What Happens to Your Body When You Start Taking Supplements
When you begin to use nutritional supplements that support the endocrine and immune system and cell-to-cell communication, and when you adjust your diet according to your individual metabolic type, your body will begin to make positive changes.
For most people, these changes will be comfortable and benefits will be noticed from the start. Common effects include more energy, greater well-being, reduced discomfort, relief from acute and chronic problems, more mental clarity, improved performance, etc.
However, because everyone’s body is unique in the way it uses nutrients, the timing and nature of the changes that occur will be different for different people.
A few people find they don’t notice much at all for up to two to four months of taking supplements. Then there is often a major shift in how they feel.
Your body’s cleansing response works like this:
Over time, our bodies accumulate toxins – from pesticides and other chemicals in processed foods, from impure air and water, from medications, from poor digestion and elimination, etc.
Whenever the metabolism isn’t able to remove a toxic molecule, it must store it in the body, typically in the liver or fatty tissues. Later, when the metabolism is stronger because of better nutrition, exercise, improved hormone balance, reduced stress, etc. it will start to flush out the stored toxins. This “cleaning response” is part of the body’s natural health-building process.
For most people, this process presents no problem. They notice only positive benefits or slightly temporary discomfort and then positive benefits predominate. If you do feel any discomfort after you start taking supplements, remember, it’s just your body cleansing itself!
If you are feeling any discomfort after starting to take supplements, here are some things you can do:
1. Drink plenty of water
Drink plenty of water (purified, if possible) everyday. One quart per 100 pounds of body weight is a good rule of thumb. This helps flush the toxins from the cells, and it helps the kidneys with their natural cleansing function.
2. Eat more fiber
Include fiber-containing foods in your diet, especially fresh vegetables and whole fresh fruits. You maybe choose to use a dietary fiber product containing psyllium or other bulk-forming fiber source. The fiber helps to absorb toxins and “sweep out” the digestive tract.
3. Avoid processed foods
Try to eat mainly fresh, whole foods. Avoid processed foods, refined foods and foods containing toxins and “anti-nutrients” (sugar, caffeine, alcohol, artificial flavor and colors, chemicals, etc.). This will reduce the work of processing unhealthy foods, and it will increase the available nutrition of the body to rebuild itself.
4. Reduce exposure to toxins
Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants. Allow plenty of fresh air in your living and work places, avoid fumes from strong-smelling products, reduce your exposure to cigarette smoke, etc. Reducing your daily load makes it easier for your body to get rid of old toxins.
5. Exercise
Pick an amount and type of exercise that’s appropriate for your state of health (check with your doctor if you have any doubts). For most people, walking at least 15 minutes a day is a good way to start. Exercise increases circulation, respiration and cellular metabolism. It helps the body burn off toxins and wastes and/or pump them out of the system.
6. Listen to your body
Listen to your body and do whatever you need to do to stay within a manageable comfort zone. You may find that a smaller helping of a particular nutritional product is better for you, either temporarily while there’s a strong cleansing response, or long-term due to your individual body chemistry. You may even decide that a particular supplement simply isn’t right for you. If a cleansing reaction is too strong, you can reduce or even stop taking the supplements for a few days until you feel better, and then gradually build back up to a regular daily amount. (Some people need to go very slowly, using very small amounts for a while. These are often the people who eventually have the most dramatic transformation in well-being if they follow through). You may need to repeat this cycle more than once.
7. If a symptom causes concern, check with a health professional
Some symptoms maybe be unrelated to the body’s healing response, or the healing response itself may draw attention to an underlying problem.