Gallstones Cause Disorders of the Joints

Our body contains three types of joints: fibrous or fixed 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.

Rheumatoid arthritis

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 gastro-intestinal (GI) tract is constantly exposed to a large number of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In addition to the many antigens (foreign material) 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.

Arthritis

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

Osteoarthritisis a degenerative, non-inflammatory illness. It occurs when the renewal of articular cartilage (a smooth, strong surface, covering bones that are in contact with other bones) does not happen at the same pace as its breakdown. The articular cartilage gradually becomes thinner until, eventually, the bony articular surfaces come into contact, and the bones start to deteriorate. 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

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, 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, etc. all cause marked cell destruction, which releases large quantities of degenerate cell protein into the bloodstream. In addition, uric acid production rises sharply with over-consumption of protein foods, such as meat, fish, pork, and eggs. 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.

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This is an excerpt from my book THE AMAZING LIVER AND GALLBLADDER FLUSH