Natural Medicine— 3.
How to cure our gallbladder and liver.
The gallbladder is a small organ that houses bile, digests fats and serves as an ally of the liver, being located below it — on the right side of our body. It is operable and can be removed; that is, it is not a vital organ.
The liver is a relatively large organ, located in the upper right part of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. It secretes the bile essential for fat digestion; it also has many other functions, including protein synthesis, vitamin and glycogen storage. Another function is detoxification — it removes harmful substances from the blood. It is a vital and indispensable organ.
My story.
My first contact with my gallbladder was when I was just in my twenties — I don’t remember exactly, but it was before I was 30 for sure. I bring a family history of gallbladder operations — father and grandmother — , and I know a lot of stones (or gallstones) can form, or a single one the size of an egg. So I wasn’t even surprised when, after eating, my right side started to bother me. I immediately made an appointment with my doctor, who was a homeopath, determined not to follow the road to the operating room.
I definitely had sand in my gallbladder and they would eventually turn to stones. “Ah, no!” I said to myself. “I’m not going to have surgery. I am going to ask my friends and acquaintances if there is any known and effective home remedy.” At that time I was living in the Mexican federal capital or Mexico City. One of my university classmates recommended me to go to the Herbalist and ask for “boldo”. Even the name sounded ridiculous to me, but I thought: “Huum, I must not be a European disbeliever in the indigenous traditions of this country. I won’t lose anything by trying it. Let’s go and see”.
My friend accompanied me to this place full of herbs smelled horrible to me and I bought a bag of boldo leaves for less than a dollar, with which I was to make a tea and drink it after eating. Of course, there were foods gave me more discomfort than others. I started taking care of the spicy Mexican cuisine and drinking boldo at the end of the meals.
I never had gallbladder surgery. Herbs do not fail. Sometimes we are the ones who fail, when we do not want to recognize we should not eat something we like very much, but hurts us. Sometimes I stopped taking boldo for months, until I ate something at a party I really enjoyed and had to take it again for a week to drain what might have formed.
This is how I have spent my whole life. During my studies in England, it was very difficult for me to get herbs from the American continent, but it helped me the gastronomy of this country is quite simple, it does not use spices or strong condiments, so I was not in danger of having my bile petrified or clogging my bile duct with a small stone and causing pancreatitis.
In Spain, the situation was very different, because there the food is mouth-watering, but by the time I went to live in this Mediterranean country, herbs and medicinal plants had already spread throughout Europe, native and imported, and I could get boldo in the herbalists with ease. Actually, I never had gallbladder problems in Europe, but I periodically drank boldo.
I am going to tell you about the various natural products to cleanse the gallbladder and liver, which taken with some regularity, avoid ingesting chemical medicine and going to the operating room.
Boldo.
Boldo is an evergreen shrub with healing properties, native to South America. It is one of the most widely used medicinal plants since pre-Columbian times, although today it is widespread in the Andean regions and throughout the world.
One of the most significant properties of boldo is the capability of reducing cholesterol levels, helping in turn to eliminate fats from the body. But the most important of its leaves is the ability to treat liver and gallbladder problems, as its consumption prevents the formation of gallstones.
In America, boldo leaves are readily available in herbalists, especially in Mexican supermarkets. As with any infusion, boil water in a saucepan and add a teaspoon of herbs. You can also buy boldo in packs of 20 bags. There are several very good brands on the Internet.
Artichoke.
Artichoke, due to its content of cynarin and other compounds, is an ideal vegetable for the natural care of the liver and gallbladder. Cynarin is an active ingredient capable of capturing free radicals favor cell oxidation. It also provides antioxidant qualities thanks to its bioflavonoid (1) content. For all these reasons, regular consumption of artichoke is particularly beneficial in cases of liver fat, hepatic insufficiency, hepatitis and jaundice.
Some people cook artichokes in very tasty different ways, but as I am a nullity in the kitchen, I have always boiled them in water until they are tender. I eat the artichokes and drink the cooking water little by little during the meal or throughout the afternoon with some drops of lemon juice.
It also has cholagogue (2) and choleretic (3) properties, which facilitates a correct and better digestion of fats. And finally, it keeps the bile in its liquid state, therefore it is a help for the gallbladder function.
Parsley.
Easy to find in a supermarket, it is an excellent ally for the liver and gallbladder –also for the kidney s— , as it acts as a good diuretic and facilitator to eliminate the sand from these organs involved in digestion. Parsley is a good filter and purifier, hence it is common to take it in infusions. Just put two or three sprigs in water and let it boil for a couple of minutes. When it is ready to drink, it is good to add lemon juice to taste.
Nettle.
A wonder of nature within everyone’s reach. Nettle is anti-spasmodic, sedative and also diuretic. As a result, it has been used since ancient times to prevent and undo the presence of kidney stones and gallstones, and offers us a very adequate care of our digestive and excretory system. Therefore, it is ideal if you take one or two cups a day of a nettle infusion.
You can get nettle in herbalists, but I buy it in Polish supermarkets packaged in boxes of 20 sachets. You can find it in Internet too.
Dandelion.
For me the best herb to treat the liver –-but it is only my humble opinion.
It is a kind of flower, a herbaceous and perennial plant, bright yellow, which develops very easily in temperate climates. This plant provides a wonderful and useful diuretic effect in our body, which allows us to eliminate toxins and harmful elements. Dandelion also acts as a good purifier and facilitator of the decomposition of gallstones. It is used as a treatment to eliminate uric acid or cholesterol.
Dandelion extract is traditionally known for its benefits for the liver. Antioxidants promote the proper functioning of this organ and protect it against aging. The dandelion-based dietary supplement supports proper bile flow, while stimulating liver function and aiding digestion.
I buy this plant in flower or packaged in sachets in one of the herbal brands available on the Internet.
Milk thistle.
This plan is special, because it helps regenerate liver cells. You can buy it in supplements or even in extract.
As I mentioned before, on the Internet there are several very good brands with all kinds of medicinal plant teas. Each person should educate themselves and see which one works best for them. Some of them have several herbs in a sachet, which is very convenient, as they are well dosed.
Listen to your body, and although a natural product will always be good, perhaps a mixture of two or three different ones may be even better. DO NOT overdo it — for a generous cup of water, a teaspoonful (of one herb or several together) is always the norm.
Natural Medicine is the most effective way to prevent disease or damage to our bodies, and to cure them if they occur.
Our health is in Nature. But remember: any good thing in excess, becomes harmful.
(1) Antioxidant molecules of vegetable origin. (2) Cholagogue means a substance causes the evacuation of bile. (3) Choleretic means a substance tends to increase bile production.
