However, the high "bad" fat and cholesterol diet of many Americans have led to an increase in gallbladder disease which primarily consists of gallstones forming in the gallbladder. These stones can be calcified if enough time passes, but the majority of the time, gallstones are soft, round cholesterol stones that cannot be detected by x-ray or ultrasound.

As these stones form and accumulate, they have a tendency to exert pressure and block the bile duct, slowing down or preventing completely the release of bile into the small intestine as well as cause a great deal of pain, just under the right side of the rib cage and this is apparent especially after a fat-laden meal. 

Unfortunately, the medical solution consists primarily of surgically removing the gallbladder - not the best solution. Why? I'm amazed at how many people have had their gallbladders removed, but never received new dietary guidelines for eating fats. Since the body can no longer emulsify and break down fats into minute particles, fats are now absorbed in a larger form and therefore create a greater risk of accumulation in the arteries. 

Even after the gallbladder is removed however, many people continue to experience pain. One of the reasons is because cholesterol stones can also form in the liver and since you can't have your liver removed along with your gallbladder, there are better and safer alternatives to removing stones.