I thought a detox cleanse would make me feel good. Why do I feel like shit?
We are exposed to chemicals and toxins on a daily basis, at work, at home, in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, and in the water we drink. As the public becomes more aware of the toxins that reside in their bodies through contaminants such as heavy metal pesticides, etc., and inadequate nutrition due to poor diets, there is increasing interest in protocols and cleansing. detox.
Do a Google search on “clean”. There are almost 15,000,000 results! There are body cleanses, liver cleanses, colon cleanses, cleansing diets, juice fasts, detox recipes, and so on. It’s a very broad topic and big business.
So, you did some research—perhaps you bought a cleanse pack online or at your local health food store, or picked up a diet book on various types of cleanse—and you’re off into full swing. You’ve been on the protocol for a couple of days and you feel very, very bad. You have headaches, your energy is low, maybe you are suffering from diarrhea. You’re wondering if this cleaning thing is so over the top because you’re supposed to feel better than when you started, not worse. You are ready to throw it all away and go back to your old ways.
Actually, in all likelihood, the cleanse is working exactly as it should and what you’re feeling is probably a Herksheimer reaction. The Herksheimer reaction is a term that describes the principle that you get worse before you get better when you use, for example, an antibiotic or other health solution. This is due to the release of toxins as the body responds to the remedy. Many people have a large amount of bugs and toxins in their system and if you kill them too quickly you will get a Herksheimer reaction (weakness, nausea etc.).
The safest solution is to work with your ND or healthcare professional to ensure that you experience minimal adverse side effects when you begin your cleansing regimen. If you do it yourself, follow your chosen cleaning instructions to the letter. If you get a strong Herksheimer’s reaction, you should probably lower the dosage or spread the cleanse out over a longer period of time. Of course, if adverse symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional.
Cleanses work, but not all cleanses are right for everyone. Remember, too, that the toxins in your body didn’t build up overnight, so don’t expect to feel at the top of your game the day after you start a cleanse.