Dr. Weil mentions drinking coffee to reduce gallstones

[Guest guest]

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Coffee to Prevent Gallstones?

" I've been trying to cut back on caffeine, but I just read that drinking

coffee can lower the risk of gallstones. What should I do? "

-- Betsy B.

(Published 12/19/2002)

New results from a large study did show a 25 percent lower risk of

gallstones among women who regularly drink four or more cups of coffee a

day (compared to women who drink none). This finding, published in the

December 2002 issue of the journal Gastroenterology, comes from the famous

Harvard NursesHealth Study, which has followed more than 80,000 women for

20 years. An earlier study found that drinking coffee lowers gallstone risk

among men.

The Harvard researchers suggested that the caffeine in coffee is

responsible for the gallstone effect, perhaps because it triggers

gallbladder contractions that may discourage stone formation.

Maybe so, but if youre prone to gallstones (risks are highest among

overweight, mid-life women, diabetics and those whose mothers had

gallstones), you can take a number of other preventive measures that may be

better for overall health:

* If appropriate, lose weight slowly (crash dieting can lead to

gallstone formation).

* Drink six to eight glasses of water a day to keep the bile in your

gallbladder fluid and help you digest and absorb fat (most gallstones are

composed of cholesterol).

* Make sure you get 1,000 to 1,500 mg of calcium daily (associated with

a lower incidence of gallstones). Men should get 800 to 1,200 mg.

* Take 300 mg of curcumin (an active component of the yellow spice

turmeric) three times a day to increase the solubility of your bile. Choose

a standardized product.

* Take 200 mg of supplemental vitamin C daily (one study found that

women with higher blood levels of vitamin C were half as likely to develop

gallstones as those with lower levels).

As for the coffee connection, I recommend that you continue to cut back.

While coffee may prevent gallstone formation, it is also an addictive drug

that can cause or worsen other troublesome health problems: headaches,

anxiety, insomnia, cardiac arrhythmia (palpitations), high blood pressure,

gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, prostate trouble and PMS. If you

are interested in the positive effect of caffeine on gallstones, I suggest

drinking green tea, which has less caffeine than coffee and a host of

health advantages including protection from cancer.

Dr. Weil

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[Guest guest]

Coffee is a stimulant, and also has some oils in it,

perhaps they help keep bile moving?? But I also

know that those oils are not good for the heart and tough

on the kidneys. Coffee manufacturers probably

would like to find a few good things about it since

all nutritionists will tell you to cut out coffee. I

will confess, I do drink some i :-( Not a bad idea to

drink lots of water when you do...I try to.

L. Meydrech, CN

http://nutritionist.tripod.com

" A cheerful heart is good medicine " Prov. 17:22a

> The following comes from

>

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-pt=Question-quest

ionId=153709

> :

>

> Coffee to Prevent Gallstones?

>

> " I've been trying to cut back on caffeine, but I just read that drinking

> coffee can lower the risk of gallstones. What should I do? "

>

> -- Betsy B.

[Guest guest]

Hi

I found that when I would drink coffee it would make me hurt more

with the GB pains. I don't drink it at all now. I use herbal teas

and substitutes for coffee.

Here is a flush that my sister in law gave me the other day. I am

going to rewrite it for here so all can have it. I have been doing

it and I have moved hundreds of small stones. It does not say to

take the oil and lemon but I am going to do it tomorrow night.

" Sure-Fire " Remedy for Kidney and Gallstones.

I had two kidney stone attacks in the 1920's, and then in the

1930's. I had a goallstone attack. I went to the doctor and he put

me on a strick diet. That night when I visited my aunt, a lady in

her 80's whom I had known all my life, was at her house. I told them

about my strict diet and my aunt's friend, whose brother in law was a

country doctor, told me about one of many remedies she had learned

from him.

" Child, don't you know what to do for gall and kidney stones? " Then

she told me about the remedy I have faithfully followed for 46 years.

I have never had another gall or kidney stone attack and I eat what I

please--even if it's spicy--and I'm now 80 years old.

It's a simple remedy and only has to be taken once a year. I usually

take mine in the spring- March-April.

Gallstones and Kidney stones Remedy;

Squeeze 6 lemons into a quart jar, add 1 healping tablespoon of Epsom

salt, and 3 level tablespoons of cream of tartar. Mix well and

finish filling with water. Refrigate it. Take a small juice glass

almost full every night upon retiring, until you have taken the whole

quart.

You not only won't have any gall or kidney stones, but you can eat

what you please. My forty-six years of taking this remedy should be

sufficient proof that it is a sure-fire healer.

Sincerely Mrs. Lena Brown.

So this is the formula. You can add herbs to help if you need to and

I am personally going to do my oil and lemon the next night for good

measure. I hope this will help some on the list with their problems

[Guest guest]

I have also read that,but I found from my own experience that I had

my worst attack about 1 hour after drinking a cup of coffee.It is a

stimulant but not a good one if you are experiencing real GB trouble.

--- In gallstones , Wally Gordon <wally.gordon@b...>

wrote:

> The following comes from

> http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-

pt=Question-questionId=153709

> :

>

> Coffee to Prevent Gallstones?

>

> " I've been trying to cut back on caffeine, but I just read that

drinking

> coffee can lower the risk of gallstones. What should I do? "

>

> -- Betsy B.

>

>

> (Published 12/19/2002)

>

> New results from a large study did show a 25 percent lower risk of

> gallstones among women who regularly drink four or more cups of

coffee a

> day (compared to women who drink none). This finding, published in

the

> December 2002 issue of the journal Gastroenterology, comes from the

famous

> Harvard NursesHealth Study, which has followed more than 80,000

women for

> 20 years. An earlier study found that drinking coffee lowers

gallstone risk

> among men.

>

> The Harvard researchers suggested that the caffeine in coffee is

> responsible for the gallstone effect, perhaps because it triggers

> gallbladder contractions that may discourage stone formation.

>

> Maybe so, but if youre prone to gallstones (risks are highest among

> overweight, mid-life women, diabetics and those whose mothers had

> gallstones), you can take a number of other preventive measures

that may be

> better for overall health:

> * If appropriate, lose weight slowly (crash dieting can lead to

> gallstone formation).

> * Drink six to eight glasses of water a day to keep the bile in

your

> gallbladder fluid and help you digest and absorb fat (most

gallstones are

> composed of cholesterol).

> * Make sure you get 1,000 to 1,500 mg of calcium daily

(associated with

> a lower incidence of gallstones). Men should get 800 to 1,200 mg.

> * Take 300 mg of curcumin (an active component of the yellow

spice

> turmeric) three times a day to increase the solubility of your

bile. Choose

> a standardized product.

> * Take 200 mg of supplemental vitamin C daily (one study found

that

> women with higher blood levels of vitamin C were half as likely to

develop

> gallstones as those with lower levels).

> As for the coffee connection, I recommend that you continue to cut

back.

> While coffee may prevent gallstone formation, it is also an

addictive drug

> that can cause or worsen other troublesome health problems:

headaches,

> anxiety, insomnia, cardiac arrhythmia (palpitations), high blood

pressure,

> gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, prostate trouble and PMS.

If you

> are interested in the positive effect of caffeine on gallstones, I

suggest

> drinking green tea, which has less caffeine than coffee and a host

of

> health advantages including protection from cancer.

>

> Dr. Weil

>

> 40feb4.jpg

>

> Bummed by gallstones?

> <http://forums.drweil.com/drwChronic/?

dpkey=MjE4fHxQYW1lbGF8THluY2h8Z25pY2s9UGFtfHBseW5jaEBkcndlaWwuY29tfDE1

fDNiYzMwNzk2OTQxOGQ3Mjc1MWVmMGVmMTNmODVlZDYw>Click

> here to commiserate in our discussion groups.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/2/03 10:38:21 AM, jcal45@... writes:

> have also read that,but I found from my own experience that I had

> my worst attack about 1 hour after drinking a cup of coffee.It is a

> stimulant but not a good one if you are experiencing real GB trouble.

>

>

I would be very leery of this advice too. My husband was a heavy coffee

drinker and had a gallbladder absolutely packed with gallstones. It was so

far gone he had to have surgery. We've got all the gallstones in a ziplock.