posted 7 years ago
I got a stone stuck in my duct recently, but was able to calm it down, and in process added a lot to my gallstones herbal file. In case someone will need it also, here it is:
Gallstones
Acute pancreatitis may be the first sign of gallstones. Gallstones can block the pancreatic duct, which can cause acute pancreatitis. Person with it feels pain under the left ribcage instead of the right, and can have fever. Usual gallbladder attack symptoms can be present as well - yellow or clay color stools (especially, if ducts are blocked by the stones), diarrhea, belching and burping, gas, nausea, vomiting. If it gets severe, medical help might be needed as it can damage other organs as well. Pancreatic enzymes might be useful in healing.
Gallbladder stones form usually from cholesterol (not the dietary one), when there is not enough bile to break up the fats. Low bile amount or low flow can have many causes such as high insulin, high estrogen, high cortisol, prolonged low fat diet, fasting, pregnancy (especially multiple pregnancies), some infections, lack of sleep, constipation (however low bile can cause constipation itself, so it becomes a loop). Fats, especially saturated fats stimulate bile flow. Bile salts might be big help until your gallbladder starts making enough again.
Basically, there are several actions, that help tp expel the stones - something to soften them -usually acid such as malic acid in ACV and apple juice, something to relax the ducts such as high quality magnesium or cramp bark tincture, and some fat to stimulate the gallbladder contractions such as olive oil, butter, etc. Possibly also something to lubricate the ducts such as fax tea, chia seeds, slippery elm bark, or marshmallow root. Last one is interesting one since we are not sure, that herbs from digestive tract can move into ducts, but it works somehow as many people said their pain relaxed very soon after taking flaxseed tea.
Chanca Piedra (Phylanthus niruri) is a very powerful herb, just keep in mind, that in large doses it can produce heat, so you might be warm. Take as capsule (powder), tea, or tincture. Tincture seem to be the most powerful form for gallbladder stones, tea-for kidneystones. Drink minimum 3 cups a day or take minimum 3 capsules, or 3 droperfuls of tincture in 3 times. However if you are in an active attack, you might want to take more often -every hour or two for a while until pain/other symptoms subside, then reduce to 3 times a day. Keep at 2-3 times for months, because liver can keep dumping stones into gallbladder. Also, if reason you made them in the first place is still there, your body will be making more. I feel it is best to change herbs every few months, if you use them for a long time.
Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus)- whole plant is used. Also great for migraines and dissolves stones.
Gentian root tincture helps to resolve gallbladder infection. Very bitter. Put 8-10 drops in small amount of water and drink it before each meal.
"Mix cinnamon-cloves-ginger powders in an apple juice glass. The mix was pretty nasty tasting, afterward I only felt minor "gurgling" on right flank.... Nothing painful or extraordinary. The next day I had a pretty serious case of diarrhea and released about 100 m&m sized green pellets. I couldn't believe it.
One person said, that in middle eastern countires they eat 50 grams of dried figs a day for 2 months to eliminate gallstones.
Drink at least 2 litres of juice daily, combination of unpasteurized fresh apple juice, lemon juice, tamarind juice, and carrot juice. mix in a tablspoon of ACV for stronger effect.
Serrapeptase enzyme helped some.
Hydrangea root capsules. People have taken different amounts -some 2 capsules 3 times a day, some 4 times a day. For prevention usually 2 capsules a day. Also works for kidney stones very well, even large ones. One person had 10mm kidney stone and after taking hydrangea, he passed it into two pieces 4 and 6 mm, which fit together. Scan confirmed it was gone. There are many types of Hydrangea although only two, Hydrangea arborescens ( Native to the Eastern U.S) & Hydrangea strigosa ( Native to China) are commonly used medicinally. Leaves are toxic, so use just roots.
Gravel root tea
Taking a teaspoon of granulated lecithin at mealtimes is also highly beneficial for the liver and for gallstone removal and prevention.
Parsley tea-take 1 pint a day. Pour a quart of boiling water over a cup of firmly packed fresh parsley (roots and leaves can be used) and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Strain and then refrigerate. Dr. Chirstopher said, that taken daily it will disolve stones anywhere in the body.
Other herbs he used for gallstones are dandelion, golden seal, mistletoe, yellow dock, oak, parsley, and wild yam. Dr. Christopher's liver/gallblader formula 1/3 Cup of tea or 2 capsules, 15 to 20 minutes before a meal- Barberry, Wild yam, Cramp bark, Fennel seed, Ginger, Catnip, Peppermint. Person who needed a liver transplant, took 6 capsules 3 times a day and half gallon of fresh carrot juice and soon was removed from transplant waiting list as his markers improved a lot.
Take 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1-2 times a day.
Frankincense essential oil is used topically for gallbladder pain. One or two drops can be massaged into the skin over the gallbladder area several times a day
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During attack drink 1/4 cup of ACV, diluted in several cups of water or apple juice. Do not gulp it down in one sitting - take time. Many people report pain retreating from this. Drink 1 teaspoon of ACV and 1 teaspoon kemon juice in a glass of water every morning to prevent other attacks.
Take half teaspoon or two capsules of alfalfa. For some it stops pain in 10 minutes. You might want to take it with every meal later too for prevention.
Some take 2 capsules of activated charcoal every 2 hours until pain is gone. Also drink some peppermint tea to relax the ducts.
The homeopathic remedy Carduus Marianus can stop pain within minutes.
Take 1/4 cup of straight lemon juice, diluted works slower.
Dilute 1 drop of quality lavender essential oil in a bit of edible oil, and then in a large glass of water. Shake well, sip slowly. Helps within minutes for some. Great at night because it helps to relax as well and sleep better. Tastes bitter. Or make infusion with dried or fresh lavender areal parts.
Flaxseed tea - put a tablespoon of flaxseeds in two or three cups of water, bring it to the simmer for 10 minutes, take off the heat, then close and let it stand for 15 minutes or so. Strain and drink. You can add some cinnamon, molasses, stevia, or honey for the taste. Some say it takes the pain away within 10-15 minutes. But some said it took them 4 cups drank over 45 minutes to take away the pain. Maybe it depends on the size of the stone that has to pass through. People also report attacks stopping when drinking this tea daily or almost daily. When it becomes cold, it will be slimy, so drink warm to avoid that unless you like it that way. Some hide the texture by using half a cup with about half a cup of apple juice and two tablespoons of ACV - and these additions help melting stones anyway.
A castor oil pack is a soothing remedy for a gallbladder attack. Pour castor oil onto a clean 4 x 4 inch cloth. Cut up old flannel sheets work great for this.Place the cloth on the skin under the right rib cage. Cover the cloth with plastic wrap. Cover the plastic wrap with a towel and a heating pad. Keep for an hour or more. Usually relief is felt within half an hour.
People also have used 1/4 cup of the ACV in a glass of apple juice (fresh is best, but unfiltered bottled works also). This is strong so you might want to dilute that with a glass of water as well. Woman with gallbladder stone attack said it took her pain within an hour, and she felt relief already after a few sips. Apple juice and ACV probably can be replaces with malic acid supplement, which would prevent strong acid touching teeth.
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"You need to eat a minimum of 8 big apples in a 24 hour period (green are the best as they are the most acidic ) Day two repeat as per day one. On day two before you go to bed drink 2/3 cup of virgin olive oil, follow this with a 1/3 cup of lemon juice. Then go to sleep on your right side for the night. Freshly squeezed apple juice and herbal teas are ok for these 2 days but don't skimp on the apples, the more the better.
The acid in the apples will break down the gallstones naturally and the olive oil will help with the elimination of the broken down stones. This is amazing and worked for me so well that my awful symptoms immediately passed and I could lie down in my bed again to sleep that 2nd night. I went to my pre-op appointment and when the nurse asked how I am I said I'm fine now, the stones are gone. She didn't believe me until another ultrasound showed I was all clear!"
Nicole from earthclinic.com
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The herbal combination of Milk Thistle Seed/Turmeric root/Artichoke leaf is best, Artichoke alone is the best of the three, if you can get just one. Tea, capsules(or powder), or tinctures.
Herbalist Philip Fritchie lists Butcher's Broom and Cascara Sagrada as being lithotriptic (stone dissolving) specifically for gallstones. Cascara Sagrada can have quite the laxative effect, though. Taken it with ginger and and fennel to help soften that effect.
Gold Coin Grass (Lysimachia christiniae, Herba Lysimachiae, Jin Qian Cao) can be found in almost all Chinese ancient liver gallbladder cleanse recipes, thanks to its amazing ability on dissolving stones and other health benefits. Besides of the compound prescriptions, clinically it is also often being used alone for gallstone removal. Lysimachia is a perennial creeping herb. Stems are delicate, prostrate, and 20 to 60cm long; surface is gray-green or reddish purple; the entire plant is glabrous or sparsely hairy. Opposite leaves are glabrous and with 1 to 3cm petiole; blade is oval, nearly round to kidney shape, 1.5 to 8cm long, and 1 to 6cm wide. Suggested gold coin grass dosage is from 15 to 60 grams in dried herb or 30 to 120 in fresh herb, in decoction or juice.
Michael Moore writes " Silk Tassel is a strong and reliable smooth-muscle relaxant, one of those generally classed as parasympathetic inhibitors or anticholinergics. In proper doses it has little effect on the central nervous system but slows down the impulses of the vagus nerve, myenteric plexus nerves, and the sacral ganglia of the parasympathetics. This makes it useful pain reliever and antispasmodic for diarrhea, dysentery, gallbladder attacks, and menstrual cramps." The part of the plant used as a medicine is the leaf and twigs, preferably dried, and extracted as a 1:5 plant extract, using about 50 to 60% alcohol. Dosage range can vary depending on use, but 10 to 20 drops, up to 5 times a day is usually used. I also, sometimes make a fresh plant extract with the leaves, a 1:2 ratio, 50% alcohol.
Ground Ivy , creeping charlie ( Glechoma hederacea) is also used to melt kidney and liver/gallbladder stones.
Bile salts and lecithin supplements miht help to disolve stones as well. Take a tablspoon of lecithin several times a day.
Homeopathic remedy Cholesterinum potency 7 DH or a 3C can eliminate stones in as little as one week
A blend of 3/4 Gravel Root (also called Queen of the Meadow and Joe Pye Weed), and 1/4 Marsh Mallow Root (either the Althea or the Malva genus will work). Drink in a tea or you can use in a tincture form too if that is more available. It gently dissolves the stones and releases them.
Fresh radish juice - start with 2-3 ounces by weight, and increase slowly to 12-14 ounces per day, before breakfast. Continue for 2-3 weeks at that dose, then reduce to 2-3 ounces again and continue until problems resolve. Maria Treben suggested beginning with about an ounce of radish juice on an empty stomach each day gradually increasing it to about a 1/2 cup of juice midway, and then decreasing it back to 1 ounce by the end of the 6 week period.
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)- tincture -a droper 3 times a day. Also great for viral conditions (including shingles), regulating hormones. Can make strong infusion (1 oz of herb to a pint of water), take 4 tabslp. several times a day. Keep in the fridge.
Burdock
Eat pears as they have softening effect on the stones as well.
Chamomile tea
Milk thistle seeds and dandelion root
Recipe-1/4 teas. nutmeg
1/4 teas. cream of tartar
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup warm water.
Drink 1/4 cup of pickle juice - liquid from pickle jar. Helps within 15 minutes.
If you prefer ready formulas, Planetary Herbals Stone Free and Dr. Christopher's Original Formulas Liver and Gall Bladder Formula Capsules have great reviews with many people healing stones and preventing them for years with continual use.
Important things to do (from liverdoctor.com)
Do raw juicing using cabbage, carrot, ginger root, mint and apple.
Include fresh green leafy herbs in your salads and raw juices – the best liver cleansing herbs are mint, parsley, garlic, chives, shallots, basil, coriander and small amounts of thyme and oregano
Increase the amount of raw vegetables in your diet
Taking digestive enzymes at the beginning of your meals may reduce symptoms
Take a good liver tonic twice daily; ensure it contains Saint Mary’s Thistle, B group vitamins, vitamin C, and sulphur bearing amino acids such as glycine and taurine
Supplement with the amino acids taurine and glutamine and the mineral selenium to support good bile quality and healthy bile ducts in the liver.
Increase intake of Omega 3 fatty acids – Suitable sources are oily fish, good quality fish oil, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds and hemp seeds. Keep oils in the fridge.
Sip one tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar mixed in a small glass of water during your meals
Drink plenty of pure water
Drink dandelion tea and coffee
Be careful not to overindulge on dairy products – the best ones are natural cheeses and plain yogurt.
Hot spices are good for the liver and bile ducts and good choices are wasabi, horseradish sauce, mustard, garlic, curry, turmeric and chilli. If you have a sensitive stomach or gastritis only use small amounts of these spices or avoid them.
Painless twitching in gallbladder area seems to be magnesium deficiency and stress related, rarely -hernia related.