Day 21 - Mastercleanse - 13th December 2004

It's now 11 days since we quit the diet/detox/prayer vigil. How are we different? Julie reports that she has not been so hungry since we finished. I agree with this. I think your stomach gets used to being less full and therefore you feel more complete with less food. At the same time you are perhaps more cleansed and able to digest more efficiently. Therefore you would not require so much food to obtain the same energy.

This sounds like a good idea but is probably rubbish.

My digestion is certainly different and I am suffering with some constipation most probably because we used laxatives for so long the body has adjusted to this level of elimination. I must drink more.

Talking of drinking; I had gone for 15 days without a drop of alchohol. Then we had a lunch time engagement with some friends at a local restaurant. Julie and our friends got there first and Julie ordered a beer for me! Can't believe she did that. Perhaps what is worse is that I drank it! That of course was the start again. Since then I have actually gone out and bought some wine and beer. Only, of course, because my Mum was coming over. But I certainly don't crave a beer like I used to. I can take it or leave it. I have developed a taste for orange juice and cloudy apple juice.

I have put back about half of the weight I lost (16 pounds). Julie had done the same but she only lost about 12 pounds during the diet.

All round, we would both say that we have developed a greater understanding of our relationship with food. It is no longer something we consume without thought. I believe that the whole process was very nourishing to us both (if I can use that word?). It was something that we did together and there are actually very few things we do together. It was something that we supported each other in and encouraged each other. And it was something we were both pleased to have completed.

I don't think we would have maintained it for the 10 days if we had not been using it as an opportunity to pray. Diverting the feeling of hunger and the longing for food in this manner (not manna) not only made the sensations bareable but gave the whole excercise a purpose. For without this I am not sure we could not have dreamed up a good reason to do it. That we may have benefitted in the long run is simply a bonus.

If you want the book go here: Mastercleanse Book. I haven't got it and never read it so I can't comment. Other than a friend who said it should be taken with a pinch of salt (not literally though).

Day 11 - Mastercleanse - 2nd December

Back into full time eating today. But it isn't the same. We are far more conscious of our portions, eating far less than before. Obviously this is early days as far as eating is concerned. It feels like a honeymoon period has begun. Food tastes great and little is required to feel replete. I guess as you go on and your stomach stretches, you require more food to generate the same feeling (sounds like I'm talking about herion!).

I definitely feel crisper (whatever that's supposed to describe?). My taste buds, sense of smell, alertness, physical awareness of my body are all running at a higher level than before. I also feel that this kind of diet/cleanse is something I could repeat. It's like I have a new weapon. Food has, ever so slightly, less of a hold on me than it had before. I have a new relationship with it. More repect for it and less fear of not having it.

One thing hasn't changed. I thought that if I gave my stomach and intestines a good clean out it would help. I thought if I was careful with what I ate after our detox it would be better. I thought that if I wasn't drinking beer (I still haven't had a beer or indeed any alchohol for 11 days) it would eliminate the problem altogether. It doesn't - I still get wind! It started almost immediately. Julie always said it was beer. Now I know it isn't.

Julie got indegestion for the first time in years today. She is putting it down to eating too much. She feels that she has much more energy than she got from just the lemonade. Generally she feels well. She did have a piece of chocolate today but it was not like it was what she had been craving. Far from it.

Day 10 - Matercleanse - 1st December

It feels decidedly strange waking up knowing that we will be ending our fast today. We had already discussed how we would do it. We would keep going on the orange juice for breakfast, then do some lemonade and finally have some soup for lunch.

By all recommendations the food part of this was somewhat premature, but we thought we were better than all the recommendations.

I was fine this morning. The orange juice tasted great and we drank loads. I took a bottle of lemonade to school with me in the car. But it was finished in the 10 minutes it took to get there. I think I will forever enjoy this drink, like I enjoy meeting with an old friend.

Julie had had enough of the lemonade by now and only drank the juice. We both felt fine and were comfortable with the idea of breaking the fast at lunch. For me I felt like I had quit smoking for 10 days. I felt very pleased with myself and better for having done it. But I also felt something like guilt as you would if you had taken a secret cigarette and ruined your record for quitting.

Lunch finally arrived. Homemade chicken and vegetable soup. And it was delicious. We both had a small bowl with some bread and I had the added luxury of a 2" square of cheese. We both felt we had eaten like kings. And we felt completely satisfied, not bloated just satisfied. The feeling stayed with us for the rest of the day.

At supper time we sat with the boys and had a little vegetarian shepherds pie and salad. Julie couldn't finish her small portion. Perhaps only the second or third time I had ever wittnessed her not finishing a meal. Again it was beautiful to taste and savour. Julie felt that even though she had eaten only a little, it may still have been too much with the lunch we had also had. She felt full for several hours afterwards.

I felt full and replete for the rest of the day and even managed a mince pie at house group tonight. After all Julie had made them!

Well we did it. I don't know and I suppose we never will know, if it has done us any good. We have used the whole thing as a excerise in partnership (we actually each do different things most of the time), we have used the hunger pangs to remind us of who were are as living creatures, to gain a greater appreciation of what we eat and to be thankful to our Lord and Creator for the blessings we are given everyday of or lives.

Give me some more soup, please and roll on the bacon and eggs!

Day 9 - Mastercleanse - 30th November

Day started again pretty well for both of us. We both went straight onto the lemonade when we woke but decided that we had probably been purged enough and delcined the laxative tea. I collected our friend from the airport and Julie did some baking. Neither of us had any movements today.

For me the day was the least painful. I was full of vigor, I had no headaches and the small hunger pangs I felt were easily subdued by the lemonade. I think my body was now in the stride of it all and I had a sense that I could probably keep on this thing for as long as was necessary.

Julie was still feeling pretty wiped out and was finding it difficult to consume more that 4 lemonade drinks per day. I think 6 must be the minimum to supply you with the energy you need. So she's in a losing battle.

We decided at the end of the day (around 7:00pm) that we should start the orange juice tonight. Our friend had just arrived and we were expected to a party on Friday night and a pot-luck supper on Sunday night. So we needed, in any case, to be ready to eat by then.

So we had some fresh orange juice. Just half a cup each to start with.

Now I haven't had orange juice for about 10 years, considering it to be far to acidic for my constitution. Well, what we know about our constitutions is zip. We all have ideas about ourselves I'm sure and I'm sure we don't know what we are talking about in the main. I'm convinced (because of what people tell me) that I have a wheat intolerance, a necessity to have a certain amount of fat everyday, I have candida (this one was very popular some years back - do you remember everyone had it for a while), intolerance to dairy products, acid stomach that produces an acid reflux and terrible bad breath if I don't eat regularly (Julie will testify to this one), a very ichy scalp due to some other intolerance, an underperforming liver and others I won't go into. But in reality I don't suppose any of these is anything like what I really have. All I can say is that the orange juice was absolutely gorgeous. Julie had 3 glasses and I must have had 4 or 5. Apparently it is the best thing for you at this time of the diet because it forms an alkali base and lining for the stomach. Who cares; it was great.

We went to bed well satisfied.

Day 8 - Mastercleanse - 29th November

Julie woke up this morning and immediately made us the laxative teas and lemonades!

I thought it was over quite honestly. Although I would have been prepared to go on alone, it would have been difficult without her support. I knew we were going to be OK for the day when she told me not to forget to buy more lemons on the way home. We have now squeezed our way through 100 lemons. They recommend using the organic ones (well they would wouldn't they?) which cost £1 each over here, so perphaps the savings we made by not eating have already been used up?

I woke up feeling on top of the world. Mentally bright, alert and sharp (that doesn't really sound like me in the morning does it?). Not felt like this since I can't remember. It's the sort of healthy buzzy feeling that I guess people who are really fit get after they've just completed a really good work out. I used to feel like this after I had done a couple of hours of karate and was in the pub afterwards having a pint and a fag. You know like you feel like you could do anything now. The day is ready to begin and I can handle anything you want to shove in my direction. The breakfast table discussions were very animated and full of deep insights and meaningful messages. Wow.

About noon I had another run to the bathroom. Only the very smallest of movements now and not very pretty. As before (see yesterday). Yes, yes, yes, more, more cleaning, more, more detoxing. I want to be CLEAN.

Actually I just want it to be over.

But we survived again. Julie suffering more today than before. I think she is getting wearier. I am managing to sustain my energy levels but she is not. I do take serruptitious licks off the top of the maple syrup bottle when she is not looking but this is only to stop it dribbling down the bottle you understand. It is so messy if it does that. I think the extra syrup is helping me (?).

My weight is down to 11 and half stone (about 163 pounds in local currency). This is the weight I was when I got married 13 years ago and what I had been for about 10 years previously. Since then I had put on a stone and was hovering around the 12 and half level. So I have lost just about 14 pounds in 8 days (actually it was day 7 when I last weighed myself).

Some of the reasons for this may be that I have not had in that time: 24 slices of bacon (thin canadian stuff), 22 cups of coffee, 20 bottles of beer, 6 doughnuts, 12 bites of chocholate, 6 croissants (elevenses you know), guess about 2 packets of sweeties, 8 marshmallows and 14 slices of bread for my sandwiches at lunch time or any of the 24 square meals I might have had.

I just went up to see what happened to Julie. She was putting Julian to bed and went up with him an hour ago. Julie was asleep and Julian was cuddled up to her reading a book. I woke her up but she said she was feeling pretty awful and needed to go to bed. This was at 9:00pm. I really think she won't make it through tomorrow. I will probably end tomorrow night too as we have weekend dining engagements that I would like to enjoy.


Roll on, roll on please.

Day 7 - Mastercleanse - 28th November

We both went to the bathroom today. Just a little after some griping pains. (What a great way to start a blog). We are still on our morning and evening laxative teas. I shalln't go into too much detail about what is coming out, (or shall I?) suffice to say it's like nothing I've ever seen before. After reading up about this detox , one would hope that what is finally coming out of our systems is the remnants of years of bad eating habits that has finally been renched from the intestinal wall after lingering there for years, clogging up our systems and preventing our food from being digested properly. Imagine what that might look like?

I actually only believe this to be partly true. And guess why? Not so long ago I went for an endoscopy (the one that looks up the bottom if I've got the name wrong) and let me tell you; you have never seen a better picture of health than what was up my bottom. I saw it for myself live on TV and the doctors were all cooing in admiration. A lovely clean, moist and pink colour all round. I'm not sure how far they went up (it felt like they had reached my stomach) but there was absolutely no evidence of the black stuff coming out now! I think it's the lemon juice bits with the maple syrup, congealing as it goes down. At least that sounds better to me.

Julie is suffering more than me. I think she is laggin behind with the lemonade. I manage to drink enough to keep me going but she manages only 4 or 5 a day. She is feeling very tired and wiped out today and she has tons of things to do so it's making her quite miserable. Her most difficult time is afternoon and evening. Both of us a good in the morning. I seem to have more energy than her at the moment.

By the end of the day we were discussing whether we would switch to orange juice tomorrow as she felt she had had enough. Well see what happens.

Day 6 - Mastercleanse - 27th November

No real pains or gripes today. Just an agonising desire to eat. Every smell in the house (when the boys are eating) drives us nuts. The worst was Sammy eating guacamole corn chips in the car. I was very nearly tempted.

Niether of us have been to the bathroom for any bowel movements but weeing for Britian (or Canada). We probably only did 5 glasses of lemonade today and we have cut the cayenne completely.

I have lost 10 pounds in weight since day 1 and have pulled in my belt by 2 notches. We are certain Julie has lost weight too, as her trousers are loose but we never weighed her before we started, so we can't compare.

I am just amazed that we have both been able to keep this up. The intention is to do 10 days and then start with orange juice for 2 days. I'm not so sure that we will be able to hold out that long. We keeping teasing each other with the particular food that we would just love to have. For me a simple cheddar cheese sandwich would do the trick. The when we dropped Sammy off at his mates house tonight for a sleep over, they said they were all going for a chinese. Now I can't get sweet and sour out of my mind.

Out tongues have gone from horribly coated with green and white stuff to a lovely fresh pink clean colour which they are now. My itritating itchy head which I have had for years has completely gone. Julie thinks I am partially wheat intollerant and my head problem flares us when I eat cereals in the morning or do doughnuts and lots of bread. This could well be the problem. But how do you fix it? I just love my bread (french, ciabatta whatever). How could I survive without. It's all will power and overcoming your desires I suppose. Just like what we are doing now.

Day 5 - Mastercleanse - 26th November

Well we both survived to day as well. No real problems. The cayenne pepper is being left out of most of our drinks now. We believe it is added to "keep you warm". Seems a litte strange to me. But as we progress (and we were warned about this) your sense of taste and smell become far more sensitive. So the taste of the cayenne is now too much to stomach.

Julie and I both went to the bathroom but passed very little. The laxative teas were continuing to work by giving us the odd gripes and scares which passed over time.

I had few headaches today and they were not of great significance. The big thing today was the bad taste in my mouth and my acute bad breath. Now I suffer from bad breath anyway. If I don't eat every 2 hours my stomach starts to ferment and cause bad breath. This had disappeared over the last 4 days but came back today. I have no idea why.

Just can't imagine how we are still alive after 5 days with no food. But in actual fact the physical sensations are less of a problem than you would think. Julie has no desire to eat chocholate and I have no desire for a doughnut or beer. We could both murder a vegetarian shepherds pie though.

Day 4 - Mastercleanse - 25th November

This had been a "driving us mad" day today. Watching the boys eat and preparing their food, really was excuciating in the extreme.

We have done all our lemonades today and the morning and evening laxative (senna) teas. Julie did admit that she stole 3 grapes when she went to the MOLO (Mothers Of Little Ones) event this morning. But I don't think it will be a problem from the detox point of view.

When we come off this diet we are supposed to drink only orange juice for 2 days and then progress onto thin soups. Proper food would be 2 or 3 days after that. Apparently you need to give your body a chance to recover and rebuild it's ability to digest.

Julie had 2 major visits to the bathroom today and I completed my second day with no movements at all. Perhaps I should go for the salt water drink tomorrow.

We are feeling hungry several times a day but it comes and goes quickly. I only had one headache today. Julie says she feels OK but is really missing eating.

Day 3 - Mastercleanse - 24 November

We both slept well last night and woke up in good condition. Quite invigorated in fact.

During the day we both had a far greater interest in food that we have suffered before. It's just amazing how often you think about food. I am sure it's far more often that we are supposed to be thinking about sex. When you drive around, there are so many temptations over here. The coffee and doughnuts are absolutely out of this world. It is so tempting. It's also incredible to see how much outdoor advertising is food oriented and how many restaurants and food shops there are beckoning.

I had less of the headaches today, although the one that hit me for 45 minutes at 5:00pm was the worst of the lot. Julie took the salt water "wash out" as well today. A very large glass of water with 2 teaspoons of salt. It resulted in 6 visits to the bathroom, some of them at top speed. She also had some stomach cramps, not surprisingly. That type of visit to the bathroom eluded me for the day.

We are relieved that it has not been worse than it is so far. Now I just have to get my mind around that salt water thing!

Day 2 - Mastercleanse - 23rd November

I slept really well last night. Perhaps the best night since I have been in Canada and woke up feeling pretty refreshed. Julie woke at 4:00 am and could not get back to sleep, so she was not too impressed. Neither of us suffered any effects from the laxative tea. So far, so good.

During the day we both deteriorated physically. I started to get headaches on and off, getting stronger as the day progressed. Julie felt very wiped out and very stiff in her joints. She even at one point mentioned the "give up" words. She then went to a school parents evening tonight and came back feeling much better. My headaches tonight have subsided too but I have felt quite hungry.

Both of us finally felt the effects of the laxative tea this afternoon but it wasn't too bad. We have both done our 6 cups of lemonade (not the fizzy stuff). I have also had a cup of camomile and 2 cups of laxative tea. That was it. We both were looking at the boys foods tonight. I really wanted to have some.

Later ....

Well we have survived the first day. We have both had 6 glasses of the lemon drink (2 tblspoons lemon juice, 2 tblspoons maple syrup and a dash of cayenne pepper). It is quite nice if you have it warm.

We shall be having our 3rd cup of laxative tea before we go to bed. Neither of us have suffered any effects of the tea yet.

We have had slight pangs of hunger and I have had several minor headaches over the day.

Julie had to cook the boys supper and that was the hardest part of the day for her. Looking at the food and not eating it.

I had to remind myself about 20 times that I was on this thing. You just can't believe how many times you think about food when you don't have it. Mostly out of habit I guess. Elevenses was really difficult to miss for me.

Day 1 - Mastercleanse - November 22nd

We actually started last night having eaten our last meal, we both took a laxative tea. On the packet it states that it will start to work in 6 to 12 hours, so we were wondering if were going to start having "problems" in the middle of the night.

As it turns out nothing changed. We both woke at the usual time this morning, with no adverse side effects. Julie prepared our first cups of lemonade and we drank them with surprise. They were actually very tasty, as long as you don't put in too much cayenne pepper. The laxative tea, of which we had another cup this morning, also tasted good.

We got through to lunch time with no adverse effects. Neither of us suffering from the effects of having 2 lots of laxative tea. We had previously read that by now we should not travel too far from a bathroom. No problem for us!