How to Get Rid of Gallstones Naturally

How to Get Rid of Gallstones Naturally gives the recipe for a gallbladder cleanse that allows the passing of gallstones easily and without surgery. Natural remedies do work!  

Do you have gallstones, sludge or know someone who does? Maybe you just want to make sure you don't? This is for you!

UPDATE: Have you read this post and still have questions about how to get rid of gallstones using this gallbladder cleanse for passing gallstones? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions section at the bottom. 

Have you ever had a gallbladder attack? Talk about painful! But there is hope - here is how to get rid of gallstones naturally!

Thankfully, I have found something that works like a charm, is not invasive and lets me keep my gallbladder! Plus, it doesn't hurt - yeah!

Can You Dissolve Gallstones Naturally?

The short answer is "YES"! It is possible and has worked for me and many others as shown in the comments.

Natural Remedies for Gallstones Without Surgery

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. Once starting 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 attacks subsided.

Whatever the reason, the GAPS diet seemed to accentuate my gallbladder problem. My gallbladder was not functioning properly and through the process of the GAPS diet allowing my digestive system to function properly, it is now much better. The need for a gallbladder cleanse is almost unnecessary.

You might also be interested in my how to get rid of bladder infections naturally guide.

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

You may wonder how to get rid of gallstones naturally but, what about the different types of stones. Will one natural solution work for all types?

According to WebMD, there are 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.

You can see both types in the photo below.

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.

According to the Mayo Clinic, 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. Following is information about the surgery from the American College of Surgeons.

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.

Healthline states:

There is no scientific evidence to support these claims, however. The body is able to cleanse and flush itself.

Medical News Today states:

A 2009 paper states that although scientific evidence to support a gallbladder cleanse is minimal, anecdotal reports indicate it may be helpful for some people.

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 and how to get rid of gallstones naturally. That is, passing gallstones using the following gallbladder cleanse.

Even with "minimal" scientific evidence that this cleanse works, if you are one (like me) that it works for, it is completely worth giving it a try!

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 have been relieved for me by the following cleanse and passing gallstones.

How to Get Rid of Gallstones - Passing Gallstones Naturally

Gallbladder Cleanse Recipe

Days 1 - 6:

Drink 1 qt of apple juice each day for 6 days. Drink the apple juice in addition to your regular diet.

There is no specific time that you must drink it - I drink it throughout the day.

The apple juice contains limonoid which helps soften any gallstones and alleviate any pain you are experiencing.

Here is a link to the brand that I use: 100% Apple Juice

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!

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

Then at 10 pm - mix and drink quickly, 4 oz. olive oil 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.

Here are links to the products that I use for this natural solution:

• 100% Apple Juice
• Epsom Salt
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice can also be used but since I normally have the bottled on hand so I use it.

FAQ

In an effort to make it easier for you, here are some of the most common questions that I receive about how to get rid of gallstones naturally using this gallbladder cleanse.

Passing gallstones can be done without surgery and I know your questions are important. I want to help you as quickly as possible. Hopefully, this section will help you get the answers you need when you need them. If you do not find what you are looking for, please leave a comment.

Is this gallbladder cleanse safe?

I personally have done this cleanse multiple times without any problems. I consider it safe or I would not do it.

Can Natural Remedies Have Side Effects?

You can expect diarrhea as a result of the Epsom salt. That is to be expected as the Epsom salt is used for its laxative effect.

It has been suggested by some critics that a stone may become lodged in the bile duct. In my fourteen years of experience, no one has reported this to me nor have I read reports of this happening. The apple juice is thought to soften the stones so they pass without any problems.

When passing gallstones, do the stones pass through the urine or stool?

They pass through the stool. I normally begin passing them in the next morning with my first bowel movement.

I started having diarrhea after the first dose of Epsom salt - is this normal?

Yes, this is completely normal. Epsom salt is used for its laxative effect to clear the intestines so the stones can be quickly eliminated before they are potentially reabsorbed through your intestinal walls.

How large a stone will this work on?

I cannot say how large is too large. I have never known the size of my stones while they are in my gallbladder. The apple juice works to soften the stones so passing gallstones does not cause any pain.

Will I get sick from this gallstone remedy?

I have never gotten sick from this cleanse. I normally feel full and gassy after the Epsom salt.

After taking the lemon juice/olive oil mixture, I do feel yucky but I have never vomited. (Even though I have wanted to!)

From the comments, there have been a couple of readers who did vomit after taking the mixture but again, I never have.

Can I use sea salt, table salt or rock salt instead of Epsom salt?

The other salts listed are forms of sodium chloride. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. They are two very different salts not to be used interchangeably.

Will Epsom salt raise my blood pressure?

No. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate not table salt which is sodium chloride.

Can natural remedies raise blood pressure?

The natural remedies that I have used will not raise the blood pressure. Of course, if you have an underlying condition or are in doubt, please seek the medical advice of your doctor.

What brand of Epsom salt do you use - will any do?

As long as there are no added fragrances, any will do - mine has the directions for laxative usage on the back of the package.

Here is the Epsom Salt that I use.

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What about the sites claiming this gallstone remedy is a hoax and you are not really passing stones?

There are several online sites claiming this is a hoax and I have read them. But, I disagree and if you have a gallbladder attack and try this cleanse, I think you will too.

The apple juice provides relief from the pain almost immediately. At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, traditional medicine stands to lose a lot of money if and when people begin to take responsibility for their health with natural solutions that work.

There are are several readers who have had their stones resulting from this cleanse analyzed by a lab and they were indeed gallstones.

Other readers who had ultrasounds before the cleanse showing gallstones and after the cleanse showing none. There is one reader who showed a decreased number of stones and was planning on doing another cleanse to get of rid them.

Are these really stones that result from the gallbladder cleanse?

Gallstones are not stones as in pieces of granite. There are two types of stones:

1. Stones made of cholesterol stones 
2. Pigment stones made up of bilirubin. Like other fats, they float.

Do I take apple juice on the 6th day also?

Yes, you take it on the 6th day also.

Do I take the Epsom salt, olive oil/lemon juice mix only on the 6th day?

Yes, this completes the cleanse and is only done on the last day.

Is there an alternative to the apple juice - I don't want all the sugar?

I have never used anything else but a couple of readers report success with grapefruit juice and another with tart cherry juice.

What brand of apple juice do you use?

I use store bought that has no added sugar.

The brand that I use can be seen here 100% Apple Juice.

Can I juice my own apples?

Yes, but I have no idea how many it would take.

When do you drink the apple juice?

I drink it throughout the day - no specific time.

How much is 1 quart of apple juice?

1 quart = 32 oz = 4 cups = 0.95 liters

What type of olive oil do you use?

I use virgin olive oil. The flavor of extra virgin olive oil is just too strong for me.

This is the brand I use: Olive oil

Can I use other types of oil?

I have never tried it but I would think other healthy oils would be fine.

Do you use fresh squeezed lemon juice or store bought?

I have used both with success but, since I keep bottled lemon juice in the fridge, I normally use it.

This is the brand I use: Lemon juice

How do you get and keep the lemon juice/olive oil mixture down?

This, to me, is the most difficult part of the cleanse. It does not taste good but, if you mix it well, take a big breath and gulp it down, you can do it! After all, it is much easier than surgery! I then brush my teeth to get the taste out of my mouth.

How often can I repeat this cleanse?

I had a doctor say this could be repeated every 2 - 4 weeks for a time of healing. While on the GAPS diet, I did it monthly. Now I do it yearly as a maintenance, just to make sure nothing is building.

Can I do this cleanse while pregnant?

Passing gallstones with this cleanse can be done while pregnant. I have done it while pregnant without any problems. In fact, my first cleanse was when I was pregnant with our eighth child!

Can I do this cleanse while nursing?

I have done it while nursing without any problems.

Should I do a colon cleanse before the gallbladder cleanse?

I never have done a colon cleanse before doing the gallbladder cleanse and it still works great. Despite what others say, the colon cleanse is not necessary to do before doing the gallbladder cleanse.

After completing the gallbladder cleanse, do I need to lay on my right or left side?

I just lay down in bed and try to go to sleep. I find it more comfortable on my right side.

Do I have to go to bed after the olive oil/lemon juice mixture?

That is what the recipe says. It is easier to go to bed and go to sleep rather than stay awake and feel the effects of the Epsom salt. But, be prepared to get up and run to the bathroom for diarrhea! In my experience, passing gallstones occurs in the morning with my first bowel movement.

What type of diet do I eat during this gallbladder cleanse?

I eat a normal diet during the cleanse and afterwards. Our normal diet consists of low amounts of processed sugar, healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and veggies. Oh, and fresh raw dairy from our milk cow.