A diet with too little protein or too much refined carbohydrate prevents adequate bile production. Consequently, fats remain in large, undigested particles and the fat-soluble vitamins are left unabsorbed. Intestinal bacteria thrive on all the undigested food and cause the release of gas in the intestines. Some of the undigested fats combine with calcium and iron, preventing their absorption and creating hard stools, resulting in constipation. If uncorrected, this condition can cause anemia and osteoporosis.
Drugs, chemicals, or bacteria can cause an inflamed gallbladder. When the gallbladder becomes inflamed, the patient has severe pain in the upper right abdomen. This is accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting. This condition must be treated immediately. If left untreated, the inflammation of the gallbladder, called cholecystitis, can be life threatening.
Sometimes cholesterol or calcium crystallizes and combines with bile to form gallstones. Often a patient with gallstones will have no symptoms. It is when a stone blocks the bile passage that the characteristic symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and severe pain in the upper right abdominal region (that may radiate to the right shoulder or back) occur. These symptoms commonly occur a few hours after eating a heavy meal of fatty or fried foods. If the stone totally obstructs one of the bile passages, jaundice, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and itching of the skin may also occur. Gallstones are more frequently found in diabetics, obese persons, elderly people, and females who have borne children.
Royal Recommendations for Prevention and Treatment
1. If you are currently experiencing inflammation, avoid solid food. Drink only distilled or spring water for a few days. Then begin drinking juices such as apple, beet, or pear for a few more days. These help to cleanse the liver. After that, you may begin adding solid foods.
2. Increase your fluid intake to 6-8 glasses. This can be in the form of distilled, reverse osmosis, or spring water, vegetable juices, broth, and herb teas. Increased liquid helps to reduce the concentration of bile.
3. Avoid overeating in general. Obesity and gallbladder disease are related. (See “Obesity.”) Rapid weight change may also contribute to gallbladder problems.
4. Avoid processed foods (e.g., white flour products), refined foods (e.g., white sugar products), and deep-fried or greasy food. Increase your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Vegetable proteins, like soy, have been shown to be preventive against gallstone formation. Oat bran, guar gum, pectin, brown rice, and psyllium husk are good sources of fiber, which help to lower the cholesterol concentration of the bile and thus, reduce the risk of gallstone formation as well.
5. Surgery is not usually necessary unless a gallstone slips into the bile duct and blocks the bile draining from the gallbladder and the liver. Bile acid preparations are available to dissolve stone but work very slowly and can be used only on small stones.
6. Meat and dairy products are high in cholesterol and should be eaten in moderation. Coffee, alcohol, smoking (See “Smoking Addiction”), and sugar also raise cholesterol and should be minimized or avoided. Steroids, birth control pills, and diuretics are a few of the many drugs that elevate blood cholesterol and increase your risk of gallstone formation.
7. Some form of aerobic exercise is important because it increases the level of HDL, the “good cholesterol,” in your body. This can be as simple as walking, cycling, or swimming for 15 minutes a day, three days each week. Be sure that your exercise pulse increases by at least 10 beats over your resting pulse.
8. Check your food allergies. (See “Allergy—Food.”) At the very least, you can begin eliminating some of the common food allergens that have been found to increase the occurrence of gallbladder attacks (e.g., chicken, coffee, eggs, milk, onion, and pork). Eliminate sodas, junk food, and products containing food coloring and dyes as well.
9. Check your thyroid function by measuring your basal body temperature. This is done by placing a thermometer under your arm for 10 minutes before arising from bed on two consecutive days. For menstruating women, this is best done at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. The average basal body temperature should be greater than 97.8 degrees. If not, a trial of natural thyroid should be considered. (See “Hypothyroidism.”)
10. Consider an evaluation for free radical damage from environmental pollutants such as lead, aluminum, and arsenic. All of these can damage cell membranes and increase your cholesterol levels. (See “Chelation Therapy.”) Mercury should also be evaluated if you have amalgam fillings in your teeth. If elevated, heavy metal detoxification therapy is indicated.
11. While some medications are available for lowering blood cholesterol, these should only be used as a last resort. (See “Cholesterol.”) Many of them have serious side effects (such as liver damage) and must be closely monitored. If taking Niacin, or Vitamin B3, to lower cholesterol, you can slowly increase the dosage to 1-2 grams three times daily. Keep in mind that niacin normally causes flushing, but a tolerance to this can gradually be developed.
12. Supplements recommended are the antioxidants A, C, and E. Vitamin C is necessary for the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids. A deficiency of vitamin E has been shown to contribute to stone formation. B-vitamins (esp. B12, choline, and inositol) increase the body’s production of lecithin and also stimulate the emptying of the gallbladder. Lecithin aids in fat digestion. L-Methionine hastens removal of fat from the liver. Digestive enzymes, especially those containing lipase, can be particularly helpful in promoting a more complete breakdown of your food at mealtime. Ox bile is available and can also be taken with meals to aid in fat digestion. Unsaturated fatty acids, such as flax seed oil, have anti-inflammatory action and can offset the risk of excess saturated fats in the diet. Alfalfa is a known liver cleanser. Garlic helps lower cholesterol levels. Acidophilus should be included in your regimen to replace “friendly bacteria” in the digestive system.
13. Herbs known to be beneficial include barberry, catnip, dandelion, fennel, ginger, horsetail, parsley, peppermint, silymarin, tumeric, and wild yam.
14. Homeopathically, there is no specific treatment for high cholesterol. However, homeopathic Cholesterinum in 30X potency taken once daily may be of benefit. Low potency remedies (e.g., 3X, 6X, or 12X) to consider for the gallbladder and liver would be: Cardus Marianus (for inflammation of the gallbladder), Chelidonium (for right-sided abdominal or shoulder pain), Colocynthis (when experiencing cramp-like abdominal pains made better by bending over), Lycopodium (when increased flatulence and constipation are present), and Nux Vomica (when nausea and /or heartburn are present).
To learn more about healing and health optimizing therapies, go to www.NewHopeMedical.org or call NEW HOPE MEDICAL CENTER at (702) 476-0000 (direct line) or toll free (866) HEAL-NOW!