A gallbladder cleanse is a particular protocol, including diet, aimed to prevent gallstones or to address gallstones that have already formed. Gallbladder cleansing is also known as a liver and gallbladder flush by some. The gallbladder is in charge of storing the bile produced by your liver. Bile can aid with fat digestion and improve the formation and passage of bowel motions. Gallstones are hardened and semi-hardened deposits that can form in the gallbladder and clog one of the gallbladder's ducts, causing pain, nausea, and vomiting.
In my observation, there are several main factors leading to gallbladder attacks and dysfunction, here are a few causes, the list is certainly not complete.
Suspect food allergies in just about 100% of patients. On average I find that they are reactive to 4 or 5 foods, and according to Dr. Jonathon Wright, one of America’s most experienced natural medicine doctors, egg is generally always one of the prime food allergens involved. There are over 800,000 cholecystectomies (gallbladder operations) performed in USA per annum, they cost $5,000 US to perform.
If you do the math here, effective preventative natural medicine treatment could spare 4 billion US dollars with gallbladder conditions alone. I can imagine how many of the operations are performed needlessly each year, and it is amazing how many people I’ve seen who have their gallbladder out only to find that it did not fix up the problem they originally went to the doctor for in the first place. The patient’s diet or lifestyle didn’t change, they were told the problem was fixed surgically, but soon worked out after the operation that the problem was still there.
Other medical methods of handling gallstones in the gallbladder include attempts to fragment them with sonic shock waves (lithotripsy). Of course there are other times when surgery may become necessary, such as in perforation of the gallbladder (often from gangrene) or where for example non-benign tumours and cancers are present. All this is what I call “crisis medicine,” so common in the orthodox medical procedures used in the hospital system. Does it not make sense to prevent a gallbladder condition in the first place rather than waiting for disaster to strike and then to take action?
I always recommend that a patient who has had their gallbladder removed take bile salts (digestive enzymes) because fats & oils are not properly digested and absorbed by these folk. I always give bile salts when I give them fish-oil, or Vitamin A, and these are also known as Lipotropic factors. Digestive enzymes are essential for those who have had their gallbladder removed, they will feel a lot better for taking them regularly. Their digestion will improve, their bowels will work better and they will feel less full and bloated.
For patients who do not improve their diet following surgical removal of the gallbladder the removal leaves the person with an increased risk of colon cancer. Although fast relief of some symptoms can follow this surgery, the relief is often short-lived and the basic causes are still present.
If you have lost your gallbladder, the regular use of bile salts at the start of meals can help substantially, including better processing of the fat-soluble essential nutrients such as essential fatty acids and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Probably the best way to tell if you are using enough bile salts is to monitor the colour of the stool. If the colour is lighter than the normal brown colour, or is even a light beige or yellow, this implies insufficient bile flow; with it’s under absorption of essential nutrients, and a need for more bile salts.
Such a need for more bile salts will be greater after a meal with greater amounts of fats and oils. Talk to your Naturopath more here, he or she can recommend a product which should work well. I generally find that the digestive enzymes prescribed by your Naturopath to be stronger and much more effective than the retail (health-food shop) products. That is why they are classified as “practitioner-only” products.
Eliminate refined sugar and other refined carbohydrates, because it is these foods which in particular increases the cholesterol saturation of bile. Gallbladder problems don’t generally happen in under developed countries, they are a phenomenon of the Western developed world. We call these sorts of health problems the “diseases of modern civilisation”. You will find that our Western diet is the highly refined one, most people eat foods from the supermarket and our diets are the ones high in the refined sugars, starches and flours.
Foods and drinks to strictly avoid One of the worst beverages to drink with gallbladder issues is coffee whether decaffeinated or not, it aggravates symptoms by causing the gallbladder to contract along with sugar. So, sugar and coffee is not a good idea! I also tell patients to avoid chocolate, deep fried foods and saturated animal fats in general. Most tell me that they cannot tolerate these foods anyway, so listen to your body and avoid what makes you feel unwell or sick.
Consume a little olive oil daily One way to prevent build-up of gallstones is to eat some oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, daily; this encourages the gallbladder to contract and to daily “sand dump” its contents into the small intestine, preventing sludge from accumulating and forming gallstones.
Our clinic has worked with many patients over the years to complete a liver & gallbladder cleanse based on the tips found on this page. Take a look at the pictures of gallstones that a few patients have sent me after they were delighted with their results based on implementing this gallbladder report.
Sick and tired of feeling fat, sick, digestive or bowel problems? Perhaps you can’t eat fatty foods or many foods “repeating” on you? Does drinking alcohol or eating chocolate or any fatty food make you feel pretty sick? Tired of not being able to lose any weight, in spite of exercise, strict diet and a well functioning thyroid gland? You may want to check that you don’t have hypothyroidism, and if you have not but you feel “bad all over” then why not consider doing the gallbladder cleanse. I’m aware some medical doctors say about me : “the guy who tells you this is crazy, he needs psychiatric help”, I don’t care, I’ve heard it many times before. I don’t need any shrink, I’ve worked with many ladies with gallbladder congestion, some were even booked in for surgery. After a few rounds of gallbladder cleansing, there was NO more pain or discomfort. Try it yourself, and you be the judge!
There are many different gallbladder and liver flushes that will work if you have had recurrent gallbladder problems. You are advised to work with your health-care professional, preferably someone with experience. I have guided hundreds of patients through this procedure the past thirty years and have never experienced a problem.
All you need is 200ml castor oil (try the chemist or supermarket), and old saucepan, an old cloth, and an old towel. Just warm the old cloth in the pot of oil until it is quite warm, squeeze it out and apply it over the region of the gallbladder – central a little to the right just near where your ribcage finishes. Cover with the old towel, place a hot water bottle on top for added warmth and lie down for fifteen to twenty minutes, then rub the area for 2 minutes with an ice cube in a cloth–repeat 3 times once daily for a week can sometimes dislodge gallstones, and is especially a powerful treatment if used in conjunction with the flush and dietary approach. Careful with castor oil, it can stain.
Dr. Dick Versendaal, USA chiropractor recommended his “carotid-umbilicus technique”. For the best results, it is to used every 15 minutes for 1-3 hours as follows (it’s easier if someone else does it on you than you try to do it yourself ): using the index finger, apply a steady pressure into the belly button for 5 minutes, such as to depress the belly button 1-1 ½ inches (but avoiding pain). Do this once a day for up to 12 weeks after the stones are passed, it will help your gallbladder a lot. Abdominal reflex: studies have shown that stroking the skin of the abdomen causes the underlying muscles to contract.
Firm rubbing for at least 30 second, 1-2 times a day of the neuro-lymphatic reflexes (these points may feel quite tender if you have gallbladder issues) between ribs 3 and 4, and ribs 4 and 5, just to each side of the breastbone, and between ribs 5 and 6 just under the nipple of the right breast can be quite helpful.
Also softly holding (not pressing or rubbing) for at least one minute the neuro-vascular reflexes at the anterior fontanel (front of head the baby’s soft spot near crown of head– locate at tip of middle finger when the wrist crease of either hand is placed on the eye brows and the middle finger extended onto the midline of the skull) and at the hairline on the forehead directly above the outer corner of each eye. Look for the “tender spots”, you will find them.