Figuratively, the pancreas, liver, and bile can have a good or very bad relationship in the human body. In a healthy situation, they can work together, but in an unhealthy situation, they can harm each other and cause illness. For example, both the bile and the pancreas (pancreatic lipase) are responsible for the proper digestion of fats. For example, gallbladder stones or pancreatic cancer can form bile blockages that cause major liver and pancreas problems.

To truly understand the relationship between the liver, bile, and pancreas, it is necessary to understand the structure and function of these organs.

The liver is the main chemical factory in our body and performs many very important tasks. Everything we eat and digest reaches the liver, and the liver uses food supplies to produce essential nutrients for our entire body.

The most important functions of the liver are the manufacture and release of bile and the elimination of toxins from our body. Bile provides the removal of a variety of toxic substances from the body. These substances include the body’s metabolic products such as cholesterol and bile pigments, as well as some toxic chemicals, drugs, and heavy metals.

Cells in the liver secrete bile into a network of ducts. These ducts join to form the common bile duct, which carries bile from the gallbladder and liver. The common bile duct fuses with the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct carries pancreatic juice with digestive enzymes from the pancreas into a small cavity (the ampulla of Vater) that opens into the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.

It is very important that the pressure in the pancreatic duct is always higher than the pressure in the bile duct; therefore, the bile cannot reach the pancreatic cells. The mixture of bile and pancreatic juice passes through the ampulla of Vater into the duodenum.

Surrounding the common bile duct, pancreatic duct, and wall of the duodenum is a muscular valve called the sphincter of Oddi. The sphincter of Oddi controls secretions from the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder into the duodenum. Spasm or blockage of this muscle valve can cause pancreatic juice to back up into the pancreatic duct. The digestive enzymes trapped within the pancreas begin to digest their own pancreatic cells, causing congestion, inflammation, pain, cysts, and ultimately the death of the pancreatic tissue.

Hepatitis, fatty liver, Candida yeast overgrowth, parasites, congestion, inflammation, infection, high body acidity, and poor eating habits can make bile thick and acidic, which makes it difficult to pass through pipes and valves.

When bile becomes thick and acidic, it also becomes very aggressive. This means that aggressive bile irritates and corrodes the walls of the ducts, causing a backflow of bile, traffic in the opposite direction of the bile. This causes spasms of the sphincter of Oddi and the pancreatic and common bile ducts. This is very dangerous because instead of toxic acid bile going into the duodenum, thick, acidic toxic bile enters the pancreas, which activates the pancreatic digestive enzymes within the pancreas. Thus begins pancreatitis.

Also, when acidic, aggressive, and toxic bile is flushed into the duodenum, it erodes and irritates the walls of the intestine, leading to duodenal ulcers. This aggressive bile causes the walls of the duodenum to contract in a jerky movement that pushes the bile into the stomach or even the esophagus. This bile / pancreatic reflux can cause stomach and esophagus inflammation, ulcers, and possibly cancer.

Good digestion in the gastrointestinal tract largely depends on the proper quality and sufficient quantity of bile and pancreatic juice filled with good digestive enzymes. In contrast, digestive symptoms such as belching, heartburn, nausea, constipation / diarrhea, abdominal cramps or pain, gas, bloating are signs of indigestion and may show impaired function of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.

So the health of the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder connects to a few important things. The bile and pancreatic juices must be liquid and alkaline.

Any type of factors that cause dehydration negatively influence the liquidity of pancreatic juice and bile.

The damaging action of acidity in the body is attracting more and more the attention of scientists and doctors. Aging and many diseases cause heartburn throughout the body or are a consequence of chronic acidosis – accumulation of acidic substances in the tissues. Those that suffer the most from body acidity are the alkaline digestive glands, such as the liver and pancreas.

Heartburn is becoming an epidemic in modern society today due to the abundance of acid-forming processed foods: meats, sugars, white flour, white rice, soft drinks, etc. Alcohol is highly acidic and toxic, so it is not surprising that people who drink alcohol suffer from more disorders of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

By common sense, in all symptoms of indigestion it is advisable to stop the consumption of foods and substances that form acids. Simple chemistry requires to neutralize acidity to supply the body with minerals and bicarbonates, which are collected in large quantities in fresh vegetables and fruits.

There is another way to provide the body with minerals and bicarbonates. Europeans knew this hundreds of years ago. There are many healthy mineral spas throughout Europe where healthy and sick people spend healthy holidays. Most Americans tend to think of mineral water as something to drink, either as a snack or with meals. However, for more than 500 years, European doctors have used mineral water for health and well-being.

The Czech city of Karlovy Vary has been a legendary European healing resort since the 18th century.

According to legend, one of the first patients was the Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV (Karl IV), named after the city of Karlovy Vary (Charles Springs – Karlsbad) in 1370.

European doctors were interested in the springs and many medical books, articles and dissertations confirmed the beneficial effects of the drink.

Karlovy Vary mineral water was so popular for curing digestive disorders that since 1764 Karlovy Vary’s natural salt has been produced by evaporating mineral waters from the famous Vridlo hot spring.

By dissolving Karlovy Vary Genuine Mineral Salt in warm water, everyone can get the healing mineral water with identical healing properties to water from Karlovy Vary hot springs.

When measuring the pH of saliva and urine with litmus paper, a change to the normal, slightly alkaline level of these fluids can be seen after drinking Karlovy Vary Healing Mineral Water at home.

Bile and pancreatic juice are an alkaline mineral solution. Nutritional supplementation with special forms of magnesium and potassium, such as Krebs’ natural organic acid salts, can also neutralize the acidity of the whole body and promote good quality bile and pancreatic juice.

Fat in food is a normal trigger to open the valve and move bile and pancreatic juice to the small intestine. Due to the motto “No Fat, No Cholesterol”, Americans avoid fatty foods, mistakenly mixing good fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, butter, nuts with bad fats like animal fats and artificial trans fats. Deficiency of good fats can lead to congestion of bile and pancreatic juice with gallbladder stones, a shortage of fat-soluble vitamins, and indigestion.

People for thousands of years used spicy herbs Anise, Chamomile, Fennel, Ginger, Oregano, Mint, Sage, Thyme, Turmeric, etc. for better digestion. These herbs can promote the production and elimination of bile and pancreatic juice, so they can be useful for digestive disorders.

Many Americans know about the use of acupuncture for low back pain, but do not realize that this ancient method is very beneficial for many disorders of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Acupuncture in experienced hands can relieve abdominal cramps and pain, stop diarrhea, improve peristaltic, decrease appetite, and even promote removal of small gallbladder stones.

Mother Nature placed most of the digestive organs in the abdomen.

There is a large crowd there. If an organ starts to move slowly or even stops, everything goes wrong and the entire digestive system suffers. Each organ needs its space to function. The most “difficult” position supports the pancreas. The pancreas is squeezed between the stomach, duodenum, liver, spleen, the left part of the large intestine, the aorta, the inferior vena cava, and the spine. There really is no room in this area.

If a person suffers from gas or constipation, the pressure inside the abdomen increases, similar to a tight cloth or belts. Compression of the internal abdominal organs causes them to stick together and cause adhesions. This, in turn, causes more movement restrictions and congestion.

For thousands of years, healers have used massage techniques to “move” and stimulate the proper function of all digestive organs to relieve pain and discomfort.

Unlike in Europe, the American words “dieting” and “diet” refer primarily to the deliberate selection of foods to control body weight, but not for the purpose of curing different types of medical conditions. Changes in diet are of vital importance in any digestive disorder. Food is cheap, safe and effective medicine.

In short, all diseases of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas do not suddenly fall out of the blue. They often needed 5 to 15 years to develop. We have to listen to our bodies because even small symptoms of indigestion can be an alarming little bell of serious problems down the road.

Non-drug and scalpel approaches can stop the process and delay the deterioration of many disorders of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Don’t prove them yourself, self-treatment is a risky business. The goal is to find a knowledgeable healthcare provider or even a team of professionals.

The information in this article is presented for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a qualified licensed professional.