Master Clense

All these "cleanse" protocols are scientifically hocus pocus and yes we all have bacteria that is good for us and messing with it can make you much more susceptible to opportunistic infection. Losing weight is relatively straightforward - eat less but eat a well balanced diet with plenty of fiber and a multivitamin. The fad diets all aim at the same thing, how to get you to eat less. Some of the GI diets are designed to help you avoid the sugar high/low that makes you hungry. But at the end of the day, weightloss is related to total calorie intake compared to total calorie use - no amount of "cleansing" changes that. But it does sell product. Good luck.

K.-the master cleanse is a tough sell and most people can not get past day 3. It does not get rid of the healthy bacteria but we are so plagued by toxins that all people suffer from such serious side effects they feel like they have a major flu bug. Here is what I recommend start off gradually-you MUST cut out all processed foods and sugars out of your eating regimen. That in itself will make a huge difference-JUICE JUICE JUICE (esp.with carrots and greens) with fresh organic veggies a few times a day. Drink a combo of 8ozs of water 1 TBSP of baking soda and 3 TBSP of apple cider vinegar (organic of course) after each meal.

You will want to add a milk thistle/ dandelion t6incture to your regimen which you can get from the company NOW at a health food store or whole foods and add to that a cleansing tea. This will greatly improve what you are trying to achieve without the serious side effects. You can get more strict about it but start here first.

Hi K. I would advise you to consult your doctor before doing this.

This is just my opinion. Anything in moderation is okay...if you clean eat for a month and don't put processed foods into your body, eat the appropriate amount of food and try to eat as much organic as you can. You will allow your liver and kidneys to rest a little instead of dealing with chemicals. I think that when you change a diet to all liquid or all of any one food group or all of anything you are shocking your body and making yourself feel bad for absolutely no reason. They say you are getting rid of toxins when you feel like you have the flu on a cleanse...this really the body trying get proteins, the break down of lean tissue mass and break down of fats. When you do this you screw with your metabolism and it will take time to recover, you may over the next few months after a cleanse gain weight due to the body "preserving" itself. Eat healthy, do treat yourself once in awhile and get plenty of rest and exercise. Your body was created to care for itself if you take care of it.

I did the cleanse a few years ago but only 5 days (3 days actual fast w/lemon drink) 2 slowly transitioning back with o.j. and soup. I felt ok but sometimes felt I was weak and tired. I was also working part-time. There is a period you're supposed to not feel well as your body starts to release toxins- but I decided to stop. My sister however did it for 10 days and felt amazing! She tried it again a few years later after a difficult emotional time and didnt feel well at all - which we realized you really need to feel good and have time to rest and slowdown.

I am wanting to do it again because I feel I need a detox after my pregnancy (son is now 19 mo). I feel very out of shape and am overweight but know that I also need to return to my consistent exercise regime for that. As far as the detox I feel there is something "stuck" in my body and bloat excessively after eating (it looks like I am pregnant sometimes!) So I know something is "off" in my body. However I still breastfeed my son 1-2 times a day and don't think it would be ideal to fast at the time - even though I really really want to!

Let us know how your experience goes!

I'm going to agree with the person who said to talk to your doctor. Years ago I did a colon cleanse that stripped the lining of my colon and I almost lost it. Since that time I've had many doctors who have remarked that colon cleanses for detoxification, that while they may have short range benefits, in the long run they don't make much difference. Eating a well balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables and staying away from fried and processed foods will have more long range effects. Also, the weight loss from a detoxification program is due to water, which can be very easy to regain. There are better ways to lose weight and keep it off - decreasing calories and increasing activity, as also mentioned.

I know I'm in the minority, and ultimately the choice is up to you. But I was 31 when I damaged my colon from properly using a cleansing product. It just reacted badly with my body. It could be looked at as a one in ten thousand chance but I'm now 46 and still dealing with the aftermath with long range and chronic issues because of it. If I had known that, I would have thought twice before doing it. There is a better way.

K.,

With any detox, it will cleanse the bowel of everything, as that is its purpose. Good and bad bacterias, toxin and accumulated waste will all be flushed from your system. The purpose of the liquid diet is so that no solid waste re-accumulates while you are cleansing. There is NOTHING wrong with a liquid diet as long as you are getting enough nutrients. Add a protein powder to your juice drinks or drinking things like ensure will keep your nutrition balanced and taking vitamins will ensure there are no deficiencies. It is short term 10 days is not horrible to be on liquids. People that come off a bypass surgery ,etc are on liquids for months!
I have been dealing with digestive disorders for 20 years, and am put on liquid diets regularly when i can't digest, sometimes for a month or more. Trust me, you'll be fine for ten days. I would focus more on the willpower of the 10 days, not saying you don't have it, but for many it is very difficult to maintain that length of time on the first cleanse. There are many cleanses that are 3-5 days as well which may be a better start for you if you aren't certain of the effects.
Good luck to you.

I haven't done the Master Cleanse because realistically I don't think I could make it 10 days. The purpose of cleanses is obviously to clean you out, so if it's taking the bad bacteria, it's probably taking the good with it. You could probably just take a probiotic supplement while doing the cleanse to replenish your good bacteria. I'd recommending finding one with at 2-3 types of 'live bacteria' and at least 1 billion per serving.

I have done the 28 Day Cleanse a few times and have had really good results with that. The author is Scott Ohlgren and you can get more info or buy the book at www.howhealthworks.com. You do juicing and can have solid foods but it is restrictive. The book comes with a bunch of recipes,so it feels like there's some variety. I have had 'flu like' symptoms twice while cleansing, both times were when my body was used to getting caffeine and sugar daily. So head's up, that may happen to you too.

My husband has done this cleanse about five different times and swears by it. You cannot mix the two though. What it does is rid the body of toxins and gets your body back to it's original alkaline state. The drink mixture has all the vitamins and minerals your body needs for this. He recommends doing a salt cleanse every other morning to help your body eliminate as well. I can tell you more about which salt to use and what porportion if you'd like. Doing a detox like this is NOT harmful, even Dr. Oz said so. What it is not is a diet. Yes you loose some weight (the bad gunk) And you do find that when you reintroduce the solids (after your orange juice days) that your taste buds feel strong, amazing and you don't want to eat the same bad foods as your body was craving before. Any other help you need, just write.

I would look into the 21 day purification program offered by Standard Process. It should be doctor supervised and offers a more comprehensive look at detox and weight loss in a more realistic way. Along the way you also take supplements to support you through the process. Let me know if you'd like more info! My husband and I work everyday with this cleanse, as he is a chiropractor and has his masters in nutrition.

There is another cleanse that I have read good things about - The Quantum Wellness Cleanse, which I think seems more reasonable. It lasts for 21 days and you can't have caffeine, alcohol, animal products, sugar and gluten. I haven't tried it yet, but may in the fall.