Gallstones Treatment with Wild Fruits, Yoga & Acupuncture: Claims And Scientific Studies
It is difficult to tell whether gallstones could be removed naturally but there are many people that claim to have flushed their gallstones with traditional home therapies.
The solid formation in gallbladder called gallstones. It could be excess deposit of cholesterol or excess bilirubin. Surgery is a common treatment for gallstones but people keep trying conventional ways and some people even claim to have flushed gallstones in a natural way.
Let’s discuss the natural treatment of gallstones and see what medical science has to say about these treatments
- Gallbladder cleanse
Gallstones formed for three reasons
- a) Liver secrets more bile than it can dissolve
- b) Excess pigments called bilirubin remain undissolved
- c) Gallbladder not able to empty completely
The body is able to clean the necessary parts but there is no scientific evidence to show that gallbladder could be cleaned of gallstones. But still people believe that a gallstone flush out is possible.
Formula: Drinking a mixture of olive oil, juice and some herbs for two days can flush gallstones out of gallbladder. The patient is kept on the oil mixture for the duration of the treatment. It is a raw mixture with little information available on the juice and herbs used for making the drink.
Truth: Olive oil has an effect on bile consumption but it is unable to remove gallstones.
Advice: Drinking a raw mixture of olive oil, juice and herbs could be harmful for health. It is better to talk to your doctor before taking this mixture.
- Apple cider vinegar
A popular health supplement, apple cider vinegar is used for its cleansing properties. Its positive effects on blood sugar have been scientifically proved but science doesn’t support the claim that ACV flushes gallstones.
Precaution: Taking fruit juice in large quantities isn’t advisable especially for medical conditions like diabetes, hypoglycemia and stomach ulcers.
- Yoga
Scientific studies have found that yoga is helpful in improving lipid profiles in diabetes and people with cholesterol gallstones have abnormal lipid profiles. But there is little scientific evidence available to connect lipid profiles and gallstones.
Therapy: Yoga certainly helps in relieving some of the painful symptoms of gallstones.
Truth: Science doesn’t support yoga for curing gallstones.
- Milk thistle
Silybummarianum or milk thistle is used to treat liver and gallbladder disorders. It stimulates the organs but there is no scientific evidence of the stimulation effecting presence of gallstones in gallbladder.
Formula: Milk thistle comes in the form of a pill and it is taken like a medicine.
Precaution: People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to be careful as the pill could lower blood sugar levels. Also, the treatment could trigger allergic reactions.
- Artichoke
Artichoke is a plant produce found to be helpful in improving gallbladder function but its effects on gallstones are yet to be proved. Its consumption helps in bile stimulation and it is also found to be beneficial for liver.
Formula: It is good for health, if you can consume Artichoke. For consumption, Artichoke can be steamed, grilled or prickled according to individual taste.
Precaution: Some pharma companies sell Artichoke in pills for quick consumption but these pills could have side effects.
- Gold coin grass
Gold coin grass is a traditional Chinese medicine used for treating gallstones. Also called Lysimachiaeherba, it is said to be helpful in reducing formation of gallstones.
Formula: Available in powder and liquid form, gold coin grass is recommended before beginning cleansing. This formula helps soften gallstones for a hassle-free flush out.
- Castor oil pack
Castor oil packs is more like a therapy than treatment. It doesn’t cure stone formation in gallbladder but gives fast relief from the pain and suffering associated with gallstones.
Formula: A piece of warm cloth soaked in castor oil is placed on the abdomen. The castor oil effect of the pack relieves pain fast and treats gallstones in the long run.
Truth: While the treatment is considered safe due to its non-invasive nature but there are no scientific studies to prove castor oil effect on formation of stones in gallbladder.
- Acupuncture
Acupuncture is also a physical therapy but invasive in nature. The safe side of this therapy is that it doesn’t involve medicines. The therapy is said to be effective in reducing medical conditions associated with gallstones. For example, it helps in controlling spasms by easing bile flow and restoring proper function. But more research is needed to study the benefits of acupuncture on gallstones.
Study: In a study, acupuncture is found to be effective on cholecystitis. It is inflammation of gallbladder and the study revealed that acupuncture reduces the volume of gallbladder. The study was conducted on 60 patients and the results of the study were positive.
Precaution: Take care when taking acupuncture treatment. The treatment should be taken only from licensed therapists that employ single-used needles every time.
Other treatments for gallstones
Medication
Medical fraternity relies on two acids to cure gallstones. There are two bile acids that are said to dissolve stones in gallbladder.
- a) Ursodeoxycholic acid
- b) Chenodeoxycholic acid
A study conducted in 1989 on obese people on very low-calorie diet revealed that urodeoxycholic acid prevented gallstone formation in those people but in the long run.
Precaution: Bile acid might take years to treat gallstones but and the stone formation could start once the acid treatment stops.
Surgery
Surgery is the best treatment available so far for treating gallstones. It is called cholecystectomy and it involves removing gallbladder permanently. Surgery provides long lasting relief from gallstone problem by removing the gallbladder.
Treatment: Gallbladder removal has little effect on body as body can compensate for gallbladder with little side effects. Also, the side effects can be controlled with medicines.
Conclusion
Stone formation in gallbladder is considered a part of body metabolism but it becomes a medical condition when the body is unable to dissolve the material that deposits in the form of stones. The best treatment for gallstones is surgery because gallstones could be back once a treatment stops.
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-gallstones
