A gallbladder cleanse is a controversial treatment for gallstones, not supported by mainstream medicine. It involves avoiding certain foods and increasing others, and using oils such as olive oil and flaxseed oil. However, it carries risks and medical advice should be sought. Studies suggest that the “stones” expelled after a cleanse are often soapstones, not cholesterol stones.
Gallstones afflict millions of people each year, and some chronically ill and others concerned with gallbladder problems resort to a gallbladder cleanse in an effort to prevent, treat, and control this painful condition. The gallbladder is a small organ that stores and handles bile, which is a liquid made and secreted by the liver to help digest food. The liver connects to the gallbladder where it dumps bile, and then the bile travels through the bile duct on a journey to the small intestine to work on breaking down undigested food. The main purpose of bile is to emulsify fats and neutralize acids.
Although the use of a gallbladder cleanse as a treatment for gallstones is not supported by the mainstream medical community, many alternative health practitioners recommend it not only as a preventative tactic for gallstone sufferers, but also as a corrective measure for poor diet. . Gallstones form when liquid bile hardens and forms stones due to incorrect proportions of cholesterol, bilirubin, and bile salts. If these stones are large enough, they can block the bile duct and cause severe pain. Many believe this is the result of too many fats and oils in the diet, too many spices, very cold liquids, and stress.
The purpose of a gallbladder cleanse is to break down gallstones until they are small enough to pass through the bile duct. There are many versions to choose from. Some are designed to be completed in one day, some in five days, and some over a period of several weeks. Most involve avoiding certain foods and increasing the amount of others. Foods advertised as promoting gallbladder health include apples, radishes, parsnips, lemons, limes, and seaweed.
The oils are also used for cleansing the gallbladder. Olive oil is mixed with lemon juice and sipped for one of the quick streams, and flaxseed oil is added to foods in another. Alternative health practitioners who encourage gallbladder cleanses also advise participants to avoid high-fat foods, meat, and dairy products. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes are recommended as healthy foods to help prevent gallstones.
A gallbladder cleanse has risks and a physician should be consulted before undertaking any type of cleansing process. The biggest risk is that gallstones can lodge in the bile duct during a cleanse, and medical attention should be sought at the onset of any acute pain. It’s also important to note that studies have suggested that the “stones” expelled in the stool after a cleanse are soapstones. There are two types of stones: cholesterol stones and soap stones. Cholesterol calculations that pass are the target, but the calculations analyzed after a cleanse indicated that most, if not all, are of the soap variety. Soapstones are made from oil, so the oil ingested to rid the body of gallstones may have just made its own.
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