Day 6 - Spring Cleaning : Betrayed by the Vegetables

Read my previous Sugar-Cleanse Blogs:

Day 1 and Introduction

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6: After all the good I've done, the vegetables have betrayed me. I feel rotten. I woke up in the morning with a sore throat and feeling a little "off". It wasn't so bad, though, and I thought I'd carry on with my day. Towards the afternoon, I'd about had it, and gave in to having a nap. I was exhausted and still wanted to go to the gym later, and my only hope was that I'd feel better after a short rest.

I did feel a bit better, and took my running shoes and went to work out. Sadly, the energy just wasn't there - right from the start, it felt like my legs were heavy and I didn't feel comfortable running my normal pace. I thought: This is okay, I'll just push through these feelings and run more slowly. Nothing will stop me from my training. What would happen if I felt crappy on the day of a race? I'd do it anyway!

So, I continued. But one mile felt like two, and my second mile had me making up excuses to stop for a moment - change the channel on the TV in front of me, have another drink. It just wasn't happening. I gave up about halfway through my 6 mile run, and headed home to fall into bed.

I am a little perplexed, of course. I mean, haven't I been eating an extraordinarily healthy diet filled with wonderful, colorful vegetables when I normally have a mono-toned plate of food? Isn't this supposed to be about feeling FAN-Frickin'-TASTIC???? (pardon my foul language).

Then my scientific, research-addicted, brainy husband informed me: "Sore throat? Oh... that's one of the symptoms."

Symptoms? Of being healthier? What?

Well, the fact is, that when you aggressively attack the balance of candida (yeast) in your body by restricting sugar (and carbs) that it loves to feed on, it begins to die off around day 5. And, like Custer's last stand, it's not a pretty sight. Detoxification by introducing healthy foods and restricting "unhealthy" foods can affect you not only physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. By supplying your body with the proper nutrients, the systems can better operate and attack the toxins previously ingested, cleansing them from your system - which isn't always going to feel like a joyous experience.


Here is a list of symptoms one might experience during a cleanse:

fatigue

headaches

flu-like symptoms

excess gas

runny nose

sore throat

sinus congestion

hives

increased thirst

insomnia

canker sores

bowel sluggishness or diarrhea

discouragement

mental fogginess

weakness

reluctance to exercise

irritability and, because of the way a healthier body can go back to attend to former conditions,

a recurrence of old aches and pains

(For further information and to see this list, go to: http://www.begin-within-natural-skincare.com/candida-die-off-symptoms.html)

Well, doesn't that all sound lovely?

But I'll take heart. Perhaps I am winning this battle after all. Although I feel like throwing in the towel and gobbling down some comfort-food to get me through this physical angst, I will tough it out a little longer in hopes of a successful cleanse.

Now back to bed...