Gas and Bloating from the Detox

Hi ~

I just finished the 7 Day Detox today and though I had good energy and wasn't hungry, I had really awful bloating and gas starting on day 3, and still do. My abdomen has been very distended and uncomfortable, and I found myself resenting the tea. Is there something in the tea that could be causing so much gas and bloating?

Thanks for the support. Overall, great cleanse, support handouts, and the recipes are delicious.


Answer: Thanks for writing and letting us know how you're doing. I'm glad you enjoyed the cleanse and the recipes but I'm very sorry to hear about the uncomfortable bloating. This is one of the many symptoms that can pop up while you detox and is a sign of incomplete digestion.

Most of the herbs in the tea are specifically for improving digestion and as I far as I know none of them would commonly cause a bloating response. But every body is different and it is very important to listen to your personal intuition.

As you contemplate the cause and resolution of your bloating there are a few common causes of bloating that we recommend considering:

Food Combining:
Bloating caused by incomplete digestion is often the result of improper food combining. When we are trying to digest too many different things at the same time sometimes they are not digested fully. The undigested food begins to rot and let off the gas that causes bloating. Green smoothies and any kind of raw fruit are best eaten on their own. Do not combine fruit with any other food besides raw greens. Cooked veggies and beans should not be eaten together. Choose simple meals with basic components.

Overeating:
This leads right into overeating. If your body is overwhelmed by the volume and/or variety of the food you've eaten it won't be able to digest fully. Eat only when you're hungry and stop before you're stuffed.

Chewing:
Digestion begins in the mouth. The enzymes that are released in your mouth while you chew begin the digestion process and get your food ready to be broken down. This is an especially important phase of digestion for complex carbohydrates like whole grains, beans, vegetables and nuts. If eating these whole foods is new to you you may have to pay extra attention to your chewing to support proper digestion and avoid bloating. Chew slowly and let your food really begin breaking down before you swallow. It is recommended to chew each bite 100 times. Try counting to see how many times you typically chew each bite to see if you're close. If you're not close you have something to reach for.

The other suggestion we have regarding the resolution of bloating after a detox is to have a Hydrocolontherapy (Colonics) session. There may be some old congestion in your digestive tract that is blocking proper digestion and elimination. A colonic treatment may be just the thing to clear it out and let your body move on to a new level of health.