Reasonings Behind My Liver Cleansing Journey
I am in the midst of my eighth liver and gallbladder cleanse today. I ended up passing a significant amount of gallstones — I’d say 400-500. Most of which have been small, but several have been good sized.
This is the first cleanse where I have not gotten sick and thrown up the oil and/or Epsom Salts — Hooray! I am taking this as a positive sign that perhaps my body is getting less toxic.
Last time I did a cleanse I reviewed the importance of bile in the whole digestive process and today I’ve been reviewing the liver’s important role in hormone balance. This is a big deal on the road to healing endometriosis — a disease that is fueled and stimulated by excess estrogen in the body.
This has been the primary reason behind me doing these liver and gallbladder cleanses. I feel like upon completion of them (where I pass no more stones for two consecutive cleanses) that my body will be in a much better position to combat my endo.
The Liver’s Role in Hormone Balance
The liver is responsible for clearing out excess estrogen and aldosterone in the body. The bile from the gallbladder stores these inactive hormones and excretes them, bound by fiber in the stools.
When gallstones congest in the gallbladder and liver’s bile ducts then estrogen and aldosterone are not sufficiently broken down and detoxified, so their concentrations travel back to the blood stream.
This leads to tissue swelling and water retention. Elevated levels of estrogen can also lead to abnormal cell growth including uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and of course — endometriosis. Elevated levels of aldosterone leads to muscle cramps, muscle weakness and tingling in the extremities.
When these unfiltered hormones travel back into the blood stream, then it is the lymph nodes job to filter them out. This can lead to further congestion in the lymphatic system which then leads to cysts in the uterus and ovaries, backaches, headaches, migraines, dizziness, thyroid enlargement, an enlarged spleen and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The glands affected by congestion of the lymph nodes include the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal cortex and ovaries. When these glands are congested then a lack of hormones are secreted. This leads to, among other things, hypothyroidism and a negative impact on fertility.
Gallstones in the liver also cause liver cells to cut back on protein synthesis, which then prompts the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol (a hormone that stimulates protein synthesis).
Too much cortisol in the blood gives rise to a degeneration of the lymphoid tissue, leading to further blockages and a depressed immune system. In addition, an abundance of cortisol in the body leads to an accumulation of fat. This creates a problem since estrogen gathers in fat cells.
Added Hormones and a Sluggish Liver
According to Andreas Moritiz, risks of developing gallstones in the gallbladder and liver is twice as likely among women who use or have used birth control and/or hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The added estrogen from these sources increases bile cholesterol and decreases gallbladder contraction. This estrogen effect causes gallstones.
In addition to the birth control bill and HRT, over the counter drugs and prescriptions are also damaging to the liver and contribute to gallstone formation.
If the liver is weak and congested by these gallstones then most nutrients pass through without being assimilated. So we take loads of vitamins, minerals and supplements for years without effect. These supplements end up being waste products for the body to dispose of, causing even more work on the tired liver with little to no benefit.
Without a clean, efficient liver, blood is not filtered clean. This “polluted” blood is then loaded with hormones, toxins and waste products rendering it heavier and more sluggish. This causes poor circulation as the blood has issues carrying needed oxygen and nutrients required for energy production. This results in constant fatigue, aches and pains.
Of note — exercise stimulates blood circulation. Early morning exercise that includes stretching and deep breathing exercises brings the blood out of the liver that may be stagnant from its work the night before (the liver does its main work primarily between 2:00 – 4:00 AM).
On the Positive Side?
I made it through another cleanse! Lol. This is always a positive. I have been doing these cleanses for over a year now and I do feel like gradually they are helping me.
The levels of pain with my periods have lessened and the symptoms I used to get related to estrogen dominance (spotting and sore boobs prior to my period) have stopped. The greatest benefit has been with my mood and mental well being 🙂
I had the pleasure of speaking this past week with a fellow IIN student who is doing these cleanses every month as well. It felt good to talk to someone who was going through what I’ve been going through and with someone who truly believes in the process and how it has positively affected her health. It also helped me not to feel so crazy about taking this path, Lol.
When I started these cleanses I was not sure what else to do to help the pain associated with endometriosis. I’d changed my diet, was taking a load of supplements, and working on stress management. While this definitely helped my pain levels, it did not remove them.
I do hope (and believe) that this liver cleansing path will rid me of the pain. So I continue onwards….
Thank you again for joining me on this journey 🙂
With much love,
Aubree.
