^ agreed!

Hello there,

I started the master cleanse on Saturday May 1st. I'm going for 40 days. I know some might think it's crazy but really it's not. I did 11 days back in February and felt wonderful afterwords. Today I need a deeper cleanse, I need to get rid of some addictions (sugar, salt, fat...JUNK) I can't seem to portion control my food and how can you really start fresh if my inside is not 'clean'. I'm using the master cleanse to detox my body, to help it better work and process food. And let's not forget that the weight loss that comes with it is a plus too!!! After the MC I plan on going on a 30-40% raw food life style. I feel that I need to REBIRTH. I've been neglecting myself for over 30 years. If I don't start living NOW when will I???

I've been struggling to lose weight for the longest time. Some are able to just get with the food and exercising plan and get on track, others need to heal from the inside before. There's no one size fits all...

Sharing this in the hopes that it can help some of you.

Good day to all!

This is one of those things where people hold to their convictions & don't want to be inconvenienced by scientific truth or studies, so I'm guessing it's appealing to something deeper in human nature, the irrational part. They really, really want that cleanse metaphor. They love that verb "cleanse." They want to purge themselves of sin. They want a rebirth, a quasi-religious experience. They really do want to go off into the wilderness like a medieval saint & fast for several days. Even the ingredients of the stuff seem elemental & symbolic, like Zurbaran's painting of mystical lemons. (I mean this one http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/htm.../stillife.html).

For those with such a nature & way of seeing the world, relying on calorie counting, exercise burning off calories & etc. isn't going to be adequate in some way. It's far too mundane. Or too mathematical, maybe. I don't know. But "dieting" and "calorie counting" doesn't have the glamor & the rich connotations of that verb "cleanse."

Maybe we're seeing a change in the language. This has happened before. Now, instead of saying we are "slimming" or "banting," in the U.S. we generally say "dieting." Maybe next our grandchildren will see that as an archaic word & will be "detoxing and cleansing." (Though I really hope they'll be "lifestyle-changing." ;-)

It's Romanticism, that search for the perfect harmony, the total balance, the ultimate solution to mysteries and so on. So yes, the nitty-gritty of calorie deficits, sweat, hard work, and simply avoiding junk food is pretty mundane, in comparison.

I read a really interesting article talking about how detoxing is the new acceptable form of anorexia or at least a way to hide it. You can tell people you are 'detoxing'.

The best thing I've ever heard for 'detoxing' is eating lots of fruits and vegetables.

I'm just offering this as a curiosity: The NY Times blogs included an article about a high-end hair salon down in the Flatiron District at the south end of Fifth Ave. As evidence of its hipness:

"Master Cleanse lemonade is on tap; the paint, floor stain and cooling system are all eco-friendly, and the music runs along the lines of Hot Chip and Kylie Minogue." (See the article at http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2...cleanse&st=cse, though you may have to sign in for it; I'm not sure.)

I love that detail. Master Cleanse Lemonade clearly is the equivalent of the Grapefruit Diet or Cabbage Soup Diet of this generation.

I was thinking like some of you before too. Then I thought, do I really eat because I WANT or NEED to eat? When I eat, am I really truly hungry or it's simply time to eat, or the sight, the thought or the smell of the food is calling me? Who decided that the ''acceptable way'' of eating is 3 meals and 2 snacks, or 6 mini-meals, or whatever other combination? When I took a minute to analyze when and why I ate I saw that most of the time I was NOT HUNGRY. My thing is, if not eating food for 40 days doesn't kill me, it can only make me stronger! Being able to face a plate of chicken wings and fries or a big chicken salad and say ''I don't need you at this moment, when I'll do, I will consume you with pleasure and a purpose, there's nothing anorexic it that!! Before worry about the master cleanse being a type of anorexia, maybe you should ask yourself if the ''acceptable way'' of eating we've been following without questioning is no other then a form of addiction.

Before judging you should try. Tell yourself, I will not eat for 12 hours, wait and see, after the 12 hours if you feel like eating ask yourself do you really NEED to eat. Is your body gonna shut down and you wont be able to breath, will you start eating your insides to survive?!?! Trust me if you eat something it's not because you need the food but just because you want it...

I stopped reading articles about the master cleanse because most of the time whoever is negatively writing about it never actually tried it, so how can I based my opinion on them. I was back stabbing this process before myself, until I really understood what it is, and that only happened after I did the master cleanse for 10 days. But not anybody can do it, it's a mind thing, you can't go through it if you don't completely open yourself to the process, with no reservations or preconceive ideas...

The master cleanse is not a diet, it's the first step to get to a more conscious way of eating and living. To start fresh you need to begging with a blank canvas, where the need for the detox, who paints over wallpaper?!!

Once again, one size does not fit all, and I respect that. The master cleanse is NOT for everybody, it might not be your thing, but it can and is the best thing for some.

I think we all have the right to experiment with our own bodies and in general see what works best for us. Having said that, I've read plenty of negative experiences about those who have tried Master Cleanse for extended periods of time. I've read various message boards over the years and on one of them, there were people who were trying, thinking of trying and who have tried it in the past and I have to say there were a lot of negatives from those who had tried it.

It depends really what your goals are. People fast for personal/spiritual/religious reasons although most of those aren't long term. Does your body need to cleanse itself? From what I've read, your body cleanses itself constantly and the best thing I've read to help it is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

Now does your body need you to drink a lemon/maple syrup/cayenne concoction to cleanse itself? I am going to say no If it did, then we wouldn't be very efficient as a species.

And as I said before, we all have the right to experiment a bit with our bodies but overall I wouldn't recommend "Master cleanse" to any body.

Don't get me wrong there's a lot of variations of the Master Cleanse, and they are not all good. I'm following Stanley Burroughs' book The Master Cleanser, first distributed in the 1950s. Is that the one you are referring to??

Also, the Master Cleanse is NOT something you do everyday for ever, you can only do it a couple of times a year, it's to help your body be more efficient to cleanse, how can your body truly do it if it's constantly processing food on the side??

Is there a difference between stopping solid food for the master cleanse and removing your clothes when taking a shower?? Is there a difference between needing water, lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper to help your body's inside cleaning process and needing water and soap to help your body's outside cleaning process?? To me it's all the same.

If our bodies were so efficient alone, obesity, cancer and so many more words would not be in our vocabulary right!! There's nothing wrong in needing a little help to achieve your goal. The lemonade is to help your body through the cleanse, you can't survive without water and some basic nutrients/calories. That said, are you gonna say no to water and soap now?

Any negative experience with the MC can generally be explain in two ways: it was done for the wrong reason or the person was simply not ready.

I'm on day 5, I've never slept deeper, I'm full of energy, my mind is so sharp and I'm 5 pounds lighter!!! Sorry but I can't seem to find anything wrong with the master cleanse at the moment

As I said, we can all experiment with our bodies and it is one in the same that I was talking about.

I'd also say that how many people do you hear about that don't like veggies or even fruit?

I'd also say that you can't say obesity or cancer wouldn't happen if we all cleansed, that isn't how it works.

I am glad you are happy with what you are doing but I believe it is an overall gimmick but we can agree to disagree

FYI

A single cell within the human body is more complex than the most modern supercomputer. The process of removing a hundred thousand antigens, each with unique molecular properties, from trillions of functioning cells is indeed a complex process. Imagine three trillion cells being repaired during the function of countless biochemical processes needed for life. Even the best mechanics have to turn off the engine. Yet, the body has millions of micro mechanics that do this with ease.

One of the body’s automatic maintenance processes is the destruction of foreign microorganisms. When looking through a dark-field microscope, countless parasites are clearly visible. I observed parasites living inside blood cells. Several could be seen eating cholesterol, and I was amazed to see one swim. Watching lymphocytes moving in the blood was like a science-fiction movie. These complex, lymphocyte organisms attached themselves and engulfed toxins. As they did, their colorations flowed into fascinating patterns leaving me with a sense of wonder and respect for the miraculous ability and infinite complexity of the human body.

Fasting Detoxification Stages
Here is an overview of the detoxification stages during a juice fast. The time periods are a general estimation.

Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2)
On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for half a day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst.

Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period unless the enema is used which quickly assists the body into the fasting state by ending digestion in the colon.

Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7)
Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety center in the hypothalamus. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40 to 60 days, depending on whether you are on water or juice.

The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing. White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucoid matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-colored mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen.

Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15)
On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood. On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body's increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body's ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body's natural healing ability was compromised.

During fasting, the body's healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a reoccurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers.

Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30)
The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve.

Stage 5 (Breaking the Fast)
The sticky, toxic, mucoid coating on the intestinal wall is loose, and the first meal frees it from the intestinal wall. Toxins enter the blood through the colon. The gallbladder dumps its waste in a heavy discharge of bile. This can cause an instant bowel movement upon eating followed by intense diarrhea. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, an enema will help.

This article was written by, Mr. Tom McGregor, author of Eating in Freedom.

Personally, I like Dr Weil and think he gives overall sound advice, he actually addressed Master Cleanse in one article:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400132

This is a snippet from what he says (good and bad):

Once again Nelie,

I'm not using the Master Cleanse to lose weight, the weight loss that comes with doing the MC is just added bonus! I need to cleanse my system to get to an healthier way of living and eating. Not consuming solid food for a while not only gives my body a rest but also help me realize how I don't need all the food that I eat day in and day out. After giving my body a rest to cleanse and repair, it will be more efficient and I can start fresh. The food intake drama is a mind thing!!! Trust me the big shots behind the glycemic index, anti-inflammatory and other diets only want to sell books and make money!

The MC is not a diet, some may use it in that way but I'm not. And I will not follow any kind of diet, in my opinion it's not an heathy way of living, I just need time away from food to really understand and fix my relationship with it. I will not overeat after the MC, that's not my plan, if that was my goal I don't the MC for that trust me

Thanks for your concerns, I'll keep you posted with my progress

newbjones - I only posted that because he is the authority that I trust And he does point out the good and the bad which I think people in general (not really directed at you) need to keep in mind.

My bad, thought you were talking to me. All that time I was talking about me and my perception, I can't talk for others nor can I guess what they're feeling/thinking, I can only share my experiences and clarify my thoughts when necessary. Thanks for the information though.