Doing a Coffee Enema without a Gallbladder
Reasons for Gallbladder Removal
Coffee Enema Safety
Coffee Enema Detox Benefits
Enema Series Instructions
Essential Oils for Digestive Support
Recommended Supplements
What Is the Gallbladder?
A small organ located under the liver, the gallbladder is responsible for storing bile produced by the liver. Bile is a bitter fluid generated by the body to properly digest fats. When you start eating, your gallbladder receives signals to contract and squeeze the stored bile through the biliary tract into the small intestine.
Gallbladder Removal
If there is an issue with bile consistency or production that goes unaddressed, gallstones can form in the gallbladder and cause a wide range of health complications. Since one can live a full life without a gallbladder, surgical removal is often recommended in these circumstances.
When the gallbladder has been removed in a procedure known as cholecystectomy (due to inflammation, infection, or other reasons), some individuals worry about their ability to process and tolerate substances such as coffee in an enema.
Is It Safe To Do a Coffee Enema with No Gallbladder?
The good news is that coffee enemas can still be a viable option for those without a gallbladder. In fact, a regular enema protocol may be especially supportive to those who have had their gallbladder removed, as coffee enemas can support the body in regulating bile production and other digestive processes.
While the gallbladder plays a role in digestion (processing fats), it is not directly involved in the processing of a coffee enema.
The liver produces bile continuously, and even without a gallbladder, bile still flows into the small intestine to aid in digestion. If you no longer have a gallbladder and you do a coffee enema, the bile will carry toxins directly from the liver to the small intestine. Therefore, it is safe to do a coffee enema if you have had a cholecystectomy, and the process for doing the enema is the same as if you still had a gallbladder.
Furthermore, you will still experience most or all of the benefits of a coffee enema.
Detoxification Benefits of a Coffee Enema
A coffee enema involves introducing a coffee solution via the rectum to help cleanse the colon and the liver. This practice has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various health concerns, including constipation, heavy metal burdens such as lead toxicity, and liver dysfunction.
A properly performed coffee enema supports the release of toxins from the body as follows:
- The coffee stimulates the liver, a main organ of detoxification, to produce more bile.
- The stimulation of the liver causes the muscles of the bile duct to relax, opening the duct widely to produce a larger flow of bile into the gallbladder (or directly into the small intestine). About 30 minutes before the enema, I strongly recommend taking a binding agent such as chlorophyll orally to tightly bind the toxins to prevent reabsorption. This allows the liver to process many toxins more quickly.
▶ Buy Chlorophyll Products
- Theophylline and theobromine, two compounds found in coffee, help blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow to the liver.
- Palmitic acid in coffee increases glutathione s-transferase (GST) production, a key detoxification enzyme, by 600 to 700%. GST shuttles toxins for binding with glutathione, which neutralizes them and carries them out of the body in the bile.
- Coffee enemas also help speed the transit of waste through the colon.
Before the Coffee Enema
It's very important to clean the entire colon before doing a coffee enema. This is because the primary action of the coffee enema is to allow the coffee solution to be absorbed into the portal vein, which carries about 75% of the liver's total blood flow. The goal is to avoid reabsorption of any toxic byproducts from the waste sitting in your lower colon by cleaning out as much of that waste as possible. This is especially crucial if you have had your gallbladder removed.
Our recommended enema series is a three-step protocol in which the first two enemas clean out and prepare the colon to receive the benefits of the third enema, the coffee enema.
▶ Enema Series: Step-by-Step Instructions
Essential Oils for Digestive Support
You may wish to consider essential oils instead of, or in addition to, using coffee enemas to help optimize bile production and consistency.
Adding our Coffee Enema Essential Oil Blend to your enema solution can increase the therapeutic benefits of the coffee enema. This is a blend of essential oils designed to increase glutathione production, optimize production of bile, and support cell function of the liver, pancreas, and other organs.
If you are sensitive to caffeine or otherwise concerned about doing a coffee enema without a gallbladder, alternatively you can make suppositories at home using 6-10 drops of the Coffee Enema Essential Oil Blend.
▶ How To Make Essential Oil Suppositories
We also carry an essential oil blend specifically designed to support the gallbladder, which can still be helpful in optimizing biliary output and digestion if you have had a cholecystectomy. Consider using our Gallbladder Support Essential Oil Blend in a suppository or in your coffee enema.
Support Supplements After Gallbladder Removal
Without a gallbladder, there is nowhere for bile to be stored for immediate use, which can make processing fats less efficient. Therefore it can be helpful to take a supplement that contains ox (bovine) bile, such as Endo-met GB-3 or Standard Process Cholacol. Supplemental bovine bile can help compensate for the lack of bile that is common with gallbladder removal.
Probiotics — Another common issue in people without a gallbladder is imbalances in gut flora, which can lead to gastrointestinal issues. Certain probiotic strains can be supportive in balancing gut flora. We recommend Ortho Biotic, a high-quality probiotic.
A-F Betafood — The minerals and vitamins present in beets work together with other ingredients in A-F Betafood to promote healthy liver metabolism and cellular function. This is a commonly recommended supplement for gallbladder support, though if you no longer have a gallbladder it will still aid in optimizing digestion.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
For more support tailored to your individual circumstances, consider a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA). Hair tissue testing ensures that you have adequate amounts of essential nutrient minerals and that their relationships to one another (ratios) are optimal. The HTMA also alerts you to any toxic metal levels in your body. Therefore the HTMA is a valuable screening tool which allows an appropriate program of diet and supplementation to be designed for each individual's specific needs.
▶ Learn More about Hair Testing
By Kristina Amelong, CCT, CNC
I-ACT-Certified Colon Hydrotherapist
Certified Nutritional Consultant
DISCLAIMER: The material presented on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or prescribing from a licensed healthcare professional. Consult with a licensed healthcare professional before altering or discontinuing any current medications, treatment, or care, or starting any diet, exercise, cleansing, or supplementation program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health condition that requires medical attention.
▶︎ Need more detailed guidance in optimizing your digestion following gallbladder removal?
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