10 Reasons Why Good Bile Production is Essential to Your Health
Topics in this article:
1. The liver should produce 1-2 quarts of bile per day. This is how important bile is to your digestive health.
2. Bile helps to digest/recycle:
3. Bile helps the liver purify the blood of:
4. Bile helps to dissolve:
5. Bile helps to lower high blood sugar levels:
6. Bile helps to reduce bacterial, viral & yeast/fungal overgrowth by:
7. Bile helps to reduce body fat due to:
8. Bile and the importance of maintaining an alkaline system:
9. What is the best way to stimulate the production of bile in your body?
10. What is the best way to ensure your food is fully digested?
(This article is in outline format to present the essential basics in an easy to read fashion.)
1. The liver should produce 1-2 quarts of bile per day. This is how important bile is to your digestive health.
a. Bile is the primary laxative, moistening agent in intestinal movement
b. Bile is made primarily of water (97%), with the remaining composed of bile salts, bilirubin, fats (cholesterol, fatty acids, and lecithin), and inorganic salts.
c. Constipation is often alleviated by increasing bile flow
2. Bile helps to digest and recycle:
a. fats, oils, and fatty acids
b. oil soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K for recycling
c. proteins (by emulsifying the fats that are usually bound with the proteins)
d. starches (by emulsifying added fats & oils so they interfere less with starch/sugar metabolism)
e. cholesterol-based steroidal hormones being recycled by the liver (progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, etc.)
Bile is manufactured by the liver (with help from the spleen), then delivered to the gall bladder to be concentrated 5-20 times before being sent into the duodenum (the beginning of the small intestines) when fats and oils pass through.
One of bile's many purposes is to assist in the emulsification (breakdown) of fats/oils prior to entering the bloodstream.
3. Bile helps the liver purify the blood of:
a. pathogens (parasites, fungus, viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, etc.)
b. heavy metals
c. chemicals and other toxins
The liver utilizes bile to encapsulate toxins and pathogens purified out of the bloodstream. This, in effect, isolates the harmful agents as they are purged from the system (providing that sufficient soluble fiber (with Konjac being the most gentle and easy to meals and beverages) is also consumed at any point during the day to absorb the bile and escort it out).
If sufficient soluble fiber is not present in the system, the body may reabsorb the bile to be recycled for the body's natural cholesterol purposes. Recycling of cholesterol may result in toxin reabsorption. Soluble fiber absorbs the bile, insuring complete delivery out of the body.
Soluble fiber is found in most all fruits and vegetables. Some of the highest sources include:
- Konjac fiber
- Sunfiber
- beans of all kinds
- lentils
- brussel sprouts
- asparagus
- sweet potatoes, yams,
- white, red, gold, etc. potatoes
- avocados
- most grains, especially oats
- citrus fruits
- figs
- dates
- strawberries
- apple pulp
- brassicas, such as broccoli and cabbage
4. Bile helps to dissolve:
a. body fat, deep fat, fatty organs and glands
b. gallbladder stones
c. arterial plaque (caused by sugar, stress, mineral imbalance, vascular biofilms, trans fats, fast foods, processed boxed and canned foods)
d. excess blood cholesterol (by placing a demand on the blood to deliver the cholesterol to the liver to manufacture more bile).
e. mucoid plaque buildup in the small intestines (produced by the body to protect itself from chemicals, mercury from tooth fillings, other heavy metals, undigested food, pathogens, etc.)
5. Bile helps to lower high blood sugar levels:
a. Bile is responsible for digesting oils and fats.
b. Undigested or excessive oils and fats in the bloodstream or cells interfere with sugar absorption and utilization within the cells for ATP energy and thereby interfere with insulin's attempt to lower sugar levels in the blood (insulin-resistance).
c. This is partially why it is important to consume whole food fats (like avocados, olives, etc.) and whole food sugars (like fruits, Stevia green leaf powder, Licorice Root powder) rather than extracts or concentrates of either (stevia drops or white powder, coconut nectar, maple syrup, granulated and liquid sweeteners -- all of which have been concentrated through boiling or other methods, and of course, all of the artificial sweeteners cause harm for many other reasons as well).
d. An excess of fats/oils, or rancid oils, or over-heated oils, or transfats from fried foods and processed foods, and even small amounts of concentrated sugars (especially if combined, like in a dessert) lead to cellulite and deep fat enlargement, as well as high sugar levels in the blood.
e. High sugar in the blood leads to bacterial, viral, parasite, yeast, and fungal overgrowth (the body's last resort attempt to lower blood sugar levels).
f. High fat in the blood leads to the overgrowth of herpes, shingles, etc. and mycoplasma that feed primarily on fats and toxins. A diet high in nuts, seeds, or peas and pea protein is particularly causative to these same conditions due to the high arginine content in these "natural" foods.
g. These ' pathogenic friends' are actually there to consume excesses of sugar, fat, heavy metals, chemicals, and undigested foods. Reduce these excesses and the pathogens simply return to healthful background levels. Fasting in various ways is one of the best ways to reduce excesses in the body.
8 Examples of sugar-raising / pathogen-promoting food combinations to avoid:
1) oils (nuts, flax seed oil, olive oil, etc.) with fruits, honey, or sugar
2) almond butter on anything
3) honey/agave/sugar in a salad dressing with olive oil
4) granola trial mixes (fruits & nuts)
5) breads made of fruits & nuts, or oils & sweeteners
6) apples, bananas (and other fruits) or sweeteners in a veggie drink with flax oil, coconut oil, or other oils
h. Simply separate your sweet/starch meals from your oil/fat meals. Veggies go with both.
i. Eat whole food fats and whole food sweeteners to reduce this concern when combining the two in the same meal.
j. Consume bitter herbs and digestive spices with meals to assist the body metabolize both the fats and the sugars (see below).
6. Bile helps to reduce bacterial, viral & yeast/fungal overgrowth by:
a. encapsulating/isolating/digesting typical food sources for bacteria, viruses, and fungus in the blood & intestinal tract (fats, oils, mucous, chemicals, heavy metals, and blood toxins)
b. clearing the way for insulin to deliver sugar to your cells or store it properly so as to maintain normal blood sugar levels
c. improving the digestion of food so food no longer rots or turns to poison in the intestinal tract
d. dissolving the mucoid plaque lining of decades old undigested food in the small intestines
7. Bile helps to reduce body fat due to:
a. improved digestion and assimilation of food nutrients (thereby reducing insulin resistance)
b. reduction of toxins in the body (otherwise stored in fat cells)
c. reduction of fungal/pathogen overgrowth
d. emulsification of the fat in fat cells (drawing fat and cholesterol back to the liver for bile production, thus eliminating stored fat)
e. improving intestinal pH to the neutral to slightly alkaline state (important for proper digestion of food and the proliferation of probiotics in the gut). (Acidity in the intestines reduces probiotics and increases pathogen development)
8. Bile and the importance of maintaining an alkaline system:
a. An acidic constitution causes bile to become thick and sluggish (bile needs to be almost neutral to slightly alkaline to remain fluid and effective)
b. Thick, sluggish bile in the gallbladder fosters yeast/fungus overgrowth (because fungus feeds on the toxins encapsulated in the bile that are trapped in the acidic gallbladder)
c. Thick bile from an acidic constitution can result in gallstones. Acidic sugar, flesh foods, and fast foods or processed foods are the primary cause of gallstones, not natural fat itself.
d. An alkaline system thins the bile allowing for fluid movement of bile from the liver, through the gallbladder (where it is concentrated 5-20 times), and into the small intestines where it works its wonders.
e. Fluid bile dissolves gallstones.
f. The fastest and most effective way to alkalize the body is with sea vegetables (Sea Vegetable Blend, Earth & Sea Greens, Vital Cleanse & Nutrify)
9. What is the best way to stimulate the production of bile in your body?
a. Take bitter herbs & digestive herbs/spices with every meal (Digestive Bitters, Herbal C).
b. Strengthen spleen function (the spleen extracts bilirubin from expired red blood cells, which is an essential component of bile) (Spleen Builder).
c. Consume whole earthen mineral and ocean sources with naturally-occurring electrolyte content particularly balanced in sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate (the electrolyte makeup of bile). (Sea Vegetable Blend)
d. Do not consume sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to alkalize the body. Baking soda (a strong mineral alkaline) will disrupt digestive processes due to the way it increases the pH of the stomach (which needs to be close to a 2 pH at times to be effective). This is why Nature designed the alkaline bile to enter the intestines at the duodenum, not the stomach. Sea vegetables are a superior way to alkalize the body.
e. Thus the consumption of Sacred Clay, Mineral Manna, Friendly Flora or Ancient Mineral Blend (all mineral-rich sources) 20 minutes before a meal help prepare the digestive tract for the needed HCL, pancreatic bicarbonic juices, and bile. Moderate amounts of Himalayan or other sea salts with a meal also support improved digestion. Here's why earthen mineral sources contribute to effective digestive juices:
e. "virtually all the osmotic [flow of fluids through membranes] activity of any bile specimen may be accounted for as the sum of sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate", [the electrolyte fraction]...". (Electrolyte Excretion in Bile)
10. What is the best way to ensure your food is fully digested?
a. Consume with every meal a combination of bitter herbs (for the oils & fats) and digestive spices (providing or assisting the body to make the numerous digestive enzymes required for the conversion of food into cellular nourishment).
The major categories of digestive enzymes from the pancreas include lipase (to digest fats), protease (to digest proteins) and amylase (to digest starch & carbs)
Digestive spices that support the production of digestive enzymes from the pancreas, liver, stomach, and intestines include:
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Hawthorn berry (assists in the digestion of meats)
-
Alfalfa (contains enzymes for all major food groups)
-
Fennel (stimulates bile and reduces gas)
-
Turmeric (supports liver functions in numerous ways, thus the production & recycling of bile)
-
Seaweeds and other herbs (contain the enzymes required to assist in their digestion)
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Whey (contains enzymes, glutathione, and probiotics for improved digestion)
-
Fermented foods (assist in the breakdown of foods in both the stomach and the intestines)
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White oak bark/codonopsis/wood betony/cardamon and other herbs/spices build spleen function, the organ responsible for nutrient assimilation
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Numerous other herbs and spices which support digestion, many of which are included in Digestive Bitters, Herbal C & Spleen Builder
b. Quality digestive spices eliminate the need for enzyme supplements.
c. Three basic enzyme groups are involved in the break down of basic foods into compounds our bodies can utilize for health and healing:
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Protein – proteolytic enzymes (proteases): Proteases break-down the twenty major amino acids that compose proteins, with each protease targeting a different kind of amino acid.
-
Fats – lipolytic enzymes (lipases): Lipases decompose various fats, including oils, lecithin (phospholipids), and cholesterol (sterols) thereby assisting the function of bile in the intestines.
-
Starches & Sugars – amylolytic enzymes (amylases). Amylases break down the various starches and sugars such as: sucrose, milk sugar, fruit sugar, and starchy grains & vegetables.
d. Herbs, naturally-occurring minerals sources, and spices provide the enzymes and digestive stimulus needed by the body to manufacture its essential digestive fluids.
e. Consume very little fluids during and after a meal so as not to dilute stomach acids, often a contributing factor to acid reflux.
f. Chew your food thoroughly to fully mix saliva with the food (predigests the food before entering the stomach) and reduce the size of the food, thus easing the strain on the stomach and intestines. Savor the flavor! Take your time. Enjoy your food!
g. Best to take herbal formulas before or during a meal, but if forgotten, take them after the meal with as little fluid as necessary so as to preserve the concentration of digestive juices in the stomach.
h. Adhere to proper food combining practices to improve your body's digestive power with each meal: OK, So What Foods CAN I Eat?
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