What are the symptoms of a Herxheimer (Detox) Reaction?

When your start to do a detox, juice fast or cleanse, you might expect to start feeling better right away. However, sometimes the exact opposite happens. As old, excess toxins flush out and unwanted bacteria, microbes and viruses die off, you can actually experience a temporary detox or cleansing reaction. You may suffer from mild headaches, nausea, chills, sweating, fatigue, aching muscles, mucous, body odor, rashes, dizziness, weakness or even foggy brain for a few hours or in some cases, a few days. Based on the work of Dr. Karl Herxheimer in the late 1800s, this temporary feeling of illness is known as the Herxheimer effect and is actually an intense sign of healing. These reactions can indicate that your body has started to cleanse itself as it quickly tries to catch up on the overload of toxins being released.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

 

What is a Herxheimer Reaction, cleansing reaction and healing crisis?

What is a Herxheimer Reaction, cleansing reaction and healing crisis?

In his book The Healing Crisis, Dr. Bruce Fife explains that the removal of disease-causing agents is the catalyst for both cleansing reactions and healing crises. He notes that, “most any harmless method that strengthens the body’s natural healing processes can induce a healing crisis. This could involve switching to better quality foods, taking homeopathic medicines, cleansing the colon, fasting, juicing, using healing herbs, massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, vitamin therapy, exercise, etc.”

Dr. Fife states that when you enter a cleansing process, “often chronic conditions from which you are suffering will temporarily get worse. If you suffer from arthritis, joint pain may increase. If you are troubled with chronic migraines, you may have terrible headaches. A psoriasis problem may run wild. Hemorrhoids may flair up. PMS may intensify. Allergies may get worse. Asthmatics may experience breathing difficulties. Blood pressure may increase. Any number of other symptoms may surface during this time that may appear unrelated to existing health conditions. Sometimes these conditions improve after the crisis. Sometimes it takes several crises to cleanse the offending toxins from the body and stimulate healing. At times, health problems can improve immediately after a crisis, and at other times, they improve gradually.”

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Cleansing Reaction

A cleansing reaction occurs any time your body is releasing toxins faster than it can eliminate them. For example, you may stir up an old piece of undigested food that was stuck in the colon, temporarily releasing bacteria and toxins into the bloodstream as the liver works to filter out the excess build-up. A cleansing reaction is usually a sign that the liver is a bit sluggish and not fully doing its job. This is also a sign that your body most likely needs regular cleansing every year and a long term change of diet to strengthen its immune system.

If you experience a cleansing reaction, you can try to help speed up the elimination of toxins by:

1. Having a colonic to help flush the colon

2. Doing an enema at home using distilled water (or an organic coffee enema)

3. Taking extra minerals – either liquid minerals, green juice, wheatgrass or green smoothie (depending what type of detox you’re doing)

4. Drinking more (distilled) water to help flush the kidneys

5. Practicing dry skin brushing to help the lymphatic system

6. Taking a restorative detox bath

7. Using a steam or far infrared sauna to sweat toxins out directly through the skin

8. Trying the detox onion socks overnight

9. Taking extra Vitamin C for added antioxidants

10. Applying a castor oil pack to the liver for 40-60 minutes

Usually a cleansing reaction will last a few hours at the most. I do not advise anyone to “tough it out” or suffer through the cleansing process. Consulting with a detox expert (like myself!) can help you make the best and safest detox plan so you don’t put added stress on your elimination organs – your liver, skin, kidneys, colon and lungs.

Healing Crisis

Having an actual healing crisis is more rare than a cleansing reaction. A true healing crisis occurs when the body has been getting stronger and cleaner and is a true sign of progress. A healing crisis may mimic any disease or condition you have had in the past, but it’s abbreviated, typically lasting from a few hours to a few days.

In the book The Healing Crisis, Dr. Fife offers simple suggestions on how to listen to your body during a healing crisis. “The symptoms you develop during a crisis will guide you as to what to do. If you are tired – rest. If you are thirsty – drink. If you have a fever, your body is trying to build up heat; keep yourself warm and let the heat run its course. For aching muscles, a warm bath might help. Pain in the lower back is often caused by the kidneys crying for water, rather than the result of being sore back muscles. Drink more water. If you have diarrhea or are vomiting, the body is trying to empty itself, so don’t try to eat. You will lose fluids, so you should try to drink water to keep from being dehydrated. Drinking a lot of water during a crisis is usually a good practice because water (especially distilled water) will help to dilute the toxins in the bloodstream and aid their removal.”

When you are going through a healing crisis, it definitely helps to have the guidance and support of a detox expert. The key is to remain calm, focus your mind on healing, and support your body back to health, slowly.

Hering’s Law of Cure

When you’re experiencing a healing crisis, remember the homeopathic law of cure, also known as Hering’s Law of Cure:

Healing occurs from:

1. The inside-out (meaning the from the internal organs first, then to the joints and skin),

2. From the head down (the body clear symptoms in the head first, then to the trunk, hips and toes), and

3. In the reverse order as the symptoms have appeared (your most recent ailments are cleared first).

This is the process the body goes through when returning to a healthy state, naturally of course.

For more on how to start a raw food diet, how to do a detox at home or what minerals you may specifically be deficient in, book a private health consult with me via Skype.

How to Book Your Health & Nutritional Coaching Session:

1. Take photos of your eyes with a digital camera.
2. Email the photos to me for approval.
3. We schedule a time to meet via phone or Skype!

More on Detox Reactions:
Detox Reaction vs. Allergic Reaction or Intolerance – Which one is it?

More on Detox:

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Jennifer Betesh has been working with raw food, juices, smoothies and detox for over two decades to help people heal. Today, she shares her expertise worldwide, offering lectures, workshops, training and one-on-one consultations at various health and detox retreat centers. She provides Iridology Readings & Health Coaching via Skype and Phone to clients and continues to educate, motivate and inspire others on their journey of healing. When she’s not working, you’ll find her hiking in the mountains, power-walking along the sea or globe-trotting to a new and exotic health destination.
86 replies
  1. Neely
    Neely says:

    Hi! I did the mean green juice fast 2 years ago for about 6 weeks and loved it! I recently started it again and it’s been increasingly difficult. Had the normal headaches and cravings for the first 3-4 days and then I felt better. Starting yesterday (day 6) I started getting bad cold chills and dizzy spells. Today, weakness and lightheadedness have continued as well as freezing feet and hands. It’s very odd because I’ve been off of soda and fast food, etc since doing my first fast and it seems worse than the first time. I’ve been drinking 4-16 oz cups of juice and 2-3 liters of water. Do you think there could be something wrong?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Neely,

      Did you prepare your body nutritionally before going into your fast? It’s possible you were low in iron when you started; this could be one reason for feeling dizzy. You may also be low in sodium, which can cause similar symptoms to what you described. Adding a pinch of salt to the juice would help with that. Usually fasting will decrease one’s blood pressure, and especially if you are fasting in a cool or cold climate, you can feel the effects of that more by having colder hands and feet. The only way to know for sure is to check in with your medical doctor, which I would definitely recommend.

      I hope that helps!

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  2. J Madison
    J Madison says:

    I found out that I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease three years ago. I quit smoking for a few days and started back up because it seems everyone around me smokes, my boyfriend, daughters, son-in-law and it makes it so hard to truly quit and yes I know I’m slowly killing myself. I’ve been a smoker for 38 years was down to three or four cigarettes a day then started smoking like crazy again. I really do want to quit just don’t have the willpower! It’s no fun getting this sick and trying to fight the urge not to smoke. I hurt so bad everyday, my back and my lungs. I wake myself up at night with my wheezing. I cough all the time I cant breath when I’m laying down. I use 2 different inhalers three to four times a day and also do breathing treatments at home.

    Reply
  3. Hank G
    Hank G says:

    Hi. So, a seemingly healthy person would experience a Herxheimer reaction if they took detox agents? Does the degree of symptoms caused by a die-off reaction bear any indication of how unwell one is?
    I have CFS, and every time I take antimicrobial / detoxifying supplements, I become so ill that I cannot continue taking them. Suely this is indicative of the degree to which my body is subjected to toxic elements, right? In which case, I MUST remove them from my system, but I simply cannot get through the detox regimen!
    Any feedback / advice appreciated.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Hank,

      If a seemingly healthy person detoxes at the right pace for elimination to occur, they should NOT have any detox reactions. It’s all about the push and pull, pushing out toxins from the bone, tissue and fat and pulling them out gently through eliminative channels, finding the right pace that works for the individual. Many fad detox kits sold today are all over the place, add to that Dr. Google which gets people taking WAY more things than they should at once combined with too many people who want a fast fix cure and don’t prepare their body nutritionally for cleansing, and you can just imagine the train wrecks that occur! The process of detoxification is a science that should be approached carefully, with the guidance of a detox specialist. It should not be done on your own, especially if you are having problems with your health already.

      It’s impossible to say without knowing more about your case exactly why you are feeling worse while detoxing. You could be deficient in important minerals. You could have a sluggish liver that should be cleansed first before other modes of detox are tried. You could have heavy metal toxicity which is very common with CFS; that alone can be a big problem if you start stirring stuff up without the proper channels to release things safely. In addition, you could be reacting to low quality supplements that may actually contain heavy metals (like Diatomaceous earth for example) or fillers in supplements such a rice powder…all of which can knock you flat on your face…and it has nothing to do with detox. It’s a toxicity effect.

      When you are ready to get out of this cycle, I can help. Book an Iridology session. Skype is best with cases like yours, because we need to go into A LOT of detail. For any supplements, powders or superfoods you are taking, I will need to know the INGREDIENTS (this is on the back of the label, usually under the nutrition box and can contain things like titanium dioxide, maltodextrin, rice powder, silica, gelatin, etc). Please don’t send links or read me the nutrition facts. I want you to get the most out of your consultation and all of that just wastes valuable time.

      My best,

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  4. Tannis
    Tannis says:

    Hi Jennifer,

    I am a 44 year old women and started taking spirulina and chlorella (50/50) about 2 weeks ago. One morning I got a rush of energy while I was brushing my teeth and got a metal taste in my mouth. Shortly after my heart started racing, and it escalated into a full anxiety attack (my legs were shaking and my heart was racing like crazy) which I have never suffered from before. It was very scary…and for the last week I have experience hot flashes, chills, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, emotional and my skin feels like it gets really hot a times. I have stopped taking the supplement for 6 days now, and these symptoms have progressively gotten better but they still come in waves and mostly at night. I’m also having dream filled restless nights, with some anxiety, chills and hot flashes. I’ve been drinking tons of water, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables to help any toxins move out. Do you think this was a healing crisis to heavy metals being released or a reaction to the supplement? Your insight and knowledge would be much appreciated.

    I should mention I have taken both these supplements before but they were in a Greens power accompanied by other supplements.

    Blessings to you,

    Tannis

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Tannis,

      It’s really hard to know exactly what happened without having a full client intake. It sounds more like a reaction to the supplement just from what you have shared.

      In any case, try having a few far infrared sauna sessions to help sweat the toxins out (whether they are from the supplement or an ingredient/filler in the supplement or a stirred up toxin really doesn’t matter – the saunas should help either way). If you can do one 40-minute sauna session per day for the next 2 weeks, it would help greatly. Aim for 139F – 145F temperature in the sauna. Take extra Vitamin C and magnesium after each sauna session. You may also want to drink distilled water just for the next 2 weeks as it also helps to bind toxins and release them.

      Reply
  5. Lashes
    Lashes says:

    Hi Jennifer,
    Came across your article when literally hunting for info on insomnia related to detox. For a year or more now It appears that every time I try any kind of detoxing agent, be it chinese herbs, liver tonics, supplements etc my sleep suffers! Even acupuncture when taking chinese herbs, by a 20+ yr experienced chinese herbalist, isn’t helping. It seems that toxins aren’t eliminating properly from the circulatory and digestive systems and the excess toxins are getting reabsorbed and leading to the insomnia which I seem to be most susceptible to? I really really want to rid my body of all the toxins that the traditional doctors years of pills, accutane etc ) and food supply have poisoned my body with but this insomnia is thwarting all my efforts. Burnt thousands of dollars already but no one I’ve consulted with so far (nutritionist, acupuncturist..) seem to have the answer. I’m off pills since mar 2015, gluten,dairy since apr 2016 and generally eat healthy and as much organic as possible. Have you come across someone with a healing crisis (am assuming that’s what it is) like mine? Any advice, thoughts would be most appreciated! You’ll be giving me a new lease on life, literally if you can help solve this puzzle.
    Thx you!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Lashes,

      Just so I may understand correctly, are you saying that you sleep perfectly well normally, and only when you have tried taking supplements or he’s you are experiencing insomnia? Now that you are not on any detox protocol, you are sleeping ok?

      Also, you mentioned eliminative organs but can you please tell me – are you going to the toilet every day? Finally, do you have any other symptoms that you might consider as strange or new, such as rashes, crawling sensation on the skin at night, hot flashes or hot hands and feet, irregular heart beat, flip flopping restless feeling at night, sensitivity to light and sound or any others?

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
      • Lashes
        Lashes says:

        always well slept on birth control pills. Mar 2015 – off bcp after more than decade of use – sleep fine until aug or so when i started experiencing intermittent sleep issues, waking up between 6 – 7 hrs, meaning eyes burn most of the day. Around the same time I started reading up blogs on detoxing, holistic etc. Just not sure which came first and beating myself up for not noting the time. In any case my zzz’ always took a turn for the worse when taking supplements (even with clean brands like premier research, pure encapsulation etc) for detox. For ex dec last year slept like a baby (started raw garlic, banana every night) then I ordered this herbal liver tonic dec end ’16 and sure enough beginning Jan ’17 sleep went downhill. Then Feb ’17- the acupuncturist with a slew of herbal pills – blood cleansing, hair suppl, liver cleaning etc and back to bad nights. Stopped after two weeks and slept grt for the first week after but not as well last few days though.
        Bowel movements :: always daily and decent, of course some days better than others though last few weeks haven’t been that good, meaning not getting a one time flush out, if you know what I mean. Some bloat for sure.

        Symptoms:: None of the symptoms you name thxfully. An restless at night only if I can’t go back to sleep else I feel fine. The only other symptom is breakouts at times which seem to be related to detoxing since I’ve stopped dairy/gluten.
        Am pretty confident my body is still detoxing from the bcp crap but there’s still enough clogs preventing a complete clean out. I just know there are answers out there on how to fix this all. Hopefully you’ll be the guide.
        Last time the checkbox to follow these comments via email wouldn’t work so didn’t see your answer in time but hope to this round! Thx soooo much for getting back!

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Dear Lashes,

          I don’t think the supplements are the cause of your insomnia. Also, I don’t think you are getting breakouts from having stopped dairy and gluten. Most likely you are reacting to something in your diet, whether a food or food additive, or a bit of both. A lot of people going to dairy and gluten free will unknowingly actually put more additives in their diet in the form of gluten/dairy free alternatives and start eating concentrations of those things that their body has never seen or experienced before. Insomnia is a very common reaction to glutamates, whether free form glutamates in the diet (such as cooked tomatoes) or chemical glutamates (such as monosodium glutamate). Pea protein is an example, and I’ve seen that in vegan ice cream…so if you were to eat something like that at night you would surely not sleep. This is just the tip of the iceberg but you can see how you would be selling yourself short if you blamed yourself or your body for having a detox reaction when you might just be reacting to a food. You may be low in zinc of course from the hormonal change of going off the pill but that alone would not cause all of your problems. When we look at the body we MUST look at the whole body, all of the organs, and understand that there may be deficiencies as well as toxicity causing a condition. To be clear though, I am not a medical doctor and this is for informational purposes only, not to replace any medical advice or questions relating to a medical condition.

          PS. Sorry about the checkbox not working but thank you for letting me know…I will look into it and try to fix is asap.

          To your health,

          Jennifer

      • Shal
        Shal says:

        Hi Jennifer, I had replied to you on Sat but for some reason I don’t see the reply anymore! any chance I can reach out to you via phone so I can give a quick summary and see if you can help me? Would be appreciated!

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Dear Shai,

          This is the only other comment from you that I’ve seen come through, so not sure what happened there…but you are welcome to book a consult by Skype or Phone. Send me your iris pics by email so I can get a real perspective of what’s going on. Often times what I can see will be the key to knowing the true cause of your symptoms.

          Some recent feedback from a new client regarding her experience with my Iridology:
          “Thank you so much for all your hard work. You have really gone over and above the call of duty in your care.”

          Book your session here: Iridology be Jennifer Thompson

          Thanks,

          To your health,

          Jennifer

      • Lashes
        Lashes says:

        Hi Jennifer, This isn’t a reply option after your response on 1 March, 2017 at 10:33 am so I’m using the one below your reply on 2/21. So thx again for getting back. Am interested in your iridology, coaching sessions but need to know it’s the right fit. I would prefer to quickly summarize the issues, you already have some idea now, and see if you’ve been able to help someone with similar issues. Is there a way we can have a quick chat? Pl feel free to email me, thx!

        Reply
      • Caroline
        Caroline says:

        Hi Jennifer

        I’m hoping you might be able to explain what is happening with me. About 6 weeks ago I did an internal espom salt flush. This was not the first flush I had done, but the first in a while I think. I started to develop a rash on the back of my neck. I went to the doctor and was prescribed oral steroids and cream which I used for three days and it cleared. About 2-3 weeks later I did another flush and I think this then led to another rash – but worse this time. Because I didn’t link the rash to the flush a week or so later I did another flush and the rash has become significantly worse. It’s around the neck, chest, armpits, stomach and arms. I took the steroids again and it went away but has come back with a vengence. Now I’m not sure what to do.

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Dear Caroline,

          Did you take any other herbs, powders, juices or supplements during your flushes? If you can explain exactly what ingredients you took during each flush for the 24 hours before and after the flush, that would be great…including what food or foods you broke the fast on as well.

    • Jerry
      Jerry says:

      Dear Lashes,
      I feel your pain. I have been on a juice regiment for the past 4 mos. for AFS. It is a self directed regiment because l feel that no one can really tell you how you feel except yourself. Listen to your body it will tell you what it needs. Natural healing IMO is the best way to go. Over the past 4 mos. I have experienced some healing reactions to the juicing (herxing). Some more intense than others. But, one must be positive, because it sometimes feels as though you are getting worse. Insomnia is one of the symptoms you will feel. You will start to feel your symptoms happening in reverse. It is definetly a strange phenomenon, but when you start to feel these recurring symptoms, you know it is working. Be patient, progress is incremental. I have done my research and I am slowly pulling myself out of stage 3 AFS. Supplements are definetly helpful if done properly. I decided not to use any biodentical hormone therapy which could be helpful for some individuals. Your body can heal naturally if given the proper nutrients. Hang in there.

      Reply
  6. Steve
    Steve says:

    As I have done repeatedly in the past, I have started an extended fast. Other than extreme hunger cravings for the first four days, and just before the ending of the fasts – I have never had much for problems in the past, but this time has been different. I have been noticing that I have had extreme body odor around the armpit area which has been so overwhelming that even I could barely stand it. I expected a little weakness early on, but this time was worse. I take a lot of water when fasting – in that it helps to curb the hunger cravings.
    In the past, my body has also kicked in right away with burning fat; so there was never a problem with bowel movements. This time has been different, in that I have had minimal liquid movements for days now, thus showing me that my body has been slow to start burning fat. (By the way, I didn’t start fasting specifically to lose weight, but it has always been a positive side affect to the tune of about one pound per day.) Anyway, I was starting to wonder what was happening.
    I have been very sore and tired nearly from the start – which hadn’t happened before, but I shrugged it off and tried to sleep more. This had not worked well, in that I have been very uncomfortable, easily overheating, and up to go to the restroom about once an hour. Therefore, I have been getting little to no good sleep lately.
    Right away, I started getting lower leg cramps, and then about day three, my back ached continuously – to the point of being exhausting. I had an appointment for tomorrow (today by the present clock) to meet someone about 2 1/2 hours from here, but called him up to delay it, telling him that I was sick – sick. I felt like I had the flu.
    I have been putting it off, but in order to try to make the appointment, today I tried to prepare for the trip. That which should not have taken more than 2 hours, took 4 hours, and even at that, I was not ready, but was to exhausted to continue. After reaching him to reschedule, I barely made it to bed. About five hours later, I awoke and decided to sit down at the computer and do a little research. I input a google search of this (extreme armpit odor, back ache, weak and tired). I came across several medical, and other type sites which told me nearly nothing, were confusing, and not to the point; also mentioning over 3600 different diseases which could cause these symptoms.
    After a short while I came across two sites which made sense, yours and another one.
    I read the information on the other site first, which told of how these symptoms could be cause by Fibromyalgia. All of a sudden things started to makes sense. I have suffered for a long time now, but after going to 20 or so doctors who said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me – except for mental illness – to which end they tried to pump me full of all sorts of drugs – none of which worked at all, and some which literally did alter my mind, and not in a good way. when I described the horrible symptoms and refused to continue on the mind-altering drugs , they were furious, saying that no such symptoms were possible and that I was lying. This happened repeatedly, and they pretty much all wrote me up as an uncooperative mental case because I refused their detrimental and in many cases – extremely dangerous prescriptions. No, I am not a mental case, but those drugs can make people extreme mental cases, when they don’t act as expected.
    Anyway, to continue, after having to wait for 1 1/2 years to see her, I found the exception.
    I described my symptoms to her, after which, she stated that she was hesitant to even touch me. By just listening and asking a few simple questions, she knew that by just the slightest touch my nervous system could send me through the roof – so to speak. I told her that I had waited to see her for a year and a half, and that everyone else was a bust, so please proceed, if she could figure out what was wrong, it needed to be diagnosed – rather than theory. She told me to relax as much as i could and she quickly, and very lightly touched me in 11 different spots – nearly driving me out of the room in pain. She quickly stopped and said there are 20 points I could have checked, but I only need these 11 for a diagnoses, so I’ll spare you the rest.
    She said, you are correct, you are not mentally ill, you have Fibromyalgia. For some it is treatable, but the medications which you have already taken – although not the correct ones, should have had some positive affect, if you were treatable. Unfortunately, about 20% of patients do not respond favorably to the medication, some of them, like you, even have horrible side effects. The side effects can include severe mood swings, suicidal and homicidal thoughts – which would never occur without these medications. Many doctors refuse to believe that these anti-depressants can actually do the opposite in – as I have stated, about 20% of patients, and do get furious when told otherwise. If you had remained on any of the detrimental medications, yes, you would very likely be dead now – with no apparent reason why, or you may have committed some horrible crimes. She subtly let me know that she should not have told me that. The wait had paid off, but there could be no return appointments. She retired right after seeing me.
    Anyway, having read through the list of symptoms on the aforementioned site, I can tell you that I have experienced very nearly all of them. However, since the fasting has started, these symptoms have been greatly magnified. I, of course realized that the fasting could be in some way affecting the symptoms, but I could not be certain – until I read the other and the your posting. The other posting gave me an aha moment, but your posting is what really tied it together. I knew that fast could cleanse, but I had forgotten that there could be a detox reaction – in that I had not been affected by fasting that way before. I have, however experienced mild symptoms when I did a colon cleanse once. Reading your article has turned on the lights – so to speak.
    I apologize for the length of this posting, but I thought that I should be thorough, in order that you, and perhaps others can understand why your posting has helped. By the way, it should be apparent by the length of this posting – that I am coming to feel better again. The extreme body odor – which could not even be removed by long, intensive showering, has now passed after nearly 6 days. You were correct in this; the flu-like symptoms seem to have come to a head and suddenly stopped. Yes, it is now evident that the Herxheimer (Detox) Reaction has hit me at my weakest point – Fibromyalgia. Now, thanks to you, I know why, and yes – it has taken just short of three days to run it’s cycle. In about 30 minutes, the 6th day will be complete, and yes, I am starting to feel better. I have been able to visit the restroom, which was not an option 3 hours ago.
    The most apparent reason as to why I have never been affected this way before would be that the Fibromyalgia really didn’t set in until after my last extended fast – thus the Herxheimer Reaction had nothing substantial to attack. Thank you so much for posting this article. It has greatly set me at ease. Steve.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Steve,

      My non-medical assessment (to be clear I am not a medical doctor and for medical advice, you should always consult your doctor) of what may have happened to you is that you had (and have) heavy metal toxicity, which during fasting, is making your symptoms worse. Most likely in your last fast, there was enough of a shift in the fat cells to push the heavy metals out of their safe haven, and without a way to eliminate them quickly, they were reabsorbed back into your system. Heavy metals are often stored in tissue, fat and bone as a natural protective mechanism for the body to keep the toxicity away from your essential organs. In an effort to fast again and feel better, you only made matters worse by stirring up more heavy metals.

      At this stage, fasting is probably the worst thing you can do because of this. Going back to more gentle forms of detox that focus on heavy metal elimination is the key. I work with many clients on this. Sadly the heavy metal problem is becoming one of the biggest issues I work with and the devastating effects are huge. Most common types of heavy metal contamination are arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury and thallium. (By the way, you can see me for a consult on Skype from the comfort of your home and don’t have to drive anywhere, a very good option for when you feel bad and need fasting support.)

      Fibromyalgia is very much linked to heavy metal toxicity in my experience. Also note that the first step in heavy metals detox is to eliminate the source. I once had someone with Multiple Sclerosis. After almost a year of heavy metals detoxification she was walking normally, had high energy and feeling great. Then all of a sudden 6 months later she was back to exactly where she started. The problem? She had lead pipes in her apartment and become re-toxified. So, you must not forget to eliminate the source. These days there are also heavy metals in a lot of food, even organic food. Believe me when I say it’s a minefield to navigate, but your body is strong and has a tenacity to survive. Most important is to never give up hope!

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  7. Laura
    Laura says:

    Hi Jennifer,
    Thank you for the great article! Most articles and books say a healing crisis lasts 2-3 days and in rare cases a few weeks. Have you heard of any cases that last more than a week like that? Like flu-like symptoms or fever/chills/sweats for over a week? Just curious!
    Thanks!
    Laura

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Laura,

      In my experience a real healing crisis will only last a few hours to a few days. You can have several healing crises in the course of healing, and healing does take time. Usually the nature of the crisis will change, for example one may be chills or pain, another may be an outbreak in the skin (rash or inflammation). It’s actually an amazing process to witness how the body strengthens after each healing crisis, and remember that a true sign of a healing crisis (vs. a disease crisis) is that you do get better after each one!

      Thank you,

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  8. tryptan
    tryptan says:

    Hello, thanks for the post.
    I recently have been feeling my body start to produce natural endorphins and I’ve started to feel much better overall. However, two days ago I drank a very large amount of chaga tea and ate about 200mg of high quality saffron; which I believe induced a healing crisis within my body. Within a few hours of doing so I started developing a headache and my sinuses were purging lots of stuff. The headache turned into a migraine and I had some of the worst pain in my knees and terrible nausea. Worst yet, was I couldn’t get a wink of actual sleep during the whole ordeal. But thankfully it is starting to clear up and my body is catching up with eliminating the toxins. Chaga is an amazing fungi for detoxing, but be warned; a lot of it at once WILL induce a healing crisis. Thanks again for the post!

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Tryptan,

      Sounds like you got a big hit of heavy metals. If it wasn’t organic then the risk of HM contamination would be much higher. Best to do a far infrared sauna after a reaction like that, then lots of Vitamin C for a few days, not if pregnant of course.

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  9. Daniel
    Daniel says:

    I am 54 years old and I’ve been smoking cigarets and meth too much. I have experienced about every six weeks or so I get sick and vomit along with severe diarrea for two or three days. I goggled to find out if these toxins were possibly causing this. I feel my liver may not work as well as it use to and my body goes through a detox automatically. Realizing this possibility now I am stopping what was what was a social habit. Any advice out there?

    Reply
  10. hany
    hany says:

    Hi i’m Hany..i was diagnosed with ringworm infection on my face for almost 3months now. I already went to see dermatologist twice and was prescribed with antifungal medications ( oral n topical ). Then i found out from my own research ( surf the internet ) that i must treat the root of my problem, and that can be done by healthy diet. And now, i already consume healthy diet for almost one month. Healthy diet means low carbs ( refined sugars ), lean protein, vegetables. However during these past 3days, i starting to have rash over both of my cheeks ( it goes on-off, sometimes kinda burning but not itchy ). Is it part of detox reaction or what? And what should i do to tackle this? Thank youu 🙂

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Hany,

      I’m not a medical doctor and I would advise that you go back to your doctor if the rash hasn’t cleared after using both oral and topical medication, because it may not be ringworm. (In my experience ringworm usually responds very well to the anti-fungal cream.) If you have eliminated refined sugar (which is great and a very good idea with any fungal problems so well done!), then you may also be reacting to something else you are eating, unbeknownst to you. The first step would be to re-connect with your doctor and find out if this new outbreak is ringworm or not. If not, then we have to look deeper into what you ate over those 3 days. Good luck!

      My best,

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  11. gar
    gar says:

    ‘about a month ago I began taking apple cider vinegar pills, first a few a day, but that made too much stomach acid, then one a day. about 2 weeks ago I got severe back pain and hip joint pain. It has been pretty continuous despite epsom salt baths,heat, tenns. I eat a natural diet and swim regularly and drink lots of distilled water. What should I do about this pain? Is it detox? I’ve just stopped the cider pills. Thanks.

    Reply
  12. Amy
    Amy says:

    Hi jennifer,

    I have been on a full raw wide variety green detox every leafy green to ginger, tumeric, etc etc.
    I have been getting really bad b.o, skin dandruff it’s different to the dandruff I got as a kid though It’s almost wet If I scratch my head. My pores on my nipples are bumpy and my nipple skin has turned dull, my pores all over my body are glogged especially around my breasts they are filled with brown stuff. My eyes have yellow in them, my feet tingle when I do my yoga stretches, I’m getting lumps on my throat bad odour discharge down stairs… Sorry for the detail I just want to know if this is normal and should I keep going I’m still in my first week.

    Warm Regards,

    Amy

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Amy,

      Having you only been having these problems since changing your diet for the last week, meaning zero problems before? What else are you taking – any superfoods, protein powders, supplements, energy drinks? Also, are you using organic turmeric?

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  13. Ami
    Ami says:

    Hi Jennifer, I’m currently doing a water cleanse and I’ve been on it for almost 2 weeks. About a day or two ago my skin has been in the worst condition that I’ve ever seen it in. I have little bumps of acne ALL over my face (some on neck and ears) and rashes on my body. It hurts to touch and move my face Your article states it may take a few weeks or months to heal but I don’t have that long seeing as I’m going on vacation the second week of August. I feel disgusting having to be seen in public like this. If I quit the cleanse immediately, will my skin go back to normal in a few days? It may sound vain but I rather become healthy slowly without acne than to continue to expierence this humiliation cause of water which I thought would actually help clear my skin. Not make it 10 times worse.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Dear Ami,

      Where does it say in my article that it may take “weeks or months to heal”? That doesn’t even sound like something that makes sense in terms of a healing crisis, so I actually went back and re-read the article myself. I can’t find what you are talking about. What I found was this: “Usually a cleansing reaction will last a few hours at the most.”

      That leads me to ask – are you ingesting anything else besides water during your cleanse, and what steps have you taken to help your “healing crisis” pass? Any enemas, dry skin brushing, etc?

      Reply
      • Ami
        Ami says:

        Sorry I was mistaken about ur article. I’ve been in a panic ever since I saw my acne and rashes and read many articles mentioning it can take days to weeks to months even. So I apologize for getting yours mixed up with them.

        No I’m just drinking only filtered water. Or I should say was. I broke the fast today cause of my acne and rashes. Now I’m eating berries cause I read they help with acne, watermelon, a banana, and I got tuna salad to help ease myself into meats/fish.

        But the food I bought isn’t just to help me with the acne and easing out of the diet, I’m doing a lifestyle change of eating healthier or else the weight I lost so far and the suffering I’ve been through recently would be for nothing.

        Also I’m thinking about drinking a laxative tea every night and morning to help flush out my system.

        This isn’t my first time fasting, I did the master cleanse before and had to drink the tea then and the master cleanse never gave me acne. I believe it’s cause of the daily flushing of the system. Whereas this time I was just drinking water everyday and peeing.

        Do you think the tea is good idea to help with acne and rashes?

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Dear Ami,

          First of all, please calm down. You cannot be productive or achieve your goals of healing if you are in a state of panic. Take a deep breath and get yourself calm.

          If you are having a true healing crisis, then it will usually take a maximum of 3 days to resolve. As I wrote in the article above, “A healing crisis may mimic any disease or condition you have had in the past, but it’s abbreviated, typically lasting from a few hours to a few days.”

          You can certainly break a fast and continue with a healing crisis, but only if you are eating whole, natural unprocessed foods that continue the cleansing process. So, fresh raw fruits are ok. Tuna is definitely a NO. (Tuna from a can is always a NO anyway as it can contain high levels of mercury…and the last thing you ever want to do is ingest that when your body is clean and pure.)

          You’ve got yourself back in the “pill for every ill” mentality, thinking about what to take, what to take, what to take to stop your symptom. If fasting got your body to a healing crisis, then it can be an opportunity to embrace your strength and actually heal this condition forever, from the inside OUT.

          Be gentle. Don’t start gobbling everything in an attempt to medicate yourself. You don’t need laxative tea now. You chose a natural method of healing for a reason. Get back into alignment with the person who made that decision. Eat whole and unprocessed fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Let your body chose the pace for your healing. It’s ready….now the question is… are you?

        • Ami
          Ami says:

          I guess I’m not ready cause my body is taking too long to heal. Today is day 4 of my face looking worse than the back of nestle crunch bar. It’s hard to stay calm when I’m seeing no improvement in my skin. Today I’m gonna do a distilled water enema to see if that helps.

          You have no idea the physical and emotional pain I’m going through right now. Im desperate here. I wish I never started cleansing. I just want my skin back to normal now. Idk how much longer I can take living with this face.

  14. Anna
    Anna says:

    Okay so I’m not using my real name or information for this comment but… I’m a 17 year old girl with a rectocele prolapse, ands its really annoying for me to have a proper bowl movement. I had digestive disorders my entire life due to bad eating. Im underweight now because of this, I only weigh 100 pounds and is 15 pounds underweight for my age, gender, height, etc… I feel like my life is ruined right now, I had to get homeschooled because of this, cant do sports, etc… Will a healing crisis truly heal my internal organs? Because I’m scared to put myself through all this torture if it does nothing. I’ve been to the doctor but the only solution they give me is stool softeners, drugs, an the option of surgery.. Please help me, I’m scared and tired of suffering.

    Reply
    • Anna
      Anna says:

      Another reason I am absolutely terrified of experiencing a healing/cleansing crisis, I know that part of it is reliving past traumas/illnesses/diseases in order to fully heal from them… I’ve been through a serious car wreck in the past, that resulted in the death of my mother, I experienced a serious head wound, and scars/burns on my body. I refused counseling because I disliked the doctor. I also experienced black mold poisoning for many years until we found out about it. I had bronchitus almost every 3 months, heart palpitations, anxiety/panic attacks that sent me to the ER multiple times, hallucinations,eating disorders, sleep paralysis, etc, and then we found black mold in my closet and now those are gone.. Now my only problem is my prolapsed rectum that was caused from my previous illnesses. I really want to heal and need help but I don’t know where to start. This is causes me a lot of humiliation and embarrassment from family members, friends, and doctors…

      Reply
      • Jennifer Thompson
        Jennifer Thompson says:

        Dear Anna,

        It sounds like whatever you have tried so far has not helped, so perhaps it’s time to try a different approach? You don’t need to do fasting or any type of extreme detox to start feeling better with your digestion. Switching to a better diet for your colon health is not going to trigger a healing crisis. So, relax…and let go of your fear. You’ve had a lot of pain in your past, but it’s in the past so not to worry. Good health and good times are awaiting you. You CAN do it!

        My best,

        To your health,

        Jennifer

        Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Anna,

      I’m really sorry to hear about your suffering. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your diet like these days? Can you give me an example of what you eat on any given day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)? Without knowing what you are putting into your body, it’s really hard (literally!) to predict what will come out! You mentioned that you have had some bad eating, so I see that you are putting it together which is good…so the other question is: are you ready and willing to change your diet for the better?

      Blessings to your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  15. Rick
    Rick says:

    I am curious if Hexheimer die off during a severe yeast/Oral Thrush infection could possibly cause an infection of toxins in the brain. In other words could it be responsible for a toxoplamosis infection on the brain?

    Reply
  16. dano
    dano says:

    Hello Jennifer

    I’ve been struggling with candida for the past couple of years, I’ve been seeing a naturopath and what he gave me worked for a bit so I went back to eating lots of sugar and unhealthy foods… it’s now back and my naturopath is now retired. I just wanted to know if it’s better to do a liver and colon detox before I start on a candida cleanse? I’ve read some good stuff about cleanses and I’m not as nervous about them anymore, I just want to feel good again and have my nice skin back.

    Hope to hear from you soon

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Dano,

      I can definitely help you with this but I need to know more details of your case in order to get you the right detox advice. From my point of view, you may not even need a liver detox as there may be other organs involved (or other issues). Feel free to reach out when your ready for a private consult. Most likely you’ve got some nutritional deficiencies and a few other imbalances that must be addressed, so just be careful not to focus on the candida highway too much. Good luck!

      In health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  17. Jill Dutfield
    Jill Dutfield says:

    Hi Jennifer, I sorry I’m about to write an awful amount of moaning, but I don’t know what to do any more, and feel I’m actually coming to the end of my life, don’t really know where to start, but will try, going right back to when I was 27 and had a lot of trouble previous to that age conceiving a child, lost 4 children but I managed to safely carry my one and only son who is now 35, and my carer, poor lad, I ended up with a total hysterectomy, on ovaries, tubes, cervix, or uterus,at 27, and given hrt, 12 months or so later diagnosed with osteoporosis, went on to lose my gallbladder, shortly after diagnosed with osteoartritis, never felt well, but seemed to have bouts of ocd tendencies and was very active and particular, I seemed to slow down to the point I couldn’t function, and some years later diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which kind of finished me in as far as functioning, started to self treat with NDT, which to this day my doctor doesn’t know, but it gave me ‘some’ days of being able to function, but still I had so much pain going on daily in my lower back an other joints, I’m now at 55, and have moved so have a new GP who has discovered I have CKD stage 2 and gouty arthritis, which according to my new gp has been going on some time, I have started to try and flush things ( uric acid ) from my system and some of the knee pains are easing up, still in so much back pain, very confused as to what I’m supposed to eat now other than know I have to eat things low in purine ? Truly stuck there, I drink about 2 to 2.5 ltrs of water a day adding to 3 glasses per day Apple cider vinegar and cherry concentrate, also using a magnesium spray on my affected joints, which I think is helping, I’ve only altered these things just over a week ago, but feel so ill today, wondering if it’s due to adding these things to my daily input, but I find what’s recommended for a thyroid diet is not recommend for gouty arthritis, feel so lost and upset, I know I need to do some sort of exercise daily but don’t know what, frightened I’m seizing, things can be so conflicting on the Internet, I also have Copd so get very breathless, but in all honesty seem to have not functioned for many many months now, I’m scared that I am dying and I’m trying to do everything right but getting nowhere, can you recommend what sort of exercise I should be doing to get myself moving again, please ? This is just a very short journey of what’s going on, illnesses, operations, I hope you can get back to me with some help, oh I’m now 55 by the way, thank you Jennifer, best wishes and good health, Jill.

    Reply
    • Jill Dutfield
      Jill Dutfield says:

      Sorry forgot to mention that I have more days than not where I shake inside out, and top to toe, so depressed and frightened, X

      Reply
      • Jill Dutfield
        Jill Dutfield says:

        Again sorry, forgot to say I’ve never been one for eating, bread, cakes etc don’t have a sweet tooth, don’t like fast or processed food, my eating problem was/is I only eat once a day at about 6pm, have started adding breakfast and lunch but not sure if it’s the right foods, as in low in purines, and fructose in fruit, I have put on about 3 stones in 18 months, I was only ever about 7.5-8 stone,? And am 5ft 1″ I know I’ve missed so much out but gosh this brain fog ? Have a pounding headache, jaw bones ache, and shaking so bad, is this maybe due to the things I’ve added to my water to help flush things out, and have I left it all to late to try and fix ? I’m going to be embarrassed when this all appears on the wall, but don’t know what to do Jennifer,

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Dear Jill,

          I understand that you are suffering and feeling overwhelmed and desperate for change. It’s horrible to feel bad and not know why, especially when you are trying so hard. To be fair to what you are asking – which is advice on what to do – please go back and re-read what you’ve written. You got way too many things goings on to answer in a comment on a web page and you need a lot more than a simple answer to get you on your way. You need support if you want to get through this. (That’s perfectly ok by the way! But, it’s important to be realistic.) In order to help you, I need to do a full client intake and understand the scope of your case; otherwise it would be in haste and unprofessional to do so.

          In your case, I highly recommend the 4-session coaching package to start. We need some time to prioritize your ailments and lay out a clear plan and support you along the way on the road to better health.

          If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please contact me privately by email and we can discuss how to get started.

          To your health,

          Jennifer

        • Jill Dutfield
          Jill Dutfield says:

          Thank you Jennifer, I will be in touch with you by email, so many thanks, Jill.

  18. Kaye
    Kaye says:

    Hi Jennifer, I got really sick again so I am just seeing your reply and want to thank you for doing so. The supplement was recommended by a concerned friend who knows of my condition. It has been doing wonders for her and so she thought of referring it to me, which I appreciate very much. However, I totally agree with the advise you gave me. I will email you personally as you suggested. Again, thank you very much.

    Reply
  19. Kaye
    Kaye says:

    Hi, my name is Kaye. I am over 40 and I have been most of my life. My health keeps deteriorating, I keep going to doctors constantly, a lot of times going home frustrated because they cannot tell me what is wrong with me. A few years I met a doctor who finally told me that I am allergic to multiple chemicals, I have chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ptsd, and endometriosis. I am extremely weak, I feel chronic pain daily, I am always constipated, my brain is always foggy, I always faint without warning so i cannot go anywhere on my own, I have constant dizziness etc. I have to find ways to loosen my stool, when I finally do so many times I end up having unbearable stomach cramps then I have a seizure. My legs, abdomen and rectum are always inflamed. I am encouraged to do a detox but I am more scared of getting seizures than any other herxheimer effect. The seizure I have is called abdominal epilepsy. I recently received a supplement that I am told will help me with these ailments but I am to expect the herxheimer effect, I AM SO SCARED! I am a single mother who wants to do more for my child but I have NO ENERGY AND THE PAIN MAKES IT WORSE. I feel suicidal most of the times but I have to be strong because my mom and my child needs me. My mother only had two children and lost her firstborn in a car accident, and then watching her child suffering for years without being able to help me. Now it has taken a toll on her body. I have written so many places begging for medical help but to no avail. I google everything trying to find natural remedies to help myself after also feeling the bad effects of taking so many prescription drugs over the years. I am presently taking cinnamon and honey tea every morning, sole water, turmeric paste, eating lots of vegetables, I only eat food cooked with extra virgin coconut oil, etc. Please direct me what to do so I can avoid or even slow down the herxheimer effects when I start to take this supplement. I don’t want to or even know how to continue living like this anymore. I am so frustrated and depressed! I am begging for some sort of help PLEASE, it is much worse than I can explain.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Kaye,

      You’ve got a lot going on at once, and I know you are feeling overwhelmed and desperate to find an answer and get well. You’ve left out a very important part of your story which is who recommended this “supplement for detox” and what is it??? Any qualified detox expert will help you to cleanse at the right pace to minimize cleansing reactions. If you have just decided to do this on your own or have someone on a forum telling you something will help, be very careful!

      I cannot make additional recommendations for you until I do a full client intake and understand the scope of your case; otherwise it would be in haste and unprofessional to do so.

      If you want to know more about how I work with clients, please contact me privately by email. Thank you!

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  20. Andy
    Andy says:

    Hi Jennifer, my name is Andy, I recently started to drink spirulina. I noticed after I started taking spirulina I got very thirsty. It turns out not taking adequete water with fluids causes a side effect of extreme thirst. I stopped taking spirulina for a good 2 weeks but this side effect still lingers, its gotten to the point I cannot sleep because I always wake up with an annoying thirst. Do you have any recommendations. By the way the spirulina brand I bought is from Nutex Hawaiian Spirulina. And I was only taking a teaspoon of powder spirulina.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Andy,

      Indeed, not taking adequate water with fluids will lead to thirst! Hydrate yourself through the day with water, herbal teas and high water content foods like fresh fruits and veggies. Eating too many dried foods, frozen foods, fried foods, refined sugar or processed foods can and will lead to dehydration. I don’t think the spirulina is causing your problem but if you feel that it is the cause, then take it out and re-assess your condition. Good luck!

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
    • scott
      scott says:

      How many cups of water a day do you drink? i sometimes drink 8 a day. probably not something you want to do every day.

      Reply
  21. Denise
    Denise says:

    Just got an infrared sauna in Dec., started slowly ramping up my time in it. By The mid Jan I was going 5 days a week. The 2nd week in Feb I started to itch a little, thought I was having a mild allergic reaction to coconut oil, stopped using that a week later. Fast forward to today I have really bad hives on my arms, hands, & mid back!!! I am freaking out!!

    Reply
  22. Mary
    Mary says:

    I am very happy that I found your article. I recently started cleaning up my diet. I always ate pretty healthy, lots of vegis and no fast food. I also added a green drink in the morning and a turmeric supplement. It really improved my energy level. Then after a week or so my hands had minor swelling and I got a pile. I had never had one before until I was pregnant 3 years ago, then didn’t have one since. So I thought it was so weird that I got one. I started looking online to see if there was any correlation. There is actually very little information on this. Needless to say your article was very helpful to me. It is amazing that such a minor change could impact me so much! I would be curious to see what a total cleanse would do!

    Reply
  23. Jen
    Jen says:

    Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the very important detail that I am still breastfeeding my 19 month old daughter as well. I’ve been concerned about all the detox stuff as well as whether I’m getting proper nutrition, especially since starting the low histamine protocol, which cuts out MANY of the healthy foods I eat daily, including citrus, avocados, nuts, spinach, pineapple, dried fruits (goji!), Kombucha and Kim chi, cacao, tomatoes, etc. I live in the country and have state health insurance, so the doctor I’ve been assigned would probably only prescribe antihistamines for the hives which in my opinion would be no help at all, therefore I haven’t really even considered making an appointment. Hope these details help a bit. Thanks again for any insight!

    Reply
  24. Jen
    Jen says:

    Hi Jennifer- reading your article to try and figure out exactly what is going on with my body. I started a raw food diet 7 weeks ago without proper preparation or pre-cleansing- I didn’t do much research first, unfortunately, just decided I wanted to try the diet and went for it. After the first 10 days I, by coincidence, had all my Mercury fillings removed and replaced with white fillings. The next day or two, I started in with diarrhea that lasted almost a week. I ate a bit of cooked foods for a couple of days near the end of the diarrhea to try and slow my detox and that helped and I was able to transition back to 100% raw with no more diarrhea. After that things seemed ok for weeks, but Friday night I made a raw cauliflower dish for my husband (who started the raw diet with me and has had absolutely no symptoms of anything whatsoever during the past 7 weeks) that was supposed to have raw olives, but we didn’t have any and he suggested using some old canned olives we had left in the cupboard. I did so and we both ate it. Next morning I was covered in hives. I did a couple enemas as I was not sure what was going on. Later in the day we had leftovers of the dish and by evening the hives were everywhere- from my feet to my scalp, even the palms of my hands. They are the worst on my stomach, inner thighs, and sides of my ribs under my arms, but they truly are everywhere except my face, so I’m thanking my lucky stars for that! I did some research online and thought I may be having histamine intolerance, but by changing what I eat I haven’t had much success in getting the hives to go down. It’s been 3 solid days now with no real relief. Itching and praying for guidance, I suddenly remembered reading about herx and ran a search that brought up your page. Any advice is sooo welcome! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us

    Reply
      • Jen
        Jen says:

        Hi again Jennifer- I couldn’t find the can anywhere, so I had to call the store (Trader. Joe’s) and have them look it up for me. I’ve always been a big label reader, so I couldn’t image I bought olives full of preservatives. Turns out the ingredients are olives, water and sea salt! That’s it. I’m still stumped, although I have read about the very questionable quality of some “sea salt”. Any insight?

        Reply
        • Jennifer Thompson
          Jennifer Thompson says:

          Hi Jen,

          It sounds like you reacted to something in that dish…whether it was the olives, sea salt or even a pesticide in the cauliflower, I cannot really say for sure. I don’t think you were having a detox reaction. However, it sounds you like do have some pre-existing food sensitivity already and it also seems like you have not totally figured that part out correctly yet. Going on a raw food detox diet and having mercury fillings removed while breastfeeding is NOT something I would ever recommend. Stirring up toxins can be dangerous while breast feeding. In short, you have a lot going on and I think you need more professional guidance to make sure what you are doing is safe for you and your child. I’m also not sure that you are on the right path with the low histamine diet. If I had a look into your eyes, I could tell you a whole lot more and save you from wasting time in taking any more shots in the dark. If you’re interesting in finding out more about how I work with clients, please send me an email and I will be happy to explain!

          Wishing you all the very best in health,

          Jennifer

        • Jen
          Jen says:

          Thanks for sharing your insights, Jennifer. I really appreciate your time and thoughts in all this. I’m going to continue with the raw diet. I feel like anything that could have negatively affected my daughter is probably passed now. I actually didn’t plan on getting my fillings removed, it was something a new dentist decided to do when I went in for other fillings and my insurance covered it, so I went ahead and did it. I hear you about it being risky while nursing and I understand it’s definitely not an optima time, but I felt like I had to take advantage of the opportunity when it was presented AND covered by my insurance. My daughter has seemed fine through all of this and hasn’t had any adverse symptoms or reactions, so I’m continuing to put my trust in the Universe to guide our path. I will consider getting an iridology reading when I have more funds available to me for more practical guidance. Thanks again. Jen

        • Jen
          Jen says:

          P.S. I bucked the low histamine protocol and started eating all my favorite healthy foods again as well as taking probiotics, turmeric and enzymes and I’m happy to report that my hives are going down and healing! Thanks again for everything

    • Jodi
      Jodi says:

      Jen as a precaution I would contact a holistic dentist and ask about breast feeding after you had your amalgam fillings removed. Did the dentist use oxygen and have the proper ventilation and safety measures while removing mercury fillings? Mercury poisoning is nothing to take lightly. And if you had mercury fillings then you have had years of exposure piling up on itself. I would be concerned with your daughter’s health and your own. Right after you get your fillings removed things can be ok, but after you shut off the faucet of mercury that has been flowing into your system then your body will start detoxing all the stored mercury. I am not a doctor, but I have been doing a lot of research lately for myself before I get my 6 replaced. I had one fixed about a year ago (no safety measures were taken and I didn’t know what to ask) and I still have a burning and thrush on the side of my mouth where the work was done. The day I had the work done I remember thinking this is weird, I can’t move my neck and my jaw won’t open. Hopefully I am just being Patty Paranoia but better to be safe than sorry.

      Reply
  25. Jacqueline Cogan
    Jacqueline Cogan says:

    Dear Jennifer , I started a 7 day cleanse on Saturday taking organic wheatgrass as a shot daily and 6 spirulina tablets daily . I also take sizzling minerals which I have done since Aug last year. These wafers are 100% plant based and provide rda of 75 minerals required each day . I love them so much and believe in them so much I now sell them as part of my holistic business . I have also been doing a lot of clearing lately as I do my reiki, meditation and various other healing programs targeting chakra blockages etc . So my question is since starting my 7 day cleanse on sat I have noticed really prominent and really painful piles. I wasn’t aware of these prior. Not something I’ve suffered from other than temporarily after giving birth many years ago. They are very red, very swollen and pretty big. Is this due to the colon cleansing . Haven’t had diarrhoea . Or is it coincidence ? Should I see my GP or is there anything homeopathic or natural I can do to reduce them ?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Jacqueline,

      Without knowing all the details of your case, I really cannot say for sure. Certainly if you have any medical concern you should consult you GP.

      If you want personalized cleansing support or even to know if this cleanse is right for you and what (if any) other forms of detox you need for your body, I highly recommend an Iridology consult via Skype. Then, I can outline your detox plan and get you started on the right path for natural healing!

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  26. Adrianna
    Adrianna says:

    Wow, really wish I would have seen this a week ago! Just recently started cutting out processed foods and eating cleaner. I thought I had researched everything well enough but was so surprised to feel horrible (vomiting, dizziness, etc.) after switching up my diet. I’d never heard of that happening and was really scared for a few days. Glad this is not only normal, but a good sign. Now I wish I hadn’t panicked and fallen off the clean eating wagon for those few days!

    Reply
  27. Suanne
    Suanne says:

    Hi. I started with the Daniel fast 3 days ago eating only fruit and vegs. However since day 2 I have very bad pain from my lower back to my feet. I even find it difficult to walk. Is there anything that can relieve this pain?

    Reply
  28. Charmaine
    Charmaine says:

    Hi Jennifer 🙂 I am so grateful for all the wisdom you share here, on social media, and privately. I am presently clean of cigarettes, table sugar and salt, alcohol, dairy and carbs (although i did have a pita bread 2 days ago after none for a month) and most of the time i feel great, although the past couple of days i have been waking up with a painful achiness in my hips /trunk area it seems to go from the lower abdomen/top of hip bones/in front and in the rear, kidney area to the bottom of the spine. It goes away after a bit of walking around in the morning. My question is do you think (because this problem just started recently -during my cleanse) that this pain is a cleansing reaction?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Charmaine,

      I’m sorry to hear that you are feeling some aches and pains. It sounds like you did not do any pre-cleanse to prepare your body for cleansing. With my clients, I help them get all the nutrients their body needs BEFORE they start their cleanse to minimize any pains.

      Giving up all of those things you listed at once is quite a shock to the system. If you were addicted to cigarettes, alcohol and/or sugar then you were most likely deficient in Magnesium for many years. Those stimulants hide the effects of mineral deficiency because your body is on a false high. Taking them out shows the real state of things. Get yourself an Epsom salt bath and start taking Magnesium Citrate. Also, be sure to have a plan of how to break your fast. With my coaching clients, we spend a lot of time making the long-term plan so they can keep the benefits of their cleanse. Blessings to your health!

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  29. Natasha
    Natasha says:

    Hi Angelina
    I am doing a complete detox from sugar and alcohol as I need to lose around seven stone. It’s always been hard to lose weight due to my anti depressants but I have decided maybe a detox is the better way to go. Since starting 5 days ago my lower back hips and full length of my legs are really sore. The kind of pain where you can’t keep still. It doesn’t come and go and is just as bad during the day as it is at night. Any advice would be great fully appreciated as don’t know how much longer I can suffer the pain but don’t want to ruin how far I have come. x

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Natasha,

      What type of pre-ceanse did you do to prepare your body for your detox? It sounds like you did not do any pre-cleanse and that you were deficient in nutrients before you started, especially magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is always related to sugar cravings and the most common symptom of magnesium deficiency is cramping in the muscles.

      Had you been working with me, I would have put you on the right pre-cleanse so you do not feel any discomfort during your detox. The point is not to suffer! It’s great that you want to get off the sugar and alcohol, but you need to do it right so you get long-term results that last (hooray!!). For any medical concerns, please consult your medical doctor as this is NOT to replace any medical advice and NOT to offer any curative claims. Thank you!

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  30. Cherry Liaw
    Cherry Liaw says:

    hello! Recently, I’ve been very desperate to lose weight so I seek adviced from one of my colleagues and he told me that by drinking herbal tea(detox tea), he managed to lose 4kg of water weight. Me on the other hand, usually had a whole food non-processed diet tried this detox tea and what happened was there’s breakouts everywhere on my face and I feel so terrible. It had been 4 days and my acnes won’t go away! It’s all over my cheeks now on boyh sides. Both * i’m really seeking for advice whether I should continue the detox tea or do something that can recover my face free from acnes? Because I never had any acnes before except sometimes when you know menstrual cycle etc. theres like 12 tiny breakouts kn both cheecks now

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Cherry,

      In relation to detox and what your body needs, I really can’t say without knowing your full case. There is no “one size fits all.” That said, common sense tells me if I am taking something that gives me a bad reaction that I don’t like, then I should probably stop taking that thing and see if the reaction goes away. Short answer: Stop the tea. Give your body time to get back into balance and see what happens. You might just be having a simple reaction to an ingredient in the tea.

      If you want real results and don’t want to waste time taking other teas or supplements that might not work for you, I highly recommend a private consult via Skype so we can lay out the exact plan for YOUR body.

      Good luck and healthy blessings!

      My best,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  31. Aisha
    Aisha says:

    Hi my names aisha and im 25 years old.
    I decided to make a change to my diet and overall health. Im very slim and 5’4 and weigh 50kg. i started to have fresh veg/fruit lots of water and herbal teas throuout the day as well as having sone protein in my meals such as chicken and eggs. It was a drastic change as iv been suffering from depression and low mood and constantly having colds/migraines/fatigue and generally being unwell all the time. Im also addicted to sugar and could not stay away no matter how hard i tried. The thought of detoxing just made me crave and then eat more! For the past couple of months iv been extremely unwell and binge eating on cakes and biscuits extremlly high in sugar! So iv startd this so called “healthy diet” and obviously was expecting side effects to come through however, even though i was expecting generall breakouts and pimples something alot more disastrous has happend. My face has broken out with severe acne which j have never ever experinced before 🙁 on day 2/3 i noticed a rash but it just got worse aftet that. Thers pus filled spots and extremelly red, sore inflammed skin on both my cheeks, forehead and now going down my neck and hairline and in my head! I knw this will be all the toxins and sugar iv been poisoning myself with but is this normal is what i wanted to ask? Should i be patient and give it afew more days or shall i consult a doctor?? My face is in absoulte pain and is extremely red and sore 🙁
    Im extremely fridghtnd incase of any scarring or pitting in my skin 🙁
    Should i also carry on exercising?? Please could you give me some advise on whethr i should carry on eating healthy and exercing and b patient? Or shall i consult a doctr?
    Would really appreciate some helpfull advise.
    Aisha

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Aisha,

      So sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. Of course, if you are thinking about seeing a doctor then you should go and see what they say. The obvious question from my side is what are you eating?? You must understand that your definition of a “healthy diet” may actually be very different than mine! So, I need more information than just saying you are eating “healthy”…and maybe from there I can comment more.

      Be well!

      To your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
  32. Carol
    Carol says:

    Began my whole foods regimen last Monday. Experiencing symptoms today, headache, fatigue, even a little nausea earlier. I am handling it ok, however, last Friday, my tongue became very sore. I have been avoiding meat and thought it might be from lack of B12, even though I knew I should be taking it… lesson learned. Would switching to a whole foods diet causing the body to detox have any impact on the tongue? It’s so painful. In an attempt to reverse this, on Friday I began 5000 mcg sublingual B12, and had an organic grass fed burger yesterday and venison today. So far, no relief. Any input regarding detox and sore tongue?

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Carol,

      Congratulations on making changes to a whole food diet! I’m sorry to hear that you are having some strange symptoms. I understand that you think your sore tongue may be related to a detox reaction. Truth be told, I have never heard of anyone having a sore tongue as a detox effect. I have seen many cases of sore gums from taking sublingual B12; in fact this is a rather common reaction. Outside of that, the million dollar question would be: what are you eating? You can save yourself a lot of wasted time and frustration by booking a Skype consult. I’d be happy to help!

      Blessings to your health,

      Jennifer

      Reply
    • Grace Wells
      Grace Wells says:

      I’ve been reading about your sore tongue problem. Just wondered if you found a solution and if things have changed. Years ago I had a sore tongue and thrush-like symptoms when experiencing a yeast die off phase.

      Reply
  33. David
    David says:

    My names David I’m 23 and 330pds was just 340pds about two weeks ago and lost the roughly 10pds by diet and exercise. I was drinking 3-5 20oz bottles of mountain dew a day and consuming a lot of processed foods. I started about two weeks ago consuming 6-8 times a day usually being orange juice as soon as I got up, protein shake around 10:30 then random lunch usually 6oz of chicken, veggies and fruit then I would snack with fruit then a healthy dinner with fruit and a fruit snack if id get hungry. Also I have had 0 bread, 0 sweets and 0 soda. I have been drinking about a gallon of water a day. Now I’m on day 3 of my 7 day cleanse and I feel like death but different symptoms through the day. Headache and sick to my stomach. Then headache and feel like I’m going to vomit. Next neck pains and feels like I’m incredibly fatigued and many more symptoms…. Could this be me Herxing? I almost want to quit the cleanse just so I can have some energy and not feel so bloated…. Do I stick with it or should I just stop and go back to just my protein and diet/exercise?

    Reply
  34. angeline
    angeline says:

    My name is angeline olibruce , and I been having this body odor for since liked forever, it’s liked every time I sweat I have this odor coming out of my skin or my pores I just don’t know where it’s coming from, every time I go see a doctor they can’t see anything wrong with me sometime I think I am the one who’s crazy and maybe I am, it’s liked I take a shower and wear body spray or perfume but it’s liked it’s mix with some odor!!!! I just don’t know what 2 do anymore I pray and still nothing, I have no social life or nothing I used to work I quit when I had my daughter I just couldn’t take it anymore, when people comes by me they moved slowly and they looked at me liked I don’t take shower but believe me I am a clean person, but I always liked liked to eat grease food I don’t know if eating the greasy food the thing that’s making me have an odor coming out of my pores or not!!!! My family don’t smelled me but their face expression shows different what am I going to do, I need to have a social life am I crazy or do I know what am I talking about please email me I really need ur help.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Thompson
      Jennifer Thompson says:

      Hi Angeline,

      Sorry to hear you are suffering! Did you ever consider trying to stop eating the greasy and/or fried foods for a period of time, say 14 days…and see if your body odor changes? Once you switch to a clean diet high in fruits and vegetables (80% +) and eliminate processed foods, fried foods, animal foods and refined sugar, wheat and dairy from your diet…eating more raw nuts, seeds, superfoods, sprouted beans and/or some occasional cooked gluten-free grains, you should no longer have a body odor.

      Blessings to your good health!

      Jennifer

      Reply
    • scott
      scott says:

      I heard a story in a women’s magazine about this like 20+ years ago.

      have you looked into leaky Gut syndrome? or eating fermented foods?

      Reply

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