How I Cured My Gallstones

Suffering pain in the upper right abdomen, the author sought medical help. Ultrasound, X-ray examinations and resultant medical advice was confusing and inconclusive. He turned to the internet, but quickly experienced information overload - information that varied from good to bad, and often turned out to be completely wrong. His determined search for the truth resulted in this book.
When he found out that he was very likely suffering from the early symptoms of gallstones, the author soon found that the course of action recommended by the medical professions was to wait for it to get worse and then undergo surgery. This involves the removal of the gallbladder, an organ described by some medical professionals as “superfluous” or of little use to the digestive system. World-wide, the gallbladder surgery “industry” is worth over $ 10 billion per year, more than half of which is in the USA. It turns out to be quite a good earner for the health care industry, contributing to the employment of thousands of doctors, nurses and other care staff. Nobody would want to upset this lucrative apple cart.
Frustrated at the lack of options offered by the mainstream medical professions, the author turned to the internet for help from the broader “alternative” health-care community. Unfortunately, he found this area to be highly unreliable, inundated with “old wives tales”, myths, unsubstantiated claims and just plain bad opinions, expressed by poorly trained and under-qualified individuals. Unfortunately the medical professions have only themselves to blame. By not responding to the needs of the public, they have created an information vacuum that has been quickly filled by quacks, charlatans, cranks and well meaning, but poorly informed members of the public.
In fact it is much worse than this. The medical professions and the pharmaceutical industries have, intentionally or not, made it almost impossible for ordinary, educated and curious individuals from getting at the truth. Clinical studies and trials that do not support a particular pharmaceutical product are kept from publication, and other studies which are available, can only be accessed by paid subscription, on web sites only open to the medical professions. Indeed, it is an indictment of the medical professions that there is a need for this book to have been written by a layman at all. By the 21st century, it is reasonable for us to expect that there should be plenty of knowledge available as to how to prevent the formation of gallstones. Why will they not tell us?
Doctors and surgeons cure the sick, and it is not in their interests to completely prevent illness. A dental surgeon does not get paid by the number of teeth he doesn’t pull, but he does get paid by the number of teeth straightened. As better information and dental care has improved the health of our mouths, so have orthodontists found another lucrative market; many of those healthy teeth now need correcting to give us pretty smiles. But it seems that the medical professionals are stuck with treating “traditional” illnesses. They may be afraid of curing them, lest they have nothing else to do. Oh dear.
However, this book is not about the perceived shortcomings in the world of professional medicine, but about preventing gallstones and avoiding surgery. The author hopes that by telling his story, he can help others get at the truth and make better informed decisions about their issues with gallbladder health.