Hi Todd,
>>>There is some tenderness, but not excruciating pain.  And the
problem is intermittent, not constant.

The degree of tenderness and pain can vary.  It is usually an intermittent
problem for those who suffer from it. One may go for days, or weeks without
a problem, then experience distention and discomfort.

>>It's an uncomfortable feeling.  I don't think I've noticed
anything unusual about stool color.

Again, this can vary from person to person and outbreak to outbreak, and
with the amount of fat/protein consumed and your body's limits.

>>>I'll try that.  What about just eating artichokes, or artichoke
hearts?

Artichoke extract comes from artichoke LEAF, not from the heart.  You're not
likely to sit down and eat a ton of those leaves, or any of them, for that
matter, and not two or three times a day.  The leaves are very bitter.  Just
eating the meat from an artichoke at dinner won't be sufficient.  Given your
high cholesterol levels and difficulty loseing weight (a possible indication
of difficultly metabolizing fat), I think it would be worth trying the
product for three months.

>>>Coincidentally, I was looking at Ann Gittleman's new book, The
Fat Flush (or something like that), last night, and she also has
a lot to say about optimizing liver function.  She recommends
adding 4 ounces of of unsweetened cranberry juice to a quart of
water, and drinking two quarts throughout the day; also lemon
juice in hot water.  Both are supposed to stimulate liver
functions.  Any opinions on these ideas?

Reply:
Too much sour food can, from a TCM perspective, astringe and cause tightness
in the liver, which you don't want.  Gittleman's recommendation is something
to be done for a very brief period of time, not every day or week.  Bitters
are more effective than sour foods at improving liver function.

If you like the taste of coffee, you might also try roasted chicory and
dandelion root "coffee" sold as grinds or tea bags in health food stores.
These can be steeped like tea or brewed in a coffee maker. These herbs/brews
help stimulate bile flow as well as aiding in a variety of other ailments,
including certain skin problems.  (I had an article on these and other
coffee alternatives in the March 2002 issue of Herbs for Health.)

Keep me posted,

Rachel