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GALLSTONES OR CHOLELITHIASIS
The definition of cholelithiasis:
solid crystalline precipitates in the BILIARY TRACT, usually formed in the GALLBLADDER. Gallstones, derived from the BILE, consist
mainly of calcium, cholesterol, or bilirubin. (italics
are mine)
The medical term for gall stones is cholelithiasis. Chole is from the Greek meaning "bile". Lithos is "stone"
and iasis is "condition of". So it is the condition of having bile stones. The usual center of gallstones
is a mixture of cholesterol, bilirubin and calcium. These stones can be black, red, white, green, or tan-colored.
The most common found during a flush is the pea-green color which contain the highest concentration of cholesterol
and are generally soft and easy to crumble. As the stones grow and become more numerous, they clog the tubing,
creating back pressure on the liver, causing it to make less bile. The back-up of bile can cause jaundice which
gives a yellow coloring to the skin and the whites of the eyes.
SYMPTOMS OF GALLSTONES
Symptoms of a gallbladder
attack are often caused by gallbladder stones. A stone may block the neck
of the gallbladder or get stuck in a bile duct inhibiting the flow of bile or possibly causing a backing up of
bile. However, short of causing an actual attack, stones may be present for years and never cause any symptoms
at all. "Biliary pain can occur in about a third of the gallstone patients" (which leaves two thirds
NOT experiencing pain) and "sometimes the gallstone symptoms are difficult to differentiate from that of dyspepsia."
(indigestion)3 The gallstones can impair the functioning of the gallbladder, however, which can result in any of
the common gallbladder symptoms.
Gallbladder symptoms can look and feel the same with or without
stones. That is why medical testing is so necessary for an accurate diagnosis. Someone will go into the emergency
room with a gallbladder attack and be told it's because he has gallstones. The person in the bed next to him also
has a gallbladder attack and has an inflammed gallbladder but no stones. A third person has an attack but they
can find nothing. This is not an uncommon question I get. "The diagnostic tests are all negative. What do
I do now? How do I get out of pain?" People are upset because they want a diagnosis. "But what am I supposed
to do with my pain if it comes back if the medical people don't know what to do with it?" Hey, lucky you!
At least they won't be wanting to cut your gallbladder out! This person is the best candidate for turning around
a gallbladder problem with natural products, treatments and diet.
Stones or no stones, my answer is that basically you treat
almost any gallbladder problem (life-treatening complications must be considered carefully and with your MD) pretty
much the same way, with diet, with bile thinning substances, with fat emulsifiers and metabolizers. And you work
on improving your overall digestion in general.
Gallstones are considered a gallbladder disease and for any
gallbladder problem or disease the above-mentioned principals are the same. For gallbladder stones specifically,
however, there are some products and foods that more directly affect the stones which can be found in the diet section and in the extra-strength gallbladder relief kit of gallbladder
products.
CAUSES OF GALLSTONES OR RISK FACTORS
- Overweight
- Rapid weight loss
- Estrogen intake and birth control pills(estrogen
increases the concentration of cholesterol in the bile)
- Diabetes
- Food Allergies
- Over age 40 and increase in risk as one ages
- Female especially those who have had children
- Ethnicity (Pima Indians and Mexican-Americans)
- High triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol,
decreased HDL cholesterol,
- Alcohol intake
- Family history of gallbladder disease (Heredity)
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs, immunosuppressive
drugs and others
- Diet high in saturated fats
- Diet high in refined foods and sugars
- Diet low in fiber (which is what the refined
diets are) and not enough egetables
- Very Low Calorie Diets
- Non-fat diets
- Low-fat diets
- Constipation
- Diseases such as chronic inflammatory bowel
disease, chrons disease (ulcerative colitis is contraversial) Hemolytic anemias
I am including here an abstract from the journal
"Medical Hypothesis" entitled "Alternative Treatment of Gallbladder Disease" because it enumerates
several causes of gallbladder disease and gallstones. Note that it mentions the primary ingredient in our recommended
gallstone kit's Gallbladder Detox, coin grass, or lysimanchia which is usually used as a tincture.
"Major risk factors for gallbladder disease
include a sedentary lifestyle and a diet rich in refined sugars. In genetically prone individuals, these two factors
lead to an abnormal bile composition, altered gut microflora, and hyperinsulinemia, with resulting gallstone formation.
As a large percentage of gallbladder patients have continued digestive complaints following cholecystectomy, the
author examines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments to counteract gallstone formation. Herbal
medicine such as turmeric, oregon grape, bupleurum, and coin grass may reduce gallbladder inflammation and relieve
liver congestion. Elimination of offending foods, not necessarily 'fatty' foods, is often successful and recommended
by many holistic physicians. Regular aerobic exercise has a beneficial effect on hyperinsulinemia, which is often
associated with gallbladder disease. Dietary changes that lower plasma insulin levels, such as a change in dietary
fats and substitution of unrefined carbohydrates for refined carbohydrates, may also be helpful."8
HOW GALLSTONES FORM
Stasis or stagnation of bile or incomplete emptying of the
gallbladder causes the bile to coagulate or precipitate and clump together into stones. The precurser to stones
will be what is termed "sludge".7 A more scientific explanation would be that cholesterol stones are
caused by the imbalance of cholesterol to bile salts, too much of one or not enough of the other. There can also
be too much bilirubin. So what good is that information? How can we control the too much of any of the above?
Useless, I say. The following research makes much more practical sense as far as we are concerned:
"Formation of pure cholesterol stones is
initiated by an excessive intake of highly purified carbohydrates, a large intake of animal fats and a restricted
intake of vegetable fibers. When the protein content of the lithogenic diet was reduced, mixed or combined stones
were formed in golden hamsters. These experimentally, dietarily produced gallstones had compositions and fine structures
similar to those of human gallstones. Some mentions were made of black stones which were found in the aged golden
hamsters fed with lithogenic diets." 4
Translation: Cholesterol stones are formed by eating a diet
high in refined foods, especially white foods -- sugar, white bread, pasta, pastries, sodas, etc., lots of meat
and by not eating enough vegetables. When the protein content of diet is low and just the sugars (refined carbohydrates)
are eaten, the calicified stones began to form along with the softer cholesterol ones. The
black stones that are sometimes passed during a flush or found in a surgically-removed gallbladder, seem to be
older stones that have been there for a long time. Lithogenic means contributing to the formation of stones.
There is also the medical opinion that some pharmaceutical
drugs may contribute to the formation of gallstones.5
MEDICAL TREATMENT
OF GALL STONES
Ursodiol is a natural occuring bile salt or bile acid. You
may have heard of Actigall. Actigall is one brand name for ursodiol. Although ursodiol has been FDA approved for
dissolving cholesterol gallstones and for the prevention of gallstones, since the introduction of the laparoscopy
gallbladder removal is the medical treatment of choice for gallstones. Surgery is quick; dissolving gallstones
with ursodiol or other bile salts takes a long time. And whether done via lithotripsy or bile acids, research shows
that 50% of the time the stones will come back.5 The same will be true for liver and gallbladder flushes too unless
dietary changes are made and fat digestion is improved. For discussion of common medical treatments for gallstones
such as gallbladder removal see links to medical sites.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT
OF GALLSTONES
Gallstones may be removed from the gallbladder by means of
a gallbladder
and liver flush. However, this is helpful with small stones and very difficult with
large ones. It is advisable to take natural products such as the Gallstone Kit to prepare
for a flush. The Lemon Tea Kit helps to emulsify fats and the limonene has been used successfully to dissolve gall
stones. These products along with dietary measures are important to both decrease the size of the gallstones and
to soften them first. I do not advise a flush until you have prepared for weeks (if your discomfort is severe)
or months (depending on the size and calcification of the stones). The importance of dietary changes cannot be
stressed enough and improving fat metabolism as well. Other treatments listed under how to prevent gallbladder
attacks may also be helpful for stones since anything that helps to thin the bile and get it moving is akin to
water flowing over pebbles. The faster it is moving, the more it wears them down.
PREVENTION
OF GALLSTONES
- Do not overeat
- Diet high in fiber - lots of vegetables
- Avoid refined carbohydrates (including sugar and white flour)
- Omega 3 oils and other polyunsaturated fats and monosaturated
fats such as olive oil, avocado, sunflower etc.
- Avoid saturated and trans fats
- Eat more polyunsaturated
- Eat moderate amounts of lean meats
- Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day
- Regular exercise
- Lose excess weight, but slowly
- Elimination diet for food allergies - cut out common allergens
such as wheat and all other grains containing gluten, and dairy
- Supplemental bile salts and bile thinning agents as found
in the gallbladder products. In particular I would suggest the Gallbladder Starter Kit to begin with and then the
Gallstone Kit. Individual products that are also helpful are Bile Salts and Phos Drops. The Lemon Tea Kit helps
to emulsify fats and research shows that limonene has been used successfully to dissolve gall stones.
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- GALLBLADDER STONES- DRAWING
Notice the Choledocholithias,
gallstones in the bile duct, in the picture.
(1)Torsoli A, Corazziari E, Habib FI, Cicala M. Scand J
Gastroenterol Suppl. 1990;175:52-7.
(2) The physicochemical basis of cholesterol gallstone
formation in man William H. Admirand and Donald M. Small 1Boston University Medical School, Department of Medicine,
Section of Gastroenterology, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
(3) Friedman GD. Natural history of asymptomatic and symptomatic gallstones. Am J Surg 1993; 165: 399-404.
(4) Nagase M, Hikasa Y, Tanimura H, Setoyama M, Kamata T, Mukaihara S, Maruyama K., Etiology of cholesterol gallstones.,
Gastroenterol Jpn. 1979;14(1):40-7
(5) Ruppin DC, Dowling RH.Is recurrence inevitable after gallstone dissolution by bile-acid treatment? Lancet.
1982 Jan 23;1(8265):181-5.
(6) Weinstein S, Lipsitz EC, Addoniziol L, et al. Cholelithiasis in paediatric cardiac
transplant patients on cyclosporin. J Pediatr Surg 1995;30:61-4.
(7) Carey MC.,Pathogenesis of gallstones.Recenti Prog Med. 1992 Jul-Aug;83(7-8):379-91
(8) M.M. Moga, Alternative treatment of gallbladder
disease,
Medical Hypothesis Volume 60, Issue 1, Pages 143-147 (January 2003)
(9)Igimi H, Tamura R, Toraishi K, Yamamoto
F, Kataoka A, Ikejiri Y, Hisatsugu T, Shimura H. Dig Dis Sci. 1991 Feb;36(2):200-8
Medical dissolution of gallstones. Clinical experience of d-limonene as a simple, safe, and effective solvent.
Shionogi Research Laboratories, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
(10,12) Hiroshi Tanimura and Yorninori Hikasa,
The Etiology and Pathophysiology of Cholelithiasis
Journal of Gastroenterology, Springer Japan ISSN0944-1174 (Print) 1435-5922 , Volume 10, Number 1 / March, 1975
(11)U. Leuschner, M. Leuschner, J. Sieratzki,
W. Kurtz and K. Hübner,Gallstone dissolution with ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with chronic active hepatitis
and two years follow-up
Springer Netherlands, Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Volume 30, Number 7 / July, 1985
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GALLSTONE KIT
3 Bottles GS Dissolve
1 Bottle Gallbladder Detox
The products in this kit can be ordered and used separately
to dissolve stones. Together they enhance the other to resolve the symptoms more quickly. The Lemon Tea Kit containing
d-limonene is also used to dissolve stones and can be combined successfully with these products. You can read more
information on the gallstone kit in the products section.
Other products helpful for gallstones are the gallbladder starter kit, the extra-strength gallbladder relief kit,
the gallbladder lemon tea kit, bile salts, d-limonene and peppermint oil capsules.
Gallstone Research
"Retained gallstones in the bile ducts
account for 60-70% of all the cases of postcholecystectomy syndromes. A solvent d-limonene preparation was injected
directly to the biliary system of 200 patients to dissolve or disintegrate the retained gallstones. The outcomes
were: retained stones completely disappeared in 96 cases (48%); partial dissolution in 29 (14.5%); chelating agent
was also used with partial dissolution in 16 (8%); ineffective in 59 (24.5%)."(9)
Igimi H, Tamura R, Toraishi K, Yamamoto F, Kataoka
A, Ikejiri Y, Hisatsugu T, Shimura H.
Dig Dis Sci. 1991 Feb;36(2):200-8
Medical dissolution of gallstones. Clinical experience of d-limonene as a simple, safe, and effective solvent.
Shionogi Research Laboratories, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
Bile Salts dissolve gallstones...
"Chenodeoxycholic acid"
(bile acid) "at a dose of 3 mg/kg per day inhibited the formation of cholesterol gallstones in animals and
a human female case whose stones had disappeared within 12 weeks by administration of chenodeoxycholic acid was
reported."10
Hiroshi Tanimura and Yorninori
Hikasa, The Etiology and Pathophysiology of Cholelithiasis
Journal of Gastroenterology, Springer Japan ISSN0944-1174 (Print) 1435-5922 , Volume 10, Number 1 / March, 1975
Bile Salts dissolve gallstones
again...
"Chemical dissolution
of cholesterol gallstones using ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in six patients… The stones dissolved in five patients…
A stone recurred in one patient six months after the end of therapy; the others have remained free of stones for
up to 24 months."11
U. Leuschner, M. Leuschner, J.
Sieratzki, W. Kurtz and K. Hübner,Gallstone dissolution with ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with chronic
active hepatitis and two years follow-up
Springer Netherlands, Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Volume 30, Number 7 / July, 1985
Butterfat contributes to gallstone formation...
"A 15% or 20% butterfat
diet as a large supply of saturated fatty acids induced a relative deficiency of EFA"(essential fatty acids)
"in animals, and we succeeded in producing cholesterol stones even in the starch diet group."12
Hiroshi Tanimura and Yorninori
Hikasa, The Etiology and Pathophysiology of Cholelithiasis
Journal of Gastroenterology, Springer Japan ISSN0944-1174 (Print) 1435-5922 , Volume 10, Number 1 / March, 1975
DO YOU KNOW
"Experts generally agree that there is no need to treat gallstones unless they cause symptoms, such as colics."
Falk Foundation website:
www.drfalkpharma.de
The Falk Foundation specializes in gastroenterological and hepatological diseases.
If you've had an attack and you don't want another
You need to get on some natural
products that thin the bile such as will be recommended when you submit your questionnaire.
You need to change your diet, especially your fats.
Order
my newsletters full of
tips that
will help you to turn your impaired fat
digestion and your gallbladder health
around.
You need to educate yourself and then
implement the concepts.
If dietary changes are difficult for you,
you will want to use the recommended
products that are specifically designed
to help your body to crave healthy
foods.
God bless you for this website. R. Smith
Day ten on the gall bladder starter kit and the pain is gone. Following the diet regime and taking the supplements
and the improvement is amazing. I appreciate all the advice on you website and in the emails and am changing my
lifestyle as directed. The results are most gratifying. You know your stuff and present it well. I am most appreciative.
TC, San Clemente, CA
I have had migraines on on the right side for years. Since I started your products they went away! J.W. |