By Michelle Tonkin ND CNC MH
A healing crisis is a term used to describe the process the body undergoes in its journey to restorative health. Symptoms vary from person to person and the response can be from mild to extreme. People may experience these healing crises for a number of reasons:
· Sickness/Disease:
when a person is sick from a virus or bacteria, the body will go into clean-up mode in an effort to rid itself of this foreign invader. Many untoward symptoms are produced as the body works round the clock to clean up the host.
· Addictions:
when coming off of things the body deems toxic like drugs -prescribed or street, caffeine, nicotine, or sugar withdrawal, the body can produce unfavorable symptoms as the body is doing its best to clean up its environment.
· Detoxification:
from cleanses, antimicrobials, and "anything" that goes after the body's toxic loads. This is referred to as "die-off" or a "die-off" reaction. Cleansing or detoxification is an ongoing process, and symptoms typically last from a few hours to several days or weeks. Trapped toxins, chemicals, viruses, and bacteria can be released during these periods. If more toxins are released faster than the liver and other organs can detoxify or neutralize then a healing crisis can occur.
The Herxheimer reaction or healing crisis is actually a good sign. The body is being allowed to cleanse and heal itself from the inside out.
Symptoms of a Healing
· Some common healing crisis symptoms are:
· headaches
· dizziness
· brain fog
· fatigue
· digestive disturbances
· nausea
· malaise
· joint and muscle achiness
· If any of these symptoms occur it is important not to panic, but instead allow yourself the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate. "This too shall pass." If while on a cleansing/detox program the healing crisis becomes overwhelming, it is okay to either decrease the pace or skip a day or two... This will give the liver and detoxification organs a chance to "catch up". There are also a number of detoxification supplements that can aid in relieving this process. A New You ..
Healing Process
Every two months, the cells in our heart muscle are replaced, and within a one-year period, our entire bone structure is replaced as well. In about a one-year period of time, every cell in our body will be replaced by a new cell. That means that every year we get a new body!
"the life of the flesh is in the blood." ~Leviticus 17:11
Since the body was designed to regenerate and rejuvenate itself, we can decide today what our future health will be. It all starts with taking an active role...making the right choices in diet, exercise, stress reduction, supplementation, and detoxification. This journey to health begins one step at a time. If along this journey you encounter roadblocks a.k.a. a healing crisis, do not be discouraged. You are in the process of allowing your body to regenerate healthy, vibrant cells, which in turn will create a more healthy, vibrant you!