
The hardest part of any fasting and/or body cleanse process is enduring the detox side effects. Depending on how bad your diet has been, you can expect to feel a variety of symptoms that will vary from mild to severe. I experienced what I consider to be very harsh detox symptoms because I had been eating nothing but mostly junk for twenty years.
I just knew that I had to do it, and that it was imperative for me to get through the detox – regardless of the discomfort. So I want you to think of the specific reasons why you are wanting to do a detox cleanse. Write them down in a journal and be specific. The more detail and stronger the reasons, the more motivation you will have to hang on when the going gets rough. And it may get quite bumpy.
The most common detox cleanse symptoms include intense hunger pangs, weakness, dizziness, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, mood swings, itchy skin, pain in the arms and/or legs and nightmares. I am not saying that EVERYONE who does a detox cleanse will experience ALL of these symptoms. Most people will experience a variety of them, although seldom will they all come at once.
You may feel pain in your lower back, usually cased by the sudden flush of toxins to your kidneys. Drink at least half a gallon of water daily so that you can sweat and urinate the toxins more quickly. Make sure to brush your teeth regularly. Detox cleansing does have the tendency to create some pretty foul and nasty breath. So be aware of that as well.
You may notice a thick, white film on your tongue… sort of like white slime. That, too, is a normal part of the detox cleanse process. Tongue brushing is the best option along with rinsing with a good anti-bacterial mouth wash.
Some people may develop what look like white little dots on their tongue, sort of like tiny sores. Do not become alarmed. Brush your tongue, rinse and give the body time to process all the filth out. If you become constipated, you can help the body along by increasing your water intake, and by taking an herbal laxative.
My favorite, which I have recommended in other pages, is called Herbs & Prunes.
You can get it at Amazon for around $10 a bottle, and it is great. Start with two the first day and see how it goes. Do not take more than four in one day. If the constipation persists, then it is time to go see a gastroenterologist.
As I also have mentioned in other detox articles, the best way to minimize the symptoms is to start a cleansing diet at least ten days prior to the cleanse.
Start to reduce (or cut out) caffeine, sugar, salt (high-sodium diets cause HUGE water retention), white flour, dairy products, processed foods, alcohol, soft drinks (not even diet sodas), fruit juices (drink veggie juice instead) and red meat (stick with chicken and fish).
Simple, but not easy. This alone will give you a very nice challenge, especially if – like me – you abused the consumption of these foods. For me, it was the donuts, pizza and cheeseburgers. Those three made up 80% to 90% of my diet. Letting them go, at first, was difficult and traumatic.
Which brings me to what I consider to be the very worst detox symptom – the emotions. This is not talked about very often, but reducing food intake or not eating at all for some time seems to open doors to the subconscious mind which bring out all the emotional junk that we have been storing ‘in the basement’ our whole lives.
Do not be surprised is you begin to feel very emotional, cry for no reason, get pessimistic, depressed and angry (or even enraged) and start to become short and grumpy with your loved ones. Just be aware that you are going through a total mind, body, soul detox cleanse.
Try not to react when someone upsets you. Bite your tongue. Call a friend instead and vent with him or her. Write in your journal. The more you write about what you are feeling and going through, the more you will get out of the detox cleanse.
Another way to reduce the severity of the detox cleanse side effects is through the use of a natural antibiotic as, for instance, turmeric. Turmeric helps to reduce the detox shot and inflammation and does provide some relief. Don’t’ expect it to be miraculous, but it does help in some cases.
If the weakness is getting to you, try some green tea. Visit the green tea weight loss page for more on how this can help. It is good to eat lots of berries, fruits and veggies during this preparation phase. All of those foods will help the body to begin the process of healing and detoxification.
You should not place yourself under unnecessary fatigue and/or stress while on a detox cleanse. I know that life is life, and sometimes things cannot be helped. However, whenever possible, go to sleep early. Disconnect. Tomorrow is another day. Don’t try to do it all today. Give yourself a break.
Give your body time to rest. Cleansing places the entire system under a lot of stress in and of itself. Do not make it worse by overburdening yourself with tasks that can be done later. If unwinding is difficult, try a cup of chamomile soothing tea. It will help to relax you and get you ready for bed.
As part of the detox preparation, you also may want to do several enemas to start to expel the worst of the toxic fecal matter adhered to the walls of your colon. Coffee enemas are the best.
What you have to keep in mind is that, while unpleasant, detox symptoms are a sign that your body is burning fat, healing and ridding itself of toxins. You must keep your mind on the positive… remind yourself of the health benefits that you are gaining… remind yourself of the strong personal reasons why you are doing the detox cleanse. You are not doing it because you like to suffer.
Of course not. You are doing it because you want to improve the quality of your life and health. And sometimes it is necessary to discipline the body and remind it that YOU are in charge. Even if food and eating have controlled you for many years, you STILL have the opportunity to make a decision to stop the madness and retake charge of your weight and health.![]()





