Understanding Common Reactions to Cleansing

Going through a herbal detox can lead to a variety of detox reactions. During the first few days, it’s common for detox symptoms to occur as your body gradually increases its capacity to flush out and break down waste products for eventual elimination.

Above all, it is important to understand that just because these symptoms are common, it does not mean they will happen to you. You might just make it through with no symptoms at all. This doesn’t mean the herbal detox is not working. On the contrary, it usually means you are in a better state of health than others.

Common herbal detox reactions

While effects range broadly from person to person, many people can experience some discomfort due to cleansing, such as:

• Loose bowels
• Increased urination
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Flu-like symptoms
• Muscle aches
• Skin reactions, like blemishes or irritation

Although these can be challenging to experience, they are perfectly normal reactions as your body adjusts to the absence of sugar and refined foods, as well as the increased elimination of waste. They generally only last 2 to 4 days for the most part.

If these reactions ever become too intense, it's a sign that you need to back off a bit. Either reduce the dose or consider pausing for a few days and starting back up more gradually. The key is always to listen to and respect your body and its limits.

You may also experience the temporary worsening of an existing condition, such as skin breakouts. This is not uncommon. In the course of its constant work, the body uses several pathways of elimination. These include the intestinal and urinary tracts, but also some secondary pathways such as the lungs, and even the skin. Over time, as your body adjusts, these symptoms will subside, usually after the first few days, leaving you feeling lighter and healthier.

Emotional reactions to cleansing

While cleansing, one can also expect some emotional discomfort to arise, in the form of cravings or irritability. It can be challenging to settle into new habits, especially while also experiencing the natural physical discomforts that accompany this change.

Throughout the course of your cleanse, it can help to keep in mind that thoughts are powerful and impact our physical reality. The Herbal D-Tox program offers an opportunity to not only release accumulated waste products and reset your lifestyle and dietary habits, but also to let go of old emotional baggage that no longer serves you.

As we make our way through life, we pick up belief systems and emotional patterns, all of which have their uses at one time. But just as we need to clean out our closet on occasion, we can all benefit from a little mental 'cleansing' from time to time as well. Journaling and exploring these in a safe way for yourself can be a great way to begin this process.

Cleansing reactions timeline

There is no one specific timeline or outcome that everyone can expect to experience. The body is complex and highly individualized and as such, we each have different ways of responding to a cleanse, and these may even differ from one cleanse to the next.

Our lifestyle, general dietary habits, medical history, risk factors, genetics, and emotional state will all play a role in how we feel on a cleanse, and how slowly or quickly we might notice any shifts or changes.

As a loose outline however, some of the more likely milestones you might encounter are:

DAYS 1-3

• Cravings, and even some light hunger, are often the first thing we notice as we cut back on all the refined and carbohydrate-rich foods we are used to.
• Some people experience headaches, most notably if caffeine withdrawal is at play.
• Looser stool and increased urination due to some of the herbs as well as more dietary fibre and drinking more water.
• Possibly some fatigue and mental fog, especially if you are used to relying on coffee and sugar for a daily boost.

DAYS 3-7

Often the worst discomforts begin to ease by day 3.

• You may get renewed waves of cravings, especially if your meals haven’t been well balanced.
• Loose bowels and frequent urination are likely to continue throughout the cleanse. This is fine so long as it’s not extreme nor causing any discomfort.
• Renewed mild waves of fatigue sometimes occur as well. If so, be gentle with yourself and remember that your body is working extra hard for you right now.

DAYS 8-14

This is often the easier time of the cleanse. You’ve gotten a hang of how to eat, you’ve gotten used to taking the herbs, you’re possibly feeling less bloated and likely more naturally energetic than before. You might even feel motivated to keep going longer, and there is no harm in doing a second D-Tox kit or considering following up with the Liver Support Kit.

Managing common detox reactions

Detox reaction	What helps
Cravings	Ensuring adequate protein and healthy fat intake Going for a walk or other form of light exercise Using some form of distraction until it passes Having a warm cup of herbal tea
Headaches	Drinking extra water (up to 3L a day) can help Having a little black coffee or green tea to ease caffeine withdrawal
Bowel urgency	Cutting back on the Laxaherb or Gentle Laxaherb formula
Fatigue and mental fog	Ensuring you’re getting plenty of sleep Taking a nap if needed Planning to cleanse around times without too much stress or difficult demands

 

Cleansing in the long run

Cleansing becomes very simple after one has completed two or more cleanses. Initially, a person will usually complete at least two cleanses within a period of 6 or 7 months. This is an excellent stepping stone to thorough detoxing.

Eventually, as one becomes more experienced at cleansing, the process of taking a few cleansing supplements and following a special meal plan for twelve days becomes an enjoyable routine. By cleansing often, the smaller accumulation of metabolic and environmental waste will be removed, making each cleanse easier and more effective. However, remember it’s not suggested to cleanse more than once every two months, unless under the care of a health practitioner.