From the April 2007 Idaho Observer:

Gallstones: Purging them naturally...

If we wish to have optimal health, the proper functioning of the liver and gallbladder is essential to achieving that goal. Digestive disorders are one of the most common ailments in America.

Recent statistics reveal that one in 10 Americans suffer from gallstones with over 500,000 people undergoing surgery every year in the United States to have their gallbladder removed. It is believed that 70 to 80 percent of people have gallstones but do not know they have them, showing no symptoms for years.

The liver produces 1 to 1.5 quarts of bile per day which is necessary for digestion, especially the emulsification of fats. Bile travels from the liver through the common bile duct and is stored in the gallbladder. Consumption of meals high in fats or protein can trigger the gallbladder to squeeze itself dry of the bile after 15-20 minutes, traveling through the cystic duct to the common bile duct and then to the intestines. However, since many people, including children, eat diets excessively high in fats and protein, their gallbladder and biliary tubing are choked with gallstones and digestive problems prevail.

People who eat a diet of processed foods low in fiber, excessive meat and not enough raw vegetables experience an excess of cholesterol in their blood. It is from the coagulation of cholesterol that gallstones are formed. As the stones grow larger and become more numerous, the back pressure in the biliary tubing causes the liver to make less bile for digesting fats and, subsequently, less and less cholesterol leaves the body.

As time goes on, poor digestion results which then leads to constipation, which then provides an environment for bacteria and toxins to collect, which then leads to poor absorption of vital nutrients and vitamins, which then can lead to chronic fatigue. And these stones, being porous, also harbor bacteria and toxins from the filtering process of the liver, which are being constantly absorbed back into the body.

The combination of these factors severely compromises the immune system, leading to chronic and degenerative diseases.

Over a period of time you begin experiencing some abdominal pain, along with a bloated feeling. Constipation is becoming an increasing problem. You go to the doctor. The doctor says you need to change to a high fiber diet. You do this and it helps for a while, but a year or two down the road the pains start coming back.

Finally, the constipation and pain is so bad you end up in the emergency room. They decide to do exploratory surgery. It is determined that you have gallstones and they tell you that you need to have your gallbladder removed. So you decide to do this – anything to relieve yourself of the pain.

Now, removing the gallbladder will stop much of the pain and discomfort from gallstones, but stones will continue to form – and now directly in the liver. With no storage reservoir for bile, poor digestion of fats will persist, along with all the problems associated with it. Bile will now continuously drip into the intestine, causing irritation and diarrhea. Complications from surgery must be considered, too.

Note: Do not become alarmed if you have already had your gallbladder removed. People are known to have lived past 100 with their gallbladder removed years before.

Approximately five years ago I began experiencing abdominal pains that were different from any pains I had felt before. They were not sharp pains nor were they anything like a belly-ache. I had recently lost my father to cancer who had also been having extreme abdominal pains. This all concerned me to the point that I went to the doctor who then scheduled a colonoscopy. Thankfully there was no sign of cancer or polyps.

Up to this point I had been living on a typical diet that had no focus on "proper" nutrition. Discussions with various people led me to improving my diet substantially and the pains seemed to subside. After a year or two, though, they began coming back, and now constipation and bloating were a problem too.

The pains were the most extreme when I would have a meal that had meat. Of course this led me to shying away from meat, other than eggs, for protein. Eventually, I began using epsom salt as a laxative every time the pain would become stressful. This worked for the next few years. Doctor visits would yield the same advice for more fiber... more fiber. I tried that, too, and it actually seemed to make the constipation worse. Finally, one day with the now ever-present pain, I felt something move and the pain subsided. Hmmm, I thought to myself, I wonder if I have kidney or gallstones?

The Internet searches began and the puzzle started unfolding for me. Everything I was experiencing was described in the symptoms of gallstones. I figured there’s only one way to find out. So I began preparing for a liver and gallbladder flush following Dr. Hulda Clark’s schedule from her book, The Cure For All Diseases.

On the day that I began my "first" flush I had oatmeal for breakfast and then only drank carrot juice until 2 p.m. in the afternoon. This would allow bile to build up by not eating any fats.

At 5 p.m. I drank 1 tablespoon of epsom salt mixed in 8 oz. of water and the same dose again at 7 p.m. At 9 p.m. I drank ˝ a cup of extra virgin olive oil mixed with ˝ a cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and then went to bed, lying on my right side.

In the morning at 6 a.m. I drank another dose of the epsom salt and then two hours later, at 8 a.m., I drank another ˝ a cup olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice. Then the final dose of epsom salt mix at 10:00 a.m. Throughout the flush, your body will definitely let you know when you need to go to the bathroom.

Did I ever get a surprise the next day. I passed about five "marble" sized green stones, 20-30 pea-sized ones and a hundred or so of various sizes on down. Wow, it is absolutely amazing when you see these things floating in the toilet, knowing they just came out of one of your organs. If stones this size, and an amount that Dr. Clark claims can be as many as 2,000, are choking our liver and gallbladder, how can our body possibly function properly? This led me to reflect on, not only the last five years, but could this have been affecting my health for as many as 10 or 20 years? The one thing that stood out in my memory was experiencing fatigue for a number of years.

I began my first flush in December, 2006, and have done one every other week since then. As of April 10th I have passed approximately 1,200 stones: About 50 marble-sized ones, 200-300 pea sized and the rest in sizes on down to that of the size of a sesame seed. Usually for a day or two I feel better than I’ve felt in years and full of energy, but then more stones move down causing the same symptoms as before. Between flushes I will pass tan colored stones that are pea sized and look more like cholesterol balls.

Following the flush I take either oregano oil or black walnut before my first meal and probiotics after. Also, every time a stone gets stuck, I may get a foul taste in my mouth, and mucus in my bowel movements. I’ve also experienced a toxic reaction after some flushes, leaving me either feeling drained or somewhat nauseous.

It must be noted that these cleanses are not particularly pleasant, but it is fascinating when the stones begin to pass, knowing the havoc they been wreaking on your health—and now they are leaving.

If you wonder whether you have stones yourself, there is only one way to find out for certain. I believe that a very high percentage of us do. Conversations about gallstones, liver and digestive issues have opened my eyes wide to how many people have either had their gallbladders removed or suffer acute and chronic digestive disorders of some form or another.

In my opinion it is entirely worth the 6 months to a year that it can take to get through this, leading me to conclude that cleaning up the liver and gallbladder is absolutely central to regaining, and then maintaining our health.

To find Hulda Clark’s directions on how to flush one’s gallbladder of gallstones, go to www.curezone.com/cleanse/liver/huldas_recipe.asp

Most reputable health food stores carry her excellent book, The Cure for All Diseases. If you don’t have access to the Internet and would like to try this gallbladder flush program, send a self-addressed envelope and $1 to The Idaho Observer and we will mail you a copy.