Your gallbladder is located behind your liver, on the right side of your abdomen. Gallbladder is in the shape of a sac, that mainly stores bile, produced by the liver. And sometimes, hard deposits form inside this organ, called gallstones. These deposits can range in size anywhere from a grain of sand to the size of a golf ball. More often than not, these gallstones are formed of hardened cholesterol, which is a direct result of too much cholesterol in the gallbladder. Similarly, high amounts of bilirubin, a concentration of bile, calcium deposits, and other substances in the gallbladder are also known to cause gallstones. These gallstones vary in terms of shape, size, composition, density, and severity of symptoms that they manifest. But, for the most part, they are all treated similarly.
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Risk factors of gallstones
The most common risk factors of gallstones include:
- Pregnancy
- Liver disease
- A sedentary lifestyle
- A high fat diet
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Anemia
- High triglycerides
- Losing weight too quickly
- Low HDL cholesterol (the good kind)
Besides, women and people over the age of 50 are at risk of gallstones more than others.
Symptoms of gallstones
The most common symptoms of gallstones include:
- Back pain
- Bloating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Chills
- Indigestion
- Clay-colored stools
- Sudden, acute pain in the right side of the abdomen
This pain could last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. So these gallstones must be treated immediately by consulting a qualified physician.
Home remedies for gallstones
[DISCLAIMER: Consult your doctor before trying any of these home remedies.]
Yes, gallstones must be treated by a qualified doctor, but in the meanwhile, you could look at some natural home remedies for gallstones, that can be used to prevent further occurrences, while also treating them at present. Take a look at some of these natural remedies:
1. Apple cider vinegar
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Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature, which helps stop the liver from making cholesterol, which is responsible for forming the most common type of gallstones. Additionally, it also helps in dissolving gallstones, while also helping alleviate the severe pain.
Remedies
- To 1 glass of apple juice, add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and stir well. Drink this whenever you experience the pain caused by gallstones. It will help alleviate the pain fairly quickly.
- To 1 glass of warm water, add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Drink this every morning on an empty stomach for about about 2 weeks to help dissolve gallstones and prevent pain.
2. Castor oil
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Castor oil is known to possess many healing as well as medicinal properties, that help minimize and lower the number of gallstones. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, it helps reduce the inflammation and pain. Additionally, castor oil is known to have a positive effect on the immune as well as the lymphatic systems.
Remedy
- Warm 1 cup of pure, cold-pressed castor oil in a pan. Soak a piece of cheeseclot in this, wringing out the excess oil. Put this on the right side of your stomach where the gallbladder is located. Lay a plastic sheet over the cheesecloth. Then, put a hot water bag on this for at least half an hour to 1 hour. Repeat this remedy at least thrice a week till you see improvement in your condition.
3. Dandelion
Dandelion is another herb that is highly effective in treating gallstones. It helps detoxify and metabolize fat that is accumulated in the liver. When liver functioning is streamlined, it helps in gallbladder functioning.
Remedies
- Add 2 teaspoons of marshmallow root and 1 teaspoon of Oregon grape root to about 4 cups of water. Bring this to a boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes, before taking it off the heat. Add 2 teaspoons of dried dandelion leaves along with 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves to this. Cover it with a lid and let it steep for 15 minutes. Finally, strain and drink this tea through the day.
- Add tender dandelion greens to your salads and consume them regularly to help treat gallstones.
- Add 1 teaspoon of dried dandelion root to 1 empty cup. Pour hot water over it, covering it with a lid. Let it steep for 5 minutes, before straining it. Stir in honey to this and drink it slowly, at least thrice a day for a couple of weeks.
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4. Lemon juice
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Lemon juice is citric acid, which helps prevent the liver from making cholesterol, while also helping alleviate the pain associated with it. Thus, lemon juice is an amazing ingredient to help keep gallstone attacks under control. Additionally, the vitamin C contained in lemon juice makes cholesterol more water soluble, thus promoting faster elimination of waste from the body.
Remedies
- Squeeze the juice from 4 lemons and drink this every day on an empty stomach. Chase this lemon juice drink with a glass of water. Keep following this remedy for a week.
- To 1 glass of warm water, stir in 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Continue this remedy for a few weeks till the gallstones are eliminated from the body.
5. Milk thistle
Milk thistle is another good remedy for gallstones. It helps increase bile production, which in turn decreases its concentration, while helping flush out gallstones from the body. Additionally, it also helps promote proper liver functioning.
Remedies
- Take 1 tablespoon of milk thistle seeds and grind them into a fine powder. Put the crushed seeds into 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Take it off the heat and cover it with a lid, letting it steep for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and add honey to it. Drink this thrice a day for at least a week for best results.
- Another option is to ingest this herb in supplement form. However, this needs to be done only after consulting a doctor for the dosage and frequency.
6. Pear
Pears are often used to provide relief from pain and other symptoms associated with gallstones. Additionally, it helps soften the cholesterol-filled gallstones, thus making it easier to flush them out of your body.
Remedies
- To half a glass of hot water, stir in half a glass of pear juice. To this, add 2 tablespoons of honey and stir. Drink this thrice a day for a couple of weeks to find relief.
- Peel and de-seed some pears. Slice them into small pieces and put them in a saucepan. Add some water and cook them for about 20 minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat and let it cool down a bit. Eat a bowl of cooked pears two times a day for a couple of weeks for relief from gallstones.
7. Peppermint
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Peppermint helps in digestion, mainly by stimulating the flow of bile and other digestive juices. It is known to be helpful in dissolving gallstones, while also helping relax spasms and the acute pain that accompanies gallstones.
Remedy
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. To this, add 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves. Take it off the heat, cover it with a lid, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and stir in 1 teaspoon of honey. Sip this warm tea twice a day for a month or so, in between meals to help with gallstones.
8. Psyllium
Psyllium is an amazing source of soluble fiber, thus making it an ideal remedy for gallstones. The fiber found in psyllium binds with the cholesterol in bile, thereby preventing gallstones from forming. Additionally, it helps promote normal bowel movements, which in turn help reduce the risk of gallbladder system becoming congested. Also, psyllium helps prevent constipation, which increases the probability of gallstone formation.
Remedy
- To 1 glass of water, add 1 tablespoon of psyllium powder and mix well. Drink this twice a day, till the gallstones are gone.
9. Vegetable juice
High fat content in your diet is one of the reasons for gallstone formation. So you need to cut down on the fatty, fried foods for about a week or so, by supplementing it with fruit and vegetable juices. A vegetable juice made from cucumber, beetroot, and carrots is an amazing remedy for gallstones. Cucumber is rich in water content, that helps detoxify the liver and gallbladder. Beetroot helps in cleansing the liver, while strengthening the gallbladder. Carrots, on the other hand, are rich in vitamin C and other vital nutrients, that are good for the immune system.
Remedy
- Take 1 beetroot, 1 cucumber, and 4 medium-sized carrots. Extract the juices of each of these separately. Mix them in a clean glass and drink it twice a day for about 2 weeks to notice a huge improvement.
10. Wine
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Drinking two units of wine – approximately a medium-sized glass of wine – every day is known to lower the risk of developing gallstones by one-third.
Remedy
- When you’re suffering from a gallstone attack, drink half a glass of wine and you will find quick relief from the pain.
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Additional tips
- Drink lots of water through the day to keep yourself hydrated.
- Avoid constipation, as it increases the risk of gallstone formation.
- If you’re overweight or obese, reduce weight naturally, as soon as possible.
- Avoid fatty and/or fried foods.
- A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for gallstones. So exercise regularly.
- Instead of 3 big meals, have 5-6 smaller meals through the day.
- Consume loads of vitamin C during the day, in the form of citrus fruits.
- Increase the use of spices and herbs like turmeric, dried ginger, long pepper, black pepper, asafetida, et al, that stimulate the liver.
These are all the natural home remedies for gallstones that provide relief from the acute pain and other symptoms. For more updates on health tips and fitness secrets, subscribe to our newsletter today.
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