One in twelve people in the United States are estimated to have gallstones. Although women are three times more likely to develop them than men, other risk factors play a key role in the development of gallstones: fatty diet, obesity, increased hormone levels from birth control pills or hormone therapy, rapid weight loss and elevated triglyceride levels can all contribute to the formation of stones in the gallbladder.
To avoid a radical removal of the gallbladder (Cholecystectomy) when problems arise, many are turning towards a natural gallbladder cleanse in order to alleviate painful symptoms.
Causes and Symptoms
Gallstones are crystalline bodies formed from bile components over a period of time. The two types of stones commonly found in the gallbladder are cholesterol stones (responsible for 80 percent of all gallstones) and pigment stones (made up bilirubin and calcium salts that are found in bile). Common symptoms of sediment or stones caught in the gallbladder include flatulence, indigestion, chest pains, diarrhea, nausea, chalky-colored stools and a bitter taste in the mouth after eating. Gallstones may also cause moderate-to-severe pains beneath the right ribcage, in the upper back or the right shoulder.
Four-Day Cleanse
The four-day gallbladder cleanse is a simple and inexpensive way to flush your gallbladder and is a bit gentler and easier to perform than the radical one-day cleanse. It is purported that the apple juice softens up the stones so they may pass more easily through the biliary ducts. Plan to do this flush when you can rest over the four-day period, avoiding any hard labor.
What You Will Need
4 gallons of distilled water
4 gallons of organic apple juice
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
3 lemons (enough to make 1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 tablespoon of tomato juice
1 straw (optional)
Performing the Flush
On days one through four, you will drink up to one gallon of the apple juice followed by one gallon of distilled water throughout the day. You should not experience any hunger and should avoid eating. The juice should keep you energized. Do a saltwater flush or enema each morning or evening to remove toxic buildup from settling in the rectum.
On the evening of day three, just before bedtime, drink ½ cup of unrefined, cold-pressed olive oil, followed by ¼ cup of the fresh lemon juice (you may drink this through a straw if that is easier for you). Lie in bed on your right side with two pillows beneath your right hip. This helps to move the liquid into the gallbladder quickly. Lie in this position for four to five hours before changing into your normal sleeping position. If you begin to feel nauseated, you may take up to one tablespoon of the tomato juice which should help settle your stomach some. Do not swallow more than this amount, but you may hold the juice in your mouth and spit it out if you need to.
What to Expect
It is possible you may feel nauseous enough to vomit sometime during the night. This is normal and is caused by the oil shooting back into the stomach when the stones begin to eject from the gallbladder. You may also experience a mild sensation of the stones moving, but it should not be painful.
The Next Day
Spend the next day resting in bed, watching TV or reading. Continue to sip the apple juice and distilled water throughout the day. At some point, you will need to have a bowel movement. When you do, pay close attention to what is expelled into the toilet. Some use a colander in the bowl to catch the stones. The color of the gallstones range from bright green to black. You may repeat this cleanse once per month.
Tags: apple juice, distilled water, distilled water throughout, gallbladder cleanse, lemon juice