Master Cleanse Forum - Master Cleanser Lemonade Diet

Day 1: 6/21/09
Age: 52
Height: 5' 10"
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Current weight: 205 lbs
Loss from yesterday: 0 lbs
Total weight loss: 0 lbs
Skin condition: No change
Lemonade: None
Water: 12 cups w/ACV
SWF: Yes - Twice - AM & PM
Senna tea: None
Hunger pangs: None
Exercise: None
Detox Symptoms: None
Mood: Wildly optimistic!

The Master Cleanse book in PDF form can be found here.

I've been doing the research for a few weeks and decided to start the Master Cleanse today. Haven't received the ingredients yet - ordered online and s/b here in the next couple of days. I figured I'd start with the SWF and continue drinking lots of water with raw organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar like I've been doing for the last several weeks and drop my food intake to nil. A few daze of this & I'll definitely be ready for the lemonade.

My motivation? I'm about 35 pounds over my ideal weight and want to drop the extra pounds. Also have mild psoriasis which I need to clear up. I generally eat a good diet - no caffeine, no sugar, no salt, little to no wheat/gluten. I did used to drink a good bit - between 4-8 beers on an average day. I quit that about a month ago when I started doing the ACV/water mix. I was also a smoker until I quit cigarettes a couple of months ago. So, overall outstanding health is my goal here.

I'm a little concerned about all the salt and sugar in this diet, but I figure it's only for a few weeks (I'm planning a 40 day regimen) so I'm not gonna worry about it. I've done many water only fasts in the past and am not really worried about the starvation/hunger aspect of the cleanse.

My ultimate goal is to transition to a CRON (calorie restricted, optimal nutrition) diet - also known as the Longevity Diet. Not necessarily a raw food diet, but one which provides - naturally - all the necessary vitamins/minerals on the lowest possible amount of calories.

I started this morning with the SWF & didn't have a problem getting it down. I used warm water w/ two teaspoons of Morton's coarse Kosher salt. It's not sea salt, but it's non-iodized. I drank it right down in about a minute with no problems - it felt like chicken soup broth going down (minus the chicken flavor). Took about 15 minutes to start working (and wow! does it ever work).

Here's a clickable list of the ingredients I'm using:

NOW Foods 64 oz. Organic Non-GE Grade B Maple Syrup - check NexTag for pricing as Supplement Warehouse will beat any competitor's price by 5%
Non-GE means not genetically engineered (a good! thing)

Nigerian cayenne made from a long, thin, and very hot type of capsicum aka African Bird Pepper.

Senna Leaf Tea

Organic lemons from the local grocery store

Feel free to join in the discussion as I embark on this journey!

Kevin

Hello Kevin,

I am also starting today on my master cleanse journey. How long do you plan on going for? Best of luck!

Missy

i am starting today as well!!!! im so excited! this is my second attempt. my first one only lasted a few days but i am trying for at least 2 weeks and maybe more!

Hey every one.
I am going to start on Monday, the 22nd. I will not start the SWF until Wednesday because I have relatives visiting and don't want to cause a scene. I will go for at least 14 days and maybe longer.

Hello Everyone!
I am starting Jun 22nd too like Happylemon
Good Luck Kevin! Its great to hear that you've done a lot of research on the cleanse. Thats really the way to go, and usually people have much better chances for success if they really know what they're doing.
This will be my second cleanse, and previously I did alot of research too and made it through a 21 day cleanse. You can definitely make it!

Day 2: 6/22/09
Age: 52
Height: 5' 10"
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Current weight: 200 lbs
Loss from yesterday: 5 lbs
Total weight loss: 5 lbs
Skin condition: No change
Lemonade: None
Water: 15 cups w/ACV, 1 w/GSE
SWF: Yes - Once - AM
Senna tea: None
Hunger pangs: None
Exercise: Not much, did a little walking
Detox Symptoms: None
Mood: Wildly optimistic!

All is well. I'm still awaiting delivery of my LA ingredients, so I'm still on a water fast. Today I decided to supplement a cup of water with some GSE to deal with potential candidiasis.

I have a slight case of psoriasis I'm trying to clear, did some research and discovered that there's a good possibility that a severe yeast infection could cause it. As a reformed beer drinker, I'm fairly positive I've consumed enough yeast & sugar to make this a distinctly probable possibility. So I dumped a bunch (way more than I probably should have) of the GSE into a glass of water and downed it. Man was it bitter! After an hour or so I started voiding, so it looks like something is happening. I'm going to continue with the GSE throughout the MC diet to keep the yeasty boys in check (they *love* eating sugar!), as well as supplement with Cod Liver Oil to get vitamins A & D. Both are necessary for skin health and aren't available from the LA mix.

Got a couple of protips for all y'all:

1. Use warm water in the SWF. Makes it go down a little smoother.
2. Use a straw when drinking the LA mix (I'm using ACV mix right now, but it's generally the same what with the acidity level) to avoid tooth sensitivity and breaking down the enamel on your teeth (acid tends to do that).

Not much else to report at this point, although I will definitely be laying in a fairly massive supply of TP soon.

Day 3: 6/23/09
Age: 52
Height: 5' 10"
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Current weight: 198 lbs
Loss from yesterday: 2 lbs
Total weight loss: 7 lbs
Skin condition: No change
Lemonade: None
Water: 15 cups w/ACV, 1 w/GSE
SWF: Yes - Once - AM
Senna tea: None
Hunger pangs: None
Exercise: Went walking
Detox Symptoms: None
Mood: Great

Weight is under 200, so that's good news. Still no sign of my maple syrup & cayenne (ordered online), so I'm still on a water fast. SWF is pretty much pointless since there's nothing in there to flush out. But I'm doing it anyway. Maybe it'll help loosen up any nasty stuff in my bowels (not so sure that's gonna happen - I think this whole "mucoid plaque" thing is an invention of the colon flush industry).

The first three days have been fairly uneventful. Haven't had any problems getting the SWF down, no hunger pangs, no psychological hangups about not eating, nothing really but going about my everyday life. The MC diet hasn't imposed on how I'm living at all. Pretty mundane AAMOF.

Protip: Do the SWF in the morning when you're more active instead of at night when you're more settled.

That's about it for now. Pretty boring stuff so far - I wonder if/when I'll experience any of the drama everybody else seems to go through.

Finally got shipping confirmation for my maple syrup, cayenne & senna tea today. Huzzah!

I ordered the syrup last Thursday & the cayenne and senna tea last Friday. I thought for sure I'd have them by yesterday or today. Oh well, at least I know they're on the way now.

Should have all my supplies by Friday or Saturday. I cannot wait. I really don't mind not eating - at all, actually - but I'm really curious to see what the maple syrup/lemon/cayenne mix is going to taste like. I love spicy foods & ordered some extra hot Nigerian cayenne, so I'm really looking foward to it.

Kinda reminds me of when I was a kid & mixed Red Hots candy with lemonade. Should be fun!

Good luck dude. I think we are in about the same boat for the most part. I also have a slight case of psoriasis on the top of my scalp. I've noticed since I started dieting then this fast that it seems to have worsened or, at least, flared up a bit.

Day 4: 6/24/09
Age: 52
Height: 5' 10"
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Current weight: 198 lbs
Loss from yesterday: 0 lbs
Total weight loss: 7 lbs
Skin condition: No change
Lemonade: None
Water: 17 cups w/ACV
SWF: Yes - Once - AM
Senna tea: None
Hunger pangs: None
Exercise: None
Detox Symptoms: None
Mood: Great

Not much to report. Still no syrup/cayenne/senna tea so I'm still on the water fast - I'm looking forward to tasting the LA.

Cleaned the kitchen, went into town to get gas & pick up a bag of parrot food. Took the garbage to the recycling center as well. A fairly boring day.

No food cravings. Quite the opposite - I watched some Food Network on the TV and was somewhat repulsed by it.

Think I need to start working more exercise into my routine - the days I do are the days I lose (so far, anyway). Need to get outside more often, too. The fresh air & sunshine can't be anything but good for me.

The local grocery store has limes on sale ridiculously cheap so I'm gonna pick up a bunch of those in addition to the lemons & make a lemon-limeade mix.

I've got a Champion juicer, so I may just juice a ton of lemons/limes and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Sounds to me like an easy way to get the lemon/lime juice premeasured to make for easy assembly of the LA every morning. Anybody tried this?

I was noodling around on the internet and found a great site while I was Googling for nutritional information on maple syrup: The World's Healthiest Foods. They've got an unbelievably informative website - including this Healthiest Way of Eating Plan. They even provide a seven day menu (PDF link) to get you started. I believe I'll be using this resource constantly when I finish my MC diet. Check it out - you won't be disappointed!

I'm guessing you don't have a store near by for the supplies - I use agave nectar (dark amber) and limes instead of maple syrup and lemons - I think maple syrup is ick with lemons, but it's just my own preference, plus the agave is low on the glycemic index. The biggest reason I'm posting on your board, is YAY - love the whole idea of CRON - I use to get a lot of interesting emails from that group - I'm a HUGE believer in calorie restriction and what better to pare it with great nutritious food...so glad to see your direction post the MC.

Best wishes and I look forward to reading more as you progress...smile.

You're right - I live in the boonies & wouldn't have it any other way. Although, even when I lived in Atlanta I ordered supplements off the internet (usually Puritan.com) simply because they are cheaper than buying at the store locally. NTM I value the quality of their products. Also, I got my maple syrup for ~$30/half gallon. Which is certainly cheaper than anything I could have gotten locally.

[soapbox]

I've been suspicious of the agave "nectar" (it's anything but!) since I first read about it several weeks ago & especially since reading this article. More here and here. You are sadly mistaken if you think your "nectar" is "low on the glycemic index." Agave juice is, agave syrup ("nectar") is not. Far from it, agave syrup is a highly processed sugar alternative which is extremely high in fructose and is pro-diabetic. Why do you think it tastes so good? Because it's really bad for you - that's why! Worse than high fructose corn syrup, even. Would you consider drinking seven ounces of pure high fructose corn syrup every day? Of course you wouldn't. But in choosing to use the agave syrup you are doing much, much worse than drinking that amount of HFCS on a daily basis. Follow those links and read up - you may be surprised. Or frightened, even. I know I was.

From the linked article:

"Agave nectar is advertised as a "diabetic friendly," raw, and a "100% natural sweetener." Yet it is none of these. The purpose of this article is to show you that agave nectar is in reality not a natural sweetener but a highly refined form of fructose, more concentrated than the high fructose corn syrup used in sodas. Refined fructose is not a 'natural' sugar, and countless studies implicate it as a sweetener that will contribute to disease. Therefore, agave nectar is not a health building product, but rather a deceptively marketed form of a highly processed and refined sweetener."

[/soapbox]



I've been reading up on CRON and considering implementing it as a lifestyle for about 15 years. I've finally reached an age and my health is such where it's becoming clear to me that it's a choice I need to make in order to preserve continued good health and ensure that I live to a ripe old age. I'm also looking into growing my own food so I can ensure that I get the best possible organically grown produce for my (and my parrots') consumption.



Thank you. Likewise, I'm sure.

So did you do the glove or get a tire for your sledgehammer?

Day 5: 6/25/09
Age: 52
Height: 5' 10"
Starting weight: 205 lbs
Current weight: 197 lbs
Loss from yesterday: 1 lbs
Total weight loss: 8 lbs
Skin condition: No change
Lemonade: None
Water: 14 cups w/ACV
SWF: No
Senna tea: None
Hunger pangs: None
Exercise: Walking
Detox Symptoms: None
Mood: Great

Not a whole lot more to report. The days go by fairly uneventfully. Should have the maple syrup & other supplies today or tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to tasting something other than ACV flavored water at this point. Although I did get some sugarless bubble gum yesterday. I believe it helps help the brain adjust to the lack of chewing action. And it's bubble gum - yum! I love that flavor.



Neither. I did fetch my exercise ball from storage and am gonna start using it. I can't use the shovelglove yet as I'm recovering from rotator cuff surgery (the main reason I stopped exercising and gained all this weight in the first place).

Kevin, I find your posts very informative. Is there perhaps a free e-book about CRON? And the website about whfoods is already among my Favourites.
Have a great mc-experience!