What You Need To Know About Detoxing

In my previous posts, I have written about the importance of a Detox Program. Toxins can affect the body in several ways. They impair proper organ function. They inhibit optimal absorption of nutrients. In addition, toxins can have treatments for specific issues less effective or even ineffective. By ridding the body of harmful toxins we promote better function of the body’s complex systems and increased receptiveness to secondary treatments.

Your body will try to expel toxins in any way it can: from your liver, via bowel movements, and through the pores of your skin. While you are detoxing, your body focuses on releasing toxins, so you might feel under the weather because you have all of this garbage traveling throughout your body.

Think of it as deciding to clean a very dusty house for the first time in years. When you start sweeping the dust, it’s going to get into the air and make it hard to breathe. You’ll feel better when you’ve gotten all the dust out, of course.

The same goes for trying to brush the toxins away from your body, you will feel the ill effects of drudging toxins up and out. Once they’re out you’ll feel better, but the process can make one feel under the weather.

Here is a short list of possible detox symptoms to help you recognize detox when it happens. Most patients get no symptoms at all, but it is possible to get:

• Skin breakouts and rashes
• Bloating, stomach pains
• Headaches
• Food cravings
• Trouble sleeping, nightmares
• Diarrhea and/or constipation
• Fatigue, drowsiness, low energy levels
• Irritability
• Congestion or mucus that feels like a cold

How to Avoid Withdrawal Symptoms.

People who consume caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, and those who have food and environmental allergies, will have the most difficulty initially. Symptoms usually disappear after 3-5 days. The best way to prepare for a detox is gradually reduce consumption of caffeine, sugar, white flour and alcohol at least a week before you start your program.

• Make sure you drink at least six to eight glasses of filtered water daily. Stay away from plastic bottles, but glass bottles are okay. Getting enough water is essential to your health. Among its other health benefits, water helps maintain your body’s fluid levels, which helps your kidneys flush out the body’s main toxins. You may add lemon to a glass of warm water.
• Fatigue is normal during the detox, so allow more time for rest and sleep. To boost energy, add mild to moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day.
• Continue to take your daily supplements. You might consider additional 1000 mg of buffered vitamin C with breakfast and dinner, and 300 mg of magnesium citrate, or glycinate at dinner.
• Balance your blood sugar by eating quality protein-based meals. Excellent sources of protein are baked or broiled fish, lean poultry and legumes, such as edamame or black beans. If you are a vegetarian, consider pea protein.
• Try a sauna or a warm bath with epsom salts for 20 minutes a few times per week. Heat is a great resource while cleansing as it helps to eliminate the toxins from within.

If you have any questions or concerns once you start to feel these symptoms, don’t hesitate to call your health care practitioner to get help on slowing down the detox in order to feel better.

Happy And Healthy Detoxing!