Here we go

June 16, 2008

11:50 pm

So, I have decided to take part in the fad known as The Master Cleanse. I will write here about my experiences, the struggles and triumphs hopefully. I have yet to start it, but will begin shortly. Once I am done writing here, I will try the Smooth Move laxative tea, and begin the Cleanse tomorrow.

I first learned about this through someone at church about two months ago. It was just a brief comment, but it was enough to intrigue me. To be honest, it would have remained as an interest if I had not talked that day to my mom about it. She seemed interested, so we both started researching it. There is a website that has all the information you need, plus they have a bulletin board for anyone having any questions:

http://therawfooddiet.com

The Lemonade:
2 tbsp (1 fl oz) freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp (1 fl oz) grade B maple syrup
(Agave syrup can be substituted for diabetics)
1/10th tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz spring, distilled, or filtered water

The Salt Water Flush
2 tsp sea salt
1 qt lukewarm water

Laxative Tea (Senna Tea)

You drink the Tea at night, which loosens the stool and other built up waste in the intestines. In the morning, before drinking or eating anything else, you drink the Salt Water Flush. This is supposed to flush your body of the waste that the Tea loosened. They warn you that you should not plan on going anywhere for the next hour, and that you should be near a toilet. Throughout the day, you are to drink 6-12 glasses of the lemonade. You are also supposed to drink an additional 12 cups of water each day. They say you are supposed to be on this for at least 10 days. They strongly recommend that you do not stray from the guidelines. You can drink the Tea in the morning instead of the Flush. Some of the supposed benefits of this cleanse are increased energy, mental acuity, less sickness, less mucous, cleansed digestive tract, and weight loss. Most of the weight loss is water weight and will come back, so that is not a reason to try this. I have heard that the worst days are 2/3, 6/7, and 14. Some people have issues earlier than others, so I grouped the typical problem days together. Many people feel major hunger pangs on 2/3. Others begin to feel that they have accomplished all they need on 6/7, but haven’t completed the detox phase. But once you have passed all the toxins out of your body, sometimes this can happen about day 10, then you can safely transition out of the Cleanse. The sign many people use to determine if they have successfully completed the Cleanse is that their tongue will change colors back to the original reddish/pinkish color. The tongue becomes quite white going through the Cleanse. It takes three days to transition out of the Cleanse. The first day you are supposed to drink freshly squeezed orange juice mixed with water. The second is the OJ mix in the morning, and for dinner a vegetable soup. The third day is OJ, veggie soup, and mix in some solid vegetables. The fourth day you can eat whatever you want.

I would have started the cleanse immediately after I heard about it, but I did not know where to go to get the maple syrup or the tea. That, and the fact that I was moving that week to another town. Well, I began a diet and exercise program that netted me little results by way of weight loss. I was able to get up to 3 miles straight running. I was progressing, but I could not seem to see that scale budge. I have had issues with my digestive system for the last couple years, which has contributed to my gaining of 90 lbs in the last 5 years. The last year has seen an increase of 50 lbs. In January, I was able to lose 19 lbs. I then got sick and went off dieting for a while. I moved in April, weighing 252, but I got up to 256 in May, and was down to 249 this morning.

Well, my mom went on the cleanse a couple weeks ago. She seemed to not have many problems. She suffered from hunger pains on the 6th day, instead of the typical 2nd and 3rd day. She ended up losing 10 lbs in those 10 days. She claims that she now gets full after very little food. She also says that she eliminates a lot more than she used to, even while eating less.

1:00 am
So, I just had the Senna Tea. It was not the greatest taste in the world. I even felt like it was too watered down. I don’t know if it will work. I hope it will. I know that sounds odd… “I hope I have a major bowel movement in the morning.” Oh well. We will see what happens in the morning.