I met up with an old friend of mine last Monday and had snacks at a local resto. We had binagoongan, menudo, pinakbet, barbecue, salted eggs, tomatoes and rice. It was 3pm, so yes, call it "snacks".
Actually we're both big eaters. I noticed though that she lost some weight. When asked, she said that she's been on a restricted due to some gallstones.
Corz I inquired more coz I thought I just had the right regimen for her which is the Gall Bladder Cleansing Diet I posted in a recent entry. Apparently she's been on medication since December. She's had endoscopy and the recommendation was an operation. Heh! Don't doctors love to say that? That the only solution for your pains is to schedule an operation? 
Anyway, she sought a second opinion and was suggested that she take medicines first. She's taking these drugs not as a permanent solution though coz the second opinion said operation, and that meant taking out the gall bladder, was still the way to go! So she listened to my tale with so much interest and excitement. She didn't want surgery for sure or any other medical operation. She's a bit worried though coz her HMO card (Health Maintenance Organization) is about to expire and she isn't keen on renewing it, or if ever, downgrade it. She inquired about the epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) which was the only ingredient to the regimen that wasn't "all natural". Epsom salts aren't widely used here and I don't know of a pharmacy that sells it. I'm not sure if it's a pharmaceutical though. It isn't a banned drug and I think it has use as a laxative and for a soaking solution so it's also used externally.
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