Health Tip of the Week: Gallstone Cleanse

I was suffering from intense headaches for a few months when my naturopath suggested I might have gallstones and that could be contributing to the headaches. I didn’t know why I (healthily, young etc.) would have gallstones but I was willing to find out. He gave me a cleanse and I was supposed to do it three times over two months. It’s a pretty intense cleanse, and I wouldn’t suggest you trying it unless you are serious about this, and really want to do it right.

After doing the cleanse just once I knew I had gallstones. I don’t want to be gross but I was shocked at the stones I passed, some of them were as big as quarters and some as small as peas and pin heads.

I did go forward and finish the three cleanse and I was happy I did. So if you are “all about the cleanses” and want to try this one, or if you are struggling with this and don’t want to go for surgery I would suggest trying this first! If you do it right it works!

Check back next week for the complete cleanse and instructions! But in the mean times here are some things you should know about your gallbladder and gallstones.

About Gallstones

One in ten people suffers from symptomatic (painful) gallstones, making gallstones one of the most common digestive disorders in the world. They are also among the most painful. Gallstone attacks are caused by an inflamed gallbladder going into spasms when a stone hits the sensitive inner lining of the gallbladder. The pain starts in the upper-right abdomen and can last for days.

Gallstones are also extremely dangerous. If left untreated, they can lead to potentially fatal complications such as ruptured gallbladder, liver failure and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Each year, thousands of people die from conditions brought on by untreated gallstones, and thousands more undergo risky surgery to remove their gallbladder.

You might have gallstones and not even know it. Millions of people carry so-called 'silent' gallstones that do not cause symptoms yet continue to grow in the gallbladder. Eventually, they grow large enough to cause pain or internal damage.

Why Do Gallstones Form?

Gallstones are not just a problem of the gallbladder - they're also a problem of the liver. New research on gallstones has revealed they're formed by a combination of poor liver function and incomplete gallbladder contractions.

Your liver produces a digestive fluid called bile. This fluid is stored in the gallbladder and breaks down dietary fat. When we eat foods that contain fats, the gallbladder contracts completely, releasing the bile into the small intestine.

Because the liver also acts as the blood's main filter, it is exposed to many toxins. These toxins take their toll on the liver and weaken it. Instead of producing free flowing bile, the liver produces thick, sticky bile over-saturated with cholesterol.

Gallstones form when this bile builds up in the gallbladder. Usually, the gallbladder fully contracts and empties out bile. However, many people have gallbladders that only partly contract. These partial contractions leave behind bile sludge in the gallbladder. Eventually, the cholesterol molecules in the bile sludge harden to form gallstones.