The Healing Crisis

Also known as:

The Herxheimer Reaction (This reaction was first described by an Austrian dermatologist Jarisch Adolf Herxheimer working in Vienna and Innsbruck in 1895), Cleansing Reaction and The Detox Reaction

The Herxheimer Reaction (die-off reaction) is a short-term (from days to a few weeks) detoxification reaction in the body. As the body detoxifies, it is not uncommon to experience flu-like symptoms - *including headache, *joint and muscle pain, *body aches, *sore throat, *general malaise, *sweating, *chills,* nausea *or other symptoms.

This is a normal — and even healthy — reaction to the toxins that are released when large numbers of parasites, fungus, viruses, bacteria or other pathogens are being effectively killed off and the body does not eliminate the toxins quickly enough. The important thing to note is that worsening symptoms do not indicate failure of the treatment in question; in fact, usually just the opposite. The biggest problem with the Herxheimer reaction is that people stop taking the supplement that is causing the reaction, and thus discontinue the very treatment that is helping to make them better. Although the experience may not make you feel particularly good, the Herxheimer Reaction is actually a sign that healing is taking place.

A simple example of “The Healing Crisis” may help in understanding HOW it works:

What if every year, you painted your walls a different color? As time went on, you layered color upon color. Finally after 30 years in the house, you found that the newest paint was not sticking properly because layers of paint underneath were cracking and coming off. So you decide to strip all the paint off the walls and give it a fresh coat of paint. Well, as you start to strip off the paint, you see earlier layers. There was the year when you decided that a lot of color would go well with your white furniture. Then there was the year that neutral off-white colors were "in". Finally, you reach the part of the wall that has the ugly wallpaper. Once you get that wallpaper off and a few more layers of paint, you have finally cleaned the wall sufficiently to give the new paint a solid surface. In the process of stripping all the paint and wallpaper, you get glimpses of what your walls were like and what they went through.

Well, believe it or not, your body works in a similar way. As our bodies store fat, the chemistry of the fat reflects the internal body conditions at the time the fat was stored . Each year, the illnesses that you caught left a small residue of the virus or bacteria in your fatty deposits. The toxins you ingested left their mark as well. Maybe it was that year in college when you drank too heavily because you were inexperienced … or ingested trace amounts of antibiotics and growth hormones that were embedded in the abundance of meat you ate during your high-protein diet phase. Deposits throughout your body have kept a record of what you have been through.

Any cleansing you undergo is like stripping paint and wallpaper from the analogy above. As you cleanse and detoxify your body, you will be releasing the toxins, bacteria, and viruses that were built up in your fatty deposits. As they are released, you may experience symptoms that you experienced when you initially dealt with that particular malady or event - albeit in a milder form. You may get a runny nose, you may feel tired, you may develop body aches or you may even develop a fever, as your body works its way through years of toxins and disease.

In fact, as with the paint and wallpaper analogy, the symptoms you experience will likely be in the reverse order of when you first experienced them. Toxins that your body was exposed to in recent years will show their effect first, then will be followed by things that occurred earlier in your life.

During the healing process , you may experience some discomfort and you may feel like you are catching something. In extreme cases of toxicity, you may actually feel quite ill. However, rest assured that it is your body’s way of cleansing - getting rid of these toxins once and for all. During your cleansing, if you feel sick, chances are it is from toxins, bacteria and viruses that are being released into your body from your fatty deposits.

There are a wide variety of reactions that may manifest during a healing crisis, the most common are:

Increased joint or muscle pain

Diarrhea

Extreme fatigue and/or its opposite, restlessness
Cramps
Headache (believed to be caused by buildup of toxins in the blood)
Aches, Pains
Arthritic flair up
Insomnia
Nausea
Sinus congestion
Fever (usually low grade) and/or chills
Frequent urination and/or urinary tract discharges
Drop in blood pressure
Skin eruptions, including: boils, hives, and rashes.
Cold or flu-like symptoms
Strong emotions: anger, despair, sadness, fear, etc.
Suppressed memories arise
Anxiety
Mood swings