FYI on the master cleanse

[sptygl]

I've seen people writing about the nasty SWF and the trouble getting it down... I couldn't stand it either, but now I don't mind it so much...
I ADD a few drops of soy sauce and pretend it's wonton soup, then chug it!!

So this is my experience on this --
I am doing my first ever MC... I am doing fairly ok, as I am actually a bit surprised to have gotten to day 5!! Tomorrow is day 6!! I think I have it down to quite a system too! I just hate the salt water morning chugs, but what can you do. I enjoy the tea bc it's the only variation from the lemonade. I am not really emotional or moody at all, in fact I feel really focused and feel pretty fine. I'm curious to see how the end results are, and hope to really see a difference

For those of you that have done this before, what real results did you notice? And was it tough coming off the mc?

I still think of food, and really can't wait to eat sooonnnnn! I have been organizing my raw food recipes and ideas for when my fast is done and I'm quite obsessed about this - food sounds yummy and I can't wait!

I wish I could cheat + bc I have several big charity events this weekend.. And the food is yummy, but I plan on seeing this through the 10 days, and then I guess there is that progression you must take off the mc!! What do you guys eat when you get off, don't you have to wean yourself off?

[Mrs. Papaya]

I think I'd be nervous about adding soy sauce since that's a food substance not meant to be included in the fast. FWIW, here's what I did to help get through that horrible SWF:

Cut a small piece of lemon and sit it in a dish. I liked the lemon to be cold, so sometimes I put it on ice.

Pour the warm SW into approximately 3-4 smaller glasses.

Take only one glass at a time over to the table with your lemon. Sit down and find an object to focus on. Then, gulp down the SW as fast as you can while focusing hard on that object.

Once you're done, immediately take the lemon slice and stick it on your tongue. Don't suck on it, etc., just let the cold lemon flavor your tongue and hopefully erase some of the horribleness of the SWF.

Go back and get another glass and repeat as soon as you are able.

This helped me more than anything else...it's still bad either way, though. One of the things I didn't like about the SWF its that as the week progressed in my Master Cleanse, it seemed to work less and less. Less would come out -- seemingly less than I drank in the flush. It also took longer to work and wasn't nearly as effective. It kind of freaked me out. I tried adjusting the salt (adding a little more, sometimes a little less) but that didn't help, either.

For this 3-day juice fast I am just wrapping up now, I didn't do a SWF or anything else. I had two natural BMs and feel everything was fine.

Good luck!

[Aleesha Sattva]

reading recipes is a recipe for disaster when you are fasting. stay away from reading about food and you'll find your fast soooooooooooooo much easier.

i don't do the m/c but i don't know about adding soya sauce...

[ViolinCyndee]

I agree... I wouldn't add soy sauce to the SWF. I drink mine warm, and think of it as an internal bath. Looking forward to my next MC at the end of May.

[Katie P]

Ha! I'm doing the MC also!!!!! Today is day 5 for me :) I've done the cleanse multiple times in the past. I usually am tired on it. Some days are better than others (today being one of them --I have alot of energy) but I usually take it pretty easy...leisure walks, yoga etc... My clothes usually fit better @ the end. I don't weigh so I can't tell ya about weight loss, but I feel cleansed which is the most important thing.

One thing that I love about the MC is the fact that I give my body a break from digesting & working. It gives my body time to work on other hormone issues shich I've had alot of in the past.

The first day off the cleans I always drink OJ. Sometimes I might eat a piece of fruit that night but I make it an orange so my body gets the acid back in my stomach.

Good luck....keep me posted. Don't think about food too much :) Just remember you are doing your body good by resting it from food.

[sptygl]

Thank you for the great info!! Last night was especially challenging because I had this red carpet event, it was catered to the hilt!! So many hors duerves going around, I somehow managed!!

[Katie P]

Awesome job @ resisting the temptation with the appetizers! I had a very challenging day yesterday too. I went out of town with my sister & kids & mom & they went to bread company & ordered apples & salads & sandwhiches----I wanted to scream!!!! I was tired & hungry (b/c I didn't bring enough "lemonade") & seeing food all around me was sooo hard. But it's times like these when we opt for cleansing rather than eating dead food anyway that we feel so much better in the end.
Good luck! When is your last day? I'm on day 7 now ---1more week for me then I'm done

[sptygl]

Kate - today was day 7 for me too!! Tomorrow (monday) day 8!! Can't believe it either, and there were tough days w all that yummy food going around!
Weird, haven't noticed any weight loss yet? Just feel good, energy etc

What type of acid are u suppose to put back in ur system when you're done? Fruit? What kind?

[Katie P]

This is awesome that we're doing this together! Extra support is always nice!
Fresh squeezed OJ is recommended for the first day & then part of the 2nd day. I think they say to have veggie soup on the 2ndy day but if you're raw then I just add fruit. I'll probably have OJ throughout most of the first day then have an orange that night. The 2nd day I'll probably honestly eat fruit, mainly oranges but I'm not gonna stress too much about it. I'll mostly have oranges & apples for the 2nd day then the 3rd day I'll eat fruits & veggies then after that go back to my regular raw foods with avocados, salads fruits & veggies.

How long are you doing the cleanse for?

[LNdolls]

I am on day two myself, may I join in??
The SWF is easier the more I do it... warm water, and I am now using Eden sea salt and it is the easiest it has ever been these two days. I tried Fleur De Sel in a couple brands, and Himalayan pink salt. I don't like the SWF, but it is chug a lug and done. And a matching amount of clean water is what I have next - about 20-30 minutes after the SWF.
I also match each of the lemon drinks with pure water.
I tried the Yogi brand Get Regular tea and I had lots of cramping that woke me up. I like Smooth Move well enough and no cramps the first day. Any other brands that are gentler??

[Dirtymick]

I would not put soy sauce in the salt water flush. I vaguely remember reading that it has proteins that need to be broken down by the body. Thus, reducing the effectiveness of the cleanse. I just drank mine cold and it seemed to make it easier. I also used Himalayan salt instead of sea salt. I also agree with the poster above about researching recipes while on the fast. I just completed a 40 day Master Cleanse and on day 35 I started looking here for some good recipes to make when I was finished. Days 1 - 34 were fairly easy. Days 35 -40 brutally difficult. Coincidence... I think not. :)

[Katie P]

Welcome LNdolls! The more the merrier!!!! Have you done the cleanse before? How long are you doing it for?

[LNdolls]

Thanks! I am shooting for 21 days this time. I have done it several times, the longest was 40 days. I am hanging on today - not feeling the passion right now. I will be going for a nice walk, though. Maybe that will help me.

[sptygl]

Wow - can't believe I made it through!! Today was day 10!!!!!
I think next time I do this, I will be more active on the board, bc the inspiration from you guys definitely helps!! :)

Only thing is, I didn't lose anything!! Only 5 lbs !! Darn! Only thing I really noticed was feeling good and energy. No pink tongue though! Lol

The swf did get easier, and btw I did cut the drop of soy I had been adding!! Totally stopped doing that!!

Oh!!! Question!! As you are getting transitioned... Kate, you said some orange juice, some fruit (acidic) and veggie broth. So, no more tea at night right? And done w swf of course.
So weird question, how does your system adjust, I mean you know "toilet time" lol!! Should I be prepared for this in the morning still? Or do things go right back to normal, the way they were? You know what I mean right? :)

Thanks so mmuch guys!!
Now I think I want to try other fasts, and I would do mc again too!!

Any suggestions on others?? I like the juice idea, bc I am big on juicing, I have a great juicer! What do you suggest???

Thanks!!

[Katie P]

No pink tounge! That's funny! That's awesome that you feel good. Don't go by a number on the scale b/c the scale isn't telling you how good you feel.

Yeah the tea stops on your last night & then the next day (day 11) you still do the SWF b/c you had the tea. So the tea kinda aggrivates your system then the SWF cleanses it & flushes it all out. So it is important to do that. Then you have OJ all on day 11. But like I said I will probably do OJ & oranges that night.

Usually after the last day of the swf (day 11) my bm's are pretty normal. I do know some people who have done it & still had the MC bm's but not for only a few days after.
Once you start introducing solid foods back in your diet you should be fine.

I would love to try juicing with you! But I have 4 more days of the MC left --my last day is Sunday! WOOHOO!!! But I've always been interested in juicing & never done it. My mom just got a vita-mix so I could totally use her's!

So proud of you

[Katie P]

LNdolls----hang in there! Distract yourself & the time will go by faster :) The last MC I did was also 21 days. It's funny how after you look back on it 21 days doesn't seem that long unless you're in the middle of it. Read a book, listen to some music, go for a walk, sit in the quiet! That all will help :)

[LNdolls]

I did go for a hike and it helped enormously! I had a great second half of day 3 - that has not happened before. I loved it.
I feel pretty terrific today, too. I chugged the SWF, am finishing up my first 30 oz of water and will have my first lemonade of the day soon. I am actually looking forward to getting to work.

Congratulations Sptygl!

[Katie P]

The SWF is yuk! Down it!!!!!! LOL---yeah I know work helps me to. I think it's having a schedule that helps b/c I'm less likely to think about it :)
Keep me posted!

I've been feeling really good the past few days, before that it was like I was drunk. My brain was all foggy & I had slurred speech & was super tired but THANKFULLY that's over :)

[sptygl]

Omg - thx everyone for all the great advice!!
Katie - u are awesome!!! Thanks!! Cool, so that was great being in sync there... And I would love to do a juice fast together too!! I think I may even try the mc again in like a month or so, but do it right next time! :) haha, I was the silly one adding 2 drops of soy to my morning swf!! A no-no apparently!! Eeek!!

So yeh, I didn't do the day 11 thing right, but now I know for next time. I am doing raw now, but thinking about doing juicing next week at some point for a while. What do u think? Maybe like a week or so...
Sptygl

[Tsurugi_Oni]

I'm on day 2 of the MC (1st long term fast). Trying to prep my body for a mostly vegetarian/raw diet.

Saltwater flushes aren't that bad at all, you just gotta make sure to relax and ignore any weird feelings that may pop up.

About 80% through the first day I started getting a little anxious/irritated, but then after about 20 minutes of that I started feeling Great! I think it's because I've recently had a ton of digestive problems and giving it a break has helped a lot. I actually felt like naturally energetic in a way that I haven't been in about a year or so.

Day 2 (today) I actually woke not sluggish and with a ton of energy. It's so beautiful today I think I'm gonna go for a bike ride and go net fishing for some big fish.

This may be a weird way to gauge how healthy I am, but I can tell by the sound of my voice. I kind of do a deep relaxed purr like a cat/lion. If I'm stressed or sick I absolutely cannot do it, or it's very stressed / high in the throat. So far I've been purrin like a leo so it's goin pretty well.

[Katie P]

Sptygl--I would love to do a juice fast with ya----just let me know when. I just finished the MC!!!! WOOHOO!!! 14 days!!!! I went straight into eating oranges this morning!!! It definetly helps having support :)
I've never juiced before ---I guess I'll have to borrow my mom's vita -mix. Do you have a juicer?

[LNdolls]

Congratulations KatieP on finishing your cleanse!

That is cool about your voice, Tsurugi_Oni. I hope day 3 is going well, too.

I am heading to bed at the end of day 8. Doing well, aside from some gas pains.