The gall bladder stores bile, a digestive fluid that the liver produces, until the fluid is required to help digest dietary fats in the small intestine. Normally, the acidic bile prevents cholesterol from becoming too concentrated. However, if too much cholesterol is present in the bile, it crystallizes in the gall bladder, forming gallstones. Gallstones that remain in the gall bladder typically produce no symptoms. If a gallstone exits the gall bladder, it can cause pain and other symptoms. Gallstones usually begin producing symptoms when they obstruct the duct that leads from the liver to the gall bladder or the duct that leads from the gallbladder to the small intestine. Once lodged in one of these ducts, the stones may produce painful spasms and inflammation at the site of the obstruction.
Signs and Symptoms:
-Intense and very sudden pain in the upper-right portion of the abdomen that may radiate to the right shoulder blade and persist for several hours
-Nausea and vomiting
-Indigestion
-Loss of appetite
-Fever
-Jaundice
Ayurvedic Medicines for Gallstones:
Ayurveda views gallstones as a kapha disorder of slow metabolism, including a sluggish liver. Ayurvedic medicines like Arogyavardhini Vati, which boosts up metabolic activity of liver, is very useful in treating gallstones. Other Ayurvedic medicines useful in treating gallstones include kumariasava, hingvaastak choorna, panchkola choorna, avipattikar choorna, kamadoodha rasa, sootsekar rasa, pravaalpanchaamrit, gokhshurasava, punarnavarista. Panchakarma therapies like virechana, basti, are also very helpful.
Ayurvedic herbs for treating Gallstones:
Effective Ayurvedic herbs for treating gallstones include bhringaraj, punanarnava, bhumiamla, kalamegha, ginger, cumin seeds, katuki, kiryata, parpati, pashanabheda,katukarohini, etc
Herbal Therapy for Gallstones:
Turmeric has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of ailments, especially those involving the bile ducts, liver, and gallbladder. Other herbs that have been used by herbalists around the globe include artichoke leaves and milk thistle.
Naturopathy for Gallstones:
-Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with lemon or grapefruit juice and drink before breakfast and before bedtime. This treatment often helps eliminate stones in the stool.
-Combine equal amounts of tinctures of wild yam, fringetree bark, milk thistle, and balmony, and take a teaspoonful of the blend several times a day.
-Drinking chamomile or lemon balm tea is also helpful.
Foods to avoid:
-Since most gall bladder stones are composed of cholesterol it is important to restrict cholesterol sources like dairy product (milk, curd, cheese, paneer, butter, ghee and chocolates), red meat, chicken etc.
-Avoid or reduce foods like tea, coffee, thick gravies, processed foods and foods with preservatives.
-Avoid or cut down smoking as it upsets the acid-alkali balance due to high Hydrogen ion concentration.
-Avoid fat loaded and fried food.
Foods to eat:
-In case of acute attack, the patient should be on a diet of fluids, juices, food with no oil, lots of water-rich vegetables such as bottle gourd, ridge gourd, cucumber, lots of fruits like apple and grapes, and thin vegetable soups.
-Vegetables which are particularly beneficial are carrots, beetroot and pear.
-Include some spices in your diet like turmeric, ginger and garlic.
-Maintain optimum hydration level. Most people who have attacks of gall bladder pain are those who may be getting low levels of water which upsets the acid-alkali balance. At least 2 liters of water should be consumed per day.
-Other foods which benefit are Alfa-Alfa sprouts (very powerful alkalinizer), B-complex vitamins, vitamin E capsules, mulethi (licorice).
Yogasanas for Gallstones:
Yogasanas like sarvangasana, paschimotasana, dhanurasana, mayurasana, shalabhasana and bhujangasana are effective in treatment and prevention of Gallstones.
