Cleanse cravings happen for three real reasons: old adrenaline being released, pathogens starving as they lose their food source, and stored toxins leaving your fat cells. None of these mean your body needs more protein or fat, and knowing which one is happening can help you stay the course instead of giving in.
Key Takeaways
- 3:6:9 cleanse cravings are usually a sign of release, not a sign your body needs more food.
- Old adrenaline stored in fat cells can carry emotions from a difficult time, and releasing it can bring back both the feeling and the craving connected to it.
- Pathogens such as viruses and unproductive bacteria send out signal chemicals when troublemaker foods are removed, which can trigger cravings for those exact foods.
- Stored toxins leaving fat cells can also surface as sudden cravings for foods you have not eaten in years.
- Detox symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, skin breakouts, and emotional swings are common during a 3:6:9 cleanse and are not necessarily a sign something is wrong.
- Eating enough glucose from foods like dates, mangoes, bananas, and raw honey supports your brain and adrenals while old adrenaline is being released.
- Cravings become less intense the more you cleanse, as your toxic load lightens over time.
During one of my Advanced 3:6:9 cleanses, I sat down to dinner with a cauliflower salad and suddenly all I could think about was pizza. Not just any pizza. The exact kind of pizza I used to eat years earlier before I changed my diet. The craving was so strong and it caught me completely off guard because I hadn’t eaten pizza in years.
Anthony always says: when in doubt, go back to the books. So that’s exactly what I did. I opened my copy of Medical Medium® Cleanse to Heal, even though I had read it before. I needed that reminder. And reading it helped me understand what was happening.
By that point, I had seen this enough times in my own cleanses and with clients to know what was happening. The craving wasn’t really about pizza.
I’ve read the Medical Medium® books more times than I can count, and I’ve seen this happen many times in my own cleanses and with clients. So when the craving hit, I already knew what was happening.
This experience of craving childhood pizza comes from cleansing those very foods that I was craving. Understanding this can completely change the way you look at cleansing.
Why you get cravings during a 3:6:9 cleanse
One of the most misunderstood parts of the cleanse to heal process is dealing with cravings. Most people assume a craving means their body needs something. But during a 3:6:9 cleanse, cravings almost never work that way.
Anthony William explains that old adrenaline stores information from difficult experiences. That adrenaline then gets stored in your fat cells, along with the fear, hurt, betrayal, or overwhelm you were feeling at the time. When those fat cells begin to release during a cleanse, the stored adrenaline can be released too. And when it is released, you can sometimes feel those emotions again. Sometimes that shows up as unexplained sadness. Sometimes as a craving for a food you haven’t thought about in years.
“The cleanses in this book are about eating foods that help you cleanse adrenaline rather than store it (e.g. fatty foods like cheese, burgers, pastries contain high levels of fat that will store rather than release adrenaline) and can comfort you at the same time on a spiritual and soul level.”
One reason we crave comfort foods during difficult times is because the fat in those foods can temporarily help with the effects of stress and adrenaline. There is no judgment in that. We all do the best we can to get through difficult experiences.
The challenge is that over time, adrenaline can become stored in fat cells. Without cleansing, we carry that old adrenaline with us for years.
Cravings during detox: what is really happening
There are three real reasons cravings happen during a cleanse, and none of them are about needing more protein or healthy fat.
Old adrenaline being released. When stored adrenaline is released from your fat cells, it can bring up emotions and cravings connected to a difficult time in your life. Your body reaches for comfort foods the same way it did when you were going through that experience.
Pathogens sending out signals. When viruses and unproductive bacteria stop getting the foods they like to feed on, such as eggs, gluten, and dairy, they begin to starve. As they starve, they can trigger cravings for those very foods. This is one reason someone can suddenly experience cravings for troublemaker foods after removing them, even if they had been doing well for weeks.
“One reason cravings occur is that when we withhold troublemaker foods, viruses and unproductive bacteria begin to starve. Because they’re not getting the foods they want (such as eggs, gluten, and dairy), these pathogens start to excrete signal chemicals. The chemicals can then enter our brain and stimulate hunger messaging receptors, triggering us to want those very foods.”
Toxins being released from fat cells. Over time, toxins can become stored in fat cells. As those fat cells begin to release during a cleanse, the toxins can be released too. This can sometimes trigger cravings for foods you haven’t eaten in years.
My craving wasn’t really about pizza. It was a sign that my body was releasing something old. Had I not known that, I would have been confused, thinking the cleanse wasn’t giving me everything I needed and pizza was the answer. This happens to so many people, so it’s critical to know the truth so you can stay the course.
Cravings are not a lack of willpower
I want you to know that cravings do not mean you are failing your cleanse. They can be a sign that old adrenaline is being released, pathogens are starving, or toxins are leaving the body.
When I had that intense pizza craving, I didn’t act on it. I brushed my teeth, made a brain shot, and went for a walk, and before long the craving passed.
That’s why I share this information. Understanding what’s happening in your body can make cleansing feel much easier.
How stored adrenaline and toxins affect healing
Here’s why this matters beyond cravings.
During difficult times in life, your adrenal glands release adrenaline to help you get through them. Some of that adrenaline can become stored in fat cells, along with toxins, poisons, heavy metals, and pathogenic waste.
As those fat cells begin to release during a cleanse, the stored adrenaline, toxins, and pathogenic waste can be released too.
This is one reason you may not feel your best during a cleanse. You may feel more emotional than usual. You may feel more tired than usual. You may even experience cravings or other detox symptoms. This does not mean something is wrong. It can be a sign that your body is releasing things that have been stored for a long time.
“When we start cleansing fat cells, which means that the viruses and viral waste they’ve absorbed get released, that’s when we can feel a little under the weather for a while. While it can make us worry that we’re temporarily moving backward, it’s really a sign of release that will move us forward.”
Detox symptoms during a 3:6:9 cleanse: what's normal
This is one of the most common questions I get, so I want to answer it directly.
If you experience any of the following during a 3:6:9 cleanse, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong:
- Fatigue: your body is working hard to heal
- Headaches: toxins and neurotoxins may be releasing
- Feeling more emotional than usual: old adrenaline may be releasing
- Skin breakouts or rashes: pathogenic waste may be leaving through the skin
- Intense cravings: pathogens may be starving, or old toxins may be releasing
- Feeling more tired than usual: a sign that your toxic load may be higher
When viruses die inside the body, they release neurotoxins and dermatoxins. As lymphatic fluid begins to move and release, symptoms and emotions can come up at the same time. The higher your toxic load, the more gently you may need to approach cleansing.
If a full 3:6:9 cleanse feels like too much right now, you can still use some of the tools. Morning celery juice, the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie, or a Liver Rescue Morning can all help support the release process.
You are still helping your body heal. You may just need to go a little more slowly.
Detox reactions during a cleanse: what to expect
Your lymphatic system plays an important role in cleansing. As your body releases toxins, pathogenic waste, and old adrenaline, different detox symptoms can occur.
You may notice skin reactions, feel more emotional than usual, experience changes in energy, or have cravings become stronger for a period of time.
This doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. These types of detox reactions can look different for everyone.
I saw this with a client during her first Advanced 3:6:9 cleanse. She cried every day of the cleanse, even though nothing was wrong in her life. Old adrenaline that had been stored for years was finally being released. Once she understood what was happening, the experience became much less frightening.
What to do when detox symptoms and cravings get strong
When cravings get stronger or you find yourself feeling more emotional during a cleanse, this is where getting enough glucose becomes so important.
“Glucose protects your emotional stability. It helps protect you from post traumatic stress symptoms and emotional trauma. If we’re not keeping our brain cool with glucose, protecting the emotional centers of the brain, we can go into a glucose deficit, and that’s when we’re susceptible to a relapse of trauma. The 3:6:9 cleanse is created to do the opposite.”
Dates. Mangoes. Bananas. Raw honey. Coconut water. These foods help support your brain and adrenals when old adrenaline is being released. Don’t be afraid to eat them.
And please don't under-eat on a cleanse. I would rather see you eat more than not enough.
Planning ahead can help. Prepare meals when you have the time and energy so that you always have something supportive available when cravings show up.
The more you cleanse, the lighter your toxic load becomes. Cravings become less intense. The emotional ups and downs become easier to handle. I can tell you this with certainty after nearly 100 3:6:9 cleanses, and those cravings for pizza were short-lived. My healing is here to stay, and cleansing does get easier. Keep going.
To your peace and happiness,
Muneeza
If a full 3:6:9 cleanse feels like a big jump from here, start smaller.
3 Day Clean Eating Reboot
The 3 Day Clean Eating Reboot is a free guide built on Medical Medium® principles. It gives you a simple three-day menu with real meals, not just juice and greens, so you can ease into cleansing without feeling hungry or overwhelmed. It’s also written to work for the whole family.
Frequently asked questions
Are 3:6:9 cleanse cravings a sign I need more protein or fat?
No. During a 3:6:9 cleanse, cravings are almost never a sign of a nutrient deficiency. They are more often a sign of old adrenaline being released, pathogens starving as troublemaker foods are removed, or stored toxins leaving your fat cells. Eating enough glucose from fruit supports your body through this process.
How long do 3:6:9 cleanse cravings last?
Cravings tend to be short-lived, often passing within minutes once you redirect your attention, brush your teeth, or take a short walk. As you continue cleansing and your toxic load lightens, cravings generally become less frequent and less intense over time.
What should I eat during a 3:6:9 cleanse if a craving hits?
Reach for glucose-rich foods such as dates, mangoes, bananas, raw honey, or coconut water. These foods support your brain and adrenal glands while old adrenaline is being released, and they help you avoid under-eating, which can make cravings and detox symptoms feel more intense.
