Days 6, 7, 8 and 9

Today is day 9!!!! JUST ONE MORE DAY until complete the 1st part of the cleanse.  I love it!  I was in West Virginia helping Sara get into her new place.  It was hard because Phillip was there too and all everyone wants to do when away from home is eat.  I just sipped my lemonade drink.  I'll admit I really wanted to eat pizza when Phillip made it in the oven.  The pizza smelled sooooo good!  We did go out and I had a vegetable plate.  On Sunday, we went to the Boston Beanery, a cool place downtown Morgantown and I had a salad.  I know I probably shouldn't have but it tasted so good.  I always have fresh vegetables for dinner anyway, I have to have something.  The cleanse is working though.  I am down 10 lbs right now, it was such a great feeling to get on the scale this morning and it read 150.5.  Yea!!  Now I have to maintain it.  Wednesday I will start the transition for 3 days!!  I have my list to stop at the store and buy the ingredients I need for the Vegetable Soup, and need some Organic OJ too!

Days 3, 4 and 5

I haven't been posting for the last couple of days but my routine is going well, Diana and I are at it.  I am over the hump now, she's only a day behind me.  It's easy from this point on, this is when you see how much better you feel and actually see how great you're starting to look too.  I was 160.5 on Sunday when I began the cleanse, this morning I was 154.5, not bad for 5 days!  I never did take measurements this time, but I did take Diana's last night, even though she's already on her 3rd day, she wants to see what the changes will be at the end of the 10 day cleanse.  Tomorrow morning will be a hard day.  I won't be moving around doing a million things like the last few days.  I will be sitting in a class from 9-1 and then driving for another 5 hours to West Virginia to meet Sara.  I will be drinking a lot and peeing a lot on the way.  I did the same thing last year with my first cleanse.  I also went to help Sara move into the sorority house, this time I am helping her move out of it into a house.  I am excited that I will also get to see my son Phillip as he's going to come up for a visit also.  Well, not just a visit, he's driving 9 1/2 hours and then painting her room with fresh paint!  It will be fun to hang out with them for the weekend.  And we will just be eating salads and raw vegetables since Sara is starting the cleanse when I arrive.  She's the reason I started it this time, she better not back out now.

Anyway, I said at the beginning of this post that it's easy from now on, now that I'm over the hump, actually this is the time most people stop.  However, for me I don't really crave food anymore, I did more at the beginning.  I can smell food so much better though, that part is hard, like when my roommate cooks and you can smell it all over the house as she always does it every Monday.  And while watching TV you notice all the food and restaurant commercials.  Before they looked good, now they look discussing.  One other thing that I love is how soft my skin is, no bumps, clear as a baby's skin.  In the shower this morning, my face was peeling stuff, except I didn't do a mask.  It's amazing how your body reacts to the cleanse.  It's truly a complete cleanse of your body!  Just 5 more days to go!!!

Back again

It's exactly one year ago that I completed and was successful I may add the master cleanse.  Well, for the same reasons I am on day one again.  My daughter visited me last week and reminded me how great I looked and felt after it last year.  She also told me she wants to do with me.  I immediately went to the store to buy lemons, and cayenne pepper, still had enough Grade B Maple Syrup in the pantry.  She's returning to college as she's taking summer classes, I made sure she had all the ingredients and even some raw carrots to munch on as those hunger pains hit.  We agreed before she left we would start on Sunday.  In the mean while I took my laxative at bedtime Saturday night and made my lemonade... I am so ready for this!  I started talking about it with my niece Diana, she's living with me right now.  She now too wants to do it with me!  I have so much support it should be a breeze to get through it.  I told her the pros and the cons but the more I told her the more she was ready to do it.  This meant I had to go back out and get more supplies.  Diana start it today!  So we are just a day apart.  Now Sara is another story!  She has decided I will get her going on Friday when I arrive in WVU to help her set up her new place.  Yeah, she's got so much stuff going on, like moving, starting new classes, finding a summer job.  I know she really wants to do it though, just needs a little push.

Back to me now, I don't know why I haven't done the master cleanse yet this year.  I have been just as sick this year with sinus problems and allergies as I was last year.  So the reasons for me doing it are the same as last year.  So far, I am on day 2, I can already feel a difference in my waistline, by the end of the 10 days I hope I can remove my diamond ring off my ring finger, I haven't been able to do it for over 8 months now.  I am on my way to a slimmer me but most important I am going to feel better!  No more allergies hopefully!  I am getting rid of all the toxins in my body.  And I will have Diana for support!!!  Her first day has gone great! Except her second period teacher had to bring cookies and brownies to school today for the first time ever.  When she got to work they were giving away candy!  But she had enough self control and was not going to eat any of it.  I am so proud of her!  Lemonade tastes so good on the 2nd day, today's mixture, I didn't put in as much cayenne red pepper as day 1.  It's much easier to drink.

Day Eleven

Today was the beginning of the transition period. Orange Juice was all I had except in the morning I also had a glass of the lemonade. I just love the lemonade..... I will be making it every couple of days and drink it with breakfast.

In the evening when I got home, I made the vegetable soup. I tasted the broth once finished, it was so de-li-cous!!!

Day Twelve

Orange juice tasted good today, there was Kim's birthday celebration in the office, I skipped the pizza, God how I love CaloJero's pizza. Then the cake, the best moist Safeway cake in the world. I figure, it's the 2nd day of the transition, it can't hurt to have a small piece. I ate a small piece and surprising omitting the sugary icing, it didn't do anything for me. My taste buds just aren't the same they use to be.

This afternoon all I could think about was getting home and the soup I made last night. Not just a taste of the broth but an actual bowl of soup. WOW! I will be able to eat again, cooked vegetables not raw. I got home and went straight to the soup pot, added another 2 cups of water and brought it to a boil. It had thicken quite a bit. I was so much looking forward to it, I think I ate more than I should have. The instructions said to have more broth the first time than vegetables. I didn't listen. I felt full but ok when I finished, it wasn't until about an hour later that my abdomen started to hurt. I think I ate too much. I also ate a hand full of wheat savory crackers my Dad had picked up for me today. The instructions had called for rye crackers but these will have to do. Curt stopped at the store and picked up Wasa light rye crispbread. This is closer to I probably should be having, but I have to say it doesn't taste as good as the Thin Triscuit ones I had with the soup. Tomorrow I will have again the lemonade drink in the morning. I will have more soup for lunch. Not sure yet what dinner will bring me. Maybe a healthy salad.

The folowing day is Mother's Day! I am looking forward to going out to Sunday Brunch with Curt. I think we're going to try the brunch at El Dorado's in LaPlata.

The Transition Process

Day One

Drink several 8-ounce glasses of Organic Orange Juice, sipping slowly, dituting it if there is digestive distress

Day Two

Drink Orange Juice during the morning and afternoon. For dinner prepare a homemade vegetable soup (recipe below).

Day Three

Drink orange juice in the morning, have leftover vegetable soup with 4 rye crackers (no regular crackers or bread), and eat fresh raw vegetables, salad, and fruit for dinner. DO NOT EAT MEAT, FISH, EGGS, BREAD, PASTRIES OR DRINK TEA, COFFEE OR MILK.

Day Four and Beyond

Return to normal diet. Continue to drink the lemonade drink on a permanent basis at breakfast.

Pictured here are just a few of the soup ingredients .... I miss cooking... I can't wait to make my homemade soup in a couple of days!

Vegetarian Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 varieties of beans, 1/2 cup each (kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans or other)
• 1 Medium Potato, half inch cubes
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 small bunch of turnip greens, spinach, mustard greens or other greens
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 medium tomatoes
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1/2 cup of uncooked brown rice
• Other vegetables as desired
• NO MEAT
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 32 ounces Organic Vegetable Broth

Put all vegetables, rice and seasonings into a large pot. Add vegetable broth; add additional water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, adding water along the way if necessary.

* DAY TEN *

Well, the ten days are coming to an end... now I have to focus on breaking the fast. I will continue to drink the lemonade concoction, it's so tasty! Burroughs recommends continuing to drink it at breakfast on a permanent basis.

Today was another good day as usual. Had just a few baby carrots when I got hungry, it was more like co-workers were eating and I just wanted to munch on something. All I had to do if I didn't have the carrots was drink more lemonade, and I would have been fine. It's so amazing how my senses have become so much more vivid. Those carrots taste so delicious! I have become a fan of fresh vegetables. Although Burroughs recommends in the book one become a raw foodist vegetarian after the diet to avoid recontamination with toxins, he does provide an alternative transition plan for people like me. I will never be able to stop eating my fish and meat, not happening. I love the variety wait too much. However, my portions will have to decrease.

Day Nine

Today was a very good day! The routine was pretty much the same. I took the laxative tea at the office this morning. I have been taking the tea in the morning instead of the sea salt water flush. And it does work, maybe not quite the same but it works. I have voided just as much poop I think.

This evening Curt and I had steamed fresh green beans and carrots with slivered almonds for dinner. Very tasty and filling. I am very satisfied, it's amazing how wonderful vegetables really taste. I don't even want meat, now fish is another story, I have been carving fish for a couple of days now. Curt finally tasted my lemonade drink, he took a sip and was surprised how good it was. Then he added more cayenne pepper and tasted even better. He loved the spicy, I like it milder.

Today at lunch I went to Safeway to pick up Organic Orange Juice. It's only one more day and I can start to come off the cleanse. The post cleansing will begin after tomorrow!!!

Day Eight

Oh my Goodness! I am almost through the 10 days. I can't believe I've made it this far. I didn't take the laxative tea this morning. I am still voiding from last night's tea. It was nice putting a skirt on this morning that I couldn't fit into a couple of weeks ago. It's made of one of those materials that doesn't give at all, so it's still a bit tight but I can now zip up where it wasn't happening before. I am feeling so much better that I have thinned out my waist. I noticed also, my love handles are gone!!!! My energy level is now better than ever! It's working!!!!!

It's lunchtime, I've had about 10 baby carrots. I noticed I can taste them much better, my senses are very vivid, sense of smell as well as taste have improved since I have been on the cleansing diet.

Day Seven

Well, today will be another day on the road. I am in no hurry to leave Sara's though. I just love her so so much, hopefully I will see her on Mother's Day. So back to my cleanse... it's working!!!! I was so happy to move the bowels this morning as soon as I drunk the tea. Sometimes it takes a while for it to work, but this time I had ate the spinach salad last night. There is no doubt last night's food is out of me now (if you know what I mean) Very dark green! Please believe me, I am not as graphic as some of the other journals I have read on the net. So, I hope you don't get grossed out too much. The important thing is I am not hungry right now. My stomach has shrunk so much in the last 6 days I couldn't even finish the small diet salad last night at Applebee's. It was good to find this out!!!!

Home now, it's about 9:00, I get to see Desperate Housewives. Well I made it thru my travels very well. I ran out of lemonade drink on the way. It seems like I am craving it more and more each day. Maybe I should start to make more now. I am taking the tea and going to bed soon. It's been great seeing my Sara this weekend but I am very tired.

Day Six

DAY SIX!!!!! I am now officially over the hump. I wasn't sure how today was going to turn out. I had a hair appointment at 9 this morning and left Waldorf to drive directly to Morgantown, WV. The 5 hour drive turned out well. I only had to stop 3 times to go to the bathroom. However, I didn't have enough of the lemonade drink while on the road and was very hungry when I got to Sara's place. Since then I feel much better, I have voided enough now that my cramps are gone. Thank goodness for that! AND Sara and I have packed most of her stuff. We are relaxing now and tomorrow we'll work on the rest of her room. It's mostly her clothes now.

I am very excited that I have made it this far with the cleanse. Aside from the cramps this afternoon I have had a real easy time. My tongue has turned white just like I had read in other journals that it would. I know I have bad breath and feel like I need to brush my teeth constantly. But this too is normal. I guess the combination of the lemon, syrup and pepper, duh, what did I expect? But it's all good, the results are showing. And I have no desire to eat solids, Sara and her room mates ate the pizza Curt had sent with me for them. They ate it but I didn't touch it. It was harder when Francesca made some popcorn, I almost grabbed for it. It just smelled so damn good. There are some temptations, I won't lie. None for sweets though, I hope this will last after I am throught with the cleanse.

Sara and I went to Applebee's for a very late dinner. It was past 9 and we shouldn't have been eating anything, especially me. Well, it's ok because I had a spinach salad from their Weight Watchers menu. Very low cal. It tasted pretty good, I couldn't finish it even as small as it was. I didn't touch the reduced cal cheese, but the fresh mushrooms and baby spinach was very good. No dressing to speak of, it was good though it had roasted red peppers. For drink I had hot water with lemon. Drunk my laxative tea when I got back to Sara's. Time to go to sleep, it's about time, it's been a very long day!

Day Five

I have never felt better! Who would ever known that I'd feel so great not eating solid food. It just goes to show you how we over eat everyday. I enjoyed my tea this morning, the laxative tea there is. Curt had brought me a different tea, french vanilla flavored, I tried this morning since I had some extra time for a change, I didn't like it though. Maybe if I had put some maple syrup to sweeten it a bit. Oh, I finally got the Grade B Organic Maple Syrup in the mail yesterday. Today's lemonade batch tastes no different with the new syrup. The color however is much darker than before. I just want all the toxins and congestion to come out of my body. To cleanse my kidneys and the digestive system. Also, I feel it's working on my joints and muscles, I know it's because I am eliminating all the unusable waste. My fingers were so swollen before I started the cleanse, I couldn't take my rings off. One of the things I love most is the feel to my skin. Soft! I read in the book by Stanley Burroughts, The Master Cleanser, all skin disorders disappear as the rest of the body is cleaned. By the results of my skin, I know it's doing its job, I am cleansing.

I thought it would be important to list the reasons one should do this.

WHEN TO USE IT:

• When sickness has developed -- for all acute and chronic conditions.
• When the digestive system needs a rest and a cleansing.
• When overweight has become a problem.
• When better assimilation and building of body tissue is needed.

Day Four

Today I overslept. Curt leaves in the morning with a hug and kiss, that's when I should get up but instead I roll over and fall back to sleep. Took my tea at the office and that's probably a good thing, the bathroom at the office is right around the corner. I have gone today more that the last 3 days. It takes a while for all to make it's way down the track I guess. It makes more sense now that this cleanse takes 10 days.

I had a Greek natural yogurt at lunchtime. I am hoping this won't put everything out of wack, since I am doing so good right now. It was either the yogurt or more baby carrots. I think I put a little more Cayenne pepper in than usual, the lemonade drink is a bit spicier than before. I just have to imagine I am drinking a bloody mary. That's it tomorrow for lunch I'll have a few celery sticks ~ good combination.

I do feel great, my skin feels soft and smooth. Although I am not eating I have energy abound. My lower back doesn't hurt anymore like it had for weeks now. I didn't even have a headache from caffeine withdraw this morning. I think it's all good progress!

I got home at 5:30 and realized I hadn't had time to drink the lemonade drink as much as the 3 days before. I had almost half of it still in the container. Not good, because I was hungry now. I immediately drunk a full 10 oz glass and fixed some broccoli and baby carrots. Just steamed. I felt that I needed something. I had my tea as usual before going to bed. Slept well, but Curt must have heard too much snoring coming from my side of the bed as he slept in the other room again. I am afraid I was a little congested, it must have been the yogurt I had at lunchtime.

The recipe

The below recipe make 60 oz of "lemonade", enough for 6 to 10 oz glasses for one day.

• 60 oz water per day (or 10 oz per glass)
• 12 tablespoons Organic Grade B Maple Syrup (or 2 tbsp. per glass)
• 12 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or 2 tbsp. per glass)
• A little over half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or 1/10 tsp. per glass) or to taste

I just realized I hadn't posted the recipe.

Day Three

I can't wait until I get over the hump, hopefully tomorrow I won't feel these hunger pains that I am feeling right now. Work is slow today, I need more distractions so that I don't think about food. Drank the tea this morning and ran out the door, bad idea. I barely made it to the office. I need to give myself at least an hour in the morning before I get in the car. It's a good thing I am only 15 minutes from the office or I would be in serious trouble. The cleansing continues. Since I have been at work I have had about 3 baby carrots. The fuel from the carrots does help. The headaches from the withdraw of the caffeine are still with me. Like I said, I can't wait to get pass the 4 day. Supposedly it will get better. I weighed in on the first day at 164.7 lbs., I won't get on a scale again until I've completed the cleanse. Tonight I am planning on taking measurements, although it's only been 2 full days, my waist line does feel a bit slimmer. The best part though is I haven't discharged any amount of mucus like I have for the last 2 months. Curt also said that my sleeping pattern is much better, meaning I am not snoring as much as before. All good!!!!