Gallstones in the Liver: A Major Health Risk
Think of the liver as a large city with thousands of houses and streets. There are underground pipes for delivering water, oil, and gas. Sewage systems and garbage trucks remove the city’s waste products. Power lines deliver energy to the homes and businesses. Factories, transport systems, communication networks, and stores meet the daily requirements of the residents. The organization of city life is such that it can provide all that it needs for the continued existence of the population. But if a major strike, a power outage, a devastating earthquake, or a major act of terrorism, such as the one we witnessed in New York City on September 11, 2001, suddenly paralyzes city life, the population will begin to suffer serious shortcomings in all these vital sectors.
Like a city’s infrastructure, the liver has hundreds of different functions and is connected with every part of the body. Every moment of the day, it is involved in manufacturing, processing, and supplying vast amounts of nutrients. These nutrients feed the 60 to 100 trillion inhabitants (cells) of the body. Each cell is, in itself, a microscopic city of immense complexity, with billions of chemical reactions per second. To sustain the incredibly diverse activities of all the cells of the body without disruption, the liver must supply them with a constant stream of nutrients, enzymes, and hormones. With its intricate labyrinth of veins, ducts, and specialized cells, the liver needs to be completely unobstructed in order to maintain a problem-free production line and frictionless distribution system throughout the body.
The liver is the main organ responsible for distributing and maintaining the body’s “fuel” supply. Furthermore, its activities include the breaking down of complex chemicals and the synthesis of protein molecules. The liver acts as a cleansing device; it also deactivates hormones, alcohol, and medicinal drugs. Its task is to modify these biologically active substances so that they lose their potentially harmful effects—a process known as detoxification. Specialized cells in the liver’s blood vessels (Kupffer cells) mop up harmful elements and infectious organisms reaching the liver from the gut. The liver excretes the waste materials resulting from these actions via its bile duct network.
A healthy liver receives and filters 3 pints of blood per minute and produces 1 to 1.5 quarts of bile every day. This ensures that all the activities in the liver and in the rest of the body run smoothly and efficiently. Obstructive gallstones greatly undermine the liver’s ability to detoxify any externally supplied and internally generated harmful substances in the blood. These stones also prevent the liver from delivering the proper amounts of nutrients and energy to the right places in the body at the right time. This upsets the delicate balance in the body, known as “homeostasis,” thus leading to disruption of its systems and undue stress on its organs.
A clear example for such a disturbed balance is an increased concentration of the endocrine hormones estrogen and aldosterone in the blood. These hormones, produced in both men and women, are responsible for the correct amount of salt and water retention. When stones congest the gallbladder and the liver’s bile ducts, these hormones may not be broken down and detoxified sufficiently. Hence, their concentration in the blood rises to abnormal levels, causing tissue swelling and water retention. Most oncologists consider elevated estrogen levels to be the leading cause of breast cancer among women. In men, high levels of this hormone can lead to excessive development of breast tissue and weight gain.
Over 85 percent of the American population is overweight or obese. Men, women, and children in this condition suffer mainly from fluid retention (with relatively minor fat accumulation). The retained fluids help trap and neutralize noxious substances that the liver can no longer remove from the body. This helps the overweight or obese person to survive a major, possibly fatal, toxicity crisis such as a heart attack, septic poisoning, or massive infection. The side effect of fluid retention in the tissues, however, is that it causes these toxins and other harmful waste matter (metabolic waste and dead cell material) to accumulate in various parts of the body and further congest the pathways of circulation and elimination. Wherever in the body the storage capacity for toxins and waste is exceeded, symptoms of illness begin to occur.
Cleansing the liver and gallbladder from all accumulated stones (see Figures 1a and 1b) helps to restore homeostasis, balances weight, and sets the precondition for the body to heal itself. The liver flush is also one of the best precautionary measures you can take to protect yourself against nearly every kind of illness, known or unknown.
Figure 1a: Flushed-out gallstones
Figures 1b: Flushed-out gallstones
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
•Fatulence
•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
•Urinary problems
•Hormonal imbalances
•Menstrual and menopausal disorders
•Problems with vision
•Puffy eyes
•Any skin disorder
•Liver spots, especially those on the back of the hands and facial area
•Dizziness and fainting spells
•Loss of muscle tone
•Excessive weight or wasting
•Strong shoulder and back pain
•Pain at the top of a shoulder blade and/or between the shoulder blades
•Dark color under the eyes
•Morbid complexion
•Tongue that is glossy or coated in white or yellow
•Scoliosis
•Gout
•Frozen shoulder
•Stiff neck
•Asthma
•Headaches and migraines
•Tooth and gum problems
•Yellowness of the eyes and skin
•Sciatica
•Numbness and paralysis of the legs
•Joint diseases
•Knee problems
•Osteoporosis
•Obesity
•Chronic fatigue
•Kidney diseases
•Cancer
•Multiple Sclerosis and fibromayalgia
•Alzheimer’s disease
•Cold extremities
•Excessive heat and perspiration in the upper part of the body
•Very greasy hair and hair loss
•Cuts or wounds that keep bleeding and don’t want to heal
•Difficulty sleeping, insomnia
•Nightmares
•Stiffness of joints and muscles
•Hot and cold flashes
As already mentioned, one of the liver’s most important functions is to produce bile, about 1 to 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 deacidify and cleanse the intestines.
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 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 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.
Disorders of the Digestive System
The alimentary tract of the digestive system maintains the following four main activities: ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination. The alimentary canal begins in the mouth; leads through the thorax, abdomen, and pelvic region; and ends at the anus (see Figure 2). When you eat a meal, a series of digestive processes begin to take place. These can be divided into the mechanical breakdown of food through mastication (chewing) and the chemical breakdown of food through enzymes. These enzymes are present in the secretions produced by various glands of the digestive system.
Figure 2: The digestive system
Enzymes are minute chemical substances composed of proteins that cause or speed up chemical changes in other substances without themselves being changed. Digestive enzymes are contained in the saliva of the salivary glands of the mouth, the gastric juice in the stomach, the intestinal juice in the small intestine, the pancreatic juice in the pancreas, and the bile in the liver.
Absorption is the process by which tiny nutrient particles of digested food pass through the intestinal walls into the blood and lymph vessels, which help distribute them to the cells of the body.
The bowels eliminate as feces whatever food substances they cannot digest or absorb, such as the plant fiber cellulose. Fecal matter also contains bile, which carries the waste products resulting from the breakdown (catabolism) of red blood cells. Nearly one-third of the excreted fecal matter is made up of dead intestinal bacteria. The body can function smoothly and efficiently only if the bowel removes these daily-generated waste products every day.
Good health results when each of these major activities in the digestive system is balanced and well coordinated with the rest of the body. By contrast, abnormalities begin to arise in the digestive system as well as in other parts of the body when one or more of these functions becomes impaired. The presence of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder has a disruptive influence on the digestion and absorption of food, as well as on the body’s waste disposal system.
Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder are also responsible for most diseases of the mouth. The stones interfere with the digestion and absorption of food, which, in turn, forces waste products meant for elimination to remain in the intestinal tract. The storage of waste in the intestines creates a toxic, anaerobic environment that supports breeding of destructive germs and parasites and undermines preservation of healthy, resilient tissues.
Bacterial infection (thrush) and viral infection (herpes) in the mouth occur only when the intestines have accumulated considerable amounts of undigested waste matter. Destructive bacteria attempt to decompose some of the waste, but not without producing powerful toxins. Some of these toxins are absorbed into the blood and lymph fluids, which carry them to the liver. The rest of the toxins remain trapped in the intestines where they are a constant source of irritation to the intestinal lining (which begins in the mouth and ends in the anus). Eventually, the intestinal wall becomes inflamed and develops ulcerous lesions. The damaged intestinal tissue begins to “invite” more and more microbes to the scene of injury to help destroy and dispose of any weak and damaged cells. We call this “infection.”
Infection is a normal phenomenon seen everywhere in nature whenever there is something that needs to be decomposed. Bacteria never attack—that is, infect something that is as clean, vital, and healthy as a well-nourished fruit hanging on a tree. Only when the fruit becomes overripe, lacks nourishment, or falls to the ground can bacteria begin their clean-up job. While decomposing food or flesh, bacteria produce toxins. You can recognize these toxins by their unpleasant odor and acidic nature. The same occurs when bacteria act on improperly digested food in the intestines. If this situation takes place day after day and month after month, the resulting toxins will lead to symptoms of illness.
Thrush indicates the presence of large quantities of bacteria that have spread throughout the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract), including the mouth area. It shows up in the mouth because the mucus lining there is not as developed and resistant as in the lower parts of the GI tract. The main source of thrush, though, is in the intestines. Since the largest part of the immune system in the body is located in the mucus lining of the GI tract, thrush indicates a major weakness in the body’s general immunity to disease.
Herpes, which doctors consider a viral disease, is similar to thrush, with the exception that, instead of bacteria attacking the cell exterior, viral materials attack the nucleus, or cell interior. In both cases, the “attackers” target only weak and unhealthy cells—that is, cells that are already damaged or dysfunctional and are susceptible to mutate into cancerous cells. Added to this survival drama, gallstones can harbor quantities of bacteria and viruses, which escape the liver via the secreted bile and affect those parts of the body that are the least protected or already weakened. The thing to keep in mind is that germs do not infect the body unless it requires their help. The intestinal tract needs bile to keep itself neat and clean. Lack of bile in the intestines prevents this from happening. The next best solution to removing harmful waste matter is to employ destructive germs.
Gallstones can also lead to other problems in the mouth. They inhibit proper bile secretion, which, in turn, reduces appetite and secretions of saliva from the salivary glands in the mouth. Saliva is required to cleanse the mouth and keep its tissues soft and pliable. If not enough saliva is present, destructive bacteria begin to invade the mouth cavity. This can lead to tooth decay, gum destruction, and other tooth-related problems. However, to reiterate the previously made point, bacteria do not cause tooth decay. These germs are attracted only to those areas in the mouth that are already congested, undernourished, and acidified.
A bitter taste in the mouth is caused by bile that has regurgitated into the stomach and, from there, into the mouth. This condition occurs because of major intestinal congestion, as seen, for example, during bouts of constipation. Instead of properly moving downward and out of the body, parts of the intestinal content back up, which, in turn, may force bile, bacteria, gas, toxins, and other irritating substances into the upper regions of the GI tract. Bile in the mouth, for example, drastically alters the pH-value (acid-alkaline balance) of saliva, which inhibits its cleansing action and makes the mouth susceptible to infectious germs.
A mouth ulcer in the lower lip indicates a similar inflammatory process in the large intestine. A repeated occurrence of ulcers (in either one of the two corners of the mouth) points to the presence of duodenal ulcers (also see the following section, Diseases of the Stomach). Tongue ulcers, depending on their location, indicate pockets of inflammation in corresponding areas of the alimentary canal, such as the stomach, small intestine, appendix, or large intestine.
As already indicated, gallstones and subsequent digestive trouble can lead to regurgitation of bile and bile salts into the stomach. Such an occurrence adversely changes the composition of gastric juices and the amount of mucus generated in the stomach. The mucus is there to protect the surface stomach lining from the destructive effects of hydrochloric acid. The condition where this protective “shield” is broken or diminished is known as gastritis.
Gastritis can occur in acute or chronic form. When the surface cells (epithelium) of the stomach are exposed to acidic gastric juice, the cells absorb hydrogen ions. This increases their internal acidity, counterbalances their basic metabolic processes, and causes an inflammatory reaction. In more severe cases, there may be ulceration of the mucosa (peptic or gastric ulcer), bleeding, perforation of the stomach wall, and peritonitis, a condition that occurs when an ulcer erodes through the full thickness of the stomach or duodenum and their contents enter the peritoneal cavity.
Duodenal ulcers develop when acid leaving the stomach erodes the duodenum’s lining. In many cases, the acid production is unusually high. Eating too many foods that require strong acid secretions, as well as improper food combining (for more details see Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation by the author), often disturb balanced acid production. Esophageal reflux, commonly known as “heartburn,” is a condition in which stomach acid washes upward into the esophagus and causes irritation or injury to the delicate tissues lining the esophagus. Contrary to common opinion, this condition is not due to the stomach’s making too much hydrochloric acid, but due instead to back-flushing of waste, toxins, and bile from the intestines into the stomach. In many cases, heartburn results when the stomach makes too little hydrochloric acid, thereby forcing food to remain there far too long and to ferment. Taking antacids can further impair the digestion of foods and cause major damage to the stomach and the rest of the GI tract.
A number of other causes of gastritis and heartburn can be identified. They include overeating, consuming fried foods, excessive alcohol consumption, heavy cigarette smoking, drinking coffee every day, ingesting soda, eating large quantities of animal protein and animal fats, and subjecting oneself to x-radiation, cytotoxic drugs, aspirin, and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Food poisoning, highly spicy foods, iced beverages, dehydration, and emotional stress also cause gastric distress. All of these also cause gallstones in the liver and gallbladder, thereby starting off a vicious cycle and creating major disruptions throughout the GI tract. In the final event, malignant stomach tumors may be formed.
Most medical doctors now believe that a “bug” (H. pylori) causes stomach ulcers. Combating the bug with antibiotic drugs usually brings relief and stops the ulcer. Although the drug does not prevent the ulcer from returning after discontinuation, there is a high “recovery” rate. Still, such “recoveries” may cause side effects that are often serious.
The infection by the H. pylori bug is only possible because factors other than a normally harmless germ have already weakened and damaged the stomach cells. In a healthy stomach, the same bug turns out to be completely innocuous. Most of us have lived with this bug without ever being troubled by it. This brings up an important question: Why does the same bug cause an ulcer in some people and not in others? As mentioned before, gallstones in the liver and gallbladder can cause intestinal congestion and thereby lead to frequent back-flushing of bile and toxins into the stomach, which may injure an ever-increasing number of stomach cells. Antibiotics destroy the natural stomach flora, including those bacteria that normally help to break down damaged cells. Although the antibiotic approach results in a quick relief of symptoms, it also lowers stomach performance permanently, which sets up the body for more severe challenges than just dealing with an ulcer.[4] Shortcuts to healing rarely pay off. On the other hand, most stomach disorders disappear spontaneously when all existing gallstones are removed and a healthy diet and balanced lifestyle are followed regularly.
The pancreas is a small gland with its head lying in the curve of the duodenum. Its main duct joins the common bile duct to form what is known as the ampulla of the bile duct. The ampulla enters the duodenum at its midpoint. Apart from secreting the hormones insulin and glucagon, the pancreas produces pancreatic juice, which contains enzymes that digest carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. When the acidic contents from the stomach enter the duodenum, they combine with alkaline pancreatic juice and bile. This creates the proper acid-alkaline balance (pH-value) at which the pancreatic enzymes are most effective.
Gallstones in the liver or gallbladder cut bile secretions from the normal amount of one quart or more per day, to as little as one cup or less per day. This severely disrupts the digestive process, particularly when fats or fat-containing foods are consumed. Subsequently, the duodenal pH remains too low, which inhibits the action of pancreatic enzymes, as well as those secreted by the small intestine. The net result is that food is only partially digested. Improperly digested food that is saturated with the stomach’s hydrochloric acid can have a very irritating, caustic effect on the entire intestinal tract.
If a gallstone has moved from the gallbladder into the ampulla, where the common bile duct and the pancreatic ducts combine (see Figure 3), the release of pancreatic juice becomes obstructed and bile moves into the pancreas. This causes a number of protein-splitting pancreatic enzymes, which are normally activated only in the duodenum, to be activated while still in the pancreas. This makes these enzymes highly destructive. They begin to digest parts of the pancreatic tissue, which can lead to infection, suppuration, and local thrombosis. This condition is known as pancreatitis.
Gallstones obstructing the ampulla release bacteria, viruses, and toxins into the pancreas, which can cause further damage to pancreatic cells, and eventually lead to malignant tumors. The tumors occur mostly in the head of the pancreas, where they inhibit the flow of bile and pancreatic juice. This condition is often accompanied by jaundice (for more details see Diseases of the Liver below).
Gallstones in the liver, gallbladder, and ampulla may also be partly responsible for both types of diabetes: insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent. All patients of mine with diagnosed diabetes, including children, have had large quantities of stones in their liver. Each liver flush further improved their condition, provided that they followed a healthy daily regimen and diet void of animal products.[5]
Figure 3: Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder
The liver is the largest gland/organ in the body. It weighs up to three pounds, is suspended behind the ribs on the upper right side of the abdomen, and spans almost the entire width of the body. Being responsible for hundreds of different functions, it is also the most complex and active organ in the body.
Since the liver is in charge of processing, converting, distributing, and maintaining the body’s vital “fuel” supply (for example, nutrients and energy), anything that interferes with these functions must have a serious, detrimental impact on the health of the liver and the body as a whole. The strongest interference stems from the presence of gallstones.
Besides manufacturing cholesterol—an essential building material of organ cells, hormones, and bile—the liver also produces hormones and proteins that affect the way the body functions, grows, and heals. Furthermore, it makes new amino acids[6] and converts existing ones into proteins. These proteins are the main building blocks of the cells, hormones, neurotransmitters, genes, and so forth. Other essential functions of the liver include breaking down old, worn-out cells; recycling proteins and iron; and storing vitamins and nutrients. Gallstones are a hazard to all these vital tasks.
In addition to breaking down alcohol in the blood, the liver also detoxifies noxious substances, bacteria, parasites, and certain components of pharmaceutical drugs. It uses specific enzymes to convert waste or poisons into substances that can be safely removed from the body. In addition, the liver filters more than one quart of blood each minute. Most of the filtered waste products leave the liver via the bile stream. Gallstones obstructing the bile ducts lead to high levels of toxicity in the liver and, ultimately, to liver diseases. 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.
All liver diseases are preceded by extensive bile duct obstruction through gallstones. The gallstones distort the structural framework of the liver lobules (see Figures 3 and 4), which are the main units constituting the liver (which contains more than 50,000 such units). Subsequently, blood circulation to and from these lobules, and the cells of which they are composed, becomes increasingly difficult. In addition, the liver cells have to cut down bile production. Nerve fibers also become damaged. Prolonged suffocation due to the presence of stones eventually damages or destroys liver cells and their lobules. Fibrous tissue gradually replaces damaged cells, causing further obstruction and an increase in pressure on the liver’s blood vessels. If the regeneration of liver cells does not keep pace with this damage, liver cirrhosis is imminent. Liver cirrhosis usually leads to death.
Figure 4: A liver lobule
Liver failure occurs when cell suffocation destroys so many liver cells that the number of cells required to carry out the organ’s most important and vital functions is insufficient. Consequences of liver failure include drowsiness, confusion, shaking of hands tremor, drop in blood sugar, infection, kidney failure and fluid retention, uncontrolled bleeding, coma, and death. The capability of the liver to recover from major damage, though, is truly remarkable. Once the liver flush has removed all gallstones, and the afflicted person discontinues using alcohol and medicinal drugs, there usually are no significant long-term consequences, even though many of the liver cells may have been destroyed during the illness. When the cells grow again, they will do so in an ordered fashion that permits normal liver functions. This is possible because in liver failure (as opposed to liver cirrhosis) the basic structure of the liver has not been substantially compromised.
Acute hepatitis results when whole groups of liver cells begin to die off. Gallstones harbor large quantities of viral material, which can invade and infect liver cells, causing cell-degenerative changes. As gallstones increase in number and size, and as more cells become infected and die, entire lobules begin to collapse, and blood vessels begin to develop kinks. This greatly affects blood circulation to the remaining liver cells. The extent of the damage that these changes have on the liver and its overall performance largely depends on the degree of obstruction caused by the gallstones in the liver bile ducts. Cancer of the liver only occurs after many years of progressive occlusion of the liver bile ducts. This applies also to tumors in the liver that emanate from primary tumors in the GI tract, lungs, or breast.
Most liver infections (type A, type B, type non-A, and type non-B) occur when a certain number of liver lobules are congested with gallstones, which can even happen at a very early age. The now common practice of prematurely cutting or clamping the umbilical cord that connects a newborn baby with his mother, leaves the child with just two-thirds of its required blood volume, a lot of toxins normally filtered out by the placenta during the first hour after birth, and nearly no antibodies to protect it against disease. It usually takes at least 40 to 60 minutes before the umbilical cord stops throbbing completely. Cutting the cord too early constitutes an act of medical negligence that can affect the baby’s liver right from the start and set it up for gallstone formation even during childhood. This can subsequently lead to liver infections.
A healthy liver and immune system are perfectly able to destroy viral material, regardless of whether the virus has been picked up from the external environment or has entered the bloodstream in some other way. The majority of all people exposed to these viruses never fall ill. In fact, we all have most viruses that exist outside the body in our body right now. However, when large amounts of gallstones are present, the liver becomes congested and toxic, which turns it into a conducive environment for viral activity. Viruses are intracellular parasites that enter a host cell and take over the host’s cellular machinery to produce new viral particles (it also has been proved that viruses can be created from bacteria within the cells). But viruses don’t develop and attack cells randomly. Contrary to common belief, viruses tend to “hijack” the nuclei of the weakest and most damaged cells to prevent them from mutating. Not all viruses succeed, though, and liver cancer may result. Their presence in cancer cells should not be misconstrued to have cancer-producing effects.
Gallstones can harbor plenty of live viruses. Some of these viruses break free and enter the blood. This is known as chronic hepatitis. Nonviral infections of the liver may be triggered (not caused) by bacteria that spread from any of the bile ducts obstructed with gallstones.
The presence of gallstones in the bile ducts also impairs the liver cells’ ability to deal with toxic substances such as chloroform, cytotoxic drugs, anabolic steroids, alcohol, aspirin, fungi, food additives, and the like. When this occurs, the body develops hypersensitivity to these predictable toxic substances and to other unpredictable ones contained in numerous medicinal drugs. Many allergies stem from such conditions of hypersensitivity. For the same reason, there may also be a drastic increase in toxic side effects resulting from the intake of medicinal drugs, side effects that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or pharmaceutical companies may not even be aware of.
The most common form of jaundice results from gallstones being stuck in the bile duct leading to the duodenum, and/or from gallstones and fibrous tissue distorting the structural framework of the liver lobules. The movement of bile through the bile channels (canaliculi) is blocked, and the liver cells can no longer conjugate[7] and excrete bile pigment, known as bilirubin. Consequently, there is a buildup in the bloodstream of both bile and the substances from which it is made. As bilirubin begins to build up in the blood, it stains the skin. Bilirubin concentration in the blood may be three times above normal before a yellow coloration of both the skin and the conjunctiva of the eyes becomes apparent. Unconjugated bilirubin has a toxic effect on brain cells. A tumor in the head of the pancreas caused by bile duct congestion may also cause jaundice.
Diseases of the Gallbladder and Bile Ducts
The liver secretes bile, which passes via the two hepatic ducts into the common hepatic duct. The common hepatic duct runs for 1.5 inches before joining the cystic duct that connects it with the gallbladder. Liver bile continues its journey through the common bile duct into the intestinal tract, but most of it must first pass into the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped pouch that protrudes from the bile duct. It is attached to the posterior side of the liver (see Figure 5).
A normal gallbladder generally holds about 2 fluid ounces of bile. The bile stored in the gallbladder, however, has a different consistency than the bile found in the liver. In the gallbladder, most of the salt and water contained in the bile is reabsorbed, thus reducing its volume to a mere one- tenth of its original quantity. Bile salts (as opposed to regular salt) are not absorbed, though, which means their concentration is increased about tenfold. On the other hand, the gallbladder adds mucus to the bile, which turns it into a thick, mucus-like substance. Its high concentration makes bile the powerful digestive aid that it is.
The muscular walls of the gallbladder contract and eject bile when acidic foods and most protein foods enter the duodenum from the stomach. A more marked gallbladder activity is noted if food entering the duodenum contains a high proportion of fat. The body uses the bile salts contained in bile to emulsify the fat and facilitate its digestion. Once the bile salts have done their job and left the emulsified fat for intestinal absorption, they travel on down the intestine. Most of them are reabsorbed in the final section of the small intestine (ileum) and carried back to the liver. Once in the liver, the bile salts are collected again in the bile and secreted into the duodenum. Intestinal congestion sharply reduces the amount of bile salts needed for proper bile production and fat digestion. Diminished bile salt concentration in the bile causes gallstones, and leaves large amounts of fats undigested; this is hazardous to the intestinal environment.
Gallstones in the gallbladder may be made primarily of cholesterol, calcium, or pigments such as bilirubin. Cholesterol is the commonest component, but many of the stones are of mixed composition. Besides the above ingredients, gallstones may contain bile salts, water, and mucus, as well as toxins, bacteria, and, sometimes, dead parasites.
Figure 5: Location of the gallbladder
Typically, stones in the gallbladder keep growing in size for about eight years before noticeable symptoms begin to appear. Larger stones are generally calcified and can be detected easily through radiological means or by using ultrasound. Some 85 percent of the gallstones found in the gallbladder measure about ¾ inches across (see Figure 6a), although some can become as large as 2 to 3 inches across (see Figure 6b of a calcified gallstone; I personally examined and photographed this stone moments after my wife released it without any pain during her ninth liver flush; the stone emitted an extremely noxious odor unlike any I had ever come across). Such stones form when, for reasons explained in Chapter 3, bile in the gallbladder becomes too saturated and its unabsorbed constituents begin to harden.
Figure 6a: Gallstones in a dissected gallbladder
Figure 6b: A large calcified gallstone, passed painlessly
If a gallstone slips out of the gallbladder and becomes impacted in the cystic bile duct or common bile duct, there is very strong spasmodic contraction of the wall of the duct (see Figure 3). The contraction helps to move the stone onward. This causes severe pain, known as biliary colic, and is accompanied by considerable distension of the gallbladder. If the gallbladder is packed with gallstones, it can suffer extremely painful spasmodic muscle contractions.
Gallstones can cause irritation and inflammation of the lining of the gallbladder, as well as of the cystic and common bile ducts. This is a condition known as cholecystitis. There may also be superimposed microbial infection. It is quite common to encounter ulceration of the tissues between the gallbladder and the duodenum or colon, with fistula formation and fibrous adhesions.
Gallbladder disease generally originates in the liver. When the occurrence of gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver and, eventually, the development of fibrous tissue, distort the structure of liver lobules, venous blood pressure starts to rise in the portal vein. This, in turn, increases the blood pressure in the cystic vein, which drains venous blood from the gallbladder into the portal vein. The incomplete elimination of waste products through the cystic duct causes a backup of acidic waste in the tissues composing the gallbladder. This gradually reduces the stamina and performance of the gallbladder. Subsequently, the formation of mineralized gallstones is just a matter of time.
The small intestine is continuous with the stomach at the pyloric sphincter and has a length of 16–19 feet. It leads into the large intestine, which is about 3.5–5 feet long. The small intestine secretes intestinal juice to complete the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It also absorbs nutrient materials necessary for nourishing and maintaining the body and protects it against infection by microbes that have survived the antimicrobial action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
When acid food (chyme) from the stomach enters the duodenum, it combines first with bile and pancreatic juice, and then with intestinal juice. Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder drastically reduce the secretion of bile, which weakens the ability of pancreatic enzymes to digest carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This, in turn, prevents the small intestine from properly absorbing the nutrient components of these foods (such as monosaccharides from carbohydrates, amino acids from protein, and fatty acids and glycerol from fats). This incomplete absorption can lead to malnourishment and food cravings.
Since the presence of bile in the intestines is essential for the absorption of life-essential fats, calcium, and vitamin K, gallstones can lead to life-threatening diseases, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. The liver uses the fat-soluble vitamin K to produce the compounds responsible for the clotting of blood. In case of poor vitamin K absorption, hemorrhagic disease may result. The body cannot fully absorb this vitamin when a problem with the digestion of fat exists. The main cause of inadequate vitamin K absorption is an insufficient supply of bile, pancreatic lipase, and pancreatic fat. It stands to reason that following a low-fat or no-fat diet can actually endanger your life.
Calcium is essential for the hardening of bone and teeth, the coagulation of blood, and the mechanism of muscle contraction. Poor bile secretion can, therefore, undermine the uptake of calcium, a mineral the body requires for some of its most vital activities.
What applies to vitamin K also applies to all other fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, E, and D. The small intestine can only absorb vitamin A and carotene sufficiently if fat absorption is normal. If vitamin A absorption is insufficient, the epithelial cells become damaged. These cells form an essential part of all the organs, blood vessels, lymph vessels, and so on in the body. Vitamin A is also necessary to maintain healthy eyes and protect against or reduce microbial infection. Vitamin D is essential for calcification of bones and teeth.[8] It is of great importance to realize that supplementing these vitamins does not resolve the problem of deficiency.[9]
To sum up, without normal bile secretions, the body cannot digest and absorb enough of these vitamins, which, in turn, can cause considerable damage to the circulatory, lymphatic, and urinary systems.
Inadequately digested foods tend to ferment and putrefy in the small and large intestines. They attract a vast number of bacteria to help speed up the process of decomposition. The breakdown products are often very toxic, and so are the excretions produced by the bacteria. All of this strongly irritates the mucus lining, which is one of the body’s foremost defense lines against disease-causing agents. Regular exposure to these toxins impairs the body’s immune system, 60 percent of which is located in the intestines. Overburdened by a constant invasion of toxins, the small and large intestines may be afflicted with a number of disorders, including diarrhea, constipation, abdominal gas, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, hernias, polyps, dysentery, appendicitis, volvulus, and intussusceptions, as well as both benign and malignant tumors.
Ample bile flow maintains good digestion and absorption of food and has a strong cleansing action throughout the intestinal tract. Every part of the body depends on the basic nutrients made available through the digestive system, as well as the efficient removal of waste products from that system. Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder considerably disrupt both these vital processes. Therefore, they can be held accountable for most, if not all, of the different kinds of ailments that can afflict the body. Removal of gallstones helps to normalize the digestive and eliminative functions, improve cell metabolism, and maintain balance throughout the body.
Disorders of the Circulatory System
For descriptive reasons, I have divided the circulatory system into two main parts, the blood circulatory system and the lymphatic system. The blood circulatory system consists of the heart, which acts as a pump, and the blood vessels, through which the blood circulates.
The lymphatic system consists of lymph nodes and lymph vessels, through which colorless lymph flows. The body contains three times more lymph fluid than blood. Lymph takes up waste products from the cells, as well as cellular debris, and removes these from the body.
The lymphatic system is the primary circulatory system used by all immunological cells: macrophages, T-cells, B-cells, lymphocytes, and so forth. An obstruction-free lymphatic system is necessary to maintain strong immunity and homeostasis.
Heart attacks take more American lives than any other cause. Although it occurs suddenly, a heart attack is actually the final stage of an insidious disorder that has been years in the making. This disorder is known as coronary heart disease. Since the disease plunders mostly prosperous nations and rarely killed anyone before 1900, we have to hold our modern lifestyle, unnatural foods, and unbalanced eating habits responsible for today’s literally heartsick society. However, long before the heart begins to malfunction, the liver loses much of its major vitality and efficiency.
The liver influences the entire circulatory system, including the heart. In fact, the liver is the greatest protector of the heart. Under normal conditions, the liver thoroughly detoxifies and purifies venous blood that arrives via the portal vein from the abdominal part of the digestive system, the spleen, and the pancreas. In addition to breaking down alcohol, the liver detoxifies noxious substances, such as toxins produced by microbes. It also kills bacteria and parasites and neutralizes certain drug compounds with the help of specific enzymes. One of the liver’s most ingenious feats is to remove the nitrogenous portion of amino acids, since nitrogen is not required for the formation of new protein. It forms urea from this waste product. The urea ends up in the bloodstream and is excreted in the urine. The liver also breaks down the nucleoprotein (nucleus) of worn-out cells of the body. The byproduct of this process is uric acid, which is excreted with the urine as well.
The liver filters more than one quart of blood per minute, leaving only the acidic carbon dioxide for elimination through the lungs (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: The way the liver filters blood
After it is purified in the liver, the blood passes through the hepatic vein into the inferior vena cava, which takes it straight into the right side of the heart. From there the venous blood is carried to the lungs, where the interchange of gases takes place: carbon dioxide is excreted and oxygen absorbed. After leaving the lungs, the oxygenated blood passes into the left side of the heart. From there it is pumped into the aorta, which supplies all body tissues with oxygenated blood.
Gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver distort the basic framework of the lobules. Consequently, the blood vessels supplying these liver units develop kinks, which greatly reduces internal blood supply. Liver cells become damaged, and harmful cellular debris begins to enter the bloodstream. This further weakens the liver’s ability to detoxify the blood. As a result, more and more harmful substances are retained both in the liver and in the blood. A congested liver can obstruct the venous blood flow to the heart, leading to heart palpitations or even heart attacks. It is obvious that toxins that are not neutralized by the liver end up damaging the heart and blood vessel network.
Another consequence of this development is that proteins from dead cells (about 30 billion cells per day) and unused food proteins are not sufficiently broken down, which, in turn, raises protein concentrations in the blood. As a result, the body tries to store these proteins in the basal membranes of the blood vessel walls (further explanation of this scenario is provided below). Once the body’s storage capacity for protein is exhausted, any new proteins taken up by the blood remain trapped in the bloodstream. This can cause the number of red blood cells to increase, which raises the packed cell volume of the blood, called hemocrit, to abnormal levels. At the same time, the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood begins to increase, which may give rise to a red complexion of the skin, particularly in the face and chest. (Note: Hemoglobin is a complex protein that combines with oxygen in the lungs and transports it to all body cells.) As a result, the red blood cells become enlarged and are, therefore, too big to pass through the tiny vessels of the capillary network. Evidently, this causes the blood to become too thick and slow moving, thereby increasing its tendency toward clotting (platelets sticking together).
The formation of blood clots is considered to be the main risk factor for heart attack or stroke. Since fat has no clotting ability, this risk stems mainly from the high concentration of protein in the blood. Researchers have discovered that the sulphur-containing amino acid homocysteine (HC) promotes the tiny clots that initiate arterial damage and the catastrophic ones that precipitate most heart attacks and strokes (Ann Clin & Lab Sci 1991; Lancet 1981). Be aware that HC is up to forty times more predictive than cholesterol in assessing cardiovascular disease risk. HC results from the normal metabolism of the amino acid methionine—which is abundant in red meat, milk, and dairy products. High concentrations of protein in the blood hinder the continuously required distribution of important nutrients, especially water, glucose, and oxygen to the cells. Excessive amounts of proteins in the blood are also responsible for blood dehydration, that is, blood thickening—one of the leading causes of high blood pressure and heart disease. Furthermore, these proteins undermine complete elimination of basic metabolic waste products (see section below on Poor Circulation...). All these factors combined coerce the body to raise its blood pressure. This condition, which is commonly known as hypertension, reduces the life-endangering effect of blood thickening, to some extent. It also permits enough nutrient-rich blood to circulate through the congested body. However, this life-saving response to a life-threatening situation unduly stresses and damages the blood vessels. This may still be a better scenario, though, than the one that occurs when the blood pressure is lowered through medication. Leading health experts now recognize hypertensive drugs to be a major cause of congestive heart failure and other debilitating illnesses. Congestive heart failure is a progressive condition of “dying very slowly” whereby every small movement, every breath taken, and every word uttered take huge efforts, and the body becomes unable to perform even the simplest of tasks.
One of the body’s first and most efficient approaches for avoiding the danger of an imminent heart attack is to take excessive proteins out of the bloodstream and store them elsewhere, for the time being (see Figure 8).
Figure 8: The beginning stages of heart disease
The only place where protein can be accommodated in large quantities is the blood vessel network. The capillary walls are able to absorb most of the excessive, unused, or unusable protein. The body converts the soluble protein into collagen fiber, which is 100 percent protein, and stores it in the basal membrane of the blood vessel walls. The basal membrane has the capacity to increase its thickness by eight to ten times before its storage capacity for protein is exhausted. Storing proteins in the blood vessel walls also means that the body can no longer pass adequate amounts of oxygen, glucose, and other essential nutrients to the cells. The cells affected by such a “famine” may include those that make up the heart muscle. The result is heart muscle weakness and reduced performance of the heart. This, in turn, contributes to degenerative illnesses, including diabetes, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and cancer. Whenever the heart is affected, the entire body suffers.
Once the capillary walls have no space left to accommodate excessive protein, the basal membranes of the arteries themselves start taking up protein. The beneficial effect of this action is that the blood remains thin enough to avert the threat of a heart attack, at least for some time. Eventually, though, the very same tactic that prevents the threat of sudden death also damages the blood vessel walls. (Note: Only the more primary survival mechanisms of the body, such as the fight-or-flight response, the common cold, or diarrhea, are without significant side effects.) The inner lining of the arterial walls becomes rough and thick, like rust in a water pipe. Cracks, wounds, and lesions appear at various locations.
Smaller blood vessel injuries are dealt with by blood platelets. These tiny blood components release the hormone serotonin, which helps to constrict the blood vessels and reduce bleeding. However, larger wounds, as are typically found in diseased coronary arteries, cannot be sealed by platelets alone; they require the body’s more complex process of blood clotting. If a blood clot breaks loose, it can enter the heart and result in myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack. A clot that reaches the brain results in a stroke. A blood clot entering the opening of a pulmonary artery that delivers used blood to the lungs can be fatal.
To prevent this danger before it arises, the body uses an entire arsenal of first aid measures, including the release of the blood chemical lipoprotein 5 (LP5) and cholesterol. Owing to it sticky nature, LP5 works as a “Band-Aid” to create a firmer seal around the wounds and lesions within the arteries.
As a secondary but equally important rescue operation, the body attaches specific types of cholesterol to the injured areas of an artery (more on this in the section “High Cholesterol”). This acts as a more reliable bandage than LP5 can provide. Since cholesterol deposits still are not protection or fortification enough, extra connective tissue and smooth muscle cells begin to grow inside the blood vessel.
Called atherosclerotic plaques, these deposits can eventually block an artery completely, thereby severely obstructing the flow of blood to the heart. In response to this grave situation—unless interfered with through a bypass operation, angioplasty, or the insertion of a stent—the body makes its own bypasses by turning existing or new capillaries into small, blood-supplying arteries. Although this option is better than surgery, it still does not significantly reduce the danger of a heart attack.
Contrary to common assumption, a heart attack does not occur as a result of blood vessel obstruction, but rather because of blood clots and/or soft fragments of atherosclerotic deposits making their way into the heart. The blood clots and soft pieces of cholesterol implicated in triggering heart attacks are almost never released from the rock-hard structures of the more occluded sections of an artery, but tend to be released from newly created lesions and their protective cholesterol patches. For this reason, stent or bypass operations have neither reduced the incidence of heart attacks nor lowered the mortality rate from these attacks.
Although the gradual destruction of blood vessels, known as atherosclerosis, initially protects a person’s life against a heart attack caused by a blood clot, it is eventually also responsible for causing such an attack. Most forms of coronary heart disease can be reversed by cleansing the liver and by clearing out any existing protein deposits in the capillaries and arteries. (See Chapter 3.)
Cholesterol is an important building block of every cell in the body and is essential for all metabolic processes. It is particularly important in the production of nerve tissue, bile, and hormones. On the average, our body produces about half a gram to one gram of cholesterol per day, depending on how much of it the body needs at the time. The adult human body is able to produce 400 times more cholesterol per day than what it would obtain from eating 3.5 ounces of butter. The main cholesterol producers are the liver and the small intestine, in that order. Normally, they are able to release cholesterol directly into the bloodstream, where it is instantly tied to blood proteins. These proteins, which are called lipoproteins, are in charge of transporting the cholesterol to its numerous destinations. Three main types of lipoproteins are in charge of transporting cholesterol: low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL).
In comparison to HDL, which researchers privileged with the name “good” cholesterol, LDL and VLDL are both relatively large cholesterol molecules; in fact, they are the richest in cholesterol. There is good reason for their large size. Unlike their smaller cousin, which easily passes through blood vessel walls, the LDL and VLDL versions of cholesterol are meant to take a different pathway; they leave the bloodstream in the liver.
The blood vessels supplying the liver have a quite different structure than the ones supplying other parts of the body. They are known as sinusoids. Their unique, grid-like structure permits the liver cells to receive the entire blood content, including the larger cholesterol molecules. The liver cells rebuild the cholesterol and excrete it, along with bile, into the intestines. Once the cholesterol enters the intestines, it combines with fats, is absorbed by the lymph, and enters the blood, in that order. Gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver inhibit bile secretion and partially, or even completely, block the cholesterol’s escape route. Owing to backup pressure on the liver cells, bile production drops. Typically, a healthy liver produces over a quart of bile per day. When the major bile ducts are blocked, barely a cup of bile, or even less, will find its way to the intestines. This prevents much of the VLDL and LDL cholesterol from being excreted with the bile.
Gallstones in the liver bile ducts distort the structural framework of the liver lobules, which damages and congests the sinusoids. Deposits of excessive protein also close the grid holes of these blood vessels (see more detailed explanations in the previous section or in the book Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation). Whereas the “good” cholesterol HDL has small enough molecules to leave the bloodstream through ordinary capillaries, the larger LDL and VLDL molecules are more or less trapped in the blood. The result is that LDL and VLDL concentrations begin to rise in the blood to levels that seem potentially harmful to the body. Yet even this scenario is merely part of the body’s survival tactics. The body needs the extra cholesterol to patch up the increasing number of cracks and wounds that are formed because of the accumulation of excessive protein in the blood vessel walls. Eventually, though, even the life-saving “bad” cholesterol, which rushes to every wound or injured site in the body, cannot completely prevent blood clot formation in a coronary artery, in which event one of the escaping blood clots may enter the heart and cut off its oxygen supply.
In addition to this complication, reduced bile secretion impairs the digestion of food, particularly fats. Therefore, not enough cholesterol is available for basic cell metabolism. Since the liver cells no longer receive sufficient amounts of LDL and VLDL molecules, those liver cells assume that the blood is deficient in these types of cholesterol. This stimulates the liver cells to increase the production of cholesterol, further raising the levels of LDL and VLDL cholesterol in the blood. Hence, the “bad” cholesterol is trapped in the circulatory system because its escape routes, the bile ducts and the liver sinusoids, are blocked or damaged. The arteries attach as much of the “bad” cholesterol to their walls as they possibly can. Consequently, the arterial walls become rigid and hard, which is still better, though, than having all their wounds and lesions exposed to the gushing blood stream.
Coronary heart disease, regardless of whether it is caused by smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, overeating protein foods, stress, or any other factor, usually does not occur unless gallstones have impacted the bile ducts of the liver. Removing gallstones from the liver and gallbladder cannot only prevent a heart attack or stroke, but can also help reverse coronary heart disease and heart muscle damage. Cholesterol levels begin to normalize as the distorted and damaged liver lobules regenerate themselves.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) don’t bring the body back to a healthful condition in which the liver can normalize blood cholesterol. Instead, statins artificially lower the level of cholesterol in the blood by blocking the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for making cholesterol. However, by creating an artificial “cholesterol famine” in the liver, bile is not formed properly, which increases the risk of gallstones and hinders the proper digestion of food. The side effects of statins are numerous; they include kidney failure, liver disease, and yes, heart disease (for more information on statins see Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation).
Cholesterol is essential for the normal functioning of the immune system, particularly for the body’s response to the millions of cancer cells that every person’s body makes each day (the immune system tracks down these cells and kills them through a sophisticated arsenal of weaponry, including the drilling of holes into the cell walls and pumping of a fluid into the cell’s interior, causing them to burst and die; for more detailed information about what causes cancer and how to heal it, see Cancer Is Not A Disease – It’s A Survival Mechanism).
Despite all the health problems associated with high cholesterol levels, this important substance is not something we should try to eliminate from our bodies. Cholesterol does far more good than harm. The harm is generally symptomatic of other problems. I wish to emphasize, once again, that “bad” cholesterol only attaches itself to the walls of arteries to avert immediate heart trouble—not to cause it. The body has no intention to commit suicide, even if doctors like to imply this by the use of suppressive, intervening treatments.
The fact that cholesterol never attaches itself to the walls of veins should be part of the cholesterol discussion. When a doctor tests your cholesterol levels, she takes the blood sample from a vein, not from an artery. Because blood flow is much slower in veins than in arteries, cholesterol should obstruct veins much more readily than arteries, but it never does. There simply is no need for that. Why? Because there are no abrasions and tears in the lining of the vein that require patching up. Cholesterol only affixes itself to arteries in order to coat and cover the abrasions and protect the underlying tissue like a waterproof bandage. Veins do not absorb proteins in their basal membranes like capillaries and arteries do and, therefore, are not prone to this type of injury.
“Bad” cholesterol saves lives; it does not take lives. LDL allows the blood to flow through injured blood vessels without causing a life-endangering situation. The theory that high LDL is a major cause of coronary heart disease is unproved and unscientific. It has misled the population to believe that cholesterol is an enemy that has to be fought against and destroyed at all costs. Human studies have not shown a cause-and-effect relationship between cholesterol and heart disease. There are hundreds of studies that were intended to prove that such a relationship exists, but all they revealed was a statistical correlation between cholesterol and heart disease—quite fortunately, I might add. If there were no “bad” cholesterol molecules attaching themselves to injured arteries, we would have millions more deaths from heart attack than we already have. By contrast, dozens of conclusive studies have shown that the risk of heart disease increases significantly in people whose HDL levels decrease. It would be much wiser to find out what keeps HDL levels normal than to inhibit cholesterol production in the liver and thereby destroy this precious organ. Elevated LDL cholesterol is not a cause of heart disease; rather, it is a consequence of an unbalanced liver, of a congested, dehydrated circulatory system, and of a poor diet and lifestyle.
If your doctor has told you that lowering your cholesterol with statins will protect you against heart attacks, you have been grossly misled. The #1 prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine is Lipitor. I suggest that you read the following warning statement, issued on the official Lipitor web site:
“LIPITOR (atorvastatin calcium) is a prescription drug used with diet to lower cholesterol. LIPITOR is not for everyone, including those with liver disease or possible liver problems, and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. LIPITOR has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.”
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, entitled “Cholesterol and Mortality,” after age 50 there is no increased overall death rate associated with high cholesterol. The same study showed that for every 1 mg/dl drop in cholesterol in your body, your risk of death soared by a whopping 14 percent. In other words, taking statins can kill you.
My question is this: Why risk a patient’s health or life by giving him a drug that has no effect whatsoever in preventing the problem for which it is being prescribed? The reason why the lowering of cholesterol levels cannot prevent heart disease is that cholesterol does not cause heart disease. In a recent heart disease study,[10] lowering cholesterol levels was no longer part of the recommendations—but try to tell that to statin-prescribing doctors or drug makers!
The most important issue with regard to cholesterol is how efficiently a person’s body uses cholesterol and other fats. The body’s ability to digest, process, and utilize fats depends on how clear and unobstructed the bile ducts of the liver are. When bile flow is unrestricted and balanced, both the LDL level and the HDL level are balanced as well. Therefore, keeping the bile ducts open is one of the best things you can do to prevent coronary heart disease.
Poor Circulation, Enlargement of the Heart and Spleen, Varicose Veins, Lymph Congestion, Hormonal Imbalances
Gallstones in the liver may lead to poor circulation, enlargement of the heart and spleen, varicose veins, congested lymph vessels, and hormone imbalances. When gallstones have grown large enough to seriously distort the structural framework of the lobules (units) of the liver, blood flow through the liver becomes increasingly difficult. This not only raises the venous blood pressure in the liver, but also raises it in all the organs and areas of the body that drain used blood through their respective veins into the liver’s portal vein. Restricted blood flow in that portal vein causes congestion, particularly in the spleen, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, and small and large intestines. This can lead to an enlargement of these organs, to a reduction of their ability to remove cellular waste products, and to a clogging of their respective veins.
A varicose vein is one that is so dilated that the valves do not sufficiently close to prevent blood from flowing backward. Sustained pressure on the veins at the junction of the rectum and anus in the large intestine leads to the development of hemorrhoids, a type of varicose vein. Other common sites of varicose veins are the legs, the esophagus, and the scrotum. Dilation of veins and venules (small veins) can occur anywhere in the body. It always indicates an obstruction of blood flow.[11]
Poor blood flow through the liver always affects the heart. When the organs of the digestive system become weakened by an increase in venous pressure, they become congested and begin to accumulate harmful waste, including debris from cells that have been broken down. The spleen becomes enlarged while it is dealing with the extra workload associated with removing damaged or worn-out blood cells. This further slows blood circulation to and from the organs of the digestive system, which stresses the heart, raises blood pressure, and injures blood vessels. The right half of the heart, which receives venous blood via the inferior vena cava from the liver and all other parts below the lungs, becomes overloaded with toxic, sometimes infectious, material. This eventually causes enlargement, and possibly infection, of the right side of the heart.
Almost all types of heart disease have one thing in common: blood flow is being obstructed. But blood circulation does not become disrupted easily. It must be preceded by a major congestion of the bile ducts in the liver. Gallstones obstructing the bile ducts dramatically reduce or cut off the blood supply to the liver cells. Reduced blood flow through the liver affects the blood flow in the entire body, which, in turn, has a detrimental effect on the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system, which is closely linked with the immune system, helps to clear the body of harmful metabolic waste products, foreign material, and cell debris. All cells release metabolic waste products into, and take up nutrients from, a surrounding solution, called extracellular fluid or connective tissue. The degree of nourishment and efficiency of the cells depends on how swiftly and completely waste material is removed from the extracellular fluid. Since most waste products cannot pass directly into the blood for excretion, they accumulate in the extracellular fluid until they are removed and detoxified by the lymphatic system. The potentially harmful material is filtered and neutralized by lymph nodes that are strategically located throughout the body. One of the key functions of the lymphatic system is to keep the extracellular fluid clear of toxic substances, which makes this a system of utmost importance.
Poor circulation of blood in the body causes an overload of foreign, harmful waste matter in the extracellular tissues and, consequently, in the lymph vessels and lymph nodes as well. When lymph drainage slows down or becomes obstructed, the thymus gland, tonsils, and spleen start to deteriorate quite rapidly. These organs form an important part of the body’s system of purification and immunity. In addition, microbes harbored in gallstones can be a constant source of recurring infection in the body, which may render the lymphatic and immune systems ineffective against more serious infections, such as infectious mononucleosis, measles, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, syphilis, and the like.
Owing to restricted bile flow in the liver and gallbladder, the small intestine is restricted in its capacity to digest food properly. This permits substantial amounts of waste matter and poisonous substances, such as cadaverines and putrescines (breakdown products of putrefied food), to seep into the lymphatic ducts. These toxins, along with fats and proteins, enter the body’s largest lymph vessel, the thoracic duct, at the cysterna chyli. The cysterna chyli are dilated lymph vessels in the shape of sacks, situated in front of the first two lumbar vertebrae (see Figure 9) at the level of the belly button.
Toxins, antigens, and undigested proteins from animal sources, including fish, meat, eggs, and dairy foods, as well as leaked plasma proteins, cause these lymph sacks to swell and become inflamed. When the cells of an animal become damaged or die, which happens seconds after it is killed, its protein structures are broken down by cellular enzymes. These so-called “degenerate” proteins are useless for the body, and they become harmful unless they are promptly removed by the lymphatic system. Their presence usually invites enhanced microbial activity. Viruses, fungi, and bacteria feed on the pooled wastes. In some cases, allergic reactions occur.
When the cysterna chyli (lymph sacks) are overtaxed and congested, the lymphatic system is no longer able to sufficiently remove even the body’s own degenerate proteins (from worn-out cells). This results in lymph edema. While lying on the back, existing lymph edema can be felt as hard knots, sometimes as large as a fist, in the area of the belly button. These “rocks” are a major cause of middle and low back pain and abdominal swelling, and, in fact, of most symptoms of ill health. Many people who have grown a “tummy” consider this abdominal extension to be just a harmless nuisance or a natural part of aging. They don’t realize that they are breeding a living “time bomb” that may go off some day and injure vital parts of the body. Anyone with a bloated abdomen suffers from major lymph congestion.
Some 80 percent of the lymphatic system is associated with the intestines, making this area of the body the largest center of immune activity. This is no coincidence. The part of the body where most disease-causing agents are combated or generated is, in fact, the intestinal tract. Any lymph edema, or other kind of obstruction in this important part of the lymphatic system, can lead to potentially serious complications elsewhere in the body.
Wherever a lymph duct is obstructed, lymph has also accumulated at some distance from the obstruction. Consequently, the lymph nodes located in such an area can no longer adequately neutralize or detoxify the following things: dead and live phagocytes and their ingested microbes, worn-out tissue cells, cells damaged by disease, products of fermentation, pesticides in food, toxic antibodies contained in most plant foods, inhaled or otherwise ingested chemical particles, cells from malignant tumors, and the millions of cancer cells every healthy person generates each day. Incomplete destruction of these things can cause these lymph nodes to become inflamed, enlarged, and congested with blood. Infected material may enter the bloodstream, causing septic poisoning and acute illnesses. In most cases, though, the lymph blockage occurs slowly, without any symptoms other than swelling of the abdomen, hands, arms, feet, or ankles, or sometimes puffiness in the face and eyes. This is often referred to as “water retention,” a major precursor of chronic illness.
Continuous lymphatic obstruction usually leads to chronic health problems. Almost every chronic illness results from congestion in the cysterna chyli. Eventually, the thoracic duct, which drains the cysterna chyli, is overburdened by the constant influx of toxic material and becomes clogged up, too. The thoracic duct is linked with numerous other lymph ducts (see Figures 9 and 10) that empty their waste into the thoracic “sewer canal.”
Figure 9: Cysterna chyli and thoracic duct
Figure 10: Lymphatic system and lymph node
Since the thoracic duct has to remove nearly 85 percent of the body’s daily-generated cellular waste and other potentially hazardous material, a blockage there causes backing up of waste into other, more distant parts of the body.
When the daily-generated metabolic waste and cellular debris are not removed from an area in the body for a certain length of time, symptoms of disease start to manifest. The following are but a few typical examples of illness indicators that result directly from chronic, localized lymph congestion:
Obesity, cysts in the uterus or ovaries, enlargement of the prostate gland, rheumatism in the joints, enlargement of the left half of the heart, congestive heart failure, congested bronchi and lungs, swelling or enlargement of the neck area, stiffness in the neck and shoulders, backaches, headaches, migraines, dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears, earaches, deafness, dandruff, frequent colds, sinusitis, hay fever, certain types of asthma, thyroid enlargement, eye diseases, poor vision, swelling in the breasts, breast cancer, kidney problems, lower back pains, swelling of the legs and ankles, scoliosis, brain disorders, memory loss, stomach trouble, enlarged spleen, irritable bowel syndrome, hernia, polyps in the colon, and others.
The thoracic duct typically empties its detoxified waste contents into the left subclavian vein at the root of the neck. This vein enters the superior vena cava, which leads straight into the heart. In addition to blocking proper lymph drainage from the various organs or parts of the body, congestion in the cysterna chyli and thoracic duct permits toxic materials to be passed into the heart and heart arteries. This unduly stresses the heart. It also allows these toxins and disease-causing agents to enter the general circulation and spread to other parts of the body. Hardly a disease can be named that is not caused by lymphatic obstruction. Lymph blockage, in most cases, has its origin in a congested liver (the causes of gallstones in the liver will be discussed in the following chapter). In the extreme eventuality, lymphoma or cancer of the lymph may result, of which Hodgkin’s disease is the most common type.
When the circulatory system begins to malfunction because of gallstones in the liver, the endocrine system starts to be affected as well. The endocrine glands produce hormones that pass directly from the glandular cells into the bloodstream, where they influence bodily activity, growth, and nutrition. The glands most often affected by congestion are the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal cortex, ovaries, and testes. A more severely disrupted circulatory function leads to imbalanced hormone secretions by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas and the pineal and pituitary glands.Blood congestion, which is characterized by the thickening of the blood, prevents hormones from reaching their target places in the body in sufficient amounts and on time. Consequently, the glands go into hypersecretion (overproduction) of hormones.
When lymph drainage from the glands is inefficient, the glands themselves become congested. This brings about hyposecretion (lack) of hormones. Diseases related to imbalances of the thyroid gland include toxic goiter, Graves’ disease, cretinism, myxoedema, tumors of the thyroid, hypoparathyroidism. Thyroid disorders can also reduce calcium absorption and cause cataracts, as well as behavioral disorders and dementia. Poor calcium absorption, alone, is responsible for numerous diseases, including osteoporosis (loss of bone density). If circulatory problems disrupt the secretion of balanced amounts of insulin in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, diabetes may develop.
Gallstones in the liver can cause liver cells to cut down protein synthesis. Reduced protein synthesis, in turn, prompts the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol, a hormone that stimulates protein synthesis. Too much cortisol in the blood gives rise to atrophy of lymphoid tissue and a depressed immune response, which is considered the leading cause of cancer and many other major illnesses.
An imbalance in the secretion of adrenal hormones can cause a wide variety of disorders, as it leads to weakened febrile response (fever) and diminished protein synthesis. Proteins are the major building blocks for tissue cells, hormones, and so forth. The liver is capable of producing many different hormones. Hormones determine how well the body grows and heals.
The liver also inhibits certain hormones, including insulin, glucagon, cortisol, aldosterone, thyroid, and sex hormones. Gallstones in the liver impair this vital function, which may increase hormone concentrations in the blood. Hormone imbalance is an extremely serious condition and can easily occur when gallstones in the liver have disrupted major circulatory pathways that are also hormonal pathways. For example, by failing to keep blood cortisol levels balanced, a person may accumulate excessive amounts of fat in the body. If estrogens are not broken down properly, the risk of breast cancer increases. If blood insulin is not broken down properly, the risk of cancer rises, and the cells in the body may become resistant to insulin, which is a major precursor of diabetes.
Disease is naturally absent when blood flow and lymph flow are both unhindered and normal. Both types of problems—circulatory and lymphatic—can be successfully eliminated through a series of liver flushes and prevented by following a balanced diet and lifestyle.
Disorders of the Respiratory System
Both mental and physical health depend on the effectiveness and vitality of the cells in the body. The cells of the body derive most of their energy from chemical reactions that take place in the presence of oxygen. One of the resultant waste products is carbon dioxide. The respiratory system provides the routes by which oxygen is taken into the body and carbon dioxide is excreted. Blood serves as the transport system for the exchange of these gases between the lungs and the cells.
Gallstones in the liver can impair respiratory functions and cause allergies, disorders of the nose and nasal cavities, and diseases of the bronchi and lungs. When gallstones distort or injure the lobules (units) of the liver, the blood-cleansing ability of the liver, small intestine, lymphatic system, and immune system diminishes. Waste material and toxic substances, normally rendered harmless by these organs and systems, now begin to seep into the heart, lungs, bronchi, and other respiratory passages. Constant exposure to these irritating agents lowers the resistance of the respiratory system to them. Lymph congestion in the abdominal region, particularly in the cysterna chyli and thoracic duct, hampers proper lymphatic drainage from the respiratory organs. Most respiratory ailments occur because of such lymph blockages.
Pneumonia results when protective measures fail to prevent inhaled or blood-borne microbes from reaching and colonizing the lungs. Gallstones harbor harmful microbes, as well as highly toxic, irritating material that can enter the blood via areas in the liver that are damaged by the presence of gallstones. Gallstones are a constant source of immune suppression, which leaves the body, and particularly the upper respiratory tract, susceptible to both internal and external disease-triggering factors. These include both blood-borne and airborne microbes (believed to cause pneumonia), cigarette smoke, alcohol, x-rays, corticosteroids, allergens, antigens, common pollutants, waste matter from the GI tract, and the like.
Further respiratory complications arise when handfuls of gallstones that have accumulated in the liver bile ducts lead to liver enlargement. The liver, situated in the upper abdominal cavity, spans almost the entire width of the body. Its upper and anterior surfaces are smooth and shaped to fit under the surface of the diaphragm. When enlarged, the liver obstructs the movement of the diaphragm and prevents the lungs from extending to their normal capacity during inhalation. By contrast, a smooth, healthy liver permits the lungs to easily extend into the abdominal region, which puts pressure on the abdomen and squeezes the lymph and blood vessels to force lymph and blood toward the heart. This breathing mechanism is often called “belly breathing,” and it can be seen in healthy babies, especially. An enlarged liver prevents the full extension of the diaphragm and lungs, which causes reduced exchange of gases in the lungs, lymphatic congestion, and the retention of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the lungs. The restricted uptake of oxygen negatively affects cellular functions throughout the body.
Most people in the industrialized world have an enlarged liver, especially those who are overweight or obese. What doctors generally consider a “normal-sized” liver is actually oversize. Once all gallstones are removed through a series of liver flushes, the liver can gradually return to its original size.
Almost all diseases of the lungs, bronchi, and upper respiratory passages are either caused or worsened by gallstones in the liver and can be improved or eliminated by removing these stones through liver cleansing.
Disorders of the Urinary System
The urinary system is an extremely important excretory system of the body. It consists of the following: two kidneys, which form and excrete urine; two ureters, which convey the urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder; a urinary bladder, where urine collects and is temporarily stored; and a urethra, through which urine passes from the urinary bladder to the exterior of the body (see Figure 11).
Smooth functioning of the urinary system is essential for maintaining an appropriate fluid volume by regulating the amount of water that is excreted in the urine. Other aspects of its function include regulating the concentrations of various electrolytes in the body fluids and maintaining normal pH (acids-alkalis balance) of the blood. This system is also involved in the disposal of waste products resulting from the breakdown (catabolism) of cell protein in the liver, for example.
Figure 11: The urinary system
Most diseases of the kidneys and other parts of the urinary system are related to an imbalance of the simple filtration system in the kidneys. About 26 to 40 gallons of dilute filtrate are formed each day by the two kidneys. Of these, only 34 to 52 ounces are excreted as urine (the rest is absorbed and recirculated). With the exception of blood cells, platelets, and blood proteins, all other blood constituents must pass through the kidneys. The process of filtration is disrupted and weakened when the digestive system—and in particular, the liver—perform poorly.
Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder reduce the amount of bile that the liver is able to produce. Thus, it becomes impossible to digest food properly. Much of the undigested food begins to ferment and putrefy, leaving toxic waste matter in the blood and lymph. The body’s normal excretions, such as urine, sweat, gases, and feces, do not usually contain disease-generating waste products; that is, of course, for as long as the passages of elimination remain clear and unobstructed.
Disease-causing agents consist of tiny molecules that appear in the blood and lymph. They are visible only through powerful electron microscopes. These molecules have a strong acidifying effect on the blood. To avoid a life-threatening disease or coma, the blood must rid itself of these minute toxins. Accordingly, it dumps these unwanted intruders into the connective tissue of the organs. The connective tissue consists of a gel-like fluid (lymph) that surrounds all cells. The cells are “bathed” in this connective tissue. Under normal circumstances, the body knows how to deal with acidic waste material that has been dumped into the connective tissue. It releases an alkaline product, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), into the blood that is able to retrieve the acidic toxins, neutralize them, and then eliminate them through the excretory organs. This emergency system, though, begins to fail when toxins are deposited faster than they can be retrieved and eliminated. As a result, the connective tissue may become as thick as jelly. Nutrients, water, and oxygen can no longer pass freely, and the cells of the organs begin to suffer malnutrition, dehydration, and oxygen deficiency.
Some of the most acidic compounds are proteins from animal foods. Gallstones inhibit the liver’s ability to break down these proteins. Excessive proteins are “temporarily” stored in the connective tissues and then converted into collagen fiber. The collagen fiber is built into the basal membranes of the capillary walls. The basal membranes may become up to ten times as thick as normal. A similar situation occurs in the arteries. As the blood vessel walls become increasingly congested, fewer proteins are able to escape the bloodstream. This leads to blood thickening, making it more and more difficult for the kidneys to filter. At the same time, the basal membranes of the blood vessels supplying the kidneys also become congested, making them harder and more rigid. As the process of hardening of the blood vessels progresses further, blood pressure starts to rise and overall kidney performance drops. More and more of the metabolic waste products excreted by the kidney cells, which would normally be eliminated via venous blood vessels and lymphatic ducts, are now retained and adversely affect the performance of the kidneys even further.
Through all this, the kidneys become overburdened and can no longer maintain normal fluid and electrolyte balances in the body. In addition, urinary components may precipitate and form into crystals and stones of various types and sizes (see Figure 12a). Uric acid stones, for example, are formed when uric acid concentration in the urine exceeds 2 to 4 mg percent. This amount was considered within the range of tolerance until the mid-1960s, when it was adjusted upward. Uric acid is a by-product of the breakdown of protein in the liver. Since meat consumption rose sharply in that decade, the “within the norm” level was adjusted to 7.5 mg percent. This adjustment, however, does not make uric acid any less harmful to the body. Stones formed from excessive uric acid concentrations of 4 mg percent and higher (also see “Bladder stones” in Figure 12b) can lead to urinary obstruction, kidney infection, and, eventually, kidney failure.
As kidney cells become increasingly deprived of vital nutrients, including oxygen, malignant tumors may develop. In addition, uric acid crystals that are not eliminated by the kidneys can settle in the joints and cause rheumatism, gout, and water retention.
Symptoms of impending kidney trouble are often deceptively mild in comparison to the potential severity of kidney disease. The most observable and common symptoms of kidney problems are abnormal changes in the volume, frequency, and coloration of the urine. These are usually accompanied by swelling of the eyes, face, and ankles, as well as pain in the upper and lower back. If the disease has progressed further, there may be blurred vision, tiredness, declined performance, and nausea. The following symptoms may also indicate malfunctioning of the kidneys: high blood pressure, low blood pressure, pain moving from the upper to lower abdomen, dark-brown urine, pain in the back just above the waist, excessive thirst, increase in urination (especially during the night), less than 500 ml of urine per day, a feeling of fullness in the bladder, pain while passing urine, drier and browner skin pigment, ankles being puffy at night, eyes being puffy in morning, bruising, and hemorrhaging.
All major diseases of the urinary system are caused by toxic blood; in other words, by blood filled with tiny molecules of waste material and excessive proteins. Gallstones in the liver impair digestion, cause blood and lymph congestion, and disrupt the entire circulatory system, including that of the urinary system.
Figure 12a: Kidney stones embedded in kidney
Figure 12b: Bladder stones
When the gallstones are removed, the urinary system has a chance to recuperate, rid itself of accumulated toxins and stones, and maintain fluid balance and normal blood pressure. This is necessary for all the processes in the body to run smoothly and efficiently. There may also be a strong need to cleanse the kidneys, in addition to the liver and gallbladder (see The Kidney Cleanse, section 3 of Chapter 5).
Disorders of the Nervous System
Our entire lives are dictated by the way we feel. Our persona, the way we carry ourselves, our interactions with other people, our moods, cravings, patience and tolerance levels, and our reactions to life’s occurrences—all are strongly influenced by the condition of our nervous system. In today’s fast-paced world, we are exposed to a variety of conditions that wreak havoc on our bodies. The brain is the control center of the body, and unless it receives proper nourishment, your entire physical and emotional being can easily become chaotic.
Brain cells are normally easily capable of manufacturing the huge number of chemicals they need for the complex tasks they must perform, day after day, year after year. However, their life support depends on the continuous supply of nutrients necessary to produce those chemicals. Modern intensive agriculture has nearly depleted farm soil of all its basic nutrients (see Take Ionic Essential Minerals, section 5 in Chapter 5). Although this has certainly added to the nutritional deficiencies so prevalent among the populations in industrialized nations, most nutrient deficiencies actually occur as a result of poor performance of the digestive system and, particularly, of the liver. Lack of such nutrients can hinder the ability of our brains to manufacture the chemicals they need to function efficiently.
The brain can operate for quite some time with substandard amounts of nutrients, but the price one pays includes poor health, fatigue, lack of energy, mood swings, depression, sickness, aches and pains, and general discomfort. Some deficiencies manifest in mental disease, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s.
The health of the nervous system, which includes the brain, the spinal cord, pairs of spinal and cranial nerves, and autonomic functions, largely depends on the quality of the blood. Blood is composed of plasma (a straw-colored transparent fluid) and cells. The constituents of plasma are water, plasma proteins, mineral salts, hormones, vitamins, nutrient materials, organic waste products, antibodies, and gases. There are three varieties of blood cells: white cells (leukocytes), red cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). Any abnormal changes in the blood affect the nervous system as well as the rest of the body.
All three types of blood cells are formed in the red bone marrow, which is nourished and maintained by the nutrients supplied by the digestive system. Gallstones in the liver interfere with the digestion and assimilation of food, which fills the plasma of the blood with excessive waste material and reduces nutrient supplies to the red bone marrow. This, in turn, upsets the balance of blood cell constituents, disrupts hormonal pathways, and causes abnormal responses in the nervous system. Most diseases afflicting the nervous system are rooted in improperly formed blood, brought about by a dysfunctional liver and subsequent waste accumulation in the intestinal tract.
Each of the numerous functions of the liver has a direct influence on the nervous system, particularly the brain. The liver cells convert glycogen (complex sugar) into glucose, which, besides oxygen and water, serves as the most important nutrient for the nervous system. Glucose covers most of that system’s energy requirements.
The brain, although it constitutes only one-fiftieth of the body’s weight, contains about one-fifth of the total blood volume in the body. It uses up vast amounts of glucose. Gallstones in the liver drastically reduce glucose supplies to the brain and the rest of the nervous system. This, in turn, can affect the performance of the organs, senses, and mind. At the early stages of imbalance, a person may develop food cravings, particularly for sweet or starchy foods, and experience frequent mood swings or emotional stress.
There are other, even more serious problems arising from occurrence of gallstones in the liver. The liver forms the plasma proteins and most of the blood-clotting factors from the body’s amino acid pool. Occurrence of gallstones in the bile ducts of the liver increasingly inhibits this important function. When the production of clotting factors drops, platelet count drops, too, and there may be spontaneous capillary bleeding or hemorrhagic disease. If a hemorrhage occurs in the brain, it may cause destruction of brain tissue, paralysis, or death. The severity of the bleeding may be determined by such variable triggers as hypertension and alcohol abuse. Platelet counts also drop when the production of new cells does not keep pace with the destruction of damaged or worn-out cells; this occurs when gallstones cut off the blood supply to the liver cells.
Vitamin K is another element essential for the synthesis of major clotting factors. It is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in the liver. To absorb fats in the intestines, the body requires bile salts that are made available through bile secretions. Gallstones in the liver and gallbladder obstruct bile flow, which leads to inadequate fat absorption and subsequent vitamin K deficiency.
As discussed earlier, gallstones in the liver can lead to disorders of the vascular system. When the blood undergoes changes and becomes too thick, blood vessels begin to harden and become damaged. If a blood clot forms in an injured artery, a piece of that blood clot (embolus) may lodge in a small artery distant from the injury and obstruct the blood flow, causing ischemia and infarction. If the infarction occurs in a brain artery, it is called a stroke.
All circulatory disturbances affect the brain and the rest of the nervous system. The disruption of liver functions particularly affects astrocytes—cells that form the main supporting tissue of the central nervous system. This condition is characterized by apathy, disorientation, brain fog, delirium, muscular rigidity, and coma. Nitrogenous bacterial waste absorbed from the colon, unless detoxified by the liver, may reach the brain cells via the blood. Other metabolic waste products, such as ammonia, may reach toxic concentrations and change the permeability of the blood vessels in the brain, thus reducing the effectiveness of the blood-brain barrier. This may permit various noxious substances to enter the brain and cause further damage. If a large number of neurons of the brain no longer receive enough nourishment, there is atrophy of neural tissue, which leads to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. When a certain class of neurons that are responsible for producing the brain hormone and neurotransmitter dopamine suffer malnourishment, Parkinson’s disease results. Repeated exposure to certain environmental or internally produced toxins can also be responsible.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs when the cells that produce myelin (a sheath of fatty material that surrounds most axons of nerve cells) suffer malnutrition and insufficient lymph drainage. The myelin sheath diminishes, and axons become injured. MS patients always suffer from progressive congestion in the large intestine; this prevents proper nutrient absorption. Cleansing the eliminative organs and improving nutrition are among the most powerful approaches to halt and possibly reverse MS.
The liver controls the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fatty substances throughout the body. Gallstones interfere with fat metabolism and affect cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol is an essential building block of all our body cells and is needed for every metabolic process. Our brains consist of more than 10 percent pure cholesterol (all water removed). Cholesterol is important for brain development and brain function. It protects the nerves against damage or injury. An imbalance of blood fats can profoundly affect the nervous system and, thereby, cause almost any type of illness in the body. Removing gallstones from the liver and gallbladder increases nutrient supplies to all the cells, thus rejuvenating the nervous system and improving all functions in the body.
Although bone is the hardest tissue in the body, it is, nevertheless, very much alive. Human bone consists of 20 percent water; 30–40 percent organic material, such as living cells; and 40–50 percent inorganic material, such as calcium. Bone tissue contains many blood and lymph vessels and nerves. The cells responsible for balanced bone growth are osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Osteoblasts are the bone-forming cells, whereas osteoclasts are responsible for resorption of bone to maintain optimum shape. A third group of cells, known as chondrocytes, are in charge of forming cartilage. The less dense parts of the bone, called cancellous bone, contain red bone marrow, which produces red and white blood cells.
Most bone diseases occur when bone cells no longer receive enough nourishment. Gallstones in the liver usually lead to lymph congestion in the intestinal tract and, consequently, in other parts of the body (see Disorders of the Circulatory System). Good bone health results from the sustained balance between the functions of osteoblast and osteoclast cells. This delicate balance becomes disturbed when nutrient supply is deficient and thereby slows the production of new bone tissue by osteoblasts. Osteoporosis results when the amount of bone tissue is reduced because the growth of new bone does not keep pace with the destruction of old bone. Cancellous bone is usually affected before compact bone is. Compact bone makes up the outer layer of the bone.
In generalized osteoporosis, excessive calcium is reabsorbed from bone, thereby raising the calcium levels of blood and urine. This may predispose a person to form stones in the kidneys and, possibly, suffer renal failure. Gallstones in the liver substantially reduce bile production. Bile is essential for the absorption of calcium from the small intestines. Even if the body received more than enough calcium foods or food supplements, a shortage of bile would render much of the ingested calcium useless for bone building and other important metabolic processes. In addition, the presence of gallstones in the liver raises the level of harmful acids in the blood, some of which are neutralized by calcium leached from the bones and teeth. (Something similar happens when a person drinks cow’s milk. To neutralize the high phosphorus concentration of ingested milk, the body uses not only the milk’s calcium but also calcium from the bones and teeth.)
Eventually, the body’s calcium reserves become depleted, diminishing bone density or bone mass. This may lead to bone and hip fractures and even death. With more than half of all women over age 50 already affected by osteoporosis (albeit only in industrialized nations), it is obvious that the current approach of taking hormones or calcium supplements is a shot in the dark; it in no way addresses the imbalance in the liver and gallbladder caused by reduced bile output due to gallstones.
Rickets and osteomalacia are diseases that affect the calcification process of bones. In either case, the bones become soft, especially those of the lower limbs, which are bowed by the weight of the body. The fat-soluble vitamin D, calciferol, is essential for balanced calcium and phosphorus metabolism and, therefore, healthy bone structures. Insufficient bile secretion and disturbance of the cholesterol metabolism, both of which are caused by gallstones in the liver, lead to vitamin D deficiency. Lack of sufficient exposure to natural sunlight further aggravates these conditions.
Infection of bones, or osteomyelitis, may result when there has been a prolonged lymphatic obstruction in the body, especially in or around bone tissues. Consequently, blood-borne microbes gain unhindered access to bones. As mentioned before, infectious microbes only attack tissues that are acidified, weak, unstable, or damaged. The microbes may originate from gallstones, a tooth abscess, or a boil.
Malignant tumors of the bone can occur when lymphatic congestion in the body and the bones, especially, has reached extreme proportions. The immune system is depressed, and malignant tumor particles from the breasts, lungs, or prostate gland can spread to or develop in those parts of the bones that have the softest tissue and are more prone to congestion and acidification, that is, the cancellous bone. Bone cancer and all other diseases of the bone indicate lack of nourishment of bone tissue. Such diseases usually defy treatment unless all gallstones in the liver are removed and all other organs and systems of elimination are cleared of any existing congestion as well.
Our body contains three types of joints: fibrous or fib joints, cartilaginous or slightly movable joints, and synovial or freely movable joints. The most susceptible to disease are the joints of the hands, feet, knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout are among the most commonly found joint disorders.
Most people stricken with rheumatoid arthritis have a long history of intestinal complaints: bloating, flatulence, heartburn, belching, constipation, diarrhea, coldness and swelling of hands and feet, increased perspiration, general fatigue, loss of appetite, weight reduction, and more. It is reasonable, therefore, to conclude that rheumatoid arthritis is linked with any of these, or similar, symptoms of major intestinal and metabolic disturbances. I have personally experienced all the symptoms mentioned above when I suffered painful bouts of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis during my childhood years.
The GI tract is constantly exposed to a large number of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In addition to the many antigens (foreign materials) contained in foods, the digestive system may also have to deal with insecticides, pesticides, hormones, antibiotic residues, preservatives, and colorings contained in so many foodstuffs today, as well as some large-molecule drugs such as penicillin. Possible antigens include pollen from flowers, plants, plant antibodies, fungi, bacteria, and the like. It is the task of the immune system, most of which is located in the intestinal wall, to protect us against all these potentially harmful invaders and substances. To be able to accomplish this task every day, both the digestive and lymphatic systems must remain unobstructed and efficient. Gallstones in the liver seriously disturb the digestive process, which leads to an overload of toxic substances in the blood and lymph, as mentioned above (see Disorders of the Circulatory System).
Doctors consider arthritis an autoimmune disease affecting the synovial membrane. Autoimmunity, a condition in which the immune system develops immunity to its own cells, results when antigen/antibody complexes (rheumatoid factors) are formed in the blood. Naturally, the B-lymphocytes (immune cells) in the intestinal wall become stimulated and produce antibodies (immunoglobulins) when coming into contact with these antigens. The immune cells circulate in the blood, and some settle in the lymph nodes, spleen, mucus membranes of the salivary glands, lymphatic system of the bronchial tubes, vagina or uterus, milk-producing mammary glands of the breasts, and capsular tissues of the joints.
If there is repeated exposure to the same types of toxic antigens, antibody production will increase dramatically, particularly in areas where immune cells have settled because of a previous encounter with the invaders. These harmful antigens may consist of protein particles from putrefying animal foods, for example. In such a case, intense microbial activity can occur. The new encounter with the antigens raises the level of antigen/antibody complexes in the blood and upsets the fine balance that exists between the immune reaction and its suppression. Autoimmune diseases, which indicate an extremely high level of toxicity in the body, directly result from a disturbance of this balance. If antibody production is continually high in synovial joints, inflammation becomes chronic, leading to gradually increasing deformity, pain, and loss of function.
The overuse of the immune system leads to self-destruction in the body. If this form of self-destruction occurs in nerve tissue, it is called MS, and if it occurs in organ tissue, it is called cancer. Yet, seen from a deeper perspective, the self-destruction is but a final attempt at self-preservation. The body only “attacks” itself if the toxicity has increased to such a degree that it could cause more damage than an autoimmune response would. It certainly has no intention of committing suicide, which is what the meaning of “autoimmune disease” suggests. When the body’s cell membranes are clogged with foreign, harmful chemicals and toxic particles like trans fatty acids (as found in fast foods, such as hamburgers and French fries), it is an absolutely normal response by the immune system to attack these contaminants. To call this survival response a disease is unscientific and reflects a lack of knowledge of the true nature of the body.
Gallstones inhibit the body’s ability to keep itself nourished and clean, which makes them a leading cause of toxicity. They prevent the liver from adequately taking noxious substances out of the bloodstream. If the liver cannot filter out toxins from the blood, they end up being dumped into the extracellular fluid. The more toxins accumulate in the extracellular fluid, the more severely that cell membranes become clogged with injurious materials. An autoimmune response may be necessary to destroy the most contaminated cells and thereby save the rest of the body, at least for a while. When all gallstones are removed from the liver and gallbladder, the immune system does not have to take recourse to such extreme measures of defending the body on the cellular level.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative, noninflammatory illness. It occurs when the renewal of articular cartilage (a smooth, strong surface, covering bones that are in contact with other bones) does not keep pace with its removal. The articular cartilage gradually becomes thinner until, eventually, the bony articular surfaces come into contact, and the bones begin to degenerate. Abnormal bone repair and chronic inflammation may follow this form of damage. Like most diseases, this symptom results from a long-standing digestive disorder. As fewer nutrients are absorbed and distributed for tissue building, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain healthy sustenance of bone and articular cartilage. Gallstones in the liver impair the basic digestive processes and, therefore, play perhaps the most important role in the development of osteoarthritis.
Gout, which is another joint disease connected to weak liver performance, is caused by sodium urate crystals in joints and tendons. Gout occurs in some people whose blood uric acid is abnormally high. When gallstones in the liver begin to affect blood circulation in the kidneys (see Disorders of the Urinary System), uric acid excretion becomes inefficient. This also causes increased cell damage and cell destruction in the liver and kidneys, as well as in other parts of the body.
Uric acid is a waste product resulting from the breakdown of cell nuclei; it is produced in excess with increased cell destruction. Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcoholic beverages regularly, using stimulants, and so forth, all cause marked cell destruction, which releases large quantities of degenerate cell protein into the bloodstream. In addition, uric acid production rises sharply with overconsumption of protein foods, such as meat, fish, pork, and eggs.[12] Incidentally, all the aforementioned foods and substances lead to gallstone formation in the liver and gallbladder.
A person may experience several acute attacks of arthritis before damage to the joints decreases mobility and the gout condition becomes chronic.
Disorders of the Reproductive System
Female and male reproductive systems both depend largely on the smooth functioning of the liver. Gallstones in the liver obstruct the movement of bile through the bile ducts, which impairs digestion and distorts the structural framework of liver lobules. This diminishes the liver’s production of both serum albumin and clotting factors. Serum albumin is the most common and abundant protein in the blood, responsible for maintaining plasma osmotic pressure at its normal level of 25mmHg. Clotting factors are essential for the coagulation of blood. Insufficient osmotic pressure cuts down the supply of nutrients to the cells, including those of the reproductive organs. This may lead to reduced lymph drainage. Poor lymph drainage from the reproductive organs can cause fluid retention and edema, as well as the retention of metabolic waste and dead cells. All of this may result in the gradual impairment of sexual functions.
Most diseases of the reproductive system result from improper lymph drainage. The thoracic duct (see Disorders of the Circulatory System) drains lymph fluid from all organs of the digestive system, including the liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach, and intestines. This large duct often becomes severely congested when gallstones in the liver impair proper digestion and absorption of food. It is obvious, yet hardly recognized in mainstream medicine, that congestion in the thoracic duct affects the organs of the reproductive system. These organs, like most others in the body, need to release their turned-over cells and metabolic waste matter into the thoracic duct.
Impaired lymphatic drainage from the female pelvic area is responsible for suppressed immunity, menstrual problems, premenstrual stress (PMS), menopausal symptoms, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), cervicitis, all uterine diseases, vulvar dystrophies with growth of fibrous tissue, ovarian cysts and tumors, cell destruction, hormone deficiencies, low libido, infertility, and genetic mutations of cells leading to cancer.
Thoracic blockage may also lead to lymph congestion in the left breast, thereby leaving deposits of noxious substances behind that can cause inflammation, lump formation, milk duct blockage, and cancerous tumors. If the right lymphatic duct, which drains lymph from the right half of the thorax, head, neck, and right arm, becomes congested, waste accumulates in the right breast, leading to similar problems there.
A continuous restriction of lymph drainage from the male pelvic area causes benign and malignant prostate enlargement as well as inflammation of the testes, penis, and urethra. Impotence is a likely consequence of this development. The consistent increase of gallstones in the liver, a common factor among middle-aged men in affluent societies, is one of the major reasons for lymph blockage in this vital part of the body. Venereal diseases occur when the exposed parts of the body reach a high level of toxicity. Microbial infection is preceded by major lymph congestion. The collapsing capacity of the lymphatic system (which includes the immune system) to repel invading microorganisms is the true reason for most reproductive and sexual disorders.
When all gallstones from the liver are removed and a healthy diet and lifestyle are maintained, lymphatic activity can return to normal. The reproductive tissue receives improved nourishment and becomes more resistant. Infections subside; cysts, fibrous tissue, and tumors are broken down and removed; and sexual functions are restored.
Nearly all skin diseases such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis have one factor in common: gallstones in the liver. Almost every person with a skin disease also has intestinal problems and impure blood, in particular. These are mainly caused by gallstones and the harmful effects they have on the body as a whole. Gallstones contribute to numerous problems throughout the body—particularly in the digestive, circulatory, and urinary systems. In its attempt to eliminate what the colon, kidneys, lungs, liver, and lymphatic system are unable to remove or detoxify, the skin becomes flooded and overburdened with acidic waste. Although the skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body, it eventually succumbs to the acid assault. The toxic material is deposited first in the connective tissue underneath the dermis. When this “waste depot” becomes saturated, the skin begins to malfunction.
Excessive amounts of noxious substances, cell debris, microbes from different sources (such as gallstones), and various antigens from improperly digested foods congest the lymphatic system and inhibit proper lymph drainage from the various, living layers of the skin. The toxins and putrefying protein from damaged or destroyed skin cells attract microbes and become a source of constant irritation and inflammation of the skin. Skin cells begin to suffer malnourishment, which may greatly reduce their normal interval of turnover (about once every month). This may also cause extensive damage to skin nerves.
If the sebaceous glands, which pour their secretion, sebum, into the hair follicles, become nutrient deficient, hair growth becomes abnormal and, in particular, scalp hair may fall out. When the body’s melanin supply becomes deficient, the hair turns gray prematurely. Sebum deficiency alters the healthy texture of the hair and makes it look dull and unattractive. On the skin, sebum acts as a bactericidal and fungicidal agent, preventing the invasion of microbes. It also prevents drying and cracking of the skin, especially when exposed to sunshine and hot, dry air.
A genetic predisposition toward developing baldness or any other skin disorder may play a role but is not a major causative factor, as is often assumed. Healthy skin functions are often completely restored and hair growth, particularly among women, is returned to normal once all gallstones are removed and the colon and kidneys/bladder are kept clean. (For details regarding colonic irrigation and kidney cleansing, refer to my book, Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation.)
Gallstones are a major cause of illness in the body. They impair the functioning of one of the more complex, active, and influential organs of the body—the liver. Nobody has ever devised an artificial liver, because it is so complex. Second only to the brain in complexity, the liver masterminds the most intricate processes of digestion and metabolism, thereby affecting the life and health of every cell in the body. When a person removes the obstacles that prevent the liver from doing its job properly and efficiently, his or her body can return to a state of continuous balance and vitality.