Herbal Collective Source

By Marilyn Zink

I started a detox program this morning and right now it’s nearly 10:30 p.m. but I’m so energized I don’t feel like sleeping.

I didn’t expect to feel so good so soon. Usually when I do a detox program I’ll feel a bit headachy and lethargic for a few days as the toxins circulate through my bloodstream and then out the body.

But this time I felt a bit headachy and tired this morning.  By evening I started feeling more energized and just really good.  I knew I needed to do a detox as I didn’t have my usual high energy levels, it was harder to concentrate, my lungs had been congested and my digestive system had been feeling sluggish.

Now that I’ve started the 12-week program, I’m looking forward to cleaning the gunk out of my system. Everyday I take a tincture (which is a liquid herbal), and six capsules from three different bottles in the morning and evening. One bottle works on the bile and liver, another cleanses the body’s systems and the last bottle contains herbal laxatives.

How a person feels while doing a detox program depends on the person and how toxic they are.  If someone has never done a detox program, it might take longer before you start feeling good. Initially, you might feel like you’re getting sick and coming down with the flu. You can expect a little of this and it should clear up in a few days time.

I have been doing detox programs almost every spring for many years. As a result, I think my body responds quicker and it doesn’t take long before I feel really great, ready to take on the world.

When doing a detox, there are usually dietary recommendations and it’s very important to follow these. After all, you don’t want to be putting junk into your body when you’re trying to get rid of it.

The detox program I am doing restricts meat and dairy (which I don’t eat anyway) but also all forms of flour products, sugar in all its forms, certain fruits, as well as peanuts, mushrooms and shellfish.  It does allow plenty of healthy vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruit like apples, pears and berries and a variety of other foods.

The benefits of doing a detox program are so many. I’ve already mentioned the greater energy, but there is also improved digestion, better concentration, higher motivation, enthusiasm and clearing or reducing chronic health conditions. People who have done detox programs might notice their skin clearing up, or their allergies are disappearing, or asthma symtpoms are reducing.

If you have been thinking about doing a detox, spring is a great time to go for it.  Not everyone can do one, though. Pregnant or nursing mothers should avoid it, as well as people with a seriously compromised health condition.  It’s best to check with a doctor or other qualified health practitioner if unsure whether a detox program is right for you.

Marilyn Zink is the publisher.editor of The Herbal Collective magazine, www.herbalcollective.ca

This entry was posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 at 10:44 pm and is filed under Detoxing and Cleansing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.