Detox and the Healing Crisis – What is a Detox? Sugar Detoxing Symptoms?

That’s your body’s instantaneous fight or flight response to perceived or imagined threat. Notice that last sentence: perceived or imagined threat. The truth is that your system is designed to protect your life at all costs, even if it means the system is temporarily shutting down all other functions so that the muscles are primed to move and the body is ready to avoid danger. The body doesn’t care if the threat is true or not. If you believe it is, the body responds instantly. Digestion stops, repair and rejuvenation stops, muscles tense in preparation for sudden movement, etc.

If we only went into fight or flight when there was true and immediate danger, our body would have no problem (assuming we are reasonably healthy) readjusting to normal functions quickly. However, this is not the case with most of us. In fact, many of us STAY in fight or flight. Imagine what this does to our system over time. It is as if we have hired a guard to alert us to danger and told the soldier be on the ready whenever anything moved anywhere near us. Soon, the guard would be exhausted because something would always be moving near us. This is the way life is. Something is always moving near us. Somehow we have to stop waking the guard every time something moves.

OK, back to detoxing. Detoxing at a physical level can range anywhere from extremely mild (more bowel or kidney movement, slight skin rash, little aches and pains) to very, very intensely uncomfortable. When it reaches the far extreme of intensity, this state of feeling worse than you did before is often referred to as the healing crisis.

Although there are definitely things you can do to minimize a healing crisis during detox, there are times and situations where one is unavoidable. This is why I always encourage people to make their health enough of a priority to schedule the first few days of their detox at a time when they can rest more, perhaps even be away from work entirely.

Detox symptoms can include skin rashes or eruptions, headaches, bad breath (sometimes, very bad breath!), unusual body odors, dizziness, nausea, feelings of fatigue or even slight depression, gas, diarrhea, colds, ear infection, insomnia, boils, itching, etc. You can experience temporary periods of confusion, and lack of appetite. You may be very thirsty at times. Why is this a good thing? Well, assuming the detox doesn’t happen faster than the overall system can handle it, the symptoms indicate that the immune system is working properly, that toxins are being eliminated and that the body is working toward balance again. Usually, a healing crisis should last no more than three days.

Suggestions for Minimizing a Detox-Triggered Healing Crisis

There are definitely ways to decrease the level of healing crisis that occurs during detoxification. One of the very best ways I’ve found in my personal experience is to take very frequent hot showers, scrubbing the skin well, and buffing dry with a towel afterwards. If I am detoxing heavily, I may take three showers a day, for example. Another important factor is drinking enough water to help the kidneys, skin, liver, colon and spleen process waste. In particular, your skin and kidneys need lots of good, pure water to flush the toxins. I definitely would not use tap water during a detox. You want clean water to assist your system in cleansing.

Detoxing From Sugar

We all know the nutritional value of refined white sugar is hard on the body. Detoxing from sugar will often cause skin reactions such as rashes and breakouts. Rather than put something on the skin to stop the breakout, you can aid the clearing reaction with a bentonite clay poultice. This will expedite the healing of the skin irritation combined with pulling the toxins out. Know that when the skin begins to react to a detox cleanse that this response is really a positive sign. Your body is now stronger and better able to release the poisons; The skin’s ability to heal is coming alive. After all the skin is the largest organ of the body and is becoming an active participant in the detoxing process.

Don’t fear if you see strange skin activity, such as itching, rashes, pimples, etc. Be sure and drink lots of water, and an aloe vera and clay paste can be quite helpful and soothing. You will find these symptoms will only last a short time, maybe two or three days.

Detox and Neuritis – Why the Need for Detox

Symptoms of neuritis can vary with its cause. Some symptoms which may occur are pain, tenderness, tingling, loss of the sensation of touch in the affected nerve area, redness and swelling of the affected area, and in severe cases, convulsions.

The main problem and treatment is a need for a major detox. This is probably the most important problem area to be treated by detox. This is one of the best natural answers we know of. Neuritis is the inflammation or deterioration of a nerve or group of nerves.

Causes of neuritis can include injury to a nerve, such as a direct blow or a nearby bone fracture, infection involving a nerve,diseases such a diabetes, gout, and leukemia,or poisons such a mercury, lead, alcohol, and dietary deficiency of the vitamin B complex, especially thiamin. A thiamin deficiency results in the impairment of nerve tissue so that it cannot utilize carbohydrates for energy.

Symptoms of neuritis can vary with its cause. Some neuritis symptoms which may occur are pain, tenderness, tingling, loss of the sensation of touch in the affected nerve area, redness and swelling of the affected area, and in severe cases, convulsions. The main problem and treatment is a need for major detoxification.

This is probably the most important problem area to be treated by detox. This is one of the best natural answers we know of. This why the product Herbal Remedies named DETOX, a general organ cleanser and tonic, was created – to specifically include detox of the kidneys, liver, pancreas and gall bladder.

This great product cleanses heavy metals and other poisons, such as mercury, lead, alcohol and a deficiency of the vitamin B complex, especially thiamin, from the blood, nerves and cells. A thiamin deficiency results in the impairment of nerve tissue so that it cannot utilize carbohydrates for energy.

Also, DETOX is very good for providing a complete cleansing of the small intestine. Excellent for taking, following any intense experience of stress.

Looking for Information on Treating Scabies?

What is Scabies: Scabies is an extremely itchy skin condition caused by a very small wingless insect or mite called the Human Itch Mite or Scabies Mite. The female mite burrows under the skin, usually around the hands, feet and male genitalia, and lays approximately one to three eggs each day. A very
small zig zag-shaped blister follows the trail of the mite as she lays her eggs. Several weeks later the
person develops an allergic reaction, resulting in intense itching and redness at the site. Itching tends
to be more severe at night, causing many sufferers to lose sleep. If not treated, the eggs hatch and new mites continue the cycle.

Scabies is often difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can be easily mistaken for other itchy skin conditions, like eczema. Scabies is treated with prescription ointments that kill the mites and their eggs, but the insects’ bodies remain under the skin. Since the insects themselves are what cause the allergic reaction, itching continues for approximately two weeks after treatment until the sufferer’s natural defense systems break down the matter and remove the mites’ remains.

What Causes Scabies?

An estimated 300 million cases of scabies occur worldwide each year. Although scabies is more prevalent in crowded living conditions, the condition can strike anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or personal hygiene habits. Scabies is extremely contagious and is caught by close contact with an infected individual, like a friend, child or other family member. The condition is especially difficult when an outbreak takes place in an institutionalized setting, like a nursing home or day care center because of its highly contagious nature. Scabies mites can live up to 24 hours in bedding. It can take a month before a person notices signs of infestation, especially if the sufferer practices good
hygiene and bathes regularly, so it is easy to transmit the mites to others before it is detected and treated.

How Do I Know I have Scabies?

The first, most common symptom of scabies is itching, especially at night. Red bumps that look like tiny bites or pimples also appear. As the condition worsens, the skin may become crusty or scaly. The mites themselves are microscopic in size, so they are barely detectable by the human eye. Scabies prefer warm areas of the body, such as skin folds and areas where the clothing fits tightly. This includes around the fingers, wrists, ankles, buttocks, waistline, nipples and penis. Mites also like to hide in the skin under rings, bracelets, watchbands and beneath the finger nails. In children, the infestation can occur all over the body, especially on the soles, palms and scalp. Bacterial infection
may also be present due to scratching.

How Do I Prevent Scabies?

Since scabies is passed from individual to individual and can take weeks or months to show initial symptoms, it is often difficult to avoid contracting the disease, especially for family members. Once a diagnosis is identified, the most critical factor in eliminating the disease is getting rid of the mite. Each member of the family or group, whether itching or not, should be treated at the same time. This includes anyone who has been in close contact with the infected individual, including close friends, school/daycare classmates and caregivers. In addition, all bedding and dirty clothing must be laundered thoroughly or dry cleaned. Insecticides especially for scabies should be applied to items
that are not washable, like belts and shoes. Items can also be placed in the dryer for at least 30 minutes to kill the bugs. Vacuum the entire house and discard the bag.

Understanding of The Healing Crisis

The human body has a natural tendency to maintain good health. In fact, perfect health is the natural state of the human body. If this is true, then why are so many of us functioning below our natural state? In a word, toxicity. Toxic substances enter our bodies every waking moment. Toxins are in the air, in the food we eat, in the water we drink. Parasites abound and are far easier to pick up than most people realize, particularly in the presence of indoor pets who, even occasionally, go outside. Parasites create profound toxicity in the body over time because they excrete waste matter themselves and when they die, they excrete even more waste matter. This is why one might typically go through a period of discomfort during a parasite cleanse.

Not only does our body try to rid itself of the parasites but it has the added job of removing the toxic
wastes that are released as the parasite dies and is evacuated from the body. As the toxins are released, a slight healing crisis of flu-like symptoms may be the result. As a rule, this type of healing crisis should be over within 8 to 24 hours but can last as long as three days.

Once the body has begun to eliminate parasites and other toxins from the organs, blood stream and eliminatory tracts, one begins to go through whatever healing crisis may result from the initial cleanse. Such reactions may be mild or severe and the feeling of toxicity may be more on some days and less on others, until good health balance is restored and made stable in the system A true detox, if one has never done it, can take as long as six months. When years of excess, poor eating, high stress, or other physical imbalance have resulted in poor health, overnight results are seldom the case. It takes dedication, persistence, and self-monitoring to detox completely, safely and effectively.

In a healing crisis, every body system works together to eliminate waste products and set the stage for regeneration. Toxic, damaged tissues are replaced with new rejuvenated flesh. Symptoms of the healing crisis may at first be quite similar to the disease it is meant to heal. This can be confusing as one might expect to immediately feel better and not to feel more of the same. However, there is a significant difference between a healing crisis and the original problem: elimination. A cleansing, purifying process is underway and stored wastes are in a free-flowing state or release. If you are eliminating, you are cleansing. If you are cleansing, you are healing, in spite of the fact that you may feel worse than before at first.

Sometimes pain and symptoms during the healing crisis are more intense than that of the chronic disease, but this is temporary. Remember that the immune system of a toxic person is suppressed and one thing that happens with a cleanse is that the immune system begins to “wake up” and the first thing it wants to do is get the waste out, quickly. A healing crisis can quite often also bring about a retracing or temporary resurfacing of past conditions and personal issues. People often forget the diseases, issues, or injuries they have had in the past, but are usually reminded during the crisis so that they can heal their unfinished business. This arises in whatever order the body is capable of handling at that time. Physical reactions during a healing crisis may include depression, mental confusion, flu-like aching joints, skin eruptions, nausea, headache, sleepiness, unusual fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, head or chest cold, ear infections, boils, or disturbance in eliminatory functions the body uses to loosen and eliminate toxins. An initial healing crisis usually lasts around three days but if the energy of the patient is low, it may last a week or more.

Your body needs juices, and especially water to help carry off the toxins. This is a time for rest. Be kind to yourself – mentally, emotionally, and of course physically. One crisis is not always enough for a complete cure. When someone is in a weakened state due to years of chronic toxicity, it may be that levels of cleansing need to occur, with periods of rest and ceasing of detox formulas for a time in between. Learn to trust your body. If you reach a level where you feel no more cleansing should be done at that time, take a break for a week or two, and then start again. It takes time to develop a chronically diseased state, and time is required to restore healthy function throughout the system.

Consider detox to be like peeling an onion. You know how there are several layers of dried, useless skin before you reach the good part. Consider each level of detox to be letting go of useless skin, to get to the good part: HEALTH. I use the onion analogy a lot when speaking of emotional cleansing and detox too, because the same applies. We have layers of old, dried out feelings caked on top of our genuine emotions and healing often requires peeling away those old defense layers and walls, to find ourselves again.

Suggestions on Exploring Your Detox

Always remember, if you are in a severely weakened state due to chronic illness, do not attempt a full-system detox without monitoring from a qualified health professional. Be sensible.

Step One: Preparation Before beginning a detox, I suggest arranging at least 2-3 days away from work and other responsibilities to give yourself maximum support for getting through any initial healing crisis which may occur. Consider this detoxification you are about to undertake as equal in importance to any other healthcare appointment you might make and give it priority.

Decide on a formula, based on your needs. If you have never done a full-system cleanse, I’d strongly suggest that you consider one. Taking a colon cleanse once in a while, or drinking cranberry juice to flush the urinary tract, is one thing. Doing a full-system cleanse may take a few months and it is like spring cleaning, versus picking up around the house. When we spring clean our home, we take off the old curtains and wash them, we dust every shelf (not just the low ones), etc. It is thorough and goes from room to room, leaving no room unclean. This is what we want to do with the body. It’s a spring cleaning and should involve all systems: skin, blood, colon, kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, mind, spirit.

Suggestions of Full Cleanse Supplements

My best suggestion for a full-system cleanse supplement would be Blessed Herb’s Internal Cleansing Kit. This is one of the most comprehensive cleanse formulas we’ve ever come across.

The Importance of Water

Have plenty of pure water on hand and drink it! If you don’t have a way to filter water, buy enough pure water to drink for at least the first few days of your cleanse. You want to drink water all through the day. This is vital. Never mind trying to drink an 8-ounce glass every time but drink pure water ALL DAY LONG during a cleanse. When I say all day, I mean ALL DAY. At least once an hour, every hour, you should be adding water to your system. Not water in tea or coffee or cokes or juice, but water alone.

Avoid counter-productive drinks and foods: While you are cleansing, try to cut down on cokes, diet cokes, chlorinated water, coffee, and all refined sugar products. Refined sugar is a detox nightmare because it plays havoc with elimination, holding foods in the intestines far too long, as well as playing havoc with blood sugar and yeast levels. It’s best to avoid refined sugar altogether but if you can’t, at least cut way down while you cleanse. Meats are difficult to digest and you will feel better while cleansing to avoid them, or cut down. Also, note that any meats prepared less than well done may have parasites or bacteria so you may be undoing the good effects of your cleanse to eat undercooked meats.

A good way to start is to minimize or eliminate all junk foods. Don’t eat foods containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Eat organic whenever possible. Lean towards the Atkins high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diet and supplement this diet with nutritional supplements that are high in anti-oxidants and nutrients to support your heart and brain with strong full blood flow.

Make cold press flaxseed oil (high in essential Omega 3 fatty acid) and low fat cottage cheese combination part of your daily consumption of food. Switch to organic Rooibos Tea instead of coffee or green tea. Rooibos has over 50% more anti-oxidants than green tea. It naturally has no caffeine or acid and is recognised by the scientific community as an anti-aging and anti-cancer tea.

Related HealthyNewAge Body Detoxing Articles

• Part One: Detoxification and the Healing Crisis – How to Detox Safely
• Part Three: Detoxification and the Healing Crisis – Knowing When To Detox, Detoxification and Bad, Bad Breath!
• Detoxing Therapies: What are your Options?

Click here to read the entire series of Detox Articles

Also, bad breath is a symptom of detoxing, learn how to treat bad breath.