A sad soul can kill you quicker than a germ.
—John Steinbeck
Chapter 14
Let the Healing Begin
With all this knowledge, you are now on the road to recovery. When healing and releasing suppressed illnesses, emotions, and experiences, most people go through what is called a “healing crisis” or “healing reaction.” Symptoms of this can be mild, such as a headache that lasts a day. Or more severe health concerns may arise, like vomiting or symptoms of bronchitis. The theory is that old injuries, illnesses, or discomforts, be they physical, emotional, or mental, must all be cleared out physically for the patient to be well. Every experience we have is stored in each of our cells. So when we really let go, our cells will flush out emotional and/or physical toxins.
For example, chronic strep throat in childhood treated with antibiotics several times can manifest as a sore throat when you are making the transition to a healthier you. It should pass within a couple of days.
Or if you are processing some painful experiences that contributed to your anxiety or depression, you may feel these emotions more intensely. Old memories might show up in your dreams. Even events that you don’t remember at all can rise to the surface, creating intense, vivid dreams or flashbacks. I promise you this is a really good sign.
My patient Jerry (from chapter 10), who lost his daughter, had a few remarkable experiences while processing his grief. During his first acupuncture treatment, he saw his daughter in the room with him. The room was dark, but he could still see her, smiling and giggling. He told me he felt she was saying it was OK to move on. Several of my patients have seen loved ones who have passed during their treatments.
Jerry also started having daily migraines after three weeks of treatment and dietary changes. The headaches lasted six days. After the third day, he remembered that he had migraines every day for eight months after his daughter’s death. He was loaded up on prescription painkillers the entire time, so he had never really had a chance to feel them before. After six days of suffering, he felt relief from his heartache as well as his headaches.
Susan (chapter 8), who lost her husband, had a similar experience after a few weeks of acupuncture. She developed fifteen canker sores on the inside of her mouth that lasted twenty-four hours. She said she had painful canker sores for weeks after her husband died.
Any of the following problems may occur during a healing crisis.
1. You may be more sensitive emotionally, easily angered, impatient, anxious, depressed, or cry for “no reason.” For women, this may feel like intense PMS.
2. You may have various kinds of discharges, including pimples, boils, herpes outbreak, black feces, canker sores, body odors, rashes, and nasal and vaginal secretions. This sounds gross, but remember, it’s temporary.
3. An old illness may return. Either the body didn’t fully recover or the infection was suppressed with certain medications. This could be the strep throat I mentioned earlier, or a bladder infection, stomach bug, or chest cold.
4. You may experience a temporary change in menstruation. This shouldn’t last more than a month or two.
5. Pain from old injuries you thought were healed might return to finally say good-bye in the form of headaches or muscle tension.
6. Digestive disturbances such as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea may pay a visit.
7. You may feel especially weak or fatigued. Letting go of painful memories can be exhausting. If you’re feeling tired, then you should rest.
8. Lower libido is a common occurrence for people who experienced sexual trauma or acted out sexually in their past.
9. You’re literally shedding dead weight, so weight loss may occur. If you actually need to lose weight, it will most likely stay off. If you’re already thin, the weight should come back.
10. You may experience a change in sleep patterns. Dreams that bring up old memories and emotions will happen for most. You might have some insomnia issues or need more sleep while you’re mending.
One simple and affordable way to aid the healing and detox process is Epsom salts. There’s nothing better than a steamy, relaxing soak in winter after a long, stressful day when your muscles are tense from a long day at work. So take twenty minutes to just soak in a hot bath with a few cups of Epsom salts to feel better. The therapeutic effects of Epsom salts include easing stress by replenishing magnesium (magnesium helps produce serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical), flushing out toxins and heavy metals, relieving cold symptoms, relaxing muscles and reducing inflammation, relieving asthma symptoms, preventing hardening of the arteries, and making insulin more effective by balancing magnesium and sulfate levels.
Epsom salts can also be taken internally with some water for constipation. I have to warn you about the taste, but if you’re prone to constipation, it can really help. If you’re looking to do a gallbladder cleanse, here’s one recipe; try to do it when you can be near a bathroom the next day. Drink this concoction at night. It will definitely get things moving.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces fresh lime, lemon, or grapefruit juice
4 tablespoons Epsom salts
Go ahead and splurge on a three-dollar container of Epsom salts. You deserve it, and your body will thank you.
Be aware of how you’re feeling and what you dream about while going through the healing process. This might help give you some insight on where your anger or fear is coming from. This awareness can only advance the process of a new you. So if you experience any of the above symptoms while making dietary changes, it’s totally normal. If it gets to be overwhelming, slow down a bit. Make the changes more gradual. Be gentle with yourself. This should reduce your response.
If a healing crisis does occur, do your best to ride it out, especially if you end up with physical symptoms. Taking medications may push what’s being released back down. Once you get to the other side, you’ll know it was definitely worth a day or two of discomfort.