Really. This is the question of the day!
In many things I have read regarding a quick...cold-turkey...jumping in head first...no ease into it...switch to Veganism they all say the same thing: there is a certain period of detoxification in the beginning that will last shorter or longer in relation to the amount of toxicity in the body to start with.
Symptoms may include anything from swollen joints to cold and flu-like issues. None of which are pleasant! The idea of re-living any of these can make a person run the other way saying "Why would I intentionally put my body through something like that?!?!"
I can even remember one of my nutrition instructors mentioning that in the detox process a person may experience some form of EVERY ailment they have ever had! Not guaranteed for all people in such extremes as when the issue actually took place but the process of releasing toxins allows all remaining stale, stagnant energy to be shaken out of every nook and cranny of the body; really, anything is possible. The funny part of this little phenomenon is that these reappearances can occur for minutes, hours or days depending on the depth of the toxins!
At the end of week two I am chuckling a bit as these little things come to the surface! I have experienced a half day of bronchial/allergy symptoms similar to the ones I had in high school, pain in my shoulder that mimicked the aches that lingered after a random big wheel accident at the age of 6 and today my finger joint feels like it did when I jammed it in one of my aggressive basketball games back in middle school.
In each case, the pain or ailment has only lasted a matter of hours...not bad for not taking time to transition in the eating plan though had I eaten large amounts of junk food prior to this journey it could have been worse, much worse!
Thankfully, due to my burning desire and chef approach to Operation GO Vegan, I am not feeling the need for any other foods! While I used to crave cheese, burgers and various other heart stopping foods, I can safely say that I feel incredible so far and have a deep satisfaction with the foods that I have chosen to prepare and consume. SO, while I may be experiencing a bit of pain in the detox process the pleasure of treating my body with respect and honoring it's healing process makes it all worth while!
I have had similar experiences when I alter my diet. One thing that has worked for me is an alkaline bath... as a body releases toxins from the gut, it goes into other parts of your body and causes the above-mentioned symptoms. The alkaline bath helps alleviate these symptoms by drawing the toxins to the surface in your sweat. That is why when detoxing your body may be more smelly than normal. Normally, as the liquid portion of the sweat evaporates, it leaves the "crud" behind.
ReplyDeleteA good alkaline bath is very warm, as warm as you can stand it. This causes your blood circulation to come to the surface, and your sweating mechanism to be engaged, and moves the toxins to your sweat. We have all seen this before, it is what causes people who drink too much to "smell like a brewery". Their bodies are expelling the toxins through sweat!
So what about the alkaline part? What role does it play? Sweat is acidic. As you sweat into the bath, the toxins in the sweat react with the bases dissolved in the bath and makes them inert! It literally sucks the toxins accumulating in your pores out and detoxifies them.
Here is what I how I prepare a detoxifying alkaline bath; play with the recipe to find what works for you!
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/4 cup Hydrogen Peroxide
15 drops of Tea Tree Oil
Fill the tub about 1/2 full of very warm water
Soak for 15-30 minutes, trying to keep as much of your body submerged as possible. Your heart will begin to beat rather rapidly; this is normal as your body tries to cool itself through the heat exchange at the sweat glands. If you get uncomfortable, sit up and give your body a chance to cool. After the bath, take a cool shower to rinse the residues off and to stop the sweating. You may feel lethargic for a while afterwards (expelling toxins is hard work!) but trust me, your body with thank you later!
I also meditate while doing this, while your body is expelling toxins, why don't you do the same with your mind? Enjoy!