the transition

Rarely is the transition to eating a diet focused on plants, dairy free, gluten free, no processed food, nuts/seeds, whole grains, no refined sugar, olive oil, grass fed meats, free range organic chicken, wild fish, eggs, beans, legumes, and whole foods  - addressed.
 
It can be uncomfortable.  I want you to have eyes wide open because when you know what to expect and that it’s normal - it makes it easier to get to the other side.  
 
So here is what is to expect as the body relearns how to function and the shifts back to how the body functions best. Timeline - this process can take no more than two weeks, most likely 5-7 days.
 
The first shift is foundational - how the body burns and accesses energy.
 
The way of eating described above is high fiber and low in refined carbs which means energy burns differently.  Your available glucose will not be high and energy production is not glucose dependent.
 
Your body has to go back to metabolically flexible ways of accessing energy which is the healthiest for brain and cell- this means relearning to tap into fat stores and how to make ketones when glucose is low.  
 
As you do that you may experience a dip in your energy, you may be more irritable and crave sugar - if your diet was very sugar dependent you can get the carb flu: you feel sick, but it is sugar withdrawal.
 
This is proof that sugar not only hijacked your metabolic process, but also your neuro-pathways. Sugar drives dopamine release - we becomed hooked on this sugar high. When sugar is removed, as with other biological dependencies there are physical and mood alterations as the body withdraws.
 
The Gut Remodels
In the gut, when additives, emulsifiers, and refined sugars are removed, the gut environment changes rapidly.  Within hours your gut microbiome begins to change. At the same time, the intake of fiber increases.
 
The dramatic microbiome shift is a time of die-off and rapid shifts in the makeup of your microbes.  Different bacterial populations are being fed. Inflammatory triggers are being removed.
This combination can lead to temporary  bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea - 2-7 days.
 
You Finally Detox
With this new wellness diet, the body has compounds necessary to detox - and does it with gusto.  Without antioxidants, polyphenols, and certain minerals, toxins remain stored in our tissues.  When the substrates for detoxification are present - your body hurries up to empty the trash it has been storing.  
 
Symptoms of this are skin changes or breakouts, fatigue, headaches, sweating, sometimes bad breath.  This is good and it will slow down as the toxic load you are carrying lightens. 
 
Hydration is your biggest help here because it accelerates the toxic release through elimination, respiration, and sweat.
 
Sleep Changes
Most clients experience deeper sleep almost immediately. Some get a “wired but tired” feeling as energy burns more efficiently - you end up not having used all your energy by bedtime.  This settles down as the body learns to regulate energy.
 
After this transition, you realize you forgot how good you could feel.  Or, as some clients, you may first notice the absence of pain or discomfort that you had stopped registering - it was background noise to your day and it’s gone now. 
 
Cravings and hunger subside.  Clarity and energy continues to build.  The body repairs, renovates, and begins to turn back un-wellness, weight gain, gut compromises, hormone imbalances, and dial down inflammation.
 
Then you get to the point where it becomes very difficult to go back because you no longer want to feel the way you once felt.