Liver & Gall Stone Cleansing

The liver and gall bladder are 2 organs of the digestive system. The liver filters out poisons and waste products. The gall bladder stores bile. Bile is a digestive fluid created by the liver. According to the article "Gallstones" on the Mayo Clinic website, these stones are "hardened deposits of digestive fluid." When the liver is overburdened with accumulated wastes, it does not function well, leaving the body susceptible to many diseases.

Cleansing the liver and removing gall stones is important for getting the liver and gall gladder to function efficiently.

Use Herbs

• Herbs are a natural way to cleanse the liver and gall bladder. There are many herbs that are useful for cleansing and strengthening organs. Burdock root, dandelion, turmeric, and milk thistle are all good herbs for the liver as suggested by the article "The Liver Herbs" on the Gay Men's Health Crisis website. For treating gall stone, the herbs suggested are similar to those for liver cleansing. The chapter, "Gallbladder Problems" an excerpt from the book, "Herbs for Health and Healing" by Kathi Keville and Peter Korn, on the Mother Nature website, recommends dandelion, turmeric, and milk thistle. Other herbs for gall stones are yellow dock and Oregon grape root. But authors Keville and Korn also caution that herbs can exacerbate gall stones, so it is best to get advice from an herbalist or doctor before using herbs to treat stones.

Take Vitamins

• Vitamin C is good for the liver and the gall bladder. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is some evidence that people deficient in vitamin C, vitamin E, and calcium have a higher chance of getting gall stones. The article "15 Ways to Love Your Liver" by Andrew Saul also suggests vitamin C for treating liver diseases such as viral hepatitis. A study at the University of Michigan Medical School shows that vitamin C "protects" the liver. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that removes free radicals from the body that can damage tissues and organs. Vitamin B-12 and folic acid are also good for the liver, reports Mr. Saul.

Eat Fiber

• The Mayo Clinic suggests a high fiber diet to reduce your chances of getting gall stones. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Whole grains are another source of fiber. Eating fiber also helps the liver. The fiber increases the number of bowel movements, so that more wastes and harmful substances are removed from the body.

  The article "How Food is Digested" on the Ellies Whole Grains website points out that if the colon does not regularly remove fecal matter, the colon tissues may reabsorb some of the toxins. Fiber-rich foods add bulk to the waste materials, relieve constipation, and promote elimination. Andrew Saul also writes that fiber "improves the health of practically any organ you can name, especially the liver."