|
Gallstones + Maitake
Nina: As you are aware gall (and kidney) stones are caused by an accumulation of cholesterol which rises both as the result of eating too much fat (including oils, nuts, dairy, animal foods, etc) as well too many foods high in oxalic acid (tomatoes, beets, spinach, etc.) and quite frequently coffee, tobacco, and sugar) which robs calcium from the body which changes to a soluable form that localizes in the kidney and bladder-liver area.
I'm sure that you are aware of this, and have minimized or elivated most of these products from your diet. Quite frequently the stones will dislodge by themselves and be expelled from the body once the macrobiotic diet begins -- sometimes it may be a year or so before they completely leave.
The standard protocol for removing stones from the gall bladder once they become painful or inflame the area is to drink extra hot liquid to expand the opening of the duct where they are lodged.
At the same time external compress of ginger or castor oil compress should be directly applied to the liver/gall bladder area.
More yin type foods should be used during this time with only a little sea salt.
Regarding Maitake: Yes, it is true that maitake mushroom can help to stimulate bile to accelerate discharge of stones. So you can make a strong tea with fresh or dried mushrooms, the same way you would make shiitake tea. You boil in hot water in a glass or porcelain pot for approx. ten minutes. I would say use
one tablespoon dried plant per two cups of water. It is actually more beneficial to use fresh or dry corn silk along with the mushooms in the water. You drink hot about 5 times per day until stone passes.
If you cannot get fresh or dry maitake you can always by the D-fraction glycerine/coconut tincture. You use about twenty- thirty drops per one cup of hot water.
There are a number of other botanicals that are effective as well, including raw garlic tea, cleavers, dandelion leaf, daikon tea, barberry root tea, and the popular gravel root (Eupatorium purpureum) which should grow in your area.
There is also a popular folk remedy to help pass gallstones based on the same principles of softening and expanding the blocked duct of the gall baldder and facilitating the flow of bile to the area:
quite simply you take 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil mixed with the juice of of either a lemon or grapefruit just prior to goint to bed. Quite often by the time you awake the stone will have slipped into the digestive system and will be passed in the stool.
Kidney stones however are passed through the urinary system.
I hope this helps.
In peace, Roy
|