DAY 3 MASTER CLEANSE

POST #735
Sorry for the delay: I was trying to post links to books I’ve been reading, but that has been difficult.

Here’s what happened:

I’m now mostly through Day 3 of Master Cleanse. I’m feeling really good this time, because I am doing the whole program (my dirty secret last time was that I never did the salt cleanse, and I have noticed the difference since the first day. Yes, the salt cleanse is a pain – you have to get up an hour earlier than normal, and you have to do all the running to the bathroom—but it is so worth the effort, because you are going to be clean, clean, clean—I am assuming you do not want the dark and dirty exact facts. Trust me, you will know what I mean if you do it. It is amazing. )
Today, at school, there were all sorts of food smells going on around me. Yummy ones, not so yummy ones, but I just had a sip of my lemonade and I was good. The students were eating all kinds of food around me on the break, but I was fine.
One place I read online suggested that Master Cleanse lemonade could be mixed with vodka! Oh my! I think I will wait, but I can see that it might well be a good mixer.
Everybody keeps wondering out loud how I can go so long without eating. It is probably because I am doing the Master Cleanse properly, and I know that it can be done.
One of my students said she had thrown up when she drank the salt water cleanse. I questioned her closely, because that has never happened to me, and I learned that she had drunk the full quart down in 5 minutes (I suppose I might throw up, too, if I tried that). I do make my salt water with hot water – it goes down about like if you are drinking a bouillon—the salt is about the same density as a bouillon would be, so it almost seems tasty. One website I read suggested that hot water goes through your system faster, so you’ll be done running sooner. That makes sense to me, as the concept of the cleanse is that the salt water is the same weight as blood – if it is close to the temperature of blood, would that not be an assist?

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MASTER CLEANSE DAY 1

POST #734
For some reason, it was a bit difficult to throw myself from the bed this morning.  The alarm rang at 4:30, as I had asked it to, and then I lingered on, thinking, drowsing, and then it was 5:00am, and I knew I had to get up if I was going to get through the salt water cleanse in time.  Oh it was hard to roll out of bed, but I did it, and I managed to walk straight to the kitchen, get out the salt, make the water hot, mix, and sit down with my book and wait for the water to be drinkable, then drink it down, sip by sip, in about 15 minutes.  I wanted it to be 15 – 20 minutes, because I know that, if you drink the salt water hot, it takes only about 2 hours to be done with what you need to do.

I cut two of the big lemons I got at CostCo, juiced them, and blended up my day’s worth  of “lemonade”, and I drank a couple of pints of water.

Along about 10am, I started noticing food smells, so I got a cup and poured out some lemonade, and had a few sips.  I sipped along from time to time, alternating with a little water.

At mid-day,  a co-worker proudly offered me a cookie.  It was the kind of cookie that, if you eat it, you will think you have died and gone to heaven — one of those designer cookies.  I already know that I cannot eat anything made with sugar ever again, and I also don’t really want to eat anything cooked, and I am fasting! I accepted the cookie because she was so proud to offer it to me– I mean, I don’t have to make someone feel uncomfortable when she was feeling so special, just because my life way is not going the way hers is.  I put the cookie on a napkin and offered it around until someone took it.  All good.  I’m still clean.

I didn’t even finish the 2 liters of lemonade before I left work (i.e., in 9 hours).  I see that as a good thing.  2 liters is about what you should do in a day.  I still have another cup or so to go (easy to do).  

During the day, I was faced with lots of temptations.  The cookie, the smells rising from the Indian restaurant behind my building, the smells from the food the students were eating during the breaks (sheez! how do people get so hungry that they have to seriously chow down every 2 hours! I don’t understand that.  Oh, yes, I do.  Too much high carb food, too little protein, and cultural inculcation— they have been taught that they have to be hungry often).    

It’s almost bedtime now. I’ve made it through the day.  I did have a momentary craving for cheese (ha! ha!  I don’t eat cheese!) and, for a bit, I wanted an avocado, but I got past those things easily because I want to finish this Master Cleanse successfully.   I believe that that is how it is done.  

I’ve done Master Cleanse a lot.  I’ve partnered with people who have fallen away after a day or two, but, except for two times, I have always made it through 10 days with no problem. (the two times were when I had been sharing cooking duties with my room-mate, and I realized that she was not eating properly or at all, and she was exhibiting psychotic symptoms.  Because I care for her, I broke my fast those two times, but, the second time, I promised myself, and I warned her, that I would never do that again, that she had to be responsible for her own health.)

I’m looking forward to 5am tomorrow morning.  My salt water cleanse.  Once you get into it, it is so good.  (I didn’t do the salt water cleanse on my last Master Cleanse, and I can see the difference already.  You feel good when you do it.  First, you feel that sense of accomplishment, but, then, you feel the difference.)

Candidiasis: THIS IS WAR

POST #733
You might wonder why I am planning to document my candidiasis experience, as this website is supposed to be about raw vegan food.

I’m doing this because I believe that this issue is nutrition-based, and it can eliminated with a nutritional approach, coupled with natural (nutriceutical) remedies.  I also know that many people come to raw foods looking for alleviation of various health issues, many of which are linked to candidiasis.  From my studies on the subject,over the past 13 years, as well as my own experience as a raw vegan,  I have noticed that it is much easier for raw vegans to adhere to the elimination diet, as the allowed vegetables in the first phase tend to be staples of a raw vegan diet anyway. In fact, as I am not a big fan of sweets, there are precious few things I might want that are not on the Phase One list.

I’m starting the Master Cleanse again tomorrow.  That means tonight is a double strength cup of Smooth Move tea.  Early to bed, early to rise – start tomorrow with a delicious quart of hot salt water (I find it easier to get the salt water down if it is hot.  That way, it tastes a little like bouillon.  I’ve recently read that it also makes the  “process” faster, that you’re done going in two hours as opposed to four. That’s been my experience).

When I am fasting or dieting, I tend to read recipe books.  For some reason, such activity keeps my mind off food.  Right now, I also want to read as much as I can about natural candidiasis treatments, so I’ll be reading books on the topic, as well as researching on the internet.

I’m starting with the 2000 version of Dr. William G. Crook’s The Yeast Connection Handbook.  I was deeply impressed with the original edition of this book, and, at first glance, I see that a great deal of information has been added since that first landmark publication.  I’m going to buy this book its own highlighter.

I’m also doing research in alternative therapies.  I am starting with Melody’s Love is in the Earth, a classic crystal therapy encyclopedia.  Mine is a 1996 edition.

I’m going to start my regimen with a Master Cleanse.  This is a little controversial, because the Master Cleanse uses lemon juice and maple syrup, both of which are proscribed in the typical anti-candida diet.  I have decided that the benefits gained from the Master Cleanse (thoroughly cleansed liver, kidney, and intestines) outweigh the temporary delay in the beginning of my candida-elimination diet.  Stanley Burroughs believed that the Master Cleanse would help to eliminate candidiasis, and, if I am lucky, he will turn out to have been right.  Otherwise, I will just be happy to be really clean when I begin my candida-elimination diet after the Master Cleanse.  (Either way, this is going to take a long time, months, so taking 2 weeks to do something I really believe in is not the end of the world as I see it.)  I’ll let you know how it goes, and I promise to any effects I experience.

When I am fasting or dieting, I tend to read recipe books.  For some reason, such activity keeps my mind off food.  Right now, I also want to read as much as I can about natural candidiasis treatments, so I’ll be reading books on the topic, as well as researching on the internet.

I’m starting with the 2000 version of Dr. William G. Crook’s The Yeast Connection Handbook.  I was deeply impressed with the original edition of this book, and, at first glance, I see that a great deal of information has been added since that first landmark publication.  I’m going to buy this book its own highlighter.

I’m also doing research in alternative therapies.  I am starting with Melody’s Love is in the Earth, a classic crystal therapy encyclopedia.  Mine is a 1996 edition.

Additionally, I’ve found that there is a homeopathic candida albicans formula.  The Master Cleanse proscribes medications/remedies, so I will save that in the medicine cabinet for after my fast.

Of course, in the war against candidiasis, there is the limited diet.  That has never changed, really, so I’ll be following the candida elimination diet  information that I have posted on my website 0(by the way, I expect I’ll be updating the website, which is still on-target, despite the years since I first published it, as I discover new options in the treatment of candidiasis).

MY MASTER CLEANSE EXPERIENCE

My computer crashed on my 6^th day of Master Cleanse, so I wasn’t  able to post how things were going.

I made it safely through the 10 days, and was all set to start eating on the 11^th day, but, when I woke up, I couldn’t think of anything that I wanted more than my lemonade, so I made up 2 liters worth, and went off to work.   The next morning, I still only wanted the lemonade, so I went to work with a bottle of it again.  That night, I did break my fast with a salad, but the next morning, I got up and had a glass of lemonade.  At dinnertime, I had a wakame seaweed salad with red bell pepper and some onion in it.  The next morning I had two bananas, but I still found myself almost craving the lemonade.  I am going to stay off for two weeks and then I will probably do at least another 5 days of Master Cleanse.

The good thing about the Master Cleanse this time was that I went down a size (I’m guessing that would be about 10-15 lbs).  Everyone has noticed it (yes, people notice you’ve lost weight even when you are 5’9” tall and a size 4/6 at your top weight.  I’m happy.

MASTER CLEANSE DAY 3

I’m on Day 3 of my Master Cleanse.  

Dang! A student told me that she was waiting to see me on Day 3 because that is when she always has problems, and when her friends fail.

Don’t you just hate saboteurs? (apparently I listened to her when I wasn’t looking).
I was doing fine, and then, today, I got cravings. (I actually started craving a seriously good hamburger)

I lasted through the hamburger craving (really, no biggy, but I could smell it), and then I started craving 4 avocados. (Not just one; I seriously wanted 4 avocados)
I’m doing well, nonetheless. I know it’s all in my head, and I know what my goal is.

1 – Okay, realistically, right now, my goal is February 10. I just will get there.

2 – Health-wise, my goal is to complete this Master Cleanse and see some improvements)

(fortunately, this time, my roommate and I have not been sharing cooking responsibilities for a number of months, so I don’t have to worry about if she has stopped eating properly, because I know it, and I no longer feel any responsibility)

DAY FIVE ON MASTER CLEANSE

Day Five on this Master Cleanse!  Yippee!

Interestingly, this has been the week that my students wanted to talk about food: what cool food have they found in New York City; what food do they miss from their country; where can you get the best hamburger in New York City; what interesting food have you eaten this week; what is your favorite dish, etc. and so forth.

I have found this interesting in that my stomach has done the requisite call-outs, and I have thought about eating, but, each time, I have just as quickly forgotten about that mouth-watering information I have heard.

Today, I came home with  a serious jones for some kind of food. I went to the blender and blended up some more “lemonade”.  Case closed.  I think that is so cool.  I am not really hungry – it  is all in my head each time.

Today, I woke up sneezing big time. It was “serial sneezing”!  Then I felt slow all morning, and I got another sneezing fit.  Could be I am catching a cold, or it could have been some kind of “healing crisis”.  Whatever… (I’ll carry some Alka Seltzer Plus tomorrow, in case it continues)  Right now I feel okay.  I did have a sneezing fit right after I made up the last batch of lemonade – I think I must have touched my nose with a finger right after I put the cayenne into the blender.

So, what have I been doing during my Master Cleanse? Ha ha! I have been looking at other raw food websites and blogs!  I have been reading recipes there.  I have also been editing/proofreading/formatting two recipe books.

Is that hard? I just asked myself that question this afternoon.  No, it is not difficult, because I am fasting and I know I am, and I know I am not hungry.  Still, I know the end will come soon, and I will be able to eat solid food again.  Then, I will try a few of the recipes I have seen

MASTER CLEANSE REPORT: DAY 4

Got up and made my salt flush.  I like to make it with hot water, so it tastes more like bouillon soup.  It goes down better that way for me (the first few times, I did it with cold water, and that was very hard for me. Then, once, I accidentally got hot water in it, and I’ve never gone back.)   I know I said I was going to try it at night, but, right now, it seems like the idea works better for me i the morning.  I can do my regular morning routine (sit in the kitchen and drink tea and read for an hour), with 32 oz of salt water.  I usually finish it in about 15 minutes.  (Then it is time to go and do something while I wait for the “call”.)

Interestingly, late this afternoon, I started to think about pizza (I don’t usually think about pizza because I am not willing to do all the work the day before to have a pizza the next day – by that time, I might not want it!)

The good thing is that every time time the pizza has come up, I’ve simply reminded myself that I am on Master Cleanse, and the thought has gone away.

 

MASTER CLEANSE REPORT: moving right along

I’m starting to feel clean as a whistle.  The main thing, this time, is I keep forgetting to drink my lemonade, or even water, for that matter.  That’s not good.  I have all those lemons for a reason.  The good thing there is that I am not feeling at all hungry.

MASTER CLEANSE TIME AGAIN: I figure this is one way to save some food bucks for a couple of weeks

I’m starting a Master Cleanse again.

Although, from the outside, it would seem that a Master Cleanse would save you some bucks for a couple of weeks, you actually do have to make a certain cash outlay:  lemons do not come free, and you need a bunch.  Maple syrup is at a premium (but… I have done my research, and it seems that nobody can prove that that maple syrup is organic, so…find a place that sells Grade B and deal with it.  This time, I only found Grade A, so I’ll have to deal with that.)

That said, I scored about 30 lemons for about $11.00.  I’m happy with that price right now…must scour some more locales (you never know who is selling huge organic lemons at 3 for $1.00.. at least you can hope!)

I also have to think about the herbal laxative: Since Celestial Seasonings discontinued my favorite one, I’ve become a fan of Smoothe Move, by Traditional Medicinals.

Now, on to the new info:

A number  of my clients have balked at doing the salt flush in the morning — they feel they do not have enough time in the morning to deal with that, and, so, quite a few have gone to doing the salt flush at night, when they have time to sit around and wait to run .  (I’ve just always made it a point to wake up two hours earlier, but I can certainly understand wanting to sleep a few minutes longer in the morning!)

Unfortunately, no one has ever come back to tell me the results of doing the flush at night, i.e. does it make it easier to stick with?  Because of the “controversy,” this time, I am going to do the salt flush at night and see how that works.  I’ll do it about 7 pm, and see how that works for me, and I’ll let you know.

Some of my clients have told me that they have found a powder version of Master Cleanse.  That is all well and good, but  I do think that using the fresh lemons is better.  I have experimented with making up my lemon juice the night before, and it just isn’t that good.  Since the powder is on the expensive side, for now, I think I’ll stay with dragging around a 2-quart bottle of my fresh lemonade all day.

I’ll let you know how it is going.

BTW, Just to let you know: I’ve challenged myself to post at least every week in 2011.
If you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.
Margaret

MASTER CLEANSE QUICKIE COMING UP plus Master Cleanse – plus my projected vacation ideas

With my first CSA delivery looming (first week in June!!!!), I find I need to do a Master Cleanse.  This is tight.  I have a couple of events where I *have to* eat coming up this week. Yuck.   So, I am set to begin my Master Cleanse on Sunday. Then, on Monday, I start a week’s vacation. That’s good and bad.  I am trying to figure out if I can go to Toronto (have never been to an English-speaking foreign country, and I just may be able to afford a couple of days in Toronto.  If I am on a Master Cleanse, I won’t have to pay much for food while I am there, but I will miss checking out any Toronto raw food restaurants there may be ??? how can I find out????

I guess if I actually can go, I will have to try out the “master cleanse” powder I’ve heard they have in WholeFoods.  Then I will just have to carry a supply of sea salt to make the flush.  Easy, yeah?  Just walk around with an American-size water bottle (I mean, in Canada, they probably do not have those American-size  liter water bottles that you can get at the yoga school here, them being Canadian and all — must remember to pack an empty one of those bottles)  Now, this idea, of using the powder, is kind of interesting. I could find out if it works the same as the real lemons/maple syrup/cayenne pepper homemade concoction does.

Oh, gosh! This is going to be complicated, isn’t it?  I mean, I really would like to check out any possible raw food places there, but, at the same time, I am trying to save money, planning to stay in a hostel, and I really want to get this Master Cleanse out of the way.

Oh well, I will figure it out.

Anyway, I may have a chance to go to Toronto, and, if I do, I will figure out how to carry on with my planned dietary program.

If I can’t go to Toronto, I will go to Philadelphia and just go to see the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, and the house where Thomas Jefferson wrote something (? the Declaration of Independence? The Constitution?  one of those)  As far as I know, there is no such thing as a raw vegan Philly Cheese Steak, so I will do okay, and the plus side is that I can come back home that same night.

For those of you who are wondering why this vacation is such an issue:  I work 7 days a week.  The only times I get off are national holidays and my vacation.  I had planned to go down to Virginia for a family reunion, but it looks like that is not going to happen this year, owing to an illness in the family, so I have time, and I want to do something I have always wanted to do,  as cheaply as possible.  I figure I could take an overnight bus to Toronto, get off the bus , sleep on the bus, get off the bus, start looking around,  and ,later in the day, check into a hostel, drop my stuff, and continue on checking out the town, then go back to the hostel, collapse, sleep through the night, then go back to exploring the next morning, and, in the evening, gt another over-night bus back home.

If Toronto works out, I still might be able to Philadelphia, as a one-day jaunt – it is only about 2 hours away from New York City.

Whatever ends up happening, I am ecstatic to know that, on the Thursday after my vacation, I will have my first CSA pick-up of the year.  I can’t wait.

The good thing is that, regardless of where I end up going, I won’t have to worry about the volcano ash, as I won’t  be flying. I’m looking at my lovely new passport that I got in December now.  WANT TO GO TO TORONTO

(my biggest reason for wanting to go to Toronto is that I have never before gone to a foreign country where they speak English. It would be so cool to go there.)