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How to Get Rid of Gallstones Naturally

January 2, 2013 | 772 Comments
Have you ever had a gallbladder attack?

Talk about painful!

Thankfully, I have found something that works like a charm, is not invasive and lets me keep my
gallbladder!

My Experience

I had my first when pregnant with our 8th child and after an all-you-can eat pizza buffet – a high
fat meat! It was no fun, in fact, it was quite painful! As a nurse, I knew that I was a
prime candidate for gallbladder surgery. Having cared for gallbladder patients, I knew that it was
a difficult surgery and I did not want it! In seeking an alternative to gallbladder surgery, my
father introduced me to a gallbladder cleanse, also called a gallbladder flush.

I have continued to use the recipe that I will give below, as needed with success. Until I started
the GAPS diet, I would use the flush once a year or so. Since I have been on the GAPS diet,
interestingly, my gallbladder attacks increased during the first 8 – 10 months or so. During this
time, I did the gallbladder cleanse monthly until my stones subsided. Whatever the reason, the
GAPS diet seemed to accentuate my gallbladder problem. My gallbladder was not functioning
properly and through the healing process of the GAPS diet it is now much better and the need for
a gallbladder cleanse in almost unnecessary.

Before I give the recipe …

Did you know that nearly 1 million gallbladders are removed yearly?

Over 20 years ago, gallbladders were removed surgically and the recovery period was slow and
painful.  The traditional “open” gallbladder surgery has almost completely been replaced with
the introduction of laparoscopy. Laparoscopy uses small instruments and a lighted tube equipped
with a video camera, all inserted through tiny abdominal incisions. The recovery period is
quicker and less painful with a laparoscopy making it the preferred method of removal.

Unfortunately, the number of gallbladder operations has risen 40 percent since the introduction
of the laparoscopy! Perhaps the doctors would prefer to avoid severe attacks so, the gallbladder
is removed with vague symptoms like bloating and gas. This equals unnecessary surgery!

Laporascopic removal of the gallbladder while used commonly is not without risk. Accidental
severing of the bile duct, which can cause permanent liver damage, occurs in 1 to 2 percent of
laparoscopies—three times more often than in open surgery!

Function of the Gallbladder:

The gallbladder is located just under the liver and has a very important role in the digestive
process.

According to Wikipedia:

In vertebrates the gallbladder (cholecyst, gall bladder, biliary vesicle) is a small organ that

aids mainly in fat digestion and concentrates bile produced by the liver. The surgical removal of
the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy.

To put it another way, it emulsifies fats. Think of trying to wash greasy dishes without soap. It is
almost impossible. Why? Because soap emulsifies the grease. Similarly, the gallbladder stores
bile and bile acids, which emulsify the fat eaten so it can be properly transported through the
intestine into the blood stream.
Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder until the body needs it to digest fat. At
that time, the gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into a tube–called the common bile duct–
that carries it to the small intestine, where it helps with digestion. Under certain conditions the
bile can harden into stones.

Types of Gallstones:

There are two two types of gallstones:

1. Cholesterol stones made up of hardened cholesterol are usually yellow-green. 80 percent

of gallstones are cholesterol stones. They are caused by too much cholesterol, bilirubin, or not
enough bile salts or when the gallbladder does not empty as it should.

2. Pigment stones made of bilirubin are small, dark stones. Their cause is uncertain although
they tend to occur in people with cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, and hereditary blood disorders
such as sickle cell anemia – these conditions cause too much bilirubin to form.

Either type of gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. The
gallbladder can develop either one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or almost any
combination.

Symptoms of a Gallbladder Attack:

If gallstones lodge in any of the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestines, a
gallbladder attack occurs. Symptoms have a rapid onset and may include:
  Steady pain in the upper abdomen that increases rapidly and lasts from 30 minutes to
several hours
 Pain in the back between the shoulder blades
 Pain under the right shoulder
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Abdominal bloating
 Recurring intolerance of fatty foods
 Belching
 Gas
 Indigestion

An easy way to determine if your pain is related to the gallbladder is to press down below on
your last rib on your right side and lined up with your nipple – if there is pain there is a good
chance that you have a gallbladder problem.

Curing Symptoms Not the Problem:

The removal of the gallbladder is a procedure called Cholecystectomy. Of the 1 million

cholecystectomys or gallbladder removals that are done yearly, it is estimated that only a few
thousand actually need to come out! Sadly, as many as half of the patients continue to have pain
after the gallbladder is removed. Rather than treat the symptoms, more care should be taken to
heed the warning signals and determine why the gallbladder is not functioning properly.
One way to relieve congestion in the gallbladder is a gallbladder cleanse or flush. I am not a
medical doctor and do not pretend to give medical advise but I do want to share what has worked
for me. The following recipe is one I have used since my first attack in 2002. I use it when I
begin to experience pain in my right side, just under my ribs. It is a pain that once you have,
you recognize instantly.  While I normally do not have severe pain (because I do the flush before
it gets too bad), I have procrastinated and had sever pain, nausea and vomiting – all of which are
relieved by the following cleanse and passage of gallstones.

Gallbladder Cleanse Recipe

Drink 1 qt of apple juice each day for 5 days. Drink the apple juice in addition to your regular
diet.  The apple juice contains limonoid which helps soften any gallstones and alleviate any pain
you are experiencing.

On the 6th day:

Do not eat anything after 6 pm.

At 6 pm, take 1 Tbsp Epsom salt with a full glass of water. Mix the Epsom salt in the water – it
takes a bit of stirring. I take a big breath and down it quickly!

At 8 pm repeat 1 Tbsp Epsom salt with a full glass of water.

At 10 pm – mix and drink quickly, 4 oz. olive oil (from my affiliate -where to buy) and 4 oz.
lemon juice.

Go to bed and in the morning you will pass any gallstones you may have. I normally have
varying sizes of bright green gallstones visible in the toilet. The Epsom salt acts as a laxative to
quickly remove the gallstones from the intestinal tract.

 Photo Credit © Depositphotos.com/alila

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Filed Under: GAPS, How-to's and Techniques, Real Food, Real Foods Info, Recipes Tagged
With: GAPS, Real Food, Recipes
About Dina-Marie

Moving a family which includes 10 children from our "secure" life in Alabama to the "exciting"
life of starting a vineyard in west Texas has definitely been challenging. Besides frugality, farm
life and simple living, I have learned the importance of diet, quality of food and traditional
cooking. Through the GAPS diet, I am successfully reversing my rheumatoid arthritis,
osteoporosis and food allergies.

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Comments

1. UGA Scott says

March 2, 2015 at 11:07 pm

Can anyone describe their experience with this cleanse? I am very tempted to try it but
would feel more comfortable knowing what I can expect. What pain (if any) can I expect,
is vomiting involved in doing the cleanse, how many days after the 6th day do you have
diarrhea, any information or experiences would be greatly appreciated, thanks in
advance!

Reply
o Dina-Marie says

March 3, 2015 at 9:17 am

UGA Scott, if you read through the comments, there are examples of what to
expect. I have not experienced vomiting as a result of the cleanse and the diarrhea
lasted a bit into the morning after taking the Epsom salt. The morning after taking
the Epsom salt, I eat as normal and go about my normal routine. I have also not
experienced any pain as a result of the stones passing – I hope this helps!

Reply

o Steffon says

March 8, 2015 at 4:05 pm

Wish I can upload a photo of the few stones I’ve passed using this cleanse. I’ll
admit I drank double the Apple juice in half the time but it worked and after
another one next month I hope to be some free!

Reply

 Dina-Marie says

March 8, 2015 at 8:02 pm

Steffon, that is great!

Reply
 o Lisset says

March 8, 2015 at 9:42 pm

Are we talking about juiced Apple juice using a juicer or store bought? I’m
guessing juiced Apple juice would be more beneficial but does either one work?

Btw, I just tried 1tbs of flax seed oil with 4oz of water and most of my pain has
gone away. Pain has been around for almost a month and I recently started juicing
with beets and apple which has helped to reduce the pain. My next step is to try
this cleanse.

Reply

 Dina-Marie says

March 9, 2015 at 5:02 pm

Lisset, I use store bought apple juice. That is interesting about flax seed
and water. I would guess that the apple juice you have been drinking with
the beets has helped the pain.

Reply

2. Melanie says

March 7, 2015 at 8:01 pm

I started drinking the Apple juice today and it flushed me out a bit. I had major diarrhea
after drinking about a pint of it. It has alleviated some of the pain I’ve been experiencing
already. Has anyone else had diarrhea after drinking the apple juice?
Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 8, 2015 at 8:04 pm

Melanie, I have not but I spaced it out over the day – did you drink it all at once?
Maybe other readers?

Reply

 Bryan Brown says

March 15, 2015 at 10:03 am

Hi, I was in significant pain on Friday and left work early to go to the lab
for tests, and am awaiting the results. In the meantime I decided to try the
cleanse that you suggested, because my conditions were getting worse and
I have a family history of gall bladder removal. So I fast tracked the
cleanse yesterday. I blended 4 apples, 2 grapefruits and water together (3
times) and drank them at 10 am and 12 pm and 3 pm and did not eat any
other food all day yesterday. |I then drank a large glass of water and 1 tbsp
epsom salts at 6 pm and 8 pm. At 10 pm I drank 4 oz’s of olive oil and 4
oz of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Last night I was in so much discomfort
in my stomach, gallbladder area that I was going to go the hospital at
midnight. I finally fell asleep and woke up at 7:30 am. When I woke up
my extended stomach was almost normal, I then went to the bathroom and
passed 18 green stones. My stomach / gallbladder area feels 80% better
today, It feels very tender under my back right lower rib this morning, like
my gallbladder had a major workout last night! I will repeat this recipe
again over the next 5 days, and will start incorporating fresh squeezed
juices and protein smoothies to let my body adjust. I will wait for my lab
results and also do a follow up CT scan to see if I have any stones left at
the end of the week. I will then begin further research of why I had “Green
cholesterol” stones to begin with, as I have an extremely low cholesterol
diet. will keep you posted! Thank you for your recipe and for posting this
health advice online. Bryan
 Reply

 Dina-Marie says

March 15, 2015 at 12:31 pm

Bryan, I am glad it worked out for you and I look forward to your
update!

Reply

3. Shan says

March 10, 2015 at 10:23 am

I know that there is a lot of talk about citrus having more limonoids but there is
something about the juice. I think I have a lot of stones and just after the third day of
drinking the apple juice I am seeing green in my bm’s. It’s sofening the smaller ones and
making them pass. I am also feeling some relief. I still have my last day to get to and am
sure it will not be comfortable. But it’s good to know that things are happening inside.
This is just based on my own experience.

Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 10, 2015 at 5:31 pm

Shan, thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Hopefully, you will not
have any pain when they all pass – I have not had any!

Reply
4. Judie says

March 11, 2015 at 9:31 am

My husband cancelled his surgery last week and started your apple juice, epson salt,
lemon juice and olive oil concoction. He said that he passed green stools. Are they the
gallstones? He could not see any other than that his stools were green.
Thanks.

Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 11, 2015 at 9:36 am

Judie, the stones I have passed have looked like the pictures shown and you see
them in the toilet. I can’t give medical advice but if I were scheduled for surgery
as your husband was and had those results, I would do the cleanse again. I hope
this helps!

Reply

5. Kyla says

March 15, 2015 at 1:05 pm

Hello again! I have (finally) done your flush- last night. Work travel had come up so I
ended up drinking a quart of apple juice for 3 weeks instead of 5 days. The Epsom salt
and olive oil/lemon juice was gross. But I powered through. Cleaned out pretty well, slept
through the night. Woke up 3 hours ago and haven’t passed any yet. Can you give me
some insight into how long I should wait before possibly trying again? I thought I had
 read another commentor say they had a similar experience but then passed them later in
the day- can’t find that comment now. Thanks so much!

Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 15, 2015 at 9:03 pm

Kyla, I was so glad to see your latest comment stating that you did pass stones – I
am so glad!

Reply

6. Kyla's says

March 15, 2015 at 3:32 pm

You can disregard my last comment- we had passage! Holy smokes no wonder I was in
such pain. Thank you so much for this. I will be doing this again next month to clean out
any remaining stones, and also going in for an ultrasound this week to see how it’s
looking! Anyone who is having doubts or is unsure of doing this, the most painful part is
drinking all the Epsom salt and olive oil/lemon juice. Wow!

Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 15, 2015 at 9:03 pm

Thanks, Kyla, I am so glad it worked – let me know how the ultrasound goes!
 Reply

7. Victor says

March 15, 2015 at 6:19 pm

Hi!

I just want to verify, I flushed some green shiny things, but i’m not sure if they are
stones. I had a big one but when I tried pinching it did break, but the formation looks like
a gallstone. Is gallstones really solid like rock/ stones or it became soft because of the
Apple Juice intake?

Reply

o Dina-Marie says

March 15, 2015 at 9:01 pm

Victor, mine have been soft because of the apple juice. I hope this helps!

Reply

 Victor says

March 15, 2015 at 10:44 pm

So not all of them are rock solid? i’m just worried that i might still have it.

Reply
  Dina-Marie says

March 16, 2015 at 2:26 am

Victor, you could still have some but it sounds like you have
already passed some.

Reply

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