posted July 31, 2004 10:28 AM         

the Master Cleanser was developed @ 50 years ago by a guy named Stanley Burroughs. i first came across the fast in an article i read in college, but i didn't try it until i moved to California after graduation. the first time we did it was when my husband quit smoking. he thinks it really helped him to stick to his guns with quitting.

if you google "Master Cleanser" you'll come up with lots of info - folks who've done it, and folks who are trying to sell other cleansing products. i've never taken any of the herbal or bentonite cleansers - just the juice - so i can't comment on those.

i would suggest picking up the little book by Burroughs if you're going to try the clease - just to have some background info. it's short - and cheap. and from what i remember there are some interesting photos.

here's the basic recipe:

2 tbs. fresh lemon juice (organic if possible)
2 tbs. grade B maple syrup (not grade A - too refined and less mineral content)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper - or to taste
10-12 oz. fresh water

i think the water is supposed to be warm, but i prefer mine cold - i say go with whatever makes it go down easiest!

as i mentioned in the other string, you'll also need to take a laxative tea to keep the bowels moving. i've used two different brands that contain senna extract. there is often some cramping, but that didn't bother me so much - as long as it worked. which it does. drink it each night before bed, and then in the morning it's goodbye toxins! i've used Traditional Medicinals "Smooth Move" and Yogi Tea "Get Regular." i think i prefer the former, but they both work.

ummm, what else. ahhh, the salt water flush. this is actually my favorite part, thought the mixture makes me gag a bit. it's 2 tsp (teaspoons!) of sea salt (not the iodized kind) in a quart of water. the water must be warm - it's supposed to have the same density and temperature as blood. this, i assume, aids in the direction in which it leaves.

drink the whole thing down as quickly as possible - much harder than it sounds.

here's the funny part. this ocean will run through you in about a half hour (when we do the cleanse together we have to stagger our salt water flushes!) - word of warning - even after you've eliminated a few times, be careful of the desire to pass gas. get yourself to the bathroom - it's not just air in there anymore! everyone i know who's done this fast always mentions this!

oh, and it's advisable to eat raw foods only or even a broth/juice fast for a couple days beforehand, just to clear out the major debris. then the lemon and cayenne can really do their job.

the first two days are always tough. some tiredness, crankiness, headaches and a lovely white film forms on the tongue. this is the body starting to detox. drink more lemonade! by the third day it's all feeling worthwhile and - for me - it's wonderful to feel so light - not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well. the fourth day can be lower again, and then it just gets easier.

it's importnat to come off the fast gently. Burroughs recommends fresh orange juice the first two days, then some fresh broth and applesauce. this is how we did it and it worked great.

i think more than anything i gained a greater awareness of what i take into my body and also an appreciation of how central a role food plays in our lives. it's almost impossible to do anything social while on the cleanse. so make sure you work that into your schedule. on the other hand, work was no problem. i just took my supplies with me, and it's a great topic of conversation! my husband was doing carpentry at the time and he did it while working, too - no problem.

when he did the cleanse the first time, he had a lot of REALLY horrible gas and he expected (as in *cough cough*) a lot of gross-looking brown phlegm balls. we now think this was the smoking detox, because it only happened the first time, and it didn't happen to me. he's also a meat eater and i'm not, so that could have had an effect on the gas, too. please don't be scared away by this!!! it's a good thing, really!

i think for relatively healthy individuals this is a really good way to purge the body of toxic overload. but anyone who has any medical issues - from cancer to diabetes to mental imbalance - definitely do not attempt to fast without proper physician supervision. it could be too much too quickly for the body to take. i also don't know what the deal is with those on medication - if the flush will change the efficacy or not. so please be careful, anyone who has any questions about whether or not this is right for them.

that said, i know many people now who've done this (it's pretty popular in SoCal) - and i haven't heard any adverse effects other than the usual symptoms i listed above. it's just amazing to see how much waste even healthy people carry around with them! the folks who've actually been able to follow through with it rave about the positive effects.

posted August 01, 2004 10:22 PM         

yah, public purging sounds like a sadistic torture dreamed up by the Inquisition - not to be entered into lightly!

well, i say go for it anyway. and i'd recommend picking up the book just to get a better sense of what's involved and why. if you have a health food store near you they may carry a copy. or there's always the great octopus of booksellers.

i personally would never recommend just a plain water fast. the reasoning behind the "lemonade" is to keep the blood sugar at a safe level and give the body something to work with. i think fresh juice fasting is great, though. any time you give the digestive system a break there is more energy for your body to utilize in healing. do you have a juicer? have you tried wheatgrass? tastes like hell, but what a great boost.

listening to your body is also important, as you know aready. if your body says "stop" then it probably has a good reason. i'll admit, my body often asks for cookies and doesn't seem so enchanted at the prospect of brussel sprouts, but it's a different message than the one i get when i know something is just WRONG. ya know?

as for working, i always time it so the first salt water flush is on the weekend. after the first one that's pretty much it - i think the book may even only recommend one (but as i said i kinda like it - call me crazy).

i haven't had any public incidents yet. i have a friend who had one in her car - only once - you learn quickly! and as i mentioned, my hubby hasn't had a problem working either.

i can't find it on-line, but i do still have that 1995 article that got me started. i can photocopy it and mail it to you. if you want it i'll send it off to you.

it's intense but not outrageous. i love it and i think if you're feeling up for it and you think you'd benefit then go ahead and give it a try. and let us know how it goes!

posted August 01, 2004 11:19 PM         

Yes, I have a juicer.
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with your assesment of wheatgrass juice.

Think I'm going to have to give this a go. If anybody wants to talk me out of it , nows the time. Please.

posted August 02, 2004 07:49 AM         

If this is the adventure It appears to be, do share!! Your Scorp bravery inspires me.

Perhaps........ I may give it a go-round.

juniperb

posted August 02, 2004 08:12 PM         

hey, where's pixel with the bathroom humor when you need 'er???

hey Deep. i wish your friend luck. it's an expensive habit - financially and healthwise. i smoked in college for about a year and i still have one occassionally if i'm out with my girlfriends who smoke, but i always feel like complete crap the next day. so it's easy for me to talk bad about it, but for so many people it's the hardest thing in their life to do - quit the habit. i'm sure if your friend is up for it he'll appreciate any support you can give him.

okay, tink-a-poo, i have the article ready to go. you can't back down now!

x

posted August 02, 2004 11:36 PM         

Tink on the serious side, do try first as I would like to give it a go.

posted December 15, 2004 12:35 AM         

I did this cleanse back in August. I fasted for 11 days. Didnt think it was possible for a Taurus to go that long w/o out food, but somehow I did it. Most of the time I felt great. I dropped a bunch of weight and know I wiped out alot of toxins in my body. At one point I had major headaches over a day or two. I know it's because I skipped the salt water flush a few times. You need to drink the salt water to flush everything out, or else the old stuff you are loosening up just sits there in your system spreading toxins into your bloodstream. All in all it was a great experience and I suprised myself that I could actually do it.

posted December 15, 2004 07:18 PM         

But I was determined to do it, so I did. It's not for everyone. There are some more gentle fasts out there - juice fasts, some not so hardcore fasts. I might go that route if it's your first fast. This fast was my first BTW, and it's pretty hardcore. But definitely beneficial to your body. With this one you have to do a minimum of 10 days.