Well, I must say, 10 days is kind of a long time. It seems ages ago that I decided to become a guinea pig to test the Master Cleanse and see if it was really all it was cracked up to be, or just a passing fad. I’ve heard it said, though, that we have invented time as a way to mark change, and if you measure my last ten days by the amount of change in me, I can see why it was a long week and a half.
Noticeable Changes at the End of the Master Cleanse:
-I didn’t weigh myself before the cleanse, but let’s just say the shorts I’m wearing now didn’t quite fit before I started this. Now I have to use a belt to keep them in the right spot, since there’s no chub to hold them in place!
-Words people have used to describe my skin: glowing, angelic…the difference I notice is smaller pores and overall softness
-soft shiny hair–and is it growing faster or is that just me?
-An intangible that I vow to find a way to continue when I eat again is the stable, even keeled and vibrant energy I’ve had this week. Before the cleanse I remember the day being a roller coaster, with me on a high after coffee or tea or sugar, and low after dealing with stressful situations at work. Mornings were far from alert. After the first few adjustment days, I woke up with the same balanced, alert energy I kept all day.
-An appreciation for food–I can’t wait to slow down and savor every bite, every meal, every day.
-Finally, I really feel like I have pressed the Restart Button on my mind & body when it comes to how I interact with food. After saying no to EVERYTHING for so long, it seems totally doable to say no to the things that I know will be unhealthy or will interrupt my smooth-flow of energy and well-being. It’s like I just cleaned my room, so of course I’m not going to just dump everything in my drawers out next time I need to get dressed. That brings me to yet another benefit:
-I’ve had time to organize the way I want to eat and better know WHAT I want to eat when I eat again. Setting clear, weekly goals is something I’m used to now, and is a perfect format for menu planning and ensuring I get all the essential nutrients (and occasional splurges) I need to live a long, happy life.
Still, as great as this Master Cleanse had been, there’s still more before I’m a full-fledged eater again! Before eating all willy-nilly, your body needs an adjustment period so that it isn’t stressed suddenly digesting solid food. Most web sites and the original Master Cleanser book recommend one day of juice before eating returning to food. And of course, you don’t do the Master Cleanse and then go back to eating fast food and processed grossness. That restart button affects the decisions you make about whether or not to put toxins in your newly pristine, cleansed body.
So tomorrow, juice. And then–and this has been making me hungry just thinking about it today– 2 days of raw, where I will attempt the first of many lasagnes I intend to test out in the next few weeks. 
Isn’t it glorious? And it’s totally raw! I will be sharing the recipe, and my next few days of post-cleanse come down, in next week’s posts.
A Call for Guinea Pigs
In the meantime, I know quite a few people who have told me they’re starting the Master Cleanse themselves in the next week or two! I think this calls for some SCIENCE.
If you are considering doing the Master Cleanse yourself, would you be interested in answering a few simple questions every day of the detox as part of a tiny study of Master Cleanse effects? A fabulous benefit would be knowing you are accountable and that the results would be published when you finish–having a partner (even if it’s a blog) is a beautiful thing on this kind of challenge.
Please comment below if you are interested or email me at jescantonelli@gmail.com
