A couple of weeks ago, I came across a book one of my co-workers had left by the copy machine--Staying Healthy With the Seasons, by Dr. Elson Haas, M.D. I picked it up and opened straight to a page about "The Master Cleanse." Intrigued, as the topic of detoxifying my body is one I have wondered about but up to that time had never explored, I photocopied that entire chapter. I read the whole chapter on my train/bus ride home from work that evening. The next day, I had a copy of the entire book from the library.
So, what is the cleanse? I quickly learned that the master cleanse is not a concept, especially to the health-conscious, organic shopper types who can be found at places like Whole Foods Market. In fact, it was developed in the 1940's by Stanley Burroughs. Essentially, the cleanse is basically a diet of a special "lemonade" that helps rid the human body of impurities, and in some cases YEARS of build up. Ewww...
Lemonade??
2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbs. Grade B 100% Pure Maple Syrup
8 - 10 oz. filtered or spring water
1/10th tsp. cayenne pepper*
* I have learned a secret... cayenne pepper pills. Much more tolerable!
The idea is to Drink 8 - 12 servings daily of the above concoction for 3 - 10 days (or more, for some folk). The objective is to fast from eating solid foods and to let this drink cleanse your entire digestive system. It also helps "clean" certain organs like the liver and kidneys. "Lemon is a perfect liver food and a great body cleanser," says Dr. Haas. He continues, "High in Vitamin C, Potassium, and other minerals, lemons are somewhat astringent, meaning that they contract and tighten tissues, which loosens up and clears the toxins from deep tissues and organs."
The maple syrup provides an energy source for the muscles.
The cayenne pepper, I read, "helps clear the blood and eliminates toxins and mucus, as well as keeps the body warm."
Because the body senses the absence of food, it will naturally want to slow down if not stop the "elimination" process. However, as the idea is to rid the body of those toxins, many of which are found in the bowels, it is essential to keep things moving. Resources suggest utilizing a "salt-water intestinal flush" and/or herbal laxative senna tea. The flush includes two teaspoons of sea salt mixed in a quart of lukewarm water and is to be taken in its entirety the first morning of the cleanse. It is advised that you stay near a bathroom for the next 1 - 2 hours! The purpose is to clean out your bowels, and if you can get through that whole quart, that's precisely what will happen!
As of this latest edit, I have just completed my first Master Cleanse! Originally, I set out to do the cleanse for 7 days, but, as Dr. Haas suggested, I "listened" to my body and felt after the 4th day that enough time had passed. Here's how it went!
DAY 1 - starting weight 195 lbs.
CONFESSION: I tried jumping into this LAST week on Monday after a delicious Sunday dinner of steak and potato stew. I could only stand drinking half of the salt water (16 ozs) before I gave up. That stayed in my system for hours and was not a pleasant feeling. So I decided to give it a go the following week.
This time around, I eased into it, eating only fruit morning and afternoon of the day before starting and a light vegetable soup for dinner... no meats or sugars for the day. Day 1, I pounded nearly the whole quart of salt water, and it worked the way it should.
How did I feel? The first day was an adjustment period. I felt a little tired, especially during the afternoon, perhaps due to the absence of my morning diet Dr. Pepper run. Nevertheless, it felt like a healthy tired, if that makes sense. I hit the gym for a light workout, and that got my endorphins up. I wasn't too hungry, but when I smelled food, I craved it. Being at the office during the day helped, as there was really no food to be tempted with to snack on. Glad I learned about the cayenne pepper pills... it made the experience much more pleasant, as that one experimental day last week was tough to choke the drink down with the pepper mixed in. Using the pill method, the juice is actually pretty good!
DAY 2 - weight 192 lbs.
The day was pretty good. A bit headache-ridden at times. I chose to do a light workout again on my lunch break, and that helped chase the headache away and up the energy. I felt more energy than on Day 1.
My cravings for food lessened a little more, too. While waiting for the train after work, something smelled incredibly good at a restaurant somewhere in the vicinity on Main. It was easy at that point to recognize the truth that my love for food will not go away with this cleanse--nor is that the purpose--but I think my choices will become wiser in what I willingly put into my body.
DAY 3 - weight 190 lbs.
Wow, I felt GREAT on Day 3! I really felt the effects of this cleanse. I opted to go the herbal lax route instead of the salt-water method, and it works like a charm. I had a very tough time willingly drinking that salt water. Cup of tea before bed, next morning it does its job. Not to get too specific, but I'm amazed at what the body begins to eliminate after 3 days of this cleanse.
I felt energy that I admittedly did not think I would feel after 3 days with no solid foods. It's like a pure energy; no credit to caffeine. While the first couple of days were accompanied by some headaches, Day 3 was almost completely devoid of headaches. I found myself no longer craving that diet Dr. Pepper nor unhealthy foods. In fact, rolling past the Burger King on 4th this morning on the train, I thought "I could never go there again and be totally cool with that." I felt a little guilty that I've taught my kids to eat french fries and other fast foods. I'm still trying to decide how to implement more of a whole foods diet that the kids will take to.
DAY 4 - weight 187 lbs.
By this final day, I felt like I had completely adjusted to my new diet, that I could live on lemonade forever. While I felt that I could easily go on for days, I think 4 days is a good benchmark for the first "cleanse" and I determined to ease off of it at the end of the day. I have been able to see a difference looking in the mirror. That little tire around the middle I've had such a tough time eliminating, even after a solid year of exercise, was greatly diminished in 4 days! I think my body really burned some of its stored fat.
My plan is to do this again, perhaps for a couple more days, after the new year and for sure by March 1st. I think it would be ideal to do quarterly! I feel great!!
Helpful Secrets I've Learned So Far:
- I've made the drink with lemon juice, lime juice, and a mixture of both. I prefer the lemon version best, in spite of my love for lime. Lime is good when made fresh but not if made the night before and refrigerated.
- As it is suggested to not store the juice in plastic containers due to the acids in the lemon juice extracting toxins from the container, I've found glass SoBe bottles to be perfect for mixing/transporting 2 servings at a time. I made three bottles and took them to work with me.
- Rinse or brush after drinking each serving! The acidity in the lemon juice is not kind to tooth enamel.
- I like making this fresh more than making it in advance. The advance method offers some convenience, but it tastes a little better fresh.
Disclaimer: If you decide to try this out yourself, it would be wise to study up on the subject first. Again my main resource was "Staying Healthy With the Seasons," by Dr. Elson M. Haas, M.D. But simply "googling" the subject MASTER CLEANSE will provide a plethora of resources as well.
So, where did I score on this 24-question test, you ask? How about a friggin' 92! Holy crap-oly! I KNEW it! And all this time I simply thought it was the caffeine from my Mormon Coffee (translation: diet Dr. Pepper, diet Mtn Dew, or the occasional straight Coke). NINETY-TWO.
