The Master Cleanse

[tonynoriega]

anyone here ever gone through the master cleanse?

[eelixduppy]

It's not all that good for you...

Instead, drink a lot of water and go for a run everyday. You'll be happy you did.

[tonynoriega]

why is it not that good for me? im not trying to lose weight. im doing it for the detoxification purpose. flushing my body of toxins that i have put in.

i practice brazilian jiu jitsu weekly so i get my cardio believe me...

i was wondering if anyone has has success with its detoxification properties...

[eelixduppy]

If you are into starving your body of essential nutrients then by all means go ahead and try it. Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water (the water is key) will rid your body of its toxins and bring it to a very healthy balance. The key is to not be polluting your body with toxins to begin with. Let's say the master cleanse does work, and does not have any harmful side effects (which it does), if you go back to introducing toxins into your system you just wasted your efforts.

Eat right. Drink water. That's all you need to do to rid your body of toxins. Don't fall victim to these stupid "systems".

[Syzygy]

We already have a built-in detox system courtesy of our wonderfully efficient liver and kidneys.

[piatkow]

We already have a built-in detox system courtesy of our wonderfully efficient liver and kidneys.

Mine is super efficient after the third pint of beer.

[Brett_Tabke]

> Don't fall victim to these stupid "systems".

agreed. Have you seen the recent studies on people who drink alot of water (more than 8 glasses a day) having higher rates of kidney failure?

The only key system, "everything in moderation".

[tonynoriega]

Its deeper than just using the liver and kidneys. It is supposed to rid cells of old decayed broken down particles.

And No, i dont play to continue my old eating habits.

I dont see why so many people wouldnt want to do something like this...

how do you treat your vehicles? every 50 or 100k miles you do a complete system flush right? get rid of all the bad particles, put in new fluids, fresh fluids, run some cleansers through the system right?

You wouldnt let your car go without an oil change for 30+ years would you?

Look, im not preaching, obviously i havent completed the program yet, but im not starving my body of any essential nutrients... if you look deeper into what lemons possess and what nutrient maple syrup brings, i am not missing much... protiens are over hyped and at this point in my cleanse are not necessary.

[eelixduppy]

>> It is supposed to rid cells of old decayed broken down particles.

If your body cannot get rid of it on it's own, no diet is going to change that. It's not like this diet is adding different organs to your body to rid it of toxins, it is using the same organs that it always has. There are toxins in the human body, though, that cannot be removed by the body by itself. A diet isn't going to change that.


>> You wouldnt let your car go without an oil change for 30+ years would you?

If you are going to compare the master cleanse to cars, then at least do it correctly. You aren't "cleansing" the things your body runs on, you are simply not giving them to your body. The master cleanse is like going on a two week drive with no oil in your engine at all. On top of that, remove other fluids like radiator coolant, and even gasoline! Then see how happy your car is to drive hundreds of miles without those essential things. I hope your entire trip is downhill!

If you choose to participate in the master cleanse you will be drinking basically lemonade for however long you do it. This is starving your body, not providing any benefit other than the added consumption of water which you could do anyway without starving your body. They also recommend drinking laxative teas which clean out your colon, sure, but your colon contains mostly water so you'll just be flushing water out of your body, not much more.

>> if you look deeper into what lemons possess

Lemons possess nothing special. They are very acidic and contain sugars. I think you should take a closer look at what some vegetables can do for you, though.

>> what nutrient maple syrup brings

Maple syrup is straight SUGAR. It is just preventing you from now DYING while on this "diet". If you were to do this diet without the calories that this maple syrup gives you you would no doubt be near death at the end of two weeks or whatever. There is almost no nutritional value in maple syrup.

>> protiens are over hyped

Actually not entirely true, but it depends on what you mean by this. Naturally occurring proteins that you get from foods you eat are very important to a healthy, functional body. Protein supplements, however, are overrated, IMO.

I think you should consider your reasons for even attempting a "diet" like this and then figure out if it's worth putting your health at risk for two weeks for no benefit at all; in fact, it'll have a negative affect.

And to answer your original question, I personally have not tried the master cleanse -- I refuse to starve myself like that -- but I do know a few people that have tried it, and to be honest it was saddening to watch. It was like watching an anorexic person for 2 weeks. This diet encourages some serious eating problems. And any weight loss you might think you will get from this will only be gained back on once you get FOOD in your system again.


As you can tell I'm very passionate about this topic, because it really upsets me that people fall victim to these things.

[edited by: eelixduppy at 3:20 pm (utc) on Apr 12, 2010]

[bhonda]

I'd have to agree with eelixduppy, there is a massive distinction between the natural and the artificial.

Any 'systems' like this that aim to achieve what our bodies are designed to do for us anyway is pretty much laziness. Obviously there are exceptions, if the body is not doing what it should, but I'm fairly sure that in most of the cases, the body is absolutely fine and more than capable.

No, living healthier is a much, much better idea. Taking shortcuts is just plain lazy, and will only make matters worse.

But then, that's only my opinion!

[tonynoriega]

again, this is NOT for weight loss. period. its a cleansing of the body both physically and spiritually. its not a "shortcut"...im not trying to starve my body so i can lose 40 lbs ... im freaking 5'10" - 155lbs with like 8% body fat...

And lemons actually possess more than acid, they have some Fiber, if you add the pulp, calcium, carbs, folate, potassium, and minimal protien.

Maple syrup has alot of sugar, yes, but it also has calcium, iron, manganese, and zinc and minimal saturated fat.

Cayenne pepper is also a good source of Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Vitamin B6 and Manganese.

Most of the general pulic doesnt even get that in a day... they get High Fructose Corn syrup when they start their day with a Diet Pepsi and a donut... and a good helping of Trans Fats with the burger, or taco, or whatever they had for lunch at AppleBees.. oh, and another soda.
Then for dinner some pizza becuase they are too tired to cook from the nasty lunch they had earlier, and are now crashing from their soda fix at 4pm that day.

sorry, but i dont think im the victim here.

[eelixduppy]

If your only options are to starve yourself or eat so unhealthy that your body cannot function properly than I feel sorry for you. I suggested healthy eating and exercise. Small portions of lean meat like turkey or chicken (nothing larger than your palm) and tons of varied vegetables and whole grains, and water. This will do your body more good than any extreme dieting regimen. If you are worried about not getting enough nutrients then you aren't eating enough vegetables.

I'm actually done sharing my thoughts after this post, however, I think you should ponder why completing this diet is so important to you, and what your actual reasons for doing it are. Personally, if I had to speculate, you do not really know.

Anyways, whichever route you take, I hope it does you well.



>> recent studies on people who drink alot of water

I'd like to read those, Brett. Kidney function has been a particular interest of mine given my family history.

[tonynoriega]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and opinions. I however will continue the program for the full 10 days. Most of you seem to be stuck on the "starving" notion that ill just kill over and die.

Im doing this to purify the mind and body. thats it. many of spiritual leaders fast for even longer to gain a better understanding of the connection between mind and body. this has nothing to do with weight loss or nutrition.

western medicine is far too over emphasized in america.

thanks everyone.

[grandpa]

Im doing this to purify the mind and body

Truly a worthy goal. I may not be on topic for the remainder, but not too far off, particularly with respect to the quote.

I was watching a program last night about "The Buddha". Not sure which one... Anyway, at some point in the program The Buddha, in his quest for a transcendental state, began to deprive himself in many ways, including food. At one point he was down to a single grain of rice each day for nourishment. Near death, he recalled a boyhood experience in which he was handed a plate of food and told to 'eat'. Without going into the whole story, that experience was one that, in hindsight, taught him generosity (from the stranger who gave him the food) and humility (as the food recipient). At that point he realized that he needed to eat.

So, if the Master Cleanse will help you to achieve or realize some spiritual aspect of our material condition then by all means go for it. I will personally enjoy a well balanced meal tonight, perhaps in a larger portion than I should, and not worry about any dead cells floating around in my body. After all, I'm human, destined to a life of pain and suffering and ultimately death - no matter what I do until that time.

[BillyS]

Bodies repair themselves. Think about it, do you think anyone would live past 25 if the body couldn't detox itself.

You don't need to detox, you need to keep pollutants out. Most chemicals are found either in the water or fat in our bodies. PCBs in fat are pretty much stuck there and a detox program based on water will not do anything.

My guess is you'll be spending a lot of time on the "can" so I wouldn't be planning on too much activity.

[Swanny007]

I think it's a shame people fall for these sorts of fads. Your body is an incredibly complex system and a late-night infomercial generally doesn't contain excellent medical advice ;-)

My advice is to ask your family physician about this the next time you're there, PRIOR to starting. Trust me, your family doctor has a greater understanding of your body and can provide you good advice.

this has nothing to do with weight loss or nutrition

No... It does have to do with your body's overall nutrition. Starving your systems does more harm than good regardless of what the infomercial told you.

I can't see the Master Cleanse killing you but I honestly doubt it's (your?) claims. Good luck with that and don't say I didn't warn you LOL.

[arieng]

The first time I heard of this was six or so years ago, a good college friend of mine went through the whole process.

I can't speak as to the cleansing effect, but I can say that by the end of his "fast" he was barely coherent. You'd have to call his name three times before he'd realize you were talking to him. Seeing him like that made me sure to steer clear of this diet.

[bhonda]

A guy, a lot wiser than I, once said -

"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "

[wheel]

Maple syrup is straight SUGAR. It is just preventing you from now DYING while on this "diet". If you were to do this diet without the calories that this maple syrup gives you you would no doubt be near death at the end of two weeks or whatever. There is almost no nutritional value in maple syrup.

You sir are a heretic.

Maple syrup is the finest food known to man. You can eat it on *anything* and it tastes delicious. I refuse to listen to claims to the contrary.

(My son and I tapped a maple tree in our backyard this year and made maple syrup. Cool project (well, once you scoop the flies out of the sap)).

[jecasc]

The reason you eat and drink is this: The body needs the components you ingest with your food to build and repair parts of your body and to support your body functions. For example red blood cells have a lifespan of about 100 days and after that they have to be renewed. To build new blood cells the body needs some specific components. And this is not only true for the blood cells, but for any cell in your body. Nerve cells need specific chemical components to interact with each other. Now - how can it be in any way healthy to withold from your body the very parts it needs to repair and rebuild itself and which the different parts of your body need to communicate with each other - and if only for a limited time?

That's like letting an engine run without oil or deliberatly preventing it from being repaired. Of course the machine won't necessarily break down immediately - but it will certainly not benefit it's lifespan.
If I told you to let your car enginge run without oil to clean the engine - would you do it? Of course not. So why do it to the engine you are running on.

If because of lazyness or to save money you have let your car engine run with mediocre or watery oil the solution is not to let the car run dry for a limited time but to refill it with new high quality oil in the future.

Same is true for your body. If you think you have put unhealthy stuff in your body - replace it in the long term. Your body is like a giant factory - building replacement parts for you body 24/7. How can you in any way benefit from not supplying your body factory with resources - so some of the work benches have to start working on short hours or stop working completly? If you want to do your body some good, do not stop delivery of ressources but only deliver high quality resources in the future.

[edited by: jecasc at 1:58 pm (utc) on Apr 13, 2010]

[Syzygy]

Here's a breakdown of the nutritional values of maple syrup from the US Department of Agriculture:

[nal.usda.gov...]

If you can't digest all that data, the fount of all online knowledge that is Wikipedia, says that Maple syrup is...

...an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese, with 2 tbs (13.33 grams) containing about 0.44mg or 22% of the FDA Daily Value (DV%) of 2 mg. It is also a good source of zinc with 2 tbs (13.33 grams) containing 0.55mg or 3.7% of the FDA Daily Value (DV%) of 15 mg.

Very nice, but can man or beast really live by manganese, zinc, lemon juice and cayenne pepper alone?

[eelixduppy]

>> Very nice, but can man or beast really live by manganese, zinc, lemon juice and cayenne pepper alone?

Nicely said. It's like drinking water and taking a multi-vitamin for every meal, if you're lucky.

>> 3.7% of the FDA Daily Value

Being that I'd imagine this is your only source of Zinc in this diet, you would need to consume a lot of maple syrup to get to 100%. In fact, working out the numbers this comes out to 214 g of sugar you must ALSO consume to get this Zinc intake. In case you don't want to do the math that's 5 cans of regular Coke...

[amythepoet]

oh that detox stuf made me SOO sick, never again, go to the gym and run around!

[lawman]

I have fasted, but never went through this program. Keep us posted on how it goes tonynoriega.

[claus]

I'm all for detox, but I don't know this specific program.

What the "built-in detox system" proponents fail to realize is that the built-in detox system was in fact built for an environment that existed several millenia ago.

Compared to what our built-in detox system is designed for, our environment today is literally filled with poison - most of which was not naturally occuring at all millennia ago. Still we manage to survive and even increase our lifespan, so that "built-in detox system" surely is a great thing - no doubt about that.

However, even a great performer can perform better with a little help.

[Jane_Doe]

Compared to what our built-in detox system is designed for, our environment today is literally filled with poison - most of which was not naturally occuring at all millennia ago. Still we manage to survive and even increase our lifespan, so that "built-in detox system" surely is a great thing - no doubt about that.

I don't know anything about master cleanse specifically but in general we have had great success with detox strategies in alternative health books - getting more plants to filter the air, having only solid wood furniture and floors, switching to cotton sheets, eating foods without preservatives, not using teflon for cooking, etc. Every switch to less chemical exposure helps.

Trust me, your family doctor has a greater understanding of your body and can provide you good advice.

Trust me, to people interested in Easter medicine and holistic health, odds are he doesn't and won't.

I don't know anything about Master Cleanse, but I know I have found the answers to many of my health issues more with holistic books and healers than through Western, corporate medicine trained doctors.

[edited by: Jane_Doe at 12:10 am (utc) on Apr 15, 2010]

[BillyS]

Jane_Doe you're making the same point we are in this thread. Don't worry about the bad stuff in your body, just keep it when you can. Your body has amazing healing abilities. It can detox itself.

Let's use alcohol as an example. Even occasional drinkers would be in comas by now if our bodies couldn't process break down the alcohol in our blood.

[Jane_Doe]

Jane_Doe you're making the same point we are in this thread.

Not necessarily. I don't know anything about master cleanse but I always try to keep an open mind about everything so I personally wouldn't dismiss it out of hand. I have tried many of the less extreme ideas in some popular detoxification books and found many of them helpful. Fasting has a long tradition in many religions and traditional medical systems.

People laughed at the doctor who first suggested that other doctors should wash their hands when examining patients because invisible germs might be making them sick. People laughed at the Wright brothers. Throughout history often the most outrageous ideas have been proven correct over time. Orville Wright said, "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance."

So who knows, maybe tonynoriega is on to something and will outlive us all.

[eelixduppy]

>> Fasting has a long tradition in many religions and traditional medical systems.

Doesn't mean they are necessarily healthy practice if they are widely accepted by a population, even for as long as some of them have. You could look to smoking as an example, I don't think anyone here would think smoking has significant health benefits, yet there is still a significant portion of the world's population partaking in its benefits and harmful side affects.

You could also consider the case of fasting for Ramadan during pregnancy, which significantly disrupts the integrity of the unborn child's health and can cause complications. Some people just put more importance on their religious beliefs over other aspects of their life, such as health. Not saying this is wrong, but not for me. But that still doesn't mean its the healthy choice, even if it's the "right" choice.

>> people laughed

I don't think hundreds of years from now we will all look back at the few people who starved themselves for days on end and realize that they were starting a healthy eating revolution.


From what I've heard about the Master Cleanse diet, I have yet to hear someone who has tried it for the second time.


I wonder if this diet would have gotten so much traction if it was called the "Starve Cleanse". ;)

[tonynoriega]

@eelixduppy if you go to one of the major forums for "master cleanser" you will find many people who do this on a bi annual basis... some people do it 5 or more times a year.

@Jane_Doe thank you , thank you for your comments. Most people here who think the "Doc" knows better then me, are out of touch. That doctor knows what was put into a book written by doctors 80 years ago.

I trust eastner medicine over western medicine anyday. Anything you find on the shelves of your pharmacy to help cure a disease, i think you could find in nature.