Spring Cleaning

For the past three years each Spring I participate in a personal cleanse to ready myself for the warmer weather. Part of my spring cleaning regime is a master cleanse. The master cleanse created by Stanely Burroughs is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins from within the body. This is a 10 day program where the participant drinks a lemon water mixture throughout the day, herbal tea and undergoes salt water flushes.

There is a small pamphlet Burroughs wrote which is informative and helpful with an overview and instruction. I also found The Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet Blog quite helpful in preparation and general moral. He is also on utube under littleBIGGERchris. If your thinking of trying this regime I highly recommend you check out either his blog or utube videos.

My personal experience has been one of trial and error. The first year I lasted one day. It was a good day. I gave my intestine a break, stimulated my system, and readied for lighter warm weather foods. At that time one day was my max, accept it, move on. and try again. Year two I lasted three days. I learned from the first year I cannot do the salt water flush and make it to work without a catastrophic incident. Herbal tea in the morning was a better alternative. Three days was a success, my mistake was eating a slightly too heavy meal when I stopped the cleanse. Live and learn, I won't do that again either. This year I started my cleanse by preparing my body with four days of lighter eating and drinking plenty of water. The salt water flush will only be used during non working hours and I'm going to follow the suggestions for coming off the cleanse at the end. I don't know how long I'll last, food is a joy, I love to cook and its hard to slug down lemon water when everyone around you is enjoying a good meal. I'm going to try to listen to my body and we'll see how it goes. Today is day one!

To prepare the lemon drink:

About 12 lemons

12 tablespoons organic maple syrup grade B ( some say 6 tablespoons)

One teaspoon cayenne pepper ( some say half a teaspoon)

Enough fresh spring or distilled water to make about 60 ounces of the lemon drink.

I like to add two tablespoons bentonite. Bentonite remains in the digestive tract and is believed to bind and inactivate toxins and promote their excretion.

The herbal tea is an herbal laxative. I use smooth move or get regular which both contain senna the basic ingredient needed. These teas are quite common and you can find them in any health food store

For the salt water flush you need sea salt. This is essential. Regular salt will not be effective. It is actually counter productive when flushing out your system and has the opposite effect. I drink 16 ounces of lukewarm water with two tablespoons of sea salt. Burroughs suggest 32 ounces stating, " several eliminations will likely occur. I found this was not only the understatement of the century but while occurring, now means now, at it's really best to stay within three feet of your bathroom.

If anyone else out there is doing a cleanse good for you and good luck!

Good health to all!

Miss. S