One of the things you’re bound to encounter along your raw food faerytale is detox. In this article I’ll explore the concept of detox, the common symptoms, and even the magick that happens during a detox.
Raw Food Detox Video
(Click here if you can’t see the video.)
Is Detox a Myth?
Take a look at this fictional scenario: You increase your intake of raw food or cut out certain things like processed sugar, processed starch, and/or meat and dairy.
Suddenly, you can feel yourself getting edgy. It’s as if someone took away a drug addict’s stash. All you can think about is food, and you crave a spoonful of that sugary cereal, pretty please.
That’s detox. That’s withdrawal.
Okay, Nathalie, so where does the myth come from? The truth is that sometimes people use detox as an excuse to ignore their body’s signals.
For example, maybe your skin breaks out because you’re eating nothing but dates and raw sweets. (They’re good, but you still need to balance sweets out with other stuff, like greens.) The danger creeps up when someone brushes off these signals as a sign of detox.
Common Detox Symptoms
Here is a short list of possible detox symptoms to help you recognize detox when it happens.
- Skin breakouts
- Bloating, stomach pains
- Headaches
- Food cravings
- Trouble sleeping, nightmares
- Diarrhea and constipation
- Fatigue, drowsiness, low energy levels
- Irritability
- Congestion or Mucus that feels like a cold
Detox Madness
The short version of detox: when you eliminate or cut back on certain foods, your body eliminates toxins. Your body will try to expel toxins in any way it can: from your liver, via bowel movements, and through your skin’s pores.
While you are detoxing, your body focuses on releasing toxins, so you might feel under the weather because you have all of this garbage traveling throughout your body.
Think of it as deciding to clean a very dusty house for the first time in years. When you start sweeping the dust, it’s going to get into the air and make it hard to breathe. You’ll feel better when you’ve gotten all the dust out, of course.
The same goes for trying to brush away toxins in your body, you will feel the ill effects of drudging toxins up and out. Once they’re out you’ll feel better, but the process is not so peachy.
Why do we need to Detox?
You might be wondering what it is you need to expel exactly?
If you’ve been eating a fairly processed diet for many years, you might be surprised to find that a lot food might have gotten stuck, turning toxic.
In addition to left over food matter in the body, we are all constantly bombarded with modern day chemicals and toxins in the air, water, and products we use.
I believe every one of us could use a little detoxing.
Caution: I do want to caution against getting “detox fever” and constantly wanting to fast, cleanse, and detox. At some point you need to give your body a chance to rest from eliminating toxins.
Detox Magick
Now that I’ve thoroughly scared you, I’ll put on my Good Witch’s hat and discuss the magickal aspects of detox.
If detoxing is so uncomfortable, why should you do it? The simple answer is because you’ll feel so much better afterward.
Going through bouts of detox really makes you grateful for those times when you’re just humming along. Plus, every time you detox, you reach a new level of cleanliness. Imagine a car running on the cleanest fuel without any impurities slowing it down.
Assuming you don’t revert your detoxing efforts, you’re going to continue to operate at such a higher level of energy and cleanliness, you’ll be grateful for detox.
Benefits of a Cleansing Detox
- Clearer sinuses
- Weight loss
- Clearer skin
- More energy
- Regular bowel movements
- Mental Clarity
- Emotional stability / eliminated depression
Every time you detox, you peel away one layer of the onion. If you’re not ready to experience a full on detox, simply add a bit of the foods you’re cutting out.
For example, if the headaches of your detox are killing you, just add back a bit of cooked grains or dairy, if that’s what you cut out. It will slow down the detox, and make it easier for your body to adjust to the changes you’re making.
You can control how fast you want to detox. I recommend you detox slowly, unless you give your body the support it needs to eliminate toxins: with hydrocolon therapy, dry skin brushing, or a supportive system for detoxing.
Read my follow-up article full of tips to stop detox, or speed up detox so you can get back to feeling good again.
What Detox Symptoms have you Experienced?
I’d love to know if you’ve ever had a bout of detox, and how severe it might have been. Let me know in the comments!
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That definitely sounds like detox! I'd say to take a rest, spending the day in bed was good. Try not to eat too much so your body has energy to detox through some of that stuff. And also do some dry skin brushing, drink lots of water, and gentle on yourself. It will pass!
That definitely sounds like detox! I'd say to take a rest, spending the day in bed was good. Try not to eat too much so your body has energy to detox through some of that stuff. And also do some dry skin brushing, drink lots of water, and gentle on yourself. It will pass!
Ive been drinking green smoothies ( mostly veggies ) throughout the day and at night, eating a very small bit ( 3 oz or less) of cooked animal protein along with lots of raw veggies and greens and I am feeling very ill. Ive been doing this for 6 weeks now and the first few weeks were GREAT. Ive had the worst sore throat for 8 days, along with a nasty looking white/green coated tongue and red bumps in the inside of my mouth, coupled with cold symptoms that come and go. Oddly enough, every morning I wake up with my left eye covered in some kind of nasty film as well.
Is this detox? I went to the GP and I dont have strep, although it certainly feels like it. I do know from my naturopath that I am VERY toxic. Is it normal to have symptoms this severe?
Ive been drinking green smoothies ( mostly veggies ) throughout the day and at night, eating a very small bit ( 3 oz or less) of cooked animal protein along with lots of raw veggies and greens and I am feeling very ill. Ive been doing this for 6 weeks now and the first few weeks were GREAT. Ive had the worst sore throat for 8 days, along with a nasty looking white/green coated tongue and red bumps in the inside of my mouth, coupled with cold symptoms that come and go. Oddly enough, every morning I wake up with my left eye covered in some kind of nasty film as well.
Is this detox? I went to the GP and I dont have strep, although it certainly feels like it. I do know from my naturopath that I am VERY toxic. Is it normal to have symptoms this severe?
Hi Kim.
It definitely sounds like detox, but it also sounds like pretty extreme symptoms. Maybe you should slow down the detox by incorporating a few healthy cooked meals in there? I know it might seem like a good idea to rush through detox but sometimes your body needs some time to process some of the stuff coming out.
Hi Kim.
It definitely sounds like detox, but it also sounds like pretty extreme symptoms. Maybe you should slow down the detox by incorporating a few healthy cooked meals in there? I know it might seem like a good idea to rush through detox but sometimes your body needs some time to process some of the stuff coming out.
Thanks, Nathalie
I agree it is pretty extreme but as I said, I know from working with my osteopath that I am super toxic. Do you think that would have a bearing on detox? It seems like it should. Other than the sore throat mouth thing – I dont *feel* sick. Its very odd.
Thanks, Nathalie
I agree it is pretty extreme but as I said, I know from working with my osteopath that I am super toxic. Do you think that would have a bearing on detox? It seems like it should. Other than the sore throat mouth thing – I dont *feel* sick. Its very odd.
Absolutely! I think sore throat / cold-like symptoms are very common during detox. I've had those myself, I thought I was getting a cold but really it was just clearing through some of the gunk. Hope that helps!
Absolutely! I think sore throat / cold-like symptoms are very common during detox. I've had those myself, I thought I was getting a cold but really it was just clearing through some of the gunk. Hope that helps!
Grrr. I now have white spots all over the roof of my mouth, and a very dry mouth. Im starting to freak a little. This is really detox? Im so tempted to just not eat healthy but Im going to keep going. My problem is if I go to my GP, he will start putting me on stuff that will make it worse. My Osteopath is on vacation until next week and I dont really know what to do!
Grrr. I now have white spots all over the roof of my mouth, and a very dry mouth. Im starting to freak a little. This is really detox? Im so tempted to just not eat healthy but Im going to keep going. My problem is if I go to my GP, he will start putting me on stuff that will make it worse. My Osteopath is on vacation until next week and I dont really know what to do!
Hi Kim. Make sure you're drinking enough water and eliminating properly. I would recommend you scale back your raw food intake because if it's causing such uncomfortable reactions you might be causing detox to happen too fast. There's nothing wrong with slowing down detox, it's going to happen over time. I'm not a doctor and I can't recommend anything specific but try eating a little bit of healthy cooked food like rice or cooked quinoa to push on the brakes a little.
Hi Kim. Make sure you're drinking enough water and eliminating properly. I would recommend you scale back your raw food intake because if it's causing such uncomfortable reactions you might be causing detox to happen too fast. There's nothing wrong with slowing down detox, it's going to happen over time. I'm not a doctor and I can't recommend anything specific but try eating a little bit of healthy cooked food like rice or cooked quinoa to push on the brakes a little.
I have been doing the raw food detox for about 9 days now. I am losing weight and have started feeling great. My main symptom until now has been all of my bowel movements being extremely loose (which I expected.)
BUT today I woke up with a new one that has me a little concerned…all of the areas on my body that are associated with the lymph glands have a rash (red, raised small welts). I know it can be a coincidence that I am detoxing, but I would like to hear from others that may have experienced the same just to put my mind at ease. My family has a high cancer rate, so you can understand my concern.
Thank you!
I have been doing the raw food detox for about 9 days now. I am losing weight and have started feeling great. My main symptom until now has been all of my bowel movements being extremely loose (which I expected.)
BUT today I woke up with a new one that has me a little concerned…all of the areas on my body that are associated with the lymph glands have a rash (red, raised small welts). I know it can be a coincidence that I am detoxing, but I would like to hear from others that may have experienced the same just to put my mind at ease. My family has a high cancer rate, so you can understand my concern.
Thank you!
Hi! I've not personally had any experience with the lymph nodes being raised or red during detox… but I do know that usually lymph nodes are associated with fighting infections. So it might be that your body is fighting something as it eliminates. If the detox is getting too severe, it's perfectly okay to eat a little healthy cooked food to pull back. Hang in there, and visit a medical practitioner if it feels like it is getting worse and not going away. *hugs*
Hi! I've not personally had any experience with the lymph nodes being raised or red during detox… but I do know that usually lymph nodes are associated with fighting infections. So it might be that your body is fighting something as it eliminates. If the detox is getting too severe, it's perfectly okay to eat a little healthy cooked food to pull back. Hang in there, and visit a medical practitioner if it feels like it is getting worse and not going away. *hugs*
Thanks so much for the prompt reply Nathalie! I have good news that the 'welts' have gone away and now it is just a little red in those areas. I borrowed a friends rebounder and have been bouncing for 2 minutes every half hour. Flushing the lymphs this way has clearly pushed along the toxins and is keeping me on track :)
Thanks so much for the prompt reply Nathalie! I have good news that the 'welts' have gone away and now it is just a little red in those areas. I borrowed a friends rebounder and have been bouncing for 2 minutes every half hour. Flushing the lymphs this way has clearly pushed along the toxins and is keeping me on track :)
Question…..
1. I began an ultimate cleanse and detox 4 days ago. Blood, Fat, Liver & Colon. I also started a healthy eating regimen. Organic & Vegan. The first few days nothing. However, on the 3rd day i started feeling like I had a cold. Today is the fourth day – feeling worse and I also started to menstrate in the middle of my cycle. Do you think there is anything to be concerned about?
Question…..
1. I began an ultimate cleanse and detox 4 days ago. Blood, Fat, Liver & Colon. I also started a healthy eating regimen. Organic & Vegan. The first few days nothing. However, on the 3rd day i started feeling like I had a cold. Today is the fourth day – feeling worse and I also started to menstrate in the middle of my cycle. Do you think there is anything to be concerned about?
Hi MJ!
As with a lot of cleanses, you will experience cold-like / flu-like symptoms… and menses are actually a way for women to detox, so I'm not surprised. Still, if you're really feeling bad you might want to give your body a break and get some help eliminating the toxins… maybe get a colonic, do an enema, dry skin brushing, etc. It's a lot for a body to expel in a short amount of time.
If it gets too severe don't hesitate to cut back on the cleanse and visit your medical practitioner of choice.
Hi MJ!
As with a lot of cleanses, you will experience cold-like / flu-like symptoms… and menses are actually a way for women to detox, so I'm not surprised. Still, if you're really feeling bad you might want to give your body a break and get some help eliminating the toxins… maybe get a colonic, do an enema, dry skin brushing, etc. It's a lot for a body to expel in a short amount of time.
If it gets too severe don't hesitate to cut back on the cleanse and visit your medical practitioner of choice.
Hi! about a month ago, i started juicing- lots of fruits and veggies, i love it and have been having a cup or more everyday. 11 days into this – my skin started breaking out. i also cut out alot of sugary foods from my diet, and started taking inner health tablets, plus last week began taking Apple cider vinegar 2-3 times daily. now, my skin is TERRIBLE. i have hard red lumps, and pimples around my chin/mouth. i haven had acne like this since i was 16-17 and even then , it was different to this. i am 20 this year. am really upset with my skin.
does anyone know, if this awful breakout is because of all the new health changes, and if it is, HOW LONG will it last for??!!
Cody Lee
Hello!
About a month ago i started juicing- using all sorts of fruits and vegs, roughly 11 days into this my skin started breaking out. i have also been cutting out alot of processed and sugary foods, and am taking inner health tablets, plus, 1 week ago, i started taking apple cidar vinegar 3 times daily. my skin is TERRIBLE. i have bumps all over my face, and red knots under skin. im upset because its gradually been getting worse over the whole 3 weeks now. has anyone else had a similar experience, and how LONG does this go on for before it clears up??
forgot to mention – i am 19 years old, i had acne when i was 16-17, but am now mostly clear, up till this month. do you think that this awful & long breakout is because of all these new health changes?
Hey Cody, I'm not a doctor so I can't recommend anything specific… but I can tell you that it sounds like you're detoxing. It can take anywhere from a few days of detox, to years of cleansing before you've got all that stuff “out”. Hang in there, you ate one way for 19 years and can't expect 3 weeks to be enough to “transform” things. That being said, take a look at what you're juicing, and what you're eating… if you're juicing lots of fruit that might be too much sugar, etc. Sorry I can't be of much help via comments, I need more information on that.
Today is my 20 day of Raw Food only. I feel much better today, but yesterday and last two nights I had a fever and a lot of joint and muscle pain. This is my second Raw Food Detox in last 2 years.
Hi,
i began to drink green smoothies. After nearly 2 weeks i felt like fever and after i drank the drinks i felt like itching in my body. I dont know if this is normal or if the greens maybe have pesticides. Yesterday i felt too bad, weak, dizzy and like fever. So i stopped for the moment the green drinks. I think i drank too much of it, 3 glasses each day. What do you think. The fever, dizzy and itching, can that be detox?
Thanks
Marion
Hi Marion!
It could be a few things… first it may be detox. Second, it may be that your body is reacting to the greens if you've been using the same greens too often. Try rotating the greens so if you always used spinach switch to bok choy, kale, swiss chard, etc every few days. Also it depends on what you were eating before… do you have any sugar issues that you know of?
getting colonics would definitely help. im experiencing the same thing after drinking tons of mineral water with lemon/lime…all the toxins are being liberated from my organs and only so many can be eliminated through urine/fecal matter. i was told that i should be consuming healthy fats to encapsulate and remove toxins safely – couple tablespoons of half raw cheese/half butter consumed along with a tablespoon of raw honey would be a proper way to do that.
I am in the middle of my second detox. The first one I did was for 30 days. Everything you are saying is right. At first you feel crappy..but after a bit..you feel fantastic and full of energy! Not to mention the weight loss. I lost 22 lbs the first time(in 30 days). I am now on day 14 of the second detox and I've lost another 10 lbs. I spaced the two detoxes apart by 5 months. You gotta stay hydrated or you won't have the soaring energy..so yeah..water is a biggie. I've decided to do a mini detox for the first weekend of each month after I complete this one. Oh..and I felt so great after the first one..that I became permanently vegetarian!
Oh..BTW..Detoxing really takes away sugar cravings after the first 10 days or so….I know because I am a major chocolate,cakes,cookies etc..person..and after detox I don't crave these things..I can have a cake in front of me and it won't phase me!
Aww this is such an awesome testimony to what detoxing and cleansing is capable of. Thanks for sharing that with us and being an inspiration for others. :)
I'll post the same information to my blog, thanks for ideas and great article.
Cody, juicing is hard on the body when detoxing for the first time – I recommend green smoothies – get rid of the toxins stirred up via your bowels, rather (or, less so) than your skin. Also, try dry skin brushing – helps the skin shed its waste.
Hi Natalie,
I started green smoothies and proper food combining two weeks ago. I also cut wheat out of my diet as I was eating sprouted toast every morning and I thought my body might be reacting to the wheat and could be a key factor in the multiple food sensitivities I experience. I am so hoping that by adding more raw, cutting out dairy, meats and wheat will heal my digestive track and allow me to each fruits without being sleepy and groggy for two days. I am feeling much better from the detox that I was a week ago, but my energy is still not 100% and I am still having some foggy headedness. Plus I just feel unfocused and “out of sorts”. Do you think this is still detox? I just worry that I am having a food sensitivity to the green smoothies. But the fact that I am better gives me hope that it is just detox.
Thanks,
Kathy
Hiya
I have been a fairly heavy drinker and smoker for a few years – basically a socialite, and I realise that this has made my ezcema very bad. Previously I have accepted that this was part of my lifestyle. But enough was enough! I have now started a dextox programme and a week in my ezcema is worse than ever. Is this normal? Help!
Nick
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