untitled

liver and, ultimately, in the rest of the body as well.. This development is further exacerbated by one’s
intake of pharmaceutical drugs, normally broken down by the liver. The presence of gallstones prevents
their detoxification, which can cause “overdosing” and devastating side effects, even at normal doses. It
also means that the liver is at risk for damage from the breakdown products of the drugs on which it acts.
Alcohol that is not detoxified properly by the liver can seriously injure or destroy liver cells.
One of the liver’s most important functions is to produce bile, about 1–1.5 quarts per day. Liver bile
is a viscous yellow, brown or green fluid that is alkaline (versus acidic) and has a bitter taste. Without
sufficient bile, most commonly eaten foods remain undigested or partially digested. For example, to
enable the small intestines to digest and absorb fat and calcium from the food you eat, the food must first
combine with bile. When fat is not absorbed properly, it indicates that bile secretion is insufficient. The
undigested fat remains in the intestinal tract. When undigested fat reaches the colon along with other
waste products, bacteria break down some of the fat into fatty acids or excrete it with the stool. Since fat
is lighter than water, having fat in the stool may cause it to float. When fat is not absorbed, calcium is not
absorbed either, leaving the blood in a deficit. The blood subsequently takes its extra calcium from the
bones. Most bone density problems (osteoporosis) actually arise from insufficient bile secretion and poor
digestion of fats, rather than from not consuming enough calcium. Few medical practitioners are aware of
this fact and, hence, merely prescribe calcium supplements to their patients.
Apart from breaking down the fats in our food, bile also removes toxins from the liver. One of the
lesser known but extremely important functions of bile is to cleanse the intestines. Bile also stimulates
intestinal peristalsis, responsible for healthy, regular bowel movements. Poor peristalsis is a leading cause
of constipation.
When gallstones in the liver or gallbladder have critically impeded bile flow, the color of the stool
may be tan, orange-yellow, or pale as in clay, instead of the normal greenish-brown.
Gallstones are a direct product of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. If gallstones are still present in the
liver or gallbladder even after all other disease-causing factors are eliminated, they pose a considerable
health risk and may lead to illness and premature aging. For this reason, the subject of gallstones has been
included here as a major risk factor or cause of disease. The following sections describe some of the main
consequences of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder on the different organs and systems in the body.
When these stones are removed, the body as a whole can resume its normal, healthy activities.

When The Liver’s Bile Ducts Become Obstructed

The most common but rarely recognized health problem today is blockage of the liver’s bile ducts
through gallstones (Illustrations 4b & c). If you suffer any of the following symptoms, or similar
conditions, you most likely have numerous gallstones in your liver and gallbladder:

• Low appetite


• Food cravings


• Digestive disorders


• Diarrhea


• Constipation


• Clay-colored stool


• Hernia


• Flatulence


• Hemorrhoids
  
  
  • Dull pain on the right
    side
  
  
  • Difficulty breathing
  
  
  • Liver cirrhosis
  
  
  • Hepatitis
  
  
  • Most infections
  
  
  • High cholesterol
  
  
  • Pancreatitis
  
  
  • Heart disease
    
    
    • Brain disorders
    
    
    • Duodenal ulcers
    
    
    • Nausea and vomiting
    
    
    • A “bilious” or angry
      personality
    
    
    • Depression
    
    
    • Impotence
    
    
    • Other sexual problems
    
    
    • Prostate diseases