5027 Green Bay Road, Suite 118 • Kenosha, WI 53144
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Gall Bladder Disease by Dr. Michael Berglund
Biliary Stasis
Gall Stones (cholelithiasis)
Chronic inflammation of the gall bladder (cholecystitis)
Symptoms
Chronic right shoulder pain, spasm, instability (right shoulder, right upper back or thoracic spine, right upper rib subluxations)
Constrictive pain across the abdomen
Headache over one or both eyes
Intolerance to fried or greasy (high fat) foods (bloating, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, etc)
Indigestion
Flatulence
Periodic pain below the right side of the rib cage
Bitter taste in the mouth
Chest pain
The gall bladder is a sac in the body that contains bile (a combination of cholesterol and other fats). Bile is necessary for emulsifying fats (making fats able to not separate in water) in the small intestine. The purpose of the gall bladder is storage of additional bile in case there is more fat in a meal than the liver can make adequate bile to process. The liver will make and store a certain amount of bile. However, if there is too much fat in the meal, the gall bladder is called upon to contract and release its contents through the common bile duct (shared with the liver) and into the small intestine.
Gall bladder dysfunction typically begins with food allergies. There is a strong link between wheat allergies and gall bladder problems. Symptoms we typically see include intolerance to greasy or deep fried foods, bloating, diarrhea, cramping, as well as chronic right shoulder pain, spasm, instability (right shoulder, right upper back or thoracic spine, right upper rib subluxations). Family histories of gall stones or fat intolerance can also clue me in to the presence of gall bladder dysfunction.
Ultrasound and x-ray studies will show stones if they are present. Ultrasound may also show chronic inflammation (via a thickening of the gall bladder wall). However, biliary stasis may not be evident by any testing methodology. When I muscle test an individual that has biliary stasis or some other form of gall bladder dysfunction, typically they will show a need for things like magnesium, l-taurine, beet, liquid iodine, and phosphatidylcholine.
I have found in practice that by treating the patient with certain supplements and food elimination, they respond very well. In other words, they don't HAVE TO HAVE surgery.
Gall stones Biliary stasis is when the liquid portion of the bile is too thick. Most likely, it contains too high a percentage of fats and not enough of the broken down fats (bile acids). As this muscular sac is called on to release its contents into the small intestine, the watery bile (normal individual) is sprayed into the intestine and fats are emulsified. In the patient with biliary stasis, the thick fluid cannot "squirt" down the bile duct and, consequently, this muscular sac goes into spasm trying to push/squeeze this thick pasty fluid out this thin tube.
Biliary stasis or biliary insufficiency
One in every five American women has their gall bladder removed. Female hormonal balance is important because estrogen is fat dependent, and contrary to popular belief, the gall bladder must process some fat daily in order to prevent infection or disease of that organ. Americans are always going for fad diets, getting their health information from the TV and popular literature instead of scientific data. Yo-yo dieting, or extreme low fat diets are good ways to lose your gall bladder. This is especially true if you are a woman. The true scientist knows that carbohydrates are converted into triglycerides (blood fat) by the liver, and diets high in refined carbohydrates are another sure road to a sick gall bladder, as well as heart disease. Doctors who make their livings removing gall bladders say that it's an unnecessary organ or that it serves no purpose. It does however, have an important role in your daily health, and these doctors have been misinformed.
Huge numbers of Americans are suffering from gastrointestinal trouble that very likely originates in the gall bladder, or is exacerbated by poor gall bladder function. The gall bladder stores and concentrates bile and then releases that bile on cue as needed to emulsify fats. Remember, over 70% of LDL (so called bad cholesterol) is pure triglycerides. In my opinion, without a gall bladder, digestion cannot function properly and the risk of colon cancer is greatly increased.