Day 13 - 21 day detox

Detoxification - the wider pictureI think I've hinted at the fact, before, that detoxing for any length of time can be quite challenging on an emotional as well as a physical and a mental level. Well I, for one, have certainly found it so, this time round. In the past few days, unexpected emotions have started to rear their heads - to 'come up for healing', as I like to see it - and this can be one 'side effect' of the detox diet.This is perfectly natural, however. And I mention it here because, if you're not aware of the issue, you can easily fool yourself into thinking there's something wrong, when there isn't!The way I see it is that many, or perhaps most, of us, when we experience unpleasant emotions - whether they be irritation, anger, sadness, or simple boredom - rather than allow and 'surrender' to the feeling, will often 'self-medicate' to escape the moment, or the emotion. I'm not talking drugs here.. I'm talking some foodstuff that soothes us, or sets our pulse racing, hence avoiding the emotion we don't want to feel. To use an example, when I have a writing deadline and the words aren't flowing (unpleasant emotion: disinterest, boredom or frustration - I'd perhaps rather be doing something else!), I'll typically self-medicate on a nice, frothy cappuccino. Then I feel high as a kite - and inspired to write!From day 7 or so to about day 14 of the detox diet I find particularly challenging on this front. It's like we have to stick it out while those chemical addictions or pulls work their way out of our systems. Then somehow, magically, things shift, we feel more balanced and - funnily enough - then we wouldn't think of putting such toxins in our systems again. At least for a while, anyway!Write in and tell me how you self-medicate! I'd love to hear.Tomorrow: we discuss environmental toxins