Embarking on a journey to manage endometriosis through diet and nutrition can be both exciting and challenging. Many of my clients often face a surprising and unsettling phase early on in their journey – the healing crisis. It’s not uncommon to experience a period where you feel worse before you start to feel better. Today, I want to explain why the healing crisis happens and why it’s a natural part of the healing process.
The initial discomfort
When my clients begin their personalised diet plans, they often email me two or three weeks into the program, saying they feel worse. They might report new symptoms, increased fatigue, or a general sense of feeling unwell. This can be disheartening, especially when the expectation is to feel better right away. However, this initial discomfort is not only common but can also be a sign that positive changes are taking place in your body.
The boat analogy
To help explain what’s happening, I like to use a boat analogy. Imagine you're going on a weekend trip on a small boat. At first, when you're still in the harbor, you might feel a bit unsteady but generally okay. As you move into open waters, the waves get choppier, and you may feel seasick. This discomfort is your body's way of adjusting to the new environment. After some time, you start to get your "sea legs," and moving around the boat becomes more natural. By the end of the trip, when you’re back on solid ground, you might even feel odd walking on land again.
Changing your diet to manage endometriosis is similar. Initially, your body might feel unsteady as it adjusts to the new nutrients and the absence of inflammatory foods. This adjustment period can cause discomfort as your body begins to heal and detoxify.
What happens when you change your diet
When you change what and how you eat and drink to reduce endometriosis symptoms, several things happen:
- Removing inflammatory foods: Foods that contribute to inflammation are removed from your diet. This gives your body a break and reduces the constant state of stress and inflammation it has been under.
- Healing and detoxification: With the removal of harmful foods and the introduction of anti-inflammatory and nutrient-dense foods, your body starts the healing process. This includes repairing gut health, reducing inflammation, and balancing hormones.
- Increased nutrient intake: Your body receives a boost in essential nutrients, which can kickstart various healing processes. These processes can produce waste products and toxins that your body needs to eliminate.
The healing crisis
As your body begins this major cleanup and healing, you might experience what is known as a “healing crisis.” This can include symptoms such as:
- Increased fatigue
- Headaches
- Nausea
- New or intensified symptoms
These symptoms occur because your body is working hard to detoxify and repair itself. It’s a sign that your body is reacting to the positive changes and beginning to heal.
Staying the course
It's important to stay the course during this challenging phase. I always tell my clients that any change is a good change initially. It means your body is responding and starting the healing process. Most clients find that after this initial period, their symptoms start to improve. Health improvements are rarely linear, but over time, you will see positive changes.
If you’re a client experiencing this phase, remember that it’s normal and a sign that good things are happening in your body. Trust in the process and know that you’re not alone. If you’re considering working with me, this is a heads-up that you might experience this, but it’s all part of the journey to better health. Stay patient and keep the boat analogy in mind: you’re on a path to smoother sailing.
If you’d like to have a personal chat about how a nutrition approach to your Endometriosis symptoms can make you feel better and how I would support you through your healing crisis, book your complimentary Endometriosis SOS Call: https://theendometriosisnutritionist.online/endometriosis-sos-call/