During this initial phase you may deal with withdrawals especially if you are a coffee junkie like myself! Every time I start a cleanse the 1st day is pretty crappy. I always have this intense headache. Withdrawals to processed foods, sugars, sodium, caffeine are all detoxifying reactions. You may feel light-headed, sore in some areas, or even notice changes in bowel movements – yes, I just wrote that 😉 Every body’s body is different though so your symptoms may not match mine.
If your withdrawals are annoying or you want to feel a little bit better during the first day or two, you can try different things to cope with your detox reactions:
- Drink LOTS of fluids to flush your system of toxins (fluid post to follow)
- Soak in a bath of epsom salts or visit a steam room – said to help speed up detoxification
- Rest – you may be a little more tired the 1st day or 2 – listen to your body
Although the withdrawals may suck, they lessen with time. The speed at which they lessen depends on the quality of your diet prior to the cleanse – I know…it’s almost like you’re being evaluated for some test you had no idea you were taking! Bottom line is: you’ll survive! Just think about how good you are being to your body! You are giving it the rest it needs. Your colon, liver, and kidneys will appreciate it 🙂
~B