The Cleanse

I was going to wait until I was done with the cleanse before I posted about it but I'm so happy that I'm half way through I just had to blog about it.

I'm doing what is called the Master Cleanse.  You can find helpful info such as instructions on how to do the cleanse, recipe for the drink and tips on how to get through the cleanse here.  You can find more tips and answers to frequently asked questions and the purpose for these ingredients here.  There are also plenty of books about it.

Basically you mix pure, grade B maple syrup, fresh squeezed lemons/limes and cayenne pepper.  You mix this with water and this juice contains your daily supply of calories/vitamins/minerals (approx. 1500 calories with the basic recipe).  I dilute it even more with water (since the taste is something you need to get used to!!) and drink it throughout the day especially when I am feeling hungry.  Along with the juice, you drink a laxative tea at night and do a salt water flush in the morning to keep the bowels moving and clean them.  And you do all of that for 10 days.

Yes, I was very skeptical.  I saw several friends at school do it usually once in the fall and once in the spring.  I kept telling them that I love to eat too much to abandon food as I know it for 1 day let alone 10 days!  But, for some reason, I felt up for it now.  I am amazed to report that I HAVE in fact been able to go without food as I know it for starting my 6th day today.  I know that 1500 calories a day is less that what I would normally consume so I do feel a bit hungry but not overwhelmingly hungry.  I really am ok with not eating.  It is kind of a relief because I don't have to think about what to eat and what I've already eaten and is it healthy and do I care because I'm craving it....  I feel fine.  I have enough energy to do what I want to do, I'm not dizzy or whoosy or fatigued....any other symptom you can think of having from not eating.  I had a headache on day 2 (Saturday) but it wasn't terrible.  I took a nap and felt better.  

I have been able to step back some and examine my responses to food, try to analyze why I'm craving food, what is going on to prompt it, am I really hungry/does my body need the nutrition or am I just eating for emotional reasons/boredom/fatigue?  My goal is to come out of the cleanse and essentially reset my food habits.  Focus on more veggies and whole grains and keep my calories around 1500 or so since I'm not terribly active.  Then I'll try to maintain that new habit for 6 months and do another cleanse in the spring.    

The salt water flush is incredibly unpleasant and I've only done it twice.  I understand the reason for it and perhaps when I do the cleanse again in 6 months I'll be more brave about it.  I don't know if I will do it again this cleanse though.  Maybe the last day (Sunday) just to make sure things are clean!  The laxative tea is fine, not too overwhelming but effective.  

All in all, I'm feeling pretty darn good.  I don't seem to have the ups and downs in my energy levels since I'm getting my sustenance evenly throughout the day (noted for when I come off the cleanse).  I don't even really miss eating food but I also know that I'll get to eat again next week so that helps.  My sense of smell has gotten better.  I guess if your tastebuds aren't stimulated then you pay more attention to smell?  Just a thought.  I've also lost 5 pounds in 5 days.  Another beneficial side effect. 

Anyway, I'm hoping to make it all the way through Sunday doing this as that would be my 10 days.  People have been known to do it for as long as 40 days!! I don't think I would ever do that.  Another side effect which coincides with Chinese Medicine is you get this white, furry coating on your tongue.  On one web site I read that you should do the cleanse until the white, furry coating is gone from your tongue.  If it isn't gone by Sunday night, I might consider doing the cleanse for 4 more days which would put me at 2 full weeks doing it but I wouldn't go any longer.

I agree.  It sounds totally crazy especially to those of you who have never cleansed.  But, it was the right thing for me to do at the right time.  I'll let you know if I made it to Monday morning or not.

If you want to chat about more of the details, email me.  And if I see you over the weekend, please don't offer me any food!!