Comments on: The Master Cleanser

By: Linh

Linh — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:38:28 +0000

I did the cleanse for 10 days about 2 months ago. I lost 12 pounds and have pretty much kept the weight off. I’ve been on weight watchers so I’ve been getting a weekly weigh in. When I started weight watchers it took so much for me to stuff down a salad and not run out and get that burger meal or taco bell on tv… I never ate emotionally, but when I saw something good, I just got it and ate whatever was in front of me and I always ordered way more then I should have. But man, after the cleanse I started setting even bigger goals and love life a lot more. I’ve been really depressed and I think I feel a little more stable. Even if you don’t get anything out of this cleanse, you can feel a sense of great accomplishment. I’ve always had a problem of dropping out or running away when things got difficult, but I hung in there and I started off at 175 5′7 and actually having ladies comment on when I was due!!! To 162 and gotten so inspired that I’m now training to compete in a fitness figure competition. Of course I still have a ways to go… I’ve transformed my arms in a great way. My tummy is flat and there’s a hint of indention at my top ab… Food isen’t a big deal anymore. I do still have occasional cravings but its not on my mind for then 10 minutes. If you showed me a picture of a wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich and fries I would have been whining about it all day and night for days until I got it…. Also, it really really detoxify your body and gets all of the toxins that causes aches and pains. It really could not be a coincidence. I had horrible pain in my tendons for 3 months. I didn’t put any weight on it, I stretched every day, got many massages. Nothing would help and everytime I even tried to jog the pain was too much. After the cleanse a friend asked me to go jogging and I jogged 8 miles no problem!! I didn’t even realize that my tendons were healed until the next day when I was getting ready to do sprints. Insane. So when I say I pretty much kept the weight off, I gained 1 pound… Thats normal but I haven’t lost anymore weight but I think b/c I’ve been lifting so much. I’m actually do a lot of push ups and pull ups… Which I’ve never been able to do my entire life but thats how much muscle I’ve gotten, and my bf% has gone down. I think people will definately gain there weight back if they decide to eat like they used to… but part of the cleanse is to help jump start you new diet or lifestyle change. If you finish it, and you read health sites like bodybuilder.com or read health magazines, you’re gonna get really inspired and theres no way you’re gonna want to go back to your own ways when you worked so freaking hard not touching any food for 10 whole days. I’m definately going to do it again very soon so I can unwrap this extra fat and see all the muscle I’ve built up the last month and a half. Anyone who has put this cleanse down probably has a huge belly…

By: TheNewMasterCleanseDietExpert

TheNewMasterCleanseDietExpert — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:19:33 +0000

It is funny how alot of people think fasting and cleansing is like voodoo, people in India and China have been doing it for thousands of years and it is interesting to note that it has been around longer than mcdonalds and no one questions mcdonalds

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:44:16 +0000

Recently on a cruise ship, I attended a seminar on detoxing. Of course, they had their $400 treatment that they were trying to sell, but since returning home I have done a ot of research on the net and also from a friend who owns a health food store and neighbor who uses the MC once yearly. This is a great website (kind of a how-to) that I found. Just google master cleanse and there is tons of info out there, from blogs to books, to criticism. I am on day one of the cleanse and determined to make it at least 5 days before I reevaluate and decide whether to do the 10 or not. So far so good. The lemonade is actually pretty tasty! As far as depleting muscle (also one of my concerns–I love pumping iron) I don’t think staying on the fast for 10 days is enough to do damage that won’t be reversed quickly. You lose muscle not using it too, and I have been surprised how quickly I get back up to “norm” after taking a vacation. Good luck and happy cleansing!http://www.falconblanco.com/health/cleansing/lemoncleanse.htm

By: Roy

Roy — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:10:24 +0000

nick, what your friend says makes sense. Doing something like the master cleanse is always a risk but I also think that most medical or scientific information is not necessarily trustworthy either and is often skewed to satisfy other economic interests rather than being beneficial for our health. Conflicting information is not a bad thing and helps you to see different sides. I’m the type of person who does as much research as possible and then make my own decision.

From my experience in doing the MC, I didn’t feel it was as life-threatening as I thought it would be and was actually a lot easier than expected. I felt good most of the time although I don’t think I would go as far as calling it euphoria as others have said. Sure you will lose a bit of muscle but if you exercise regularly anyways, it’s not a big deal.

My conclusion was that it was worth doing despite not seeing any dramatic results. I plan on doing it again soon.

By: nick

nick — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:00:03 +0000

what i find disturbing about the master cleanse is that there is such a disparity of opinions and noone really knows whether its good or bad. You have one person telling you its horrible and others swear by it. I started the fast today because I really would like to rid my body of toxins. I know that living in this day and age of pollution and processed foods that toxins are within the body. Something just drew me to this idea so I am going with it. One aspect that concerns me is the heightened senses and energy that begins after the first few days. A friend told me something that makes a lot of sense. He said that those are all the symptoms of starvation and is the bodies way of finding food through heightened awareness. So I’m not sure if feeling better may necessarily mean being better. My other concern is losing muscle. I hear some say you definitely lose muscle, some say the exact opposite. I don’t care about losing weight. I know it will be easy to gain back. Anyone know of the best place to find definitive info on the MC?

By: Josh

Josh — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 07:45:39 +0000

I myself am on the 6th day of the master cleanser and I feel great. I have been able to work out throughout and also work at nighttime until the late hours. My younger brother, however, is not feeling the effects in the same way. He is 23 and his energy levels are pretty low. Also, something strange is that his left eye is a bit swollen. Not sure if it relates, but it’s happening.

The difference between us is immense. I am 32 and work out very regularly and eat extremely well. He is 23, eats and drinks too much, and is on the heavier side. But our mental attitude towards this diet is very different. It is a discipline and a choice to do this cleanse. I told myself that I would finish, so I intend to. If, for nothing else, the sense of accomplishment. I don’t know a lot of people who could do this. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to eat again. :-)

By: J.

J. — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 01:40:48 +0000

Good luck!

By: Nicole Carina

Nicole Carina — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:00:04 +0000

My mom’s into natural healing and things like herbs/vitamins and fasting. I remember she did some sort of detox fast similar to this and I remember that at one point she was shaking and feeling lightheaded. This was probably a natural reaction to the process like you’ve explained and I don’t even remember if it was a sucess or not, I just remember being very worried and asking her to stop because I had to see her like that.
I wish you luck and good health, but please just make sure that those who care about you understand what’s happening and how to tell if you’re ever not ok during the process.
Let us know how it goes. :)

By: Dr.Bowser

Dr.Bowser — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:02:29 +0000

agree w the post above, thats what they said in medschool

By: happy&healthy

happy&healthy — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:43:04 +0000

From the Mayo Clinic:

Detoxification, or detox, diets are touted by many as a way to remove “toxins” from the body. This practice stems from the belief that the food you consume contains a range of harmful substances, which accumulate in your body, causing fatigue, headaches, nausea and even disease. But there is no evidence that this is true or that detox diets have any health benefits. Also, in some cases, detox diets can have harmful side effects.
…
Some people report they feel better, “lighter,” and more focused and energetic during and after detox diets. This may be due to their belief that they are doing something good for their body. But it may also be due to not eating much — if anything — for more than several days. Calorie restriction can lead to heightened feelings of psychological well-being.

However, there is no evidence that detox diets actually remove toxins from the body. Most toxins in the body are very efficiently and effectively removed by the kidneys and liver and excreted in urine and stool.

Early side effects of fasting include headaches. Prolonged fasting or severe calorie restriction can result in anemia, low blood sugar and irregular heartbeat. Before going on a fast or detox diet, talk to your doctor.

The best diet is one based on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean sources of protein and unsaturated fats. Add regular exercise and stress reduction techniques, and you have a solid foundation for good health.