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Starting day 9 and feeling much more optimistic. Yesterday (day 8) was for me, the worst day by far. I felt so weak all day I was absolutley worthless. After a quick morning walk and a venturing out to the mall to see a movie I literally laid in bed the rest of the day. My body was just incredibly weak. Today I feel much better though (must be all that rest). And, without getting too graphic, had much more of an elimination than in mornings past so I think my body was just trying to get rid of something old. Yammygirl, welcome!!
sgmom2, your dream salad sounds so food! I will be having something similiar wednesday night and can’t wait! I am nervous about my tummy though, food still mentally sounds good but a lot of things sound like if I actually ate them they’d make me ill.
Starting day 8 and Oh my gosh guys, I woke up with the worse rash ever! My face is all swollen and I am covered from head to toe with this rash. It’s tiny little red bumps that have the appearance of hives. Do you guys think it’s detox related or should I be concerned? I look like a monster!
Kelley- Can you have a salad so soon after the cleanse? I thought we had to do juice/broth for a few days before introducing solids. I am down 12 pounds so far and if broths will keep the pounds away then I think I can manage it for 3 days. I don’t want you to upset your stomach either. Maybe just have a bite or two of avacado?
Do you have to use maple syrup when doing the cleanse? Is it possible to skip or substitute it for something?
Hey sgmom, I’m glad you’re still doing well. About the rash… unless you had anything other than the lemonade (Altoids don’t count =P), I’d just chalk it up to detox. Or maybe it’s a reaction to a fabric (wool?) or a chemical (perfume, laundry detergent?). If it lasts more than a couple of days, I’d see a medical professional.
NOW, it’s time to share my post-MC wisdom. If you REALLY want food (not juice), start with a smoothie… keep it light (no nut milks, butters, oils, etc). If you feel fine after that, you can probably handle a salad as your next meal. But again, keep it light. I had zero stomach trouble after eating a salad Also, to keep weight off, limit your calorie intake at first… then increase it gradually as your metabolism fires up again. Exercise also helps with restoring a normal metabolism. And above all, stop when you’re full! You really don’t need to spend days integrating food back in as long as you’re eating light and listening to your body. Chakra essence, you can use agave, but maple syrup is recommended because it contains alot of vitamins and minerals. sgmom used agave, I think, so she’ll probably have more information for you.
I am on day 3 of the cleanse and doing fine. Day 2 was pretty uneventful. So far the hardest thing is the stomach cramps from the senna tea, but as soon as I drink the salt water, the cramping subsides.
When coming off the cleanse it is recommended to just drink orange juice the first day to help transition. I think you just need to listen to your body though.
Kelley- Wow day eight for me is exactly as you described it for yourself. I have NO energy. This rash is itching like crazy. If it gets any worse i may have to take some benadryl. My husband is gone to get some calamine lotion to see if that’ll help first.
Renoir- The first three days were the hardest for me. I am impressed with how well you are doing.
sgmom2 – I think I may be having an easier time with the cleanse/detox since I am going from being vegan and mostly raw, and I juice fasted for 2 days before starting the MC. When I first went raw back in August I detoxed REALLY bad, so I am hoping that maybe I did most of my detoxing back then so I am hoping this MC won’t be too bad. I have felt low grade headaches starting to come on a few times over the past couple of days, but I drank a huge glass of water or another lemonade and it subsided.
I am impressed at how well you are doing (already on day 8!!) considering how hard it has been on you! Keep it going! You are almost there!
sgmom… I remember when I had the chicken pox as a kid the ONLY thing that could get me to stop scratching was an oatmeal bath. You can buy special little packets just for that purpose, but I’m sure you could also use regular oatmeal. Basically, just cook up some oatmeal and, as the tub is filling, run the bowl of oatmeal under the tap to get the water all oat-ey. I hope this helps!
Here is what I do to easy my longing for food rituals: I set the table with cloth napkins and a candle. I heat the lemonade and eat it in my favorite soup bowl with a wonderful Asian soup spoon. I also have a glass of ice water with lemon slices in a martini glass with a lemon wedge on the side. For desert I even have a tiny dish of maple syrup that I eat with a baby spoon. In the morning, I blend up frozen lemonade from my ice cube trays and eat it out of a tall sundae glass with a long silver spoon out on my balcony. I am on day four of my 4th master cleanse. I am going for 10 days. I find that it is the ritual of food that I always miss the most and this helps me feel like when its lunchtime, I can prepare and eat a lovely meal.
Hello. Everyone, hope you all don’t mind me joining in. I’m on day 4 of my first cleanse. My cousin started it with me on Friday, but cheated on Saturday and decided not to restart. I am hoping I can get some support here. It has been a little rough with the cravings. Plus it doesn’t help that I have a very thin husband and a 3 and 6 year old to feed. But I am still going. Trying to better my body and lose weight! Hope it works out well for me.
Don’t worry about the cheat, just make a note not to do it again. I myself am winding down day 3, hoping to make it to the end of the month, but playing it day by day…
I just ended my first day today. This is my 3rd or 4th cleanse – can’t remember :) Looking forward to day 8!!!
Oh Kminty- Where areeeeeeeeee youuuu? Hope your day went well. tomorrow is day 10 for you right?
Kathryn- I soaked for an hour in oatmeal and I do feel better, still itchy but not unbearably so like earlier today! THANK-YOU. hey, how is your stomach? digesting fine?Welcome newbies!!! Wishing you all a successful cleanse.
Juleskees- Your ritual sounds fun!
So Day 3 is coming to an end and it went just fine. I just got back from a long brisk walk with my girlfriend and her son. I was feeding him an avocado and I just wanted to lick it!! But I didn’t. And now I am sitting here on the computer while my bf is cooking his own dinner! It smells amazing but it is nice to relax on the couch instead of being on my feet in the kitchen for a change. I think I like this “cleansing” thing. Not “cooking” gives me lots more free time!!
Day 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really am thrilled to be nearing the end of this. Although it has gotten significantly easier here are the things I will NOT miss
1) SWF
2) Smooth move tea.. I abhor it now
3) Getting up in the night to use the restroom
4) Feeling unable to get fiesty because I have no energy for it, I’m becoming too nice :)
All and all this has been a really interesting experience. I’ve lost ten pounds, signficantly cleanses, and most importantly, found out I am super disciplined! who knew!
sgmom2- I am planning to eat salad tomorrow night and yes, that is not what I am suppose to do but I will keep it small and light, I really need to start breaking the fast to be able to get running again (literally) and to fire back up my metabolism, it’s like I can feel it slowing.
Day 9 was a breeze, truely, I couldn’t believe it, especially after how horrible day 8 was!
Good luck everyone, may today be a great cravings free, high energy day for all!
I’m so proud of you kminty!!! Before you have a salad though, maybe start with a smoothie (even if it’s just fruit), to kind of “test the waters”. If you can handle that, I’d say you’re up for a salad!
sgmom, I’m so glad it helped, if only a little bit. You’re so close to the end!! My digestion has been fine.. no pain or anything. But I haven’t had anything heavy; only fruit, veg and some hemp seeds (my love). I’ve noticed that I really have zero desire to eat anything heavy. The thought of nuts just turns me off.
Oh, and post-cleanse: HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! Your body isn’t used to the fiber after going without for 10 days, so water helps it along and gets it out of your body faster.
Good luck today everyone!
Happy cleansing!
Hey guys, Well I had an eventful night. I ended uo going to the emergency room. The tea woke me up as usual to go potty. When I woke up my gland were very swollen and painful, esp. in the groin area. I went to the restroom and was horrified by the sight of myself. My face was EXTREMELY swollen and completely covered in the now raised red rash. I woke my husband up and he was equally horrigied at the site of me. The emergency room Dr. was mystified as to what was going on. I explained the cleanse to him and told him the ingredients i am using. So he either thinks it’s the agave nectar which I have never used before this cleanse or a detox symptom. I guess I was highly toxic going into this as a SAD eater. They gave me an allegy shot which immediately relieved the itching and the swelling started going down too. I was put on an IV because I was slightly dehydrated..go figure, I am chugging water. He thinks it mat be due to the SWF. Anyway i was sent home this morning with an allergy prescription and told to end the cleanse. I AM NOT ending the cleanse this close to finishing it. If my body is this toxic then I need to at least do the 10 day minimum. I will discontinue the agave to see if it is the culprit. I am allergic to honey, topically but i don’t think they are remotely related since agave is plant based. I am going to finish my last two days with lemon water only and the senna tea and SWF. Even with the problems I am having, I am SO proud of myself for doing this. I know that I am cleansing and it has to be beneficial to my body. My tongue is beginning to pink up again too. Seeing how toxic I was has also taught me that I really need this raw lifestyle at least for the major portion of my diet. It has also taught me that I have more will-power than I give myself credit for. I am proud of myself and you guys too. this is an extremely difficult journey. With that said, i think the next detox will be the juice fast!
Kelley- Your last day, how awesome!!! To be honest, when we all started i really thought you would bail. You just seemed unsure. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO proud of you girl. Please take it easy transitioning back. Listen to your body. Borroughs says transitioning is as important asthe cleanse so take it easy. Maybe start with smoothies or OJ as recommended for the moring and afternoon tomorrow.
Kathryn- I will be taking another colloidal oatmeal bath today. It is very soothing. Good luck with your exam tomorrow..I know you will ace it! ;-)
I’m on day 2 and this is my 3rd or 4th cleanse. I have had the same question since starting this and have never found out the answer: On the days after your cleanse when you can have fresh sqeezed orange juice, are you stupposed to keep doing the lemonade throughout the day? I didn’t the last 2 or 3 times, but i wasn’t sure. I don’t think my husband can feel full off of the Orange Juice alone. Any one know the answer to this?? Feeling a little lightheaded today but because i worked out for a while at the gym… I’m going to add an extra glass of the lemonade today to see if that helps me out! Good luck everyone!
sgmom2 – I hope you start feeling better! how scary to wake up with an allergic reaction like that. I am proud of you for finishing off the cleanse! Of the 2 girlfriends I was supposed to do this with, one of them decided not to do it because a doctor told her not to…
Is there a reason you can’t use the grade B maple syrup?
This is the start of Day 4 for me. My energy level is a little lower and I feel like I am dragging a little bit, but overall I feel ok. The great news is that this morning I had none of the stomach cramps that I had the last 3 days! I still did the tea and SWF as normal and yeah – no cramping!! I hope that sticks since that has been the worst part for me. Oh, and that I am hungry and sick of the lemonade! But other than that, not too bad.
sgmom2, You have really been through it! But you have a tenacious spirit and I applaud your will to complete the cleanse.
I am entering day 3 after taking a final yesterday. I am really tired. Have a little headache today but feel good otherwise. I am looking forward to taking it easy the next few days. So far,the juicefeast is going well. Best of luck to everyone cleansing!
Hi Carrie- No you sop the lemonade the day you stop the cleanse. The day after you finish the cleanse Borrough’s recommends you drink oj and water only. the second day, you can have oj and water until the evening and then soup in the evening. The third day you can have OJ in the morning, soup in the afternoon and a sald for dinner after that go back to your regular diet.HTH
Renoir- Thank-you. It was pretty scary. I am afraid of all the sugar in maple syrup. I gain weight VERY quickly and limit sugar and carbs in my diet. You are off to a great start on this cleanse. Just think tomorrow you will be half-way done.
Middle of day 4 and my energy is still low. I have been putting a little bit extra maple syrup in my drinks to hopefully give me an energy boost. The worst thing was that I went home for “lunch” and had my drink and when I came back to work one of my good friends who I also work with (who was supposed to do the MC with me but backed out) was eating lunch in my office!! It still smells like food in here! Torture. I actually went out to a cubicle in the outer office to work at another desk, since I just can’t handle the smell of food right now. ... sigh….
Renoir- People just don’t understand how difficult this is. The smell of food was driving me crazy around day 4. your enegy will spike again, don’t worry. This whole this is a rollercoaster ride. Hang in there
well I’m officially done with the MC part, now to transitioning. Overall I think it went well, although I never really had the high energy points that people talk about. I felt most the time my energy was moderate, and at times, I was very weak. I am fortunate not to have had headaches or anything like that, on top of hunger that would’ve been difficult. I can’t believe what you’ve been through sgmom2! way to stick with it! and thanks for being proud of me, truthfully at the beginning I WAS hesitant and didn’t think I could do it but damm I have a lot more discipline than I ever knew which is good to know. The results really kicked in the last three days, up until then I hadn’t seen much of a difference. I’m down ten pounds and my skin got very clear. My tongue though, not all pink and rosy and I know people have said it gets that way but I decided while some might suggest to continue the cleanse, I want to be done. Not because of hunger or food but just to return to my life. I feel like I haven’t seen my husband because I had to develop different nightly rituals to avoid food like going to the sauna and taking a long bath and I just want us to go back to having some time together. Also, the laxatives are getting old. I’m ready to get back to living more naturally in that respect. Good luck to all of you as you finish, you are awesome and strong!!!! Kelley
Well Kelley we are proud of you! Thank-you and Kathryn SO much for doing this with me. I wish you both the absolute best with your raw journey. I think we have all learned that we are so much stronger than we think we are. Hugs to you all!
thanks, sgmom2… i hope my husband can deal with just OJ and water :) I’m following the raw way to break back into the normal life, but he’ll be following the regular way of transitioning (with the soup, etc..). I can’t wait to eat a banana! Odd, i know!
So Day 5 is going great so far. Work is busy so that helps. My energy level is back to normal, and I think PMS was to blame for my low day yesterday. Now I just have cramps that can’t be soothed with salt water and I can’t take Advil for! Oh well.
But on another exciting note, I have a story for you all. So my bf and I live together, and although he is a SAD eater normally, he eats vegan and raw with me since that is all I will “cook” for dinner. He enjoys it and even notices how much better be feels when he eats this way. Well, since I have been doing the cleanse, he has been on his own pretty much food wise since he doesn’t want to make me cook for him when I can’t eat and he tries not to eat in front of me. So he has been making himself either frozen meals (i.e. meatless riblets), or even veggie tofu stir fry at home, but at work for lunches he has been eating gross meaty stuff. So short story made long, last night he wasn’t feeling well, his stomach was upset, low apetite, etc. so he didn’t feel like eating anything. He has also seen how well I have been doing on the MC, so he asked if he could just have my drink with me instead of dinner. So we were drinking the lemonade together last night (he was surprised at how tasty it was) and he says “I think I need to stop eating meat.” YIPPIE!!!! And I love that he decided that on his own without me having to lecture him to do it!! I am sure that on occasion when out at a restaurant or something, he may still indulge in a meat dish, and I know he will never call himself a vegetarian for fear of being teased (he works in construction with “manly men”) but for him to even make that declaration is very exciting.
Yeah for small victories!
Well guys this is my LAST day. This will be day 11 for me because I decided to add an extra day because of the meds I had to take at the beginning of the cleanse, plus I have lost 18 pounds and I am hoping one more day will push it to 20 pounds total. Except for the itching rash, day 10 was pretty good. My energy is still low but I have not been hungry at all for the last 2 days. I even prepared a big pot of soup for my husband who did the cleanse with me. I hope all continues to go well for allm of you. Hugs
Congratulations! I’m so impressed at how dedicated you were and how you stuck it out through the rash! (Did you ever find out what caused it, by the way?) You are amazing!!! Good luck on your last day and on a successful transition =)
I’ve just decided to tag along!! Today’s my first day and it’s been a breeze…my husband just called and I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said, “some of your lemonade.” I’m so grateful to have such a supportive husband!!