Are there natural ways to get rid of gall stones?
Stones form in the gall bladder because the gall bladder is not emptying properly in response to ingestion of oils.
A liver or gall bladder flush, with 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, swallowed quickly will ‘flush’ out the gall bladder.
Some feel that large stones may then get stuck in the common bile duct, but of all the thousands (or tens of thousands) of flushes that many alternative medicine physicians have seen done, I’m not aware of a single bad outcome.
Peppermint oil is the most consistent recommendation I’ve heard of, and I have recommended it several times. It is safe and can be used in the long term. Homeopaths have a number of products they use, but I am unfamiliar with them.
My doctor says I can get all the vitamins and minerals I need from my food. What is your opinion on this?
I used to say the same thing to my patients, back in the days before I studied healthy alternatives. It is the party line of allopathic medicine, although that is starting to change. Here's the bottom line, and I'll follow up with some info on what allopaths are now doing:
9 responses so far ↓
1 Joyce South // Jul 2, 2010 at 3:58 pm
I have also read that gall stones form in the liver. Is there any truth to that? I have never heard of using peppermint oil. How much do you use?
2 Cara Patterson // Jul 2, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Turmeric cleans the liver and gall bladder and has been shown to increase the solubility of bile. It is a wonderful preventative. However, as mentioned above, it may be considered contraindicated in the case of bile obstruction. Its cholagogue activity could be very uncomfortable for an unhealthy gall bladder. If you have gallstones, I would start taking very small doses and work up.
3 Cara Patterson // Jul 3, 2010 at 12:00 am
Taurine is also very effective for thinning bile. In addition, a South American herb called Chanca Piedra (break stone) is used for both kidney stones and gall stones.
4 Dr. Stan Gardner // Jul 5, 2010 at 10:32 am
Joyce, Gall stones form in the gall bladder. It is related to the concentrations of cholesterol, bile acids, phosphatidylcholine and water that form in the gall bladder sac. Peppermint oil comes in an enteric-coated capsule. Take 1-2 capsules 3 times daily between meals.
Cara, Thank you for your additional ideas.
5 Suz // Jul 12, 2010 at 10:13 am
What about taking probiotics and digestive enzymes? The probiotics will put back the good bacteria that the antibiotics have removed.
3 1/2 T. of virgin coconut oil is a good oil to use for everything.
6 Hein Tlustek // Jul 13, 2010 at 6:40 am
I lived healthy, eat healthy, and lost my gall bladder this week. Now, what should I do?
7 Dr. Stan Gardner // Jul 13, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Hein, Keep living and eating healthy. Without a gall bladder, your body will have a harder time digesting fats, so you may want to see how your body does. If there seems to be a problem, try enzymes with plenty of lipase in them. Most important, listen to your body and respond to what it is telling you.
8 Betty // Jul 19, 2010 at 4:46 pm
I think that Joyce was maybe referring to “intrahepatic stones”, which do indeed form in the liver. Here is an article about them:
http://medind.nic.in/ica/t04/i6/icat04i6p201.pdf
9 E.D. // Sep 18, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Dr. Gardner,
In reading other internet recipes for gall bladder flushes, it is frequently suggested to soften the stones first by drinking apple juice for several days. Also, lying on your right side immediately after drinking the flush is also recommended. Are any of these suggestions necessary, or can a person just drink the olive oil/lemon juice mix you suggested without other considerations?
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