Gallstones
in the Liver:
A Major
Health
Risk * 13
mally 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. 1 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.
Diseases of the Pancreas 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