A common natural treatment of gallstones is the gallbladder flush. If you read the stories here on Earth Clinic and all over the internet, you will find hundreds of testimonies of its success. You will also find plenty of "naysayers." But when you are dealing with severe pain and the possibility of an expensive surgery to remove an important organ, considering your alternatives makes a lot of sense!
What is a Gallbladder Flush?
The idea behind the gallbladder flush is to use diet and fasting to allow pressure to build up in the gall bladder. Epsom salt is used to purge the digestive system and relax the bile ducts. Then a high fat olive oil drink is consumed to stimulate the gall bladder. Many, many people have reported passing stones following a gallbladder flush. The proof is in the pudding though. Many report feeling much better after one or more gall bladder flushes.
How do you Do a Gallbladder Flush?
There are a number of variations on the theme with a gallbladder flush. Please be sure to read the many testimonies on this page so that you can tailor your flush to fit your own needs.
- Choose two days that you can set aside to take care of yourself and perform this flush. (Keep in mind that gall bladder surgery will have you out of work longer than two days!) You will need to be close to the rest room and you will not feel like doing much as the time progresses.
- For a week up to the day you begin your flush, try to eat more cleanly. More fruits and vegetables, less high protein, high fat meals. Drink as much apple juice as you can during this week to help soften the stones. If you cannot tolerate drinking that much apple juice, get a Malic Acid supplement and take this with meals for the week leading up to your flush.
- Make sure you have the needed items in your home for the flush. You will need 1/2 cup of a good quality olive oil, 1/4 cup of epsom salt, and one large or two small grapefruits. Hulda Clark, one who helped make these flushes famous, suggests ornithine capsules to help you sleep the night of the flush. She also recommends taking black walnut hull tincture with the flush to kill parasites. Having a book on hand that you have been wanting to read would be a great idea as well.
- On the morning of your flush you may eat a light low fat breakfast. Fruit, non-fat cereal (oatmeal or cream of wheat). Do not add dairy or butter or coconut oil. Sugar or honey is okay. Purists of the flush would say only fruit or fruit juice. After breakfast, consume only juice or water until 2:00 pm. After 2:00 pm you will only consume the components of the flush.
- 2:00 pm, mix together 4 Tablespoons of Epsom Salt in 3 cups of water. Store this in the refrigerator; do not drink it yet. Do not drink or eat after 2:00 pm.
- 6:00 pm drink 3/4 cup of your epsom salt water. Drinking it through a straw while holding your nose will lessen the taste. Have a taste of honey when you finish to get rid of the bitter taste.
- 8:00 pm drink another 3/4 cup of your epsom salt water. Around this time your body will start to "purge." This will not really be a painful purge, but you will be visiting the bathroom often and may experience diarrhea as your body is cleaned out in preparation for the flush.
- 9:30 pm get ready for bed. Brush your teeth, feed your cat, tuck kids in bed. After your 10:00 pm drink you cannot do anything but get into bed.
- 9:45 pm Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a glass. Squeeze the grapefruit juice into another glass and strain out any pulp or seeds. Add 1/2 cup of this to the olive oil. You can add a pinch of salt to the mixture and it will taste like salad dressing! If you bought black walnut hull tincture, add 1/4 teaspoon of the tincure to this mixture. Most people do not find it as dreadful as it sounds. Mix together the ingredients in a blender. Before drinking this, brush your teeth and visit the restroom again. You will lay down right after your drink it.
- 10:00 pm. Drink your olive oil/grapefruit juice drink through a straw if you like. Drink this standing up. Take your 4-8 capsules of ornithine to help you sleep all night. Try to get your drink down in 5 minutes. (10-15 minutes for the weak or elderly.)
- Immediately lie down in bed on a couple of pillows. Most people recommend lying on your left side, though some suggest your back. Stay in this position for at least 20 minutes and do try to stay in bed all night unless you must get up to visit the restroom.
- 6:00 am Drink another 3/4 cup of the espom salt water. Do not eat yet.
- 8:00 am Drink your last 3/4 cup of the epsom salt water. Do not eat yet.
- You will probably still be having frequent restroom visits. You may begin to notice stones. Many people report pea green stones that float. Some use a strainer to collect stones. Others just count.
- 10:00 am - You may begin to drink juices at this point.
- 12:00 noon - You may begin to eat very lightly - steamed vegetables or broth.
- Depending on how your feel, you can add things to your diet through the day, but it is best to continue eating lightly the rest of the day. Do drink plenty. The gallbladder flush is a dehydrating process.
- Rest as needed for the remainder of the day. The flush is taxing to the body and you should not overdo it. You may still be having frequent restroom visits and may continue to pass stones.
Variations on the Gallbladder Flush
- The times can be adjusted according to your need. You can begin earlier or later and just use the same time intervals.
- Some will use lemon juice instead of grapefruit juice.
- Do not substitute any other kind of oil. Coconut oil hits the liver too quickly and can cause vomiting. Many other oils are hydrogenated and never really a good choice.
Gallbladder Flush Tips
- Some find that they do not pass many stones on the first flush. If that is the case, wait at least two weeks and try again.
- Many find that if they flush every few weeks they have more and more success and then they have less and less stones as the gallbladder and liver become clear of stones.
- Never do a gallbladder flush if you are sick. Do not do a flush more than every two weeks. It is a stress on the body and you need to let the body recover before your repeat the flush.
Gallbladder Flush and Medications
If you use prescription medications (or even some over the counter medications) grapefruit juice may be contraindicated for you. Grapefruit juice makes some medications absorb into the bloodstream more quickly, which can be quite dangerous.1 Medications that lower cholesterol or blood pressure, anti-anxiety medications, medications to prevent organ transplant rejection, antihistamines, and some heart drugs are among the medications that would make grapefruit juice a bad and perhaps dangerous choice for those doing a gallbladder flush. Lemon juice is an alternative to grapefruit juice.
If you are not sure if your medication is compatible with grapefruit juice you should check with your pharmacist or doctor. If you have a significant health problem that requires prescription medication, you may wish to involve a natural health practitioner about the suitability of a gallbladder flush with your health situation.
Scroll down to read our readers success stores and challenges with gallbladder flushes!
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Sources:
1. https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm292276.htm