Master Cleanse

[vegggeeemom]

I will be starting the MC on Monday April 16th and striving to go the full 10 days.
Anyone else that is doing this I'd love the support.

Ok, there are two choices to either continue to post here about the MC or jump on over to http://therawfoodsite.com/forum/

Thanks firsttimer and this is your thread to keep up on!! ;)

[firsttimer]

vegggeeemom, hello from a fellow MCer!

I'm actually on the cleanse now (evening of Day 4) but am hoping to go longer than 10 days (not sure how long yet though...) so will hopefully be around to track with you for most of your cleanse!

Have you done the cleanse before? If not, feel free to ask away :)

[vegggeeemom]

Nope never done it before. I just need something kick start my engine.:)

How are you feeling?

People are soo worried that I will get sick..and that they are warning to me to stay near a bathroom cuz I will be going alot..then they say eww..

I laughed and said it is a CLEANSE and that is what it does is cleanses you!

Do you use agave instead of the maple syrup?

[Cumbria]

I feel trapped in a rut that I can't get out of and haven't even been able to stick as closely to the raw food diet as I had intended. I am just starting out so I know it's a difficult transformation. It's just so frustrating!

I did the Master Cleanse last Spring and it was great! I felt wonderful though I learned I was not drinking enough of the lemonade to get the desired effect. I only went six days but not because I was hungry or feeling bad -- I just had the out of control intense urge to CHEW something! I felt happy I was able to even go six days! I never dreamed I could!

SOOO, now I'm ready to try again and go the full 10 days. I can tell you this (in case you don't know), it will break any addictions you might have. I had the terrible habit of smoking when I had a few drinks several times a week and I wanted to stop but couldn't. After six days on the Master Cleanse -- I had no withdrawals or desires for anything. It even helped with my food addictions. I felt SO CLEAN!

Anyway, I think by doing the fast again it will help me "reset" and prepare for the raw food diet better than going directly from very bad SAD to raw.

Count me in.......

[Lady Green Jeans]

Cumbria,

My experience was so much like yours. I broke my mc after 7 days because I simply had to chew something, too. Am gearing up to start another one--grade B is lined up, cayenne at the ready and looking to stock up on the lemons or limes (kind of pricy right now, but gung ho and moving ahead).

Please keep us posted with the progress.

[firsttimer]

Hello all fellow master cleansers! So happy to hear you're all planning on doing the cleanse :D ! I'm currently on Day 5 and I'm down 8 lbs (this is pretty fast compared to my normal, I typically lose a lb a day, but I'm not complaining:p )

This is my third master cleanse. First time I stopped after 8 full days as I was going through an emotional time so decided to stop. My second cleanse was actually about 3 weeks ago where I went for 10 days. Despite not recommending doing a series of cleanses in a short period of time, I'm back on the cleanse. At the moment I'm hoping to go for 14 days, so my finish date will the 24th April.
---------------------------
vegggemom - you CAN do this. I tried loads of fasting/cleanses before this but only ever managed 3 or 4 days and ended up bingeing/feeling rubbish. The lemonade is the only thing which can suppress my hunger when fasting. I wont lie to you, my first cleanse was tough. Even my second cleanse, I found the first 6 days really tough but felt fantastic towards the end. This time round, I feel great! Maybe it's because I recently cleansed but I've literally had very little detox symptoms.

The most important thing is to remember that all the bad feelings/hunger/cravings you feel are detox symptoms and are not a signal to stop. Post here/on a blog whenever you need support as it really helps

You'll need to be by a toilet for at least 2 hours (maybe 2.5 hours) straight after the SWF. But the good thing is that after those 2 hours you wont need to worry about eliminating for the rest of the day!

I actually used a mixture of syrups this cleanse - I used up the last of my Madal Bal tree syrup (a mixture of palm and maple syrup - the kind beyonce used), and am now alternating days with agave nectar and maple syrup (as well as alternating with lemons and limes). The agave nectar is apparently better for diabetics and hypoglycaemia (it releases the sugar slower) - but is 3xs sweeter than sugar, so the lemonade will taste a lot sweeter. The maple syrup lemonade will taste more mapley and smokey. So whichever floats your boat! I personally alternate to have a bit of a change, the cleanse is rather monotonous as you can probably tell!

Cumbria - the MC sounds like it'll be a great way to jumpstart a raw lifestyle. after my first cleanse, my eating habits changed for the better! didn't go 100% raw but definitely increased my raw intake.

Lady Green Jeans - welcome :D ! sounds like you're revved to start! what day are you hoping to begin?

Solace - thanks for the info, input is always welcome! I'm actually not a 100% raw follower (a black sheep in the midst:D ) but do understand why some people would want to go for the raw honey instead - tried to look for raw agave nectar today but couldn't find it. Figured the MC is still giving me great benefits and I'm not having trouble so I'm just going to follow it to a tee for now!

[spicyfull]

I wish you Much Success..........

[trinity082482]

I want to re try it but i am worried about the lemon acid on my teeth. Im working 8 hour days I cant leave to brush lol

[vegggeeemom]

Thanks firsttimer for your help. It really does help to have a "master" master cleanser here! ;)
Someone had posted this on another board and that got me interested in doing it. I said I was going to do it and tried to get others to join. After reading the link that someone put up and saying that you'll have detox symptoms they all backed out. I'm the only one f/ that group that is going to go through with it.
One lady told her dh and he said no way are you doing that, it's too scary. Oh, ok, well then it's not for them I guess.

But, you come to a point where you just KNOW what you have to do and then just jump in all the way.

I will be posting here how I am feeling and questions I have while doing this. I have to go either tomorrow or early Monday morning to get all the ingrdients.

Oh one questions is do you make the lemondade drink fresh or do you make it in advance?

I'm really ready to get this going and don't want to break this just because I will feel the detox symptoms, I want to get through the whole 10 days and see the benefits of the cleanse.

I recently had a miscarriage (again) and my energy level was just depleted. I'd say for about 10 or 11 days I've been SO tired and just dragging through the day. I am just now getting my energy back and want to get even more energy f/ doing this cleanse!

This is a VERY stupid question I am sure, but while doing the MC I shouldn't take any vitamans or supplements right?

Thanks so much for being here to help me through this! I'm probably gonna need the support!

[SparklePlenty]

I am starting my second MC today. Did one a few years ago for 21 days and felt FABULOUS the entire time. I've been all over the map with raw/cooked etc, and dealt tons of stress these past several monthis so I am doing this to cleanse and detox, and push Restart. My body is so ready for this rest.

I will aim for 21 days again but will listen to my body as the highest authority on how long to go.

I plan to keep up my walking schedule--3-6 miles daily, just like I did last time...and stretching. I had so much energy and creativity flowing then and expect I will this time too.

I hate the SWF so will probably do Smooth Move tea both pm and am.

Trinity, as for the teeth and acid....I use a straw and rinse my mouth after I finish a lemonade.

[vegggeeemom]

Jan I am so glad you are joining us. It encourages me to see others have done it before with success. I'm probably going to alternate between raw honey and raw agave during the cleanse.

I'll try the SWF too, but not sure what it's like.

I am so excited to do this and everyone besides dh is shooting me down. I am not telling anyone irl though, well maybe one person, but I'm just going to do this and enjoy the immense benefits of getting rid of toxins in my body that have built up and I am sure at the end I'll feel much better.

I can't wait til Monday!

[Lady Green Jeans]

firsttimer,

I am working at depleting the produce already in my fridge--really don't like wasting food. This will be my second master cleanse and am looking forward to it. I must be odd because the swf wasn't bad as so many described. Seemed like a natural cleansing type thing. Missing the chewing is what I found the only hard thing about the cleanse.

Will post again as soon as I start--meanwhile I'm rooting for all of you!

[nickiepinks34]

I'm starting on the 16th too! i'm going for 20 days. I'm doing it to give my body the fresh start that i know it needs! i want to be 100% raw but i'm having a hard time because my body craves fast food fat. good luck doll!

[nickiepinks34]

and another thing, i'm not able to do the saline wash or the smooth move tea that your suppost to do with the cleanse because i work almost everyday in a store and i'm always busy and cant be on the toliet all day! haha

[firsttimer]

hello cleansers, psyched to see this thread is growing and more people are joining :D !

trinity - come join us, the results will be fantastic! like sparkleplenty said, straws are the way to go!

veggeeemom - how awesome you are to have started this thread, i have a good feeling about this! there is a lot of negativity towards the cleanse and fasts in general - the fear of the unknown... i was hit by it too before each cleanse, but once you get on it you'll realise it is do-able and it is worth it!

it is best to make the lemonade drink fresh as the enzymes from the lemons will be at their best. however, in practice, this can often be inpracticable for some people. I personally make my batch of lemonades for the day in the morning and keep it in a 2 litre bottle. it's ok to do this. though be careful - see on your first day how tolerant you are of the cayenne pepper (even i found it rather hot at the beginning until i got used to it and i can now just dump in loads) - if you're not a fan of the cayenne don't put it in a large batch as it gets hotter the longer it's sat in liquid. add it to each new drink if you prefer. if you can't really take the cayenne, do a shot of cayenne/lemonade mixture (with the minimum recommended cayenne) sometime during the day to get it over and done with.

as soon as you get detox symptoms, post them here and we'll all help you work through them all. i'm sorry to hear about your miscarriage (hug), this cleanse should be good for rebalancing your energies, though you will get periods of tiredness (where you should take it easy).

don't take vitamins or supplements. the nutrients you need will be in the maple syrup. vitamins and supplements are hard to digest, and you need to give your system a break so that energy is focused on healing and cleansing instead.

i didn't tell anyone irl about the cleanse either. i pretended to my housemate that i was on a 100% raw diet instead (because we normally cook/eat together) and he already thinks that's bordering along the line of insane!

wishing you all the best, and looking forward to tracking with you!

SparklePlenty - welcome! 21 days, wow! completely agree with the whole listening to our bodies and taking care of ourselves throughout the cleanse, a definite must. that's brilliant you're keeping up the physical activity as well. i do a bit of dancing and yoga and it does leave me feeling refreshed and calm :) when are you hoping to begin the cleanse?

Lady Green Jeans - we shall eagerly wait your return to join us! i'm used to the SWF now as well (first time i was sick, but now it's just routine!)... have you tried chewing ice cubes or frozen lemonade on the cleanse to help with the chewing thing? not an amazing substitue, but is satisfying enough for some.

nickiepink - this cleanse will be fantastic for getting rid of cravings! you'll probably crave lots of thing on the cleanse (apparently craving specific things means that the layer of colon/intestines currently being removed contains all the remnants of the food which you are craving!) but once you're clean, you wont want to feed your body all that fast food stuff!

i am however a little worried about you not doing either the swf or the smooth move tea. the lemonade is agitating and releasing all the toxins, and these toxins will start circulating (hence the detox symptoms) - the eliminations via the swf and tea will help a lot with the detox symptoms. you've got to get rid of the toxins. you need to drink extra water too (approximately half your weight in oz) to flush out those toxins otherwise you're not getting rid of them.

your best bet is the swf first thing in the morning before work. after 2 hours you wont need to go to the loo for the rest of the day. during my last cleanse i had to wake up 5 am everyday before work to get it done. but it really is worth it. eliminating is just as important as releasing the toxins. also the tea you have the last thing at night, which helps push things along so that the next morning's swf will be more productive. what do you think about incorporating them both?

-------

despite starting off really well, i actually had a pretty tough day (Day 5). tiredness/dizziness/moodiness hit and was feeling pretty irritable. recognised that these were detox symptoms so took it easy and had a nap and did some yoga and felt so much better. friends came to visit tonight so that perked me up as well. feeling a-ok again now! am not going to set my alarm tomorrow so can have a lie in :)

[happyone]

vegggeeemom, hello from a fellow MCer!

I'm actually on the cleanse now (evening of Day 4) but am hoping to go longer than 10 days (not sure how long yet though...) so will hopefully be around to track with you for most of your cleanse!

Have you done the cleanse before? If not, feel free to ask away :)


Please gave me the the recipe for the mc thank you.

[firsttimer]

hi happyone and welcome! i'm guessing you don't have stanley burrough's (the pioneer of the master cleanse) book so here's a link to a complete copy online (it's useful to have a read before embarking on the cleanse):

http://healthandlight.com/TheMasterCleanse.pdf

page 10 gives the exact measurements but to summarise:

per drink:
-2 tablespoons lemon (or lime) juice
-2 tablespoons maple syrup
-1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-8 oz water

burrough's says you can use 1 tablespoon of maple syrup per drink if you are more overweight (but many people say that you should use the full 2 tablespoons, otherwise your body will work harder to cling onto each calorie) - some people use 2 tablespoons at the start of the cleanse, and then reduce to 1 tablespoon. people who use 2 throughout the cleanse tend to also get amazing results. i personally use 1 because otherwise i find it too sweet (and will use the syrup additionally in peppermint tea etc).

good luck!

~FT

[vegggeeemom]

firsttimer thank you so very much for that link and for the information in your other post. I am SO SO SO glad you are joining us in this mc. I am so glad to have someone that has done it before and can help us out here.

I'm going to bookmark that link and read it before Monday.

[firsttimer]

it's my pleasure veggemom! i know how helpful it can be to have a little guidance as cleanses can be quite a scary prospect if you haven't tried it before. looking forward to all of you starting tomorrow so that i can have some company on this thing:D

have a lovely rest of weekend!

[nickiepinks34]

thank you sooo much firsttimer! i guess i gonna go get some tea and sea salt. Anyone know where to find the tea? GNC mabye?

[SparkleMichele]

I am on day 7 of the master cleanse. So far so good. I am aiming for 40 days and then 10 days of juice fasting after the cleanse. I did complete a 30 day juice fast last year. Also like Sparkleplenty I have been all over the map with raw/cook food. My highest weight was 255lbs, with raw and juice fasting I got down to 187lbs. I swore to myself I would never see 200 again....well guess what I got all the way up to 230lbs. I am so sick of this cycle.
So this is to kick start myself back to a raw, healthy lifestyle. I am down to 219 after 7 days.
I too dislike the SWF. I don't think I have met anyone who actually enjoys it. The way you feel afterwards is awesome. You forget how you felt earlier trying to down the water.

I am sure everyone will do well with their cleanse. I am glad we are here to support one another.

Michele

[firsttimer]

hi everyone:) hope everyone's doing well, and those of you who are starting tomorrow are feeling nice and ready!

nickiepink unfortunately i'm not from the states, i'm not sure if things are the same as over here in the UK, but normally you'll always find the lax tea bags in health stores. otherwise you'll definitely be able to order some online if you can't find any. ideally you should start drinking the tea the night before you start the cleanse, but if you can't get the tea bags by then, just do the SWF in the morning.

SparkleMichele welcome to the thread! glad to hear you're doing well and you've got a well thought out plan. I had a read of your blog - how much lemonade have you been able to get down you each day? i normally manage about 7 glasses a day... there's so much fluid to drink on this cleanse, but it really is great to feel so hydrated (for once). keep us updated with your progress!

[vegggeeemom]

Well firsttimer,

I choose not to post about the MC on here. I forgot that it is not raw friendly and I apologize to everyone that it offended or made scared for those of us trying it out.

MODS:If this thread needs deleted please do so. I didn't mean to bring up a non raw friendly cleanse. Again my apology.

[vegggeeemom]

firsttimer, if you can either post the link to where we can go to post about the MC or email it to me that would be great.

I'll edit my first initial post to direct others to where it might be.

[star1919]

This MC Cleanse has been mentioned often. And, the only not raw ingredient is maple syrup. Which isn't unlike agave, honey, cashews, miso, nutritional yeast and some other ingredients chosen to be used by some, and not others.

In regard to other thread and concerns about the MC Cleanse... it is wonderful that we care about each other and take the time to share our concerns, viewpoints. And, are still able to be respectful of choices, views that vary from our own. I also think it is worth mentioning those that have benefited from doing the MC Cleanse. So, please don't apologize for sharing about it.


A positive day to all... :D

[firsttimer]

Hi veggiemom,

If you would like to head to:

http://therawfoodsite.com/forum/

you'll find buckets loads of MCers who can help you on your cleanse. You can post your progress throughout your cleanse on the main "general check in" thread 'What day are you on and how are you doing' and if you let me know your username I'll be sure to look out for you there to track with you (my username is firsttimemastercleanser). It's also great if you have any worries/questions about the cleanse.

I'll be sure to see you there :)

Everyone else, I'll keep looking in here so feel free to keep posting here (whatever you prefer) and I'll be sure to track with you guys too.

Happy Cleansing Everyone and good luck for Day 1 tomorrow!

[firsttimer]

Hi star1919, just read your post after I posted my last message - thank you for your support and positiveness, you are a sweetie! I definitely don't think the discussion has been a negative thing, it is important for everyone to know the two sides to every story.

vegemom, if after you read star's message you would consider still posting here, that's super-duper with me too. either way!

[vegggeeemom]

FT my name will be the same as here vegggeeemom. I'll do this cleanse and then probably come back on here to continue on raw.

Thank you so much and I wish you all the best of luck! :)

[vegggeeemom]

FT thank you so much. I just read your last post. I don't want to cause ripples here. You know. I don't want to be misleading to anyone newly embarking on the raw diet. So, for right now I probably will post at the link you included and it's directed totally for mc'ers, perfect.

[star1919]

Whatever feels best to you, is the way to go. I would mention that the MC Cleanse has been and is likely to be shared here fairly often.
And, you're also welcome to post on the 'Fasting Bandits' new thread too.

Here is another MC forum you might enjoy checking out as well.

http://curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=478


Please know you're so welcome here if that is comfortable for you. :D

[firsttimer]

Thanks vegemom for keeping the peace:D will see you on the other board!

[nickiepinks34]

I found the tea!!! wild oats is my new fave place!
I will be keeping a daily blog on my MC progress. The good the bad and the out right ugly! i will try to make it as entertaining as possible ( i said try) so try to read it. Especially if you've done any kind of fast before. A girl need some advice!

[firsttimer]

nickiepink, glad to hear you found the tea! will be sure to check in with you here/on your blog to see how you're doing. Day 7 for me and feeling great :D ! Best of luck for the beginning of your cleansing journey!

~FT

[vegggeeemom]

Ok, just checking in to see how everyone is doing???? :)

[firsttimer]

hey vegemom!

i'm on day 9, doing great! how are you doing? your signature has hit the nail right on the head - to get through this cleanse you've just got to take it one day at a time, and by the end you'll wonder where all those days went! let us know how you're getting on:)

[star1919]

Hi... you guys are doing great! :D

[vegggeeemom]

I'm doing really good today. I had a big energy spurt today and so cleaned my whole kitchen, pantry and everything and did 3 loads of laundry...still cleaning. :)

My room is next and I'm reorganizing things along the way! At this rate I'll be done by the time dh goes out of town this weekend!!

[star1919]

Hi Vegggeeemom... great to hear from you! Sounds like your energy is so good... and you're getting so much done. Awesome! :D

[vegggeeemom]

Yes, I got alot done. Then it hit hard yesterday. So, I had to come off the cleanse. I had to listen to my body. I know it's all detox and all...but I just have to listen to my body and go with what it's telling me to do.

I am drinking alot of water and haven't eaten anything today..there isn't really anything here that I can eat! LOL

Dh is in commission sales (new job) and he doesn't get paid for quite awhile. We have money in the bank, but that's for bills and mortgage..so my food shopping suffers.

I have celery what can that be juiced w/ to make it taste good?! :) I've got celery and lettuce...that's it as far as veggies and fruits go..oh and lemons and limes! Any ideas?!

[star1919]

Vegggeeemom... That is so wise to listen to your body with fasting. I find that my fasts vary each time. As for juicing, if it's possible to pick up a bag of apples... I love that combo with celery. Here's to an abundant path for you & dh with this new opportunity! :D

[vegggeeemom]

Ugh, I have NO car until tonight. I am just downing the water and in the bathroom all day. :)

I don't want to break what I am feeling. I am feeling really good having listened to my body. I think I'll try the juice fast next time. Which will hopefully be soon.

Dh is going out of town for an acting audition too. :eek: They scouted him out..so he figures hey why not! :p

But, I'll see if my friend is able to run to the store for me really fast and pick me up some fruit. I am wanting bananas and apples and carrots...that's pretty cheap. I'll just do it!

Thanks! Oh and how much celery to how many apples?! Or just do it and taste it and adjust accordingly?!

I just weighed and lost 4 pounds. So, I got that out of it and of course listened to my body and got energy f/ it. So, it wasn't all that bad! Just not for me right now.

[star1919]

Hi Vegggeeemom... yes, I make juices to taste. With you needing to budget right now... the things you mentioned would make good salads etc. Juicing is great but, sure does go through a lot of produce quickly.

It's so good you listened to your body regarding the cleanse. That's an important wisdom for each of us. Wishing you an energized weekend! :D

[FirstGarden]

I agree with Star about mixing to taste. Some veggies aren't as palatable as others. What always seems to work is a good carrot base -- maybe 50-75% (I prefer 75% hehe). It's sweet and compensates well with others. Try some beet too, along with the leaves mixed with celery in a carrot base. Yum!!!

In his books, N.W. Walker extols the carrot as a great healer, and there are some rather remarkable juicing testimonies about it.