Prevention and Treatment of Gallstones

by Dr Lynn Tan, N.D.

In recent years, gall bladder diseases have become more widespread. They can occur in 10 – 30% of the population. Diet plays a major part in these diseases, thus making them preventable and avoidable.

The purpose of this article is to help you to understand what gall bladder diseases are, how to prevent gallstones, and how to evaluate treatments for gallstones and gall bladder diseases.

Gall bladder

The gall bladder is a small, green, pear shaped organ located just beneath the right lobe of the liver, behind the bottom right rib. It serves as a storage reservoir for the bile which is produced by the liver. The liver produces bile continuously, but bile is needed only periodically to help in the digestion of food within the intestines.

The gall bladder not only acts as a bile reservoir, but it also has another important function. It concentrates the bile that the body uses to digest fats. In fact, a gall bladder concentrates bile so efficiently that it can reduce its content to less than one-tenth of its original volume.

The function of bile

1. Digestive fluids in the stomach are highly acidic, with a pH as low as 2. This acidity is necessary in order to breakdown and digest proteins. However, fats and carbohydrates must be digested in the more alkaline environment of the small intestine. Therefore, after leaving the stomach, the partially digested food which is called chyme moves down to the duodenum and small intestine, which are designed for the digestion of fats and carbohydrates. While the stomach is carefully protected against acids, the duodenum and small intestine are more vulnerable to acids. Therefore, the acidity of the chyme must be immediately neutralised as it leaves the stomach; otherwise, the person may experience indigestion. Also, the excess acid may begin to erode the lining of the duodenum, causing duodenal ulcers.

Bile is alkaline with a pH between 7.6 – 8.6.This alkalinity neutralises the acidic substance which flows from the stomach, thus protecting the duodenum. As soon as the chyme enters the small intestine, the acidity is neutralised by bile, thus protecting the lining of the duodenum and intestine.

2. Bile breaks down fat. As the chyme leaves the stomach and enters the intestine, most of the fat from a meal is still not digested and is unusable. Bile helps to breakdown these fats into smaller units, small enough to be absorbed through the intestinal walls and into the lymph system. From there, the fat particles move into the blood stream, which brings them to the liver where they are converted into even smaller components called fatty acids.

3. Bile removes impurities. In addition to helping in digestion, bile from the gall bladder plays an important role in the removal of bilirubin from the system. Bilirubin is a reddish yellow pigment which comes from the breakdown of worn-out red blood cells. If the bilirubin level rises too high in the blood then it may cause brain damage. An excessive amount of bilirubin in the blood also turns the skin and eyes yellow. Physicians call this condition jaundice.

Gallstones

Gallstones are composed of a number of substances including cholesterol, bile salts, and inorganic calcium. It is known that the following factors contribute to the formation of gallstones:

Presence of excess cholesterol and estrogen. Liver abnormalities.

Presence of inorganic calcium (mineral water drinkers, beware!).

Lack of lecithin and unsaturated fatty acids which cause an imbalance in the gall bladder resulting in cholesterol becoming supersaturated and forming a stone.

Gallstones begin as tiny granules and gradually enlarge. Upon rare occasion, one stone will virtually fill the gall bladder.

The symptoms vary. Some experience no symptoms at all (in about half the cases), whereas others experience excruciating pain, chills and fever. Sometimes, there may be certain telltale signs like abdominal discomfort, especially after eating a fatty meal, and gas.

Symptoms of a gall bladder attack

Following are some commonly recognised symptoms of a gall bladder attack: Acute severe stabbing pain in the upper abdomen, under the lowest rib; usually strikes suddenly, occasionally accompanied by fever; sometimes the pain may be felt in the back, under the shoulder blade. Often symptoms may include nausea, indigestion, vomiting, and pain in the right side which radiates to the back or shoulder. In the advanced stages of the disease, when the gallstone is really stuck and the gall bladder is badly infected, surgery may be unavoidable. But things need not get that bad, because gallstones – gall bladder disease – are avoidable.

Prevention of formation of gallstones

1. If one were to eat properly, as recommended in a NEWLIFE DIET, it would greatly decrease the possibility of the formation of gallstones. This involves food consumption of 75% raw foods. Include in the daily diet flax oil with low fat yoghurt or cottage cheese, fresh apples, apple cider vinegar, lecithin, and high fibre foods like raw vegetables, fresh fruits, rolled oats, and brown rice. Daily consumption of 2 tbs of Lecithin granules and 3 tbs of flax oil helps to keep cholesterol dispersed and prevent stone formation. Avoid sugar and products containing sugar. Avoid all animal fats and meat, fried foods, spicy foods, margarine, soft drinks, commercial oil, chocolate, and refined carbohydrates like white rice and white flour products. Do not overeat. Keep a high fibre, low fat diet. Besides taking apple cider vinegar and fresh apple juice, drink pear and beet juice. Keeping the colon clean with Nature Cleanse Powder is important.

2. Undergo Dr. Lynn’s Detoxification and Rejuvenation Program periodically, at least once or twice yearly. The Detoxification and Rejuvenation Program reduces cholesterol levels in the body, eliminates toxins, strengthens the immune system, and brings bodily functions back into balance. Thus, the Detoxification and Rejuvenation Program becomes a vital preventative treatment program for gallstones.

3. Be free from unforgiveness and bitterness. It is a known fact that negative emotions upset the chemistry of the body, causing imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile. Sometimes gallstones are formed through this process.

Treating gallstones

There are several treatments available for gallstones. I will begin with the least intrusive procedure and end with the most radical treatment, which is the surgical removal of the gall bladder.

There may be life threatening emergencies which require gall bladder removal; however, most gall bladder attacks can be treated by less intrusive methods. If one of these methods work, then the patient is spared from damage to his body, as well as spared from the cost of the surgery.

If, however, a less intrusive procedure is not effective, the person can always have his gall bladder removed. However, the reverse is not true. There is no way to restore a gall bladder flnee it is removed.

Method I: A Gentle and Natural Method

This takes place in 3 stages:
First Stage: Removing the causes – toxins

1. Go through the Detoxification and Rejuvenation program for 7 days. This program cleans out the liver, the colon, the blood stream, and other parts of the body. It is important for the improvement of gall bladder and liver functions. Follow-up the program with complete juice fasting, and take 1 ½ tbs of flax oil daily, accompanied by low fat yoghurt. If there is inflammation of the gall bladder with symptoms of severe pain and fever, you may administer 4 or 5 coffee enemas over a period of time until the symptoms subside.

2. Besides cleaning toxins from your body, you also need to clean toxins from your mind and your emotions; i.e,. search your heart and get rid of all unforgiveness and bitterness. Start to love and bless those who have wronged you.

Second Stage: Softening the stones

For 7 days, go on a lacto-vegetarian diet. For fluid, drink nothing but distilled water with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (add honey, if desired). This will help to soften the stones. If you have stomach or duodenal ulcers, drink apple juice instead.

Third Stage: Gallstone flush

On the night of the ‘flush’, eat a light dinner of raw vegetables and fresh juices. Before bedtime, mix together 6 oz of virgin olive oil (or flax seed oil) and 6 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Drink the mixture, go to bed and lie down on your right side with the knees pulled towards your chin. The next morning, place a collander securely in the toilet bowl. Collect the stool that is passed and look for the stones.

The greenish stones may be passed during the first, second, or third bowel movement. If your bowels do not move, take a water enema (1 tbs of apple cider vinegar in 2 glasses of distilled water). You may repeat the ‘flush’ the following night to ensure that all the stones have been removed.

Case study 1 “… she had passed out many green stones… a hundred tiny stones the size of green beans”

Ms Diamond Tan was suffering from backaches. Upon scanning, a doctor found that Ms Tan had gallstones. Her sister advised her to see me for a less intrusive treatment of her gallstones.

Following my advice, she went through one week of the Detoxification and Rejuvenation Program to remove toxins and to rejuvenate the gall bladder functions.

This was followed by a week of distilled water treatment using apple cider vinegar. Then she underwent the gall bladder flush by using fresh lemon juice and virgin olive oil.

The next morning, she called me and said that she found no stones in the stool. I told her to look for the stones when she next moved her bowels.

At noon, just before lunch, Ms Tan called me and excitedly told me that she found she had passed out many green stones. As she lived nearby, I went to her house and there I found about a hundred tiny stones the size of green beans.

A few weeks later, Ms Tan went back to the same doctor and he could not find any trace of gallstones in her gall bladder.

Case Study 2 “To save my gall bladder, I thought it was worth the trouble ”

Mrs. Lee Kim Cheong, housewife, aged 43, related her experience to us as follows:

The pain came suddenly. It was a severe pain from the central area below my ribs. My general practitioner gave me some gastric pills, as well as injection, to ease the pain. I was referred to a specialist, who checked me and told me that I had gallstones in the gall bladder, and he advised me to undergo immediate surgery to remove my gall bladder.

I felt very distressed. I had been through an operation before and I still have not forgotten how traumatic the experience was. I shared my burden with my friend Helen who told me that she had heard cases where it was possible to flush out gallstones naturally. I looked into the necessary procedures which involved:

1. Cleansing or detoxifying my body
2. Softening the stones
3. Flushing out the stones

The first stage of the procedure which involves the detoxification and rejuvenation program seemed to be very troublesome to me; the juices, the herbs, and coffee enemas, etc… were all so new to me. However, to save my gall bladder, I thought it was worth the trouble, and so I went through the program. The results of the Detoxification and Rejuvenation program got me excited. The pain was gone! Besides, I felt light and energetic, just like being ‘overhauled’! I did the stone flushing twice.

Following was my record:

The morning after the first flushing

3:30 A.M. (1st elimination – no stones)
4:30 A.M. (2nd elimination – no stones)
7:00 A.M. (3rd elimination – no stones)
9:00 A.M. (4th elimination – more than 250 small stones)
10:00 A.M. (5th elimination – big and small stones)
11:00 A.M. (6th elimination – big and small stones)

The morning after the second flushing

8:30 A.M. (1 st elimination – big stones)
10:00 A.M. (2nd elimination – more than 30 big and small stones)
11:00 A.M. (3rd elimination – more than 20 big and small stones)

“I am so glad that I chose the natural method to remove my gallstones, some of which were as big as the first, joint of my last finger. It has been 6 months since that time, and I have been feeling healthier than ever before.”

Case Study 3 “An additional bonus is that l lost 10 lbs…”

Mr. Lee Kim Cheong, aged 45, branch manager, saw the effect of the program on his wife, so he decided to follow the same program even though he had not been diagnosed as having gallstones. The following is his record:

On the 15th day of the program, I did the gallstone flush. The next morning, about

8:00 A.M. (1st elimination – no stones);
9:30 A.M. (2nd elimination – no stones);
10:00 A.M. (3rd elimination – more than 20 stones bigger than the last finger joint);
11:00 A.M. (4th elimination – more than 10 stones both big and small).

On the 2nd night, I did another flush. The next morning, about

9:00 A.M. (1st elimination – more than 20 stones bigger than last finger joint);
10:00 A.M. (2nd elimination – more than 10 stones, both big and small).

An additional bonus I received from this program is that I lost 10 lbs and feel rejuvenated. My skin became clearer too.

Case Study 4 “… the size of the first joint of the thumb were passed.”

Ms. Anne Wong reports that after 7 days of Detoxification and Rejuvenation followed by 7 days of softening the gallstones, she underwent the gallstone flush and found that the day after the flushing:

1 st elimination – there were very small stones.
2nd elimination – medium size stones were present.
3rd elimination – some very big stones, the size of the first joint of a thumb were passed.

Case Study 5 “… taken a water enema…’

Helen Yong, P.J., writes that after 7 days Detoxification and Rejuvenation, followed by 7 days of gallstone softening, nothing came out, not even the olive oil the day after the 1st flushing. (Dr. Lynn’s comment: Helen should have taken a water enema in this case.)

The day following the 2nd flushing at 7:15 A.M., the 1st elimination consisted of 38 gallstones passed at 8:30 A.M. The 2nd elimination showed 24 gallstones passed.

All the above gallstone-free people are now enthusiastically helping others to clean up their gall bladders.

Method 2: Dissolving Gallstones

Scientific findings indicate that one of the liver’s own bile acids, a compound called chinodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) will dissolve most of the gallstones in about half of the patients who take the medicine every day for 2 years (Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 95, No. 3, September 1981)

The problem with this treatment is that it has unfavourable side effects including diarrhoea, liver damage, and a 10% increase in serum cholesterol, particularly in the low density lipoprotein (LDL) that has been implicated in heart disease. “This side effect,” cautions Kurt J. Issel Bacher, M.D., Massachusettes General Hospital, Boston, “cannot be taken lightly, because such an increase may pose an added risk for those patients prone to coronary artery disease” (Annals of Internal Medicine, Volume 95, No. 3, September 1981).

The good news is that CDCA is naturally produced in the liver. The diet recommended earlier helps increase the production of CDCA without the need for an artificial supplement.

Method 3: Surgical Removal of the Gall Bladder

Each year approximately half a million Americans have their gall bladders removed. Unfortunately, this procedure fails to deal with the cause of the problem. In many cases, it does not even deal with the symptoms.

More than 50% of the patients who have had their gall bladders removed continue to experience the symptoms of gall bladder attacks which includes indigestion, pain, intolerance of fat, and constipation.

If the root cause of the gallstones is not treated, the body will continue to be sick. Then it is no wonder that the symptoms continue.

When The Body Functions Without A Gall Bladder

If the gall bladder is removed, then bile is no longer stored in a concentrated form in the body, and this, in turn, affects the digestive system. No longer can bile effectively neutralise the acids that comes from the stomach into the
duodenum. This new condition may become a constant irritation to the small intestines which may activate a cancerous condition. In fact, studies have shown that there is a doubling of the rate of cancer of the colon in patients who have had their gall bladders removed 10-20 years earlier.

Removing the gall bladder without changing the diet is like removing the Fire alarm in a burning home just because it is activated.