Spring Cleaning: Time to cleanse your gallbladder!

Feeling a bit sluggish or irritable? Having a hard time crawling out of bed in the morning? If it’s Springtime, you might just be in need of a little spring cleaning . It’s the time of year when the body will naturally make an effort to cleanse itself. We can help that process by a few dietary changes, a supplement or two, and some fresh squeezed lemon juice.

An ideal cleanse for this particular time of year is a gallbladder cleanse*.  Once the gallbladder is flushed out (this includes the elimination of gallbladder stones), then the liver and other organs in the body are more free to release toxins as well.

The gallbladder is a small organ that sits directly under the liver, on the right side of the body. It aids in the digestion of fats, and stores and releases bile. The release of bile into the digestive track helps to simulate peristaltic action - the process that helps the body move waste through bowels for excretion. This is also how the gallbladder helps the liver with the removal of toxins from the body, ie. when the bile isn't flowing freely, toxins get "stuck" in the body!

Bile is made of several substances including cholesterol, lecithin, and bile salts (minerals). Many influences can contribute to gallbladder stagnation, and the subsequent creation gallbladder stones:

• Stress

• Unprocessed emotions

• Environmental toxins

• Poor dietary choices

• A lack of healthy fats

• A lack of food-based sodium, which is from fruits and vegetables, and real unrefined sea salt

• An overload of unhealthy fats

• Certain mineral deficiencies

The following symptoms could indicate that your gallbladder is in need of a supportive cleanse:

• Feeling sluggish in the morning

• A build-up of emotional symptoms, include feelings of anger, irritability,  resentment, bitterness, or an excessive need to control situations

• Nausea, chronic indigestion and vomiting

• Back pain between your shoulder blades

• Pain in your right shoulder

Thirty-Day Gallbladder Cleanse

For Days 1 - 28 

• Nature's Sunshine Hydrangea Capsules: 8 - 10 per day, divided between meals. Hydrangea helps to soften gall bladder stones.

• Nature's Sunshine Gall Bladder Formula: For best absorption, open four capsules and steep contents in 8 oz of water. Repeat up to four times daily. Gall Bladder Formula helps  to increase bile flow.

• Organic Apple Juice: 2 cups daily. 

• Dietary Guidance 

  • Consume high amounts of fruits, fresh squeezed lemon, grapefruit juice, celery juice, vegetables, and homemade broths, or stocks. Consume moderate amounts of chicken, eggs, and dairy.  

  • Avoid high-fat food, beef, pork, and  starches such as grains and potatoes. 

Day 29

• Consume only applesauce, pears, prunes, figs, pear juice, and herbal teas (no caffeine).

• Consume 5-8 cup of organic apple juice. 

• If you suffer from low blood sugar, consume moderate amounts of protein. 

Day 30 

• Consume only applesauce, pears, prunes, figs, pear juice, and herbal teas.

• Consume 5-8 cup of organic apple juice.

• If you suffer from low blood sugar, consume moderate amounts of protein.

• Stop eating around 3:00 PM.

• Nature's Sunshine Magnesium Complex: Take 5 - 10 capsules at 6:00 PM & at 8:00 PM.

• Take the following mixture between 9:30 PM and 10:00 PM, then go to bed. Lie on your right side and go to sleep. 

  • Mixture: blend together 4 oz each of the following: fresh squeezed lemon juice, organic virgin olive oil, and either pineapple juice, or grapefruit juice. 

• Typically people wake at about 3 - 4 am and experience loose stools. Some people may pass gallstones (they look like little green peas); this would happen usually within a 12-24 hours, possibly sooner. Stay close to a bathroom. If nothing happens, you may want to consider an enema.   

Maintaining a Healthy Gallbladder (Great for Liver Support as well!) 

• Avoid rancid oils: this includes most vegetables oils, chips cooked in oils, high heat fried foods, etc.

• Take a supplement of Curcumin  (an active component turmeric)  900 - 1100 mg daily. Curcumin will increase the solubility of your bile, choose a product standardized for curcuminoid content.

• Consume foods high in vegetable sodium (not refined table salt!).

• Vegetables such as beets, dandelion greens, endive, yellow dock, and burdock all support healthy gallbladder and liver function.

• Hi-Lipase by Nature's Sunshine can be taken with meals to help breakdown fats.

• Stored or unprocessed emotions can cause stagnation (blocks) within the body. These emotions are often the root cause of certain physical ailments, and supporting the release of these emotions can significantly benefit the organs being affected by the stagnation.  Release It Flower Essence Combination is a blend of flower essences that can support the healthy processing of emotions that disrupt the gallbladder (and liver, the two go hand in hand). These emotions may include suppressed anger, bitterness, depression. 

I encourage you to team up with someone who’s done a gall bladder cleanse before, or an experienced naturopathic practitioner. It great to have the camaraderie and support for a 30-day effort, and someone to swap ideas and experiences with. Make this the Spring you start to get the ‘spring’ back in your step!

NOTE: Some of the links include affiliates, which provide a small commission from any sales (your price remains the same.) I only share products that I personally use or recommend to clients; thanks for supporting your information source.

This is for educational purposes only, and not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Please use common sense, and do not hesitate to consult with your trusted health care professional if you have questions or concerns. you have a medical issue seek professional help. This cleanse is not ideal for breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, or people whom suffer from high blood sugar. As with all supplements and diets, consult with your physician.