Shelley -

I’m writing this to ask your opinion and also to kind of clarify it all in my mind as well. Because my gall bladder is the last remaining health problem I still struggle with, I decided to try the Liver Cleansing diet. I know from past history that I really don’t do grains and legumes well. They just do not sit well with my intestines, and they tend to bring on fatigue (I was once diagnosed with fibromyalgia). But I decided to do it anyway because I thought maybe I did it wrong before by eating dairy with it or eating refined carbs. And that eating this way would help clear out my liver. Unfortunately, I just cannot eat that way. After two weeks of massive gas and bowel problems, I’m off the grains and legumes. And everything is settling back down again.

My concern is that when I eat the way I like to (lots of veggies, nuts and seeds, animal protein at 2 meals a day), I felt wonderful except for the gall bladder and right shoulder/back pain. I now know after reading Dr. Cabot’s book that I was eating rancid nuts and oils, cheese and dairy products and all of these gunk up the works, so to speak. So, I’ve switched to raw nuts and seeds (my body’s favorite source of energy, if I eat nuts and seeds all the time I feel great), eliminate the dairy (including my beloved cheese) and keep the protein as unprocessed as possible. I do not have the problems with gas when eating vegetables, which makes me think my problem is not so much leaky gut or IBS, but a genetic sensitivity of mine or metabolic type. I’m not sure which of the ayurvedic type I am, I’ve gotten mixed results with the questionnaires.

So, my question is (finally) what else can I do to keep the gallbladder “well oiled” given the diet I prefer to be on? I will be doing the occasional liver cleanse, but the epsoms wipe me out so I plan to try another type.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I have interstitial cystitis. Which basically means I need to have a low acid diet. I can’t eat citrus fruits and I have to keep my malic acid intake relatively low. I also can't do spicy foods.

Given that I’m planning to:

- Up my intake of olive oil to two or more tablespoons a day.
- Continue to eat lots of carrots and carrot juice.
- Take Lecithin
- Drink lots of peppermint tea.
- Continue taking Chinese bitters or GCG (on one, off the other)
- Eat as many apples as I can get away with (1 every other day)
- Exercise regularly and do yoga a few times a week

Can you think of anything else that would help keep my gall bladder and liver clean? I really appreciate what you do on this board. It’s all been very helpful. If you knew where I was 5 years ago, you’d think I was a different person. I’m just trying to get the last of it resolved.

Thanks so much,

bd