So you have decided to detox. Congratulations! Detoxification is an incredible process that can help you reset your habits and generally improve and maintain your health.
Once immersed in your detox and when it is complete, you will likely feel better than you ever have. However, while initiating your detox you may not always feel your best.
In fact, you may feel pretty crummy. This is a good thing! It means your detox is working. When your body begins to eliminate toxins you may feel symptoms of sickness for up to 1-3 days (if symptoms persist, it may indicate a larger problem and you should contact your healthcare provider).
Which symptoms are normal? Everybody is different and will experience detox differently, and some will not notice a thing.
For most who do, here are 7 common physical conditions that you may experience in the first few days of detoxing.
1. Constipation Or Diarrhea
Because you are eating a lot of fiber, drinking a lot of water and possibly taking teas or herbal capsules to generate bowel movements, you may notice a change in your daily habit.
Usually this includes more regularity and better poops, but if you are limiting solid food, not drinking enough water or taking psyllium fiber, you might experience constipation. Balance out your habits to ensure 2-3 bowel movements per day as elimination through the colon is a main activity of detox.
2. Body Odor
You can compare this phenomenon to those who drink much alcohol, eating a lot of garlic or exercising after a long period of being sedentary.
Your body sweats out xenobiotics also known as toxins. Drink water, sauna and exercise more to help your organs of elimination deal with this problem. Eat more green vegetables and green juice for alkalinity. Drink a lot of fluids to promote urination and sweating. Deep breathing can also help alleviate body odor.
3. Swollen Lymph Nodes
Those who have a higher toxic load, yeast or dormant viruses or bacteria may experience tender or swollen lymph nodes – a sign your immune system is working on fighting infection.
Engage in jumping, rebounding and massage therapy to move lymph manually. If lymph nodes persist or are non-tender, contact your health care provider.
4. Cold Symptoms
Like swollen lymph nodes, other symptoms including a runny nose, sore throat, mucous, fatigue and even flu-like body aches can arise when your immune system changes in response to your cleansing or cleaning out.
Take it easy, drink nutritious teas and soups with ginger, garlic and dress warm. On a detox as your body requires nutrition, rest and self-care when going internal changes.
5. Gas And Bloating
When your digestive tract or gut needs to move more volume, adjust to new foods or a new schedule, you can expect to feel activity in the small and large intestines.
More fibers can cause good bacteria to grow, which can result in some temporary gurgling as the body adjusts in enzyme productivity as well. Chew high fiber foods well and avoid vinegars, yeasts and all animal products to limit the putrefaction of bad bacteria. Eat small meals and take an enzyme or probiotic to help form stool.
6. Irritability
Several systemic reasons like yeast die-off, waste kicked into circulation and withdrawal from sugar and caffeine can result in irritability.
Irritability as a result of food eliminations can make a person grumpy initially, while your metabolism adjusts. This usually happens really quickly so that by day 3, a good and positive mood prevails.
In fact, most people are surprised they do not have any cravings on their detox. Keep hydrated with broths, teas and lemon water, eat regular meals, and go easy on yourself.
7. Fatigue
Like irritability, fatigue is a common symptom with a long list of causes. It can come from the liberation and removal of wastes, increased metabolic demand and a lower calorie diet.
While a detox can give you more energy than you have ever felt, without caffeine, it can take 3-5 days for some to reach a peak. If you are tired, sleep. Eat regular meals with superfoods and nutrient dense leaves, berries and seeds. Change your workout so it is more gentle than power.
While these may be uncomfortable symptoms in the first couple of days, you should keep on going as will feel cleansed and healthier on the other side once the toxins have flushed.
