5 Detox Mistakes to Watch out for

This year I just don’t seem to be able to get into the swing of detoxing. Partly that’s because I am scared to repeat the mistakes I made last year when I fasted for several days on end.

I went into the detox feeling good and came out seriously weakened spending the better part of two months ill – great!

I’ve learned from that experience though, or let’s say at least while the memory is still fresh, I’ll do what I can to avoid this from happening again (even if it means I don’t fast at all, hah!)

Here’s the Lessons I Learned from my Big Detox/ Candida Cleanse last year:

• Go Shopping before the detox
• A Big Detox can do More Harm than Good
• Have light foods at the ready for when you come out of your Detox
• Too much of a good thing is not good! (in this case: exercise!)
• Have fruit/ juices only when you are symptom free

I’ve had it where I didn’t get round to go shopping before I entered into the Candida Cleanse; and then coming out of my fast, the first thing I had to do was to go shopping . It’s never a good idea to go shopping when hungry, certainly not when you might give into convenience foods to reward yourself for sticking with the detox.

Give your body light and nutritious foods, and make sure you’ll have good foods at home before you start your cleanse.

If you push yourself too hard while not eating during a fast you’ll weaken your immune system. This can result in you getting an infect straight away when coming out of the detox. That’s what happened to me last year. I had so much stress during my Candida Cleanse in January that I developed cold sores, and I NEVER get cold sores, yuk!

Slowly does it, for long lasting effects.

It goes without saying that the first foods you eat after a period of fasting should be easily digestible foods and not highly processed, deep fried, heavily seasoned stuff. This would only take up all your energy and would make you feel sluggish and emotionally low instead of euphorical, worst case you’ll end up with stomach cramps. Not worth it.

The idea is to rest, so your body can get on with detoxing and healing.

If you exercise the little energy you get from the fasting broth is used up to move your body. There’s no health repair going on. Plus since you are lacking the proper nutrition from food you are likely to lose muscle mass and get muscle cramps. Getting some fresh air is a good thing during Stage 1 of the Candida diet and supports your fasting regime – full on exercise does not! It’s hard when you are in the flow and have possibly paid for an expensive gym membership that you now want to utilize… I’ve been there.

Believe you me you’ll be better off resting when you’re fasting and then getting back into your sports regime afterwards.

Fruit and juices should be off the books for you until ALL Candida symptoms are gone for good. No exceptions to this. I thought it might work to enjoy fruit as long as you don’t consume any other foods during the fast, uh oh… nope. Doesn’t work.

If you have systemic Candida the yeast will love the fruit.

If you have a simple case of Candida where the yeast is only localized in your intestines then you might be all-right, because most of the fruit sugar is digested before the food reaches your gut… In all other cases you’ll sabotage your recovery. Say goodbye to smoothies for now. Better safe than sorry, right!

How to avoid problems when coming out of your detox?

Ease yourself out of the detox by eating only steamed veg and easy to digest foods like soups and cooked brown rice for the first 2-3 days.

You can see details how I approach fasting these days here in my Cheat’s way of fasting.

Please consider following this less strenuous way of detoxing, rather than embarking on a full on fast when your circumstances are difficult (think lots of work, physically challenging work, hard-core exercise regime, social engagements that keep you up all night, trade shows… you get the idea).

A Candida Cleanse is a time to relax and not of hectically sorting things while piling the pressure on.

Be gentle on yourself – you deserve to feel amazing

And if you skip Stage 1 and go straight to the strict Candida diet that’s fine, too.

Sometimes life just gets in the way, so you can’t rest & fast. That’s fine.

A high protein diet is great, too. Swap the carbs of cereals and bread for organic meat, eggs and lots of oily fish with vegetables, and you’ll feel better in no time.

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