Master Cleanse 2010 - Day Eight and Nine

Wow, Friday and Saturday just flew by and tomorrow Sunday will be my last day. Physically, my body has settled into the fast and I could go for another four days and do and complete a two week fast instead of ten days. But psychologically, I think I'm ready to end things tomorrow night and to move on to another detox (which includes food) to end out my second week. I'm going to do the detoxification plan recommended by Dr. Alejandro Junger. He is not a fan of the Master Cleanse because he says that it does not support the cleansing of the liver. He believes that you can detox easily and effectively while you continue to eat as long as you are cutting out the foods and other substances that interfere with the detoxification process. Make sure you check with your doctor before you start any detox. Also be sure to drink A LOT of water.

This menu plan for a seven-day elimination diet comes from the GOOP.COM website that I mentioned in the last blog. The posting includes instructions, menus and recipes for juices, smoothies and meals that will continue the detox process. I think it will be a good way to ease back in to eating solid foods again without stomach upset.

Dr. Junger's book about his cleanse comes out in paperback on December 28, 2010. It is called, CLEAN and it is another source for those of you seeking to do and cleanse, make a clean break from old habits and embrace a new way of living. I'm on my way to optimal health. I plan to explore other things too and increase in knowledge. We have such power as human beings and anything that we focus on and pay a lot of attention to will show increase in our lives.

Tomorrow will be my last blog about the Master Cleanse fast and I won't be posting every day after that. But it will represent only the beginning of my journey to optimal health. And everything that I try and vet that works, I will share with you.

Peace and Blessings...

Master Cleanse 2010 - Day Four

Today was a much better day. I'm glad I made it this far because each time I've fasted I've had people tell me, "I could never do that", or I'll support you while I make an sandwich, lol". I'm not saying that I do not find it to be a challenge but I can tell you for me and my own personal metabolism, this works. I've also heard from others who have similar stories.

The main point is that a cleanse or a fast is a highly personal experience. There are buttons inside you that others may not know about that only a fast can expose. That is why many people who are at a change point in their life, who seek direction for their 'next' have found a fast or a cleanse to be a great way to clear the mind from the task of daily foraging for food to concentrate on their inner self and the quiet voice of God within.

My favorite Bible passage is Isaiah 43 and it is one that I have claimed as my own. I place my own name in it where others are mentioned. So for me it starts like this:

Isaiah 43

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Dede,
he who formed you,Dede:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; Dede, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, Dede,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

from the Bible Gateway

I like to meditate on a God who is with me through the task of living a purpose-filled life. I thank God for another day and I will now breathe and be thankful that I made it through another day. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.

Peace and blessings.

Master Cleanse 2010 - Day Three

Today was just as awful as I thought it would be but not so bad that I had to quit. At this point in the cleanse it seems that the toxins built up in your body come out from various places and that is uncomfortable. But I also noticed my sense of smell was more acute and my memory and thought process seemed a bit better. Also, perhaps because I stabilized my vitamin supplement regiment my mood was up and my sense of humor was intact.

My dog was not as happy because there were no meals being made(with all the accompanying smells) and no food to beg for so his life has been curtailed as well. I'm looking forward to this next stage of the cleansing fast where your antenna to God is locked on full force and there is no static getting in the way of the still small voice inside you that guides you to the next step. I also thank God that I am still in charge of my flesh and when my body needs to be brought into submission, I have the discipline to start and the common sense to stop at the right time. Thank God for one more day.

Master Cleanse 2010 - Day Two

Whew! I made it through Day Two. It is the end of the day and I am winding down. I did boil the distilled water with raw peeled ginger root. It added another kick start to the drink (along with the cayenne pepper) and I found it to be a refreshing drink which I enjoyed drinking. So yeah! I prepared my drink for tomorrow with both the ginger and two cups of mint tea that I made from the distilled water and fresh mint leaves. I tried it out and it tasted really good. What I don't know is the effect that will have on the cleansing process. But it does make this something I can drink for a long term. And I have 8 more days to go so that is a good thing.

Unfortunately though I feel like crap but my body is definitely responding to this break from crazy food. I've had a real craving for fried foods in the last few months so I hope this fast breaks that cycle and I can eat more a more raw, vegan diet. I still love a good steak but if I felt better I could learn to live without it. There are so many great fresh choices in Southern California so I do have options and I love to prepare different things. Right now, I'm going to sign off because this would be the time I had a late night snack with my dog and that is not happening tonight. So pray for me on Day Three which will start in just a few hours...

Prepping for Master Cleanse - Ginger Mint Julip Anyone?

Master Cleanse Mixed Juice With Ginger And Mint



In reading about the Master Cleanse on www.curezone.com, I discovered that some people do prep work before going on the cleanse to prep both the body and mind. I have never done that in my earlier cleanses but since I was changing the recipe this time (substituting Agave Nectar for the Maple Syrup) I decided a little prep time might be beneficial.

I went out and bought my lemons and a few limes as well and the Agave and today I mixed my first batch according to the recipe discussed in the previous blog. I found that I needed to increase the amount of Agave by 1/4 cup, bringing the total to 1 cup for 120 oz., not 3/4 cup as initially described. It still tasted "watered down", something I did not find with the Grade B maple syrup from Dr. Stanley Burroughs' original recipe. Should I make the adjustment now and go back to the tried and true recipe that worked before?

I decided that I will make another batch with a 1/2 cup Agave Nectar and a 1/2 cup Grade B Maple Syrup to see if that makes it taste more substantial. A cousin of mine, Taryn, emailed and said she only lasted 4 days when she tried it so I told her that I would try to also add some zested ginger (using a microplane zester)and see how that affected the taste. Perhaps some crushed mint as well, what do you think? I also find that crushed parley in small amounts can add a depth of flavor without overpowering if done right. I will go back to the lab, (I mean the kitchen) and get started.

I know that if I added other fruit juices this would also give it more flavor but I don't want to change the benefits of using the lemon as the main juice source. I want to stay true to the principles and the idea of the Master Cleanse. But the occasional drop of Angostura Bitters might be a fun addition... So who is going to join me? We start tomorrow....

In Addition

I would just like to say a prayer of thanksgiving for my dog Chachi. He was in the hospital this week for two days for diabetic ketoacidosis. Imagine a small dog on IV meds including insulin and antibiotics fighting to get better. But he is a fighter and he is back home. Thanks to Dr. Heim, Dr. Tanaka and all the support staff at the Animal Medical Center of Southern California.

The Master Cleanse - Day 11

Wow, I am amazed and thankful that I made it to this day. Especially since I am now in the process of cooking an amazing curried chicken dinner to take to a friend. (Yes, I am sipping lemonade and filling my kitchen with the great smells of onion, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg, soya sauce and more.) Yes, the scents are enough to drive one crazy. But I'm doing it to give to a really good person so it is worth it.

I've lost 10 lbs during this fast but I gained a new peace and calm that I did not have before and I also have gained a new confidence in myself and in my own self control. It is nice to reaffirm that nothing controls me but my love for my God and my family. For me personally, that is a good thing to know inside my spirit.



Ok, it is 1:45 pm and I have just finished the first part of my meal. I grilled the chicken on my stove top but it released so much fat onto the grill that they almost had a fried texture instead of a grilled one but the skin was crisp and brown and they smelled great. I chopped up 4 Roma tomatoes, one small onion and a half cup of mushrooms and I sauted them with garlic. Then I added 1/2 a can of Campbell's Mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of sour cream and a cup of soy milk (I'm trying to use things in the fridge that will definitely go bad before I finish this fast). I added a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, a sprig of thyme and a teaspoon of the masala curry powder. This is a Trinidadian curry not an Indian curry so it is a different spice mix than you might be used to. But the creamy spicy mixture was poured all over the chicken and then I covered it all and placed it in the oven to meld the tastes together. My dog is wondering where his portion is. Wait til he hears that it is all leaving the house...



I'm looking at the cupboards to see what else I should cook now that I have the chance to get this food out of the house. I have some red and white potatoes left so I think I will chop them into rustic chunks and let them marinate in a lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, smoked salt, chopped cilantro and fresh thyme vinaigrette for an hour and then I'll roast them in the oven when I take the chicken out. That will get rid of them all in a tasty manner. Then I'll sit down with another glass of my delicious Lemonade...



The potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. At least that is how they look - I can't taste even one. I did put a little of the marinade on my tongue to make sure the seasoning was good and it was. I added some Basmati Rice (cooked with the other half of the can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup and some Red Kidney Beans, with steamed mixed vegetables with Lemon Butter as the last side.



I've packed it all up and it is ready to go. Now I'm going to have another glass of my lemonade. That is it for today. I feel good but I do wish I was tearing into one serving of this dinner, lol...

Master Cleanse - Day 9

Hello all. Day nine and going strong but I am a little discouraged about nine days and only nine pounds off - am I being a little unreasonable? I guess because I'm exercising along with my fast (yes, I do have the energy to do an hour of exercise), so I think I should see more. Oh well, getting discouraged does not solve problems and quiting before an assignment is finished is not a behavior pattern that I wish to develop. So I'm going to check the message boards to see if I can find some encouraging news there.
I'll be right back...

12:00 noon - My sinus problem is getting worse and it is very annoying. I'm toughing it out tho. There were many encouraging messages on the boards but surprisingly enough I found alot more messages of failure so I decided to quit while I was ahead

Master Cleanser Day 7 Evaluation

It is Sunday evening and I've have been fasting now for seven days. This is my third time doing the Master Cleanse and it has been a good learning experience. I am not experiencing alot of hunger as long as I continue to drink my lemonade at regular intervals. But cooking is an activity that soothes me and relaxes me so I have really missed the act of cooking for myself and others. I don't even necessarily want to eat what I cook, but I do love the sights, the sounds and the smells of food. I have found though that I do not want to be around people who are eating for long periods of time - nor do I want to smell the cooked food of others. There is an internal message in there somewhere that I need to tap into but I don't know what it is yet.

I am glad that I will start week two tomorrow and I don't know what the day will hold. My husband has said that he could do three weeks but next weekend is a large celebration for us as it is Resurrection Sunday for our faith. Part of the celebration normally included food, with different varieties and types. Can we celebrate our God quietly with meditation and introspection instead? I know that most of my friends are not even trying to answer that question on that day. But this is a good time to hear that inner voice and I will be listening, as we go forward with week two. Thanks for sticking with me...

Thank God It's Friday...

Well here it is Friday and I'm getting through Day 5. Yesterday was tough because I wanted to eat - not because I was hungry but because I was bored. And watching 2 Throwdowns with Bobby Flay on the Food Network was probably not a good idea. But the jerk rib eye steak challenge and the barbecue rib challenge were difficult to resist - both are foods that I would like to take up a notch in my cooking. I ended up going to bed at 10 pm which is early for me but I knew that if I stayed up later I might not resist temptation. So I went to sleep and another day was done.

Note to self - might be a good time to stop Tivoing the Food Network...

Today I added some lime zest to my drink. Only do that if you are using the organic lemons and limes like Dr. Burroughs insists on in his book. Otherwise you could be zesting chemicals and pesticides into your system. It tasted great and was a real treat to drink.

I still don't like going to the grocery store to buy more lemons, water and maple syrup. The grocery stores these days have sandwiches, fried chicken, potato wedges, pizza and more to tempt shoppers, and tho I am not hungry per se I am still aware of the smells, even more so now that my system is starting to be cleansed and my senses are heightened.

I have lost a couple of lbs to date but I am not focusing on that. My muscles feel good and my clothes aren't tight, I have more energy and work is easy. I'm also meditating on my personal self improvement, getting rid of things that keep me from functioning at my peak.

And by the way, the husband is doing great this week on the Cleanse. I don't think he'd want me to describe it for posterity's sake so I will leave him out of this.
But I will post pictures when we are done.

I Made It to Day 3 - Master Cleanse

Yesterday was interesting because I was making dinner for 6 and doing a detoxification fast. I did not know if I could make it - making dinner to serve others and not indulging myself. But I did it. I did not feel like eating because of hunger, you really don't feel hungry on this fast - it was more the sensation of eating and the sights and smells of the food. But my mind was made up that I was doing this to better myself and to become more in tune with my spiritual and mental self. So after everyone was gone I made up my lemonade drink for the next morning and went to bed. I was tired but restless and it took a while to get to sleep.

So today was definitely a quieter day and I was not hungry per se but I did have stomach pangs which were usually a signal for me to snack or nibble on something. I also felt really cold today right in my bones and my muscles especially my leg muscles were achy. But I don't feel like these are signs that I should discontinue the fast, I'm going to keep going and see what happens. Because I've already done it successfully in the past, I know that these feelings will soon be gone. I'm thankful that I've been able to get through this day.

The Master Cleanser Journal

Day One

I decided to try the Master Cleanser detoxification program to help bring my body back to a feeling of health and energy. I did the "diet" a few years ago and after 14 days I felt renewed and mentally sharp in a way that could not be duplicated by other means.

My husband also decided to join me on this journey and so we are doing it together. Day 1 was yesterday and I went through the physical pains of not eating but mentally I decided to tough it out. At one point (around 2 pm) I took a nap for 2 hours so I would not have to listen to my stomach cry for food. By the time 6 pm rolled around I was calmer and more relaxed and the night time wasn't a time of testing for me but I did have a hard time getting to sleep.

I did not do much meditating or reading on this first day - I think I just needed to see if I was serious about doing this or if I was going to punk out and say - "my bad, just kidding, I didn't mean it". But thank God, I made it through the first day and things are okay. I had my Smooth Move tea before bed and sleep finally came.