Cleansing Reactions
It is very beneficial to have knowledge of cleansing reactions that can occur while on a cleanse or fast. These do not always occur, but can be looked at as a possibility to help you make the decision of whether to heavily detoxify, cleanse lightly, or not to cleanse at all. Cleansing reactions include headaches, dizziness, nausea, low energy, weakness, an unclear mind, sneezing, coughing, skin eruptions, rashes, fevers, sweating and re-experiencing past symptoms of illness. Such reactions occur when too many toxins are released and flow through the bloodstream. In this case, the liver isn’t able to handle the large amount of toxins. Toxins can be heavily released when a piece of mucoid plaque becomes loosened from the intestinal walls. Both the Ejuva and Arise And Shine intestinal cleanses offer herbal formulas to help reduce or eliminate cleansing reactions. In general, people with very healthy livers do not experience cleansing reactions because their livers are able to filter the toxins out of their blood.
Cleansing reactions can be seen as signs of one’s previous unhealthy diet or lifestyle. Richard Anderson states in Cleanse And Purify Thyself (1988) that cleansing reactions “prove beyond doubt that one has been accumulating substances that cause disease to harmful levels.” In addition, Richard Anderson outlines several important actions one can take when experiencing cleansing reactions. Anderson recommends cleansing the intestines first, for they are the largest source of toxins for the liver to filter. Cleansing the intestines will help to strengthen the liver, which will then be able to deal with larger amounts of toxins being released during further cleanses or fasts. Furthermore, when experiencing cleansing reactions, Richard Anderson urges people to not let themselves stay feeling poorly. There are actions that can be taken for such people to feel better. The first is to drink lots of water, which the body needs in order to remove toxins. If the person still doesn’t feel better, a water or coffee enema can be beneficial. This will help remove any plaque or stool that may be stuck in the intestines and that will likely contain toxins. Taking extra electrolyte minerals will help to buffer the toxins, making them ready to be removed from the body. Anderson also outlines specific actions to be taken if one experiences constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, or gas during a cleanse. A time when cleansing reactions often occur is when one stands up after sitting or lying down. When toxins are released into the bloodstream, one’s blood can become thicker with the excess proteins and mucus. This can cause slow circulation, resulting in light-headedness when one tries to stand up. Richard Anderson recommends getting in the habit of standing up slowly, with one’s head coming up last.
A healing crisis can also occur while cleansing or fasting. According to Bruce Fife in his book The Healing Crisis (1997), feelings of being sick while cleansing are called a healing crisis. The word “healing” is used because the body is healing itself and will be stronger and healthier as a result. “Crisis” is used because the symptoms can be unpleasant and sometimes intense. Re-experiencing feelings of previous illnesses or emotional distresses during a cleanse or fast are symptoms of a healing crisis; such feelings re-emerge while they are being released from the body for good. A healing crisis marks the end of a cycle of disease. In Cleanse & Purify Thyself (1988) Richard Anderson states, “The beginning of a dis-ease marks the beginning of a cycle in which a dis-ease inhabits and impairs the body to varying degrees, even after the acute phase of the illness has past; the healing crisis is the ending of that cycle, freeing the body entirely from all influence of that dis-ease.” (159)
If people do not know about this cycle of healing, they can become very concerned when going through a healing crisis. They may stop the cleanse that they are doing because they believe it is harmful to their bodies. However, the opposite is true according to Anderson. Healing crisis’ occur when people are doing helpful actions for their bodies that will rid them of diseases. Anderson quotes Dr. Bruce Fife, who says that experiencing a healing crisis can be a time of gratefulness and celebration. Fife states, “We should rejoice, knowing that we have eliminated more causes of dis-ease. It means that we have cleansed and purified our bodies from unwanted toxic waste which was poisoning the body, mind, and feelings.” (23)
Anderson says that a healing crisis has the opposite affect as allopathic medicine in that the latter suppresses causes of disease, which makes the person temporarily feel better. However, suppressing the causes of illness does not heal them, where as cleansing and fasting do. A healing crisis will pass, leaving a person feeling better than before. There are signs of a healing crisis that distinguish it from a disease crisis. A disease crisis is when a disease begins to noticeably affect one’s body. When one has a healing crisis, she/he will feel wonderful the day before the symptoms begin. It is caused by healthy habits such as a good diet and taking care of the body. Anderson states that a healing crisis usually lasts for three days and most people remember feeling similarly in the past.