Take a look at this scenario: You increase your intake of raw food, you cut out certain things like processed sugar, processed starch, and/or meat and dairy.
Suddenly, you can feel yourself getting edgy, similar to someone with an addiction.
All you can think about is food, and you crave a spoonful of that sugary cereal….
Common Detox Symptoms:
Here is a short list of possible detox symptoms to help you recognize detoxing when it happens.
Skin breakouts
Bloating, stomach pains
Headaches
Food cravings
Trouble sleeping, nightmares
Diarrhea and constipation
Fatigue, drowsiness, low energy levels
Irritability
Feeling like vomiting
Congestion or Mucus that feels like a cold
The short version of detox: when you eliminate or cut back on certain foods and your body eliminates toxins. Your body will try to expel toxins in any way it can. From your liver via bowel movements and through your skin’s pores, as examples.
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 away toxins in 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 is not so peachy.
Why do we need to Detox?
You might be wondering what exactly it is you need to expel?
If you’ve been eating a fairly processed diet for many years, you might be surprised to find that a lot of food might have gotten stuck, turning into toxins in the colon.
In addition to left over food matter in the body, we are all constantly bombarded with modern day chemicals and toxins in the air, water, and products we use.
If detoxing is so uncomfortable, why should you do it? The simple answer is because you’ll feel so much better afterward and your body will benefit from it.
Understand every time you detox, you reach a new level of cleanliness. Imagine a car running on the cleanest fuel without any impurities slowing it down.
Assuming you don’t revert your detoxing efforts, you’re going to continue to operate at such a higher level of energy and cleanliness, you’ll be grateful for detox.
Benefits of a Cleansing Detox:
Clearer sinuses
Weight loss
Clearer skin
More energy
Regular bowel movements
Mental Clarity
Emotional stability / eliminated depression
Every time you detox, you peel away one layer of the onion. If you’re not ready to experience a full on detox, simply add a bit of the foods you’re cutting out.
For example, if the headaches of your detox are killing you, just add back a bit of cooked grains, eat more quinoa or spelt or Kamut pasta. It will slow down the detox and make it easier for your body to adjust to the changes you’re making.
