text: 503-773-0770 e-mail: [email protected] EIN: 88-326-7056   Write us a letter.  We love to hear from you.  This podcast is sponsored by our generous listeners.    Send questions, comments, and support to: GreatMed.org 4804 NW Bethany Blvd., Suite I-2, #273 Portland OR 97229 #LifestyleMedicine #GallbladderHealth #JointHealth #PreventiveCare #WalkDontRunPodcast