Some people will feel better quickly when they adopt the diet, lifestyle changes and supplement protocol recommended in the Happy Gut At-Home Program, with their digestive symptoms settling down quickly and their overall health and well-being improving.

However, many people experience what is often called a detox reaction (aka die-off, healing crisis, Herxheimer reaction or dumping) when entering a gut healing protocol, especially when specific supplements are used to kill pathogens in the digestive tract (which we will do in Phase 2: 'The Big Clean Up').

For some people, this reaction can also happen simply as a result of changing their diet to a lower carbohydrate diet, or even just reducing their consumption of specific foods high in oxalates.

If you don't understand what is happening, you may think that your new diet is 'bad' for you, or that you have done something wrong.

However, if you can recognise these symptoms as part of the healing process, it's easier to accept them as steps on the road to better health.

WHY DETOX REACTIONS HAPPEN

There are 3 main reasons:

1- Bad bacteria, yeast and parasites die off: This can happen as a result of taking away their main food source (carbohydrates and sugar) or when taking specific anti-microbial supplements. When these bugs die, they release toxic by-products into your blood, which your body has to get rid off. If your main detoxification organs (especially your liver and kidneys) are not working well, or are already overloaded with toxins, they won't be able to handle the extra toxic loads and you'll likely experience the symptoms of a detox reaction, aka 'die-off' (see symptoms below). You can minimise these symptoms by following the recommendations in Phase 1, and using the tips in the Die-Off Rescue Kit.

2- Opportunity to detoxify: As part of the healing process, the body will sense an opportunity to discard toxic residues and bad bacteria, which have built up in your bodies over the years. Sometimes the body is a bit over-enthusiastic and will release more toxins than you can handle...This can overwhelm your detoxification organs and cause discomfort, but even more so if those organs are already clogged up and stagnant. In other words, your body is trying to clean up the mess, but it can't keep up.

Taking part in activities that encourages deeper detoxification can trigger those types of detox reactions, such as lymphatic massage, saunas, or even starting a new exercise regimen. That's why we recommend engaging in these activities in Phase 3 'Go Deeper'.

3 - Oxalate dumping: Oxalates are like sharp crystals which are present in many foods (including very 'healthy' foods such as spinach, sweet potatoes, nuts, cacao, etc). We have found that many people, especially those with gut issues, can accumulate oxalates in their body (aka oxalate toxicity). Quickly lowering your consumption of high oxalate foods, which you will do in the Supersafe and Safe diet, can cause something usually referred to as oxalate dumping. Similar to what we explained above about toxins, the body will try to release excess oxalate, but this means that your symptoms may actually increase temporarily.

For more information, please refer to the Oxalate Toxicity section

SYMPTOMS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE

Most people will experience significant fatigue - which is why it's important to plan ahead and schedule in a lot of rest.

Sugar cravings are also common, although some people will have a lack of appetite instead.

Gut symptoms are common, anything from excessive gas and bloating to diarrhea or constipation.

Other common physical symptoms: rashes or hives; itchy skin; a runny nose; headaches; insomnia; increased thirst; weakness; lethargy; nausea; a dry mouth; dizziness; canker sores; nervousness; a drop in blood pressure and a variety of joint/muscle pain and strange body aches, maybe even an arthritic flare-up.

Emotional symptoms: you may feel anxious, have mood swings and even display strong emotions such as anger, despair, sadness and fear. Some people have suppressed memories arise.

As these emotions present themselves, remember to be gentle with yourself. You might like to let a good friend know that you're about to embark on this process so that you can share your experiences with them and receive some support if required.

Oxalate dumping symptoms: all of the above, plus burning urine flow/frequent urination, vulvar pain or irritation, burning bowel movement, eye pain, cloudy urine. Some people even see crystals coming out of the body through any of the mucous membranes.

A FEW IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT DETOX REACTIONS

1- A detox reaction shouldn't last more than a few days. Detox reactions are common after starting a new treatment. However, it's important to know that if you have a drastic worsening of symptoms after starting some kind of treatment and you can't move out of it after a few days, you're going too hard and need to back off. This is especially true for anti-microbials, such as those used in Phase 2 'The Big Clean Up'. As mentioned above, other potential triggers to be aware off are lymphatic massage, saunas, or anything that may encourage deeper detoxification.

Do NOT try to push through... if you're feeling sick, it's a signed that your body is not copping. You can either continue what you're doing, but cut down, or stop completely for a few days and reassess.

If you're experiencing severe oxalate dumping, you may need to increase your oxalate consumption and lower more slowly. Learn more about oxalate toxicity here.

2- You can greatly minimise these symptoms by following the recommendations in Phase 1. With good preparation, you may sail through this process feeling incrementally better, without a crash.

It's very important to make sure you're having at a very minimum one good bowel movement daily — more is better — as this ensures that the toxins are getting out as quickly as possible and not getting stuck in your colon, making you feel ill. Some people experience a worsening of their constipation when going through detox, so it's good to be proactive!

Read the section 'Die Off Rescue Kit' and 'Constipation Rescue Kit' for more tips and tools.

3- Sometimes, detox reactions seem to come out of the blue! This often happens after an episode of feeling really good, which can be really depressing... just when you thought you were on the right track, you start feeling terrible again. In our experience, this is usually a good thing... it means your body finally feels like it has the resources to do a bit of clean up. See 'opportunity to detoxify' above for more information about this.

4- Rest as much as you can and practice self-care during a detox reaction. Many of the tools in 'Show your Body Some Love' and 'Supercharge Your Healing' are a great way to practice self care...