Master Cleanse day ten of ten (Photo credit: t r e v y)Article by Wendy McCance
I have gotten so many questions and so much interest in this Master Cleanse that I thought I would give you a peek into my progress.
The most important thing I have learned so far is that this cleanse challenges your body and your mind. The cleanse is as much about willpower and inner-strength as it is about health.
I have heard that day 2 and 3 are the hardest. I can vouch for day 2 (more on that later).
Each day I have bounced out of bed with an energy I haven’t felt in a very long time (remember, I have fibromyalgia and so what I’m saying is BIG news). My sleep is more restful. I am ready to go to bed and fall right to sleep (I used to toss and turn and give up on sleep within an hour of lying down).
I have had lasting energy throughout the day which is crazy when you consider what I am eating/drinking all day.
Another BIG point is that I haven’t felt more than a slight twinge of pain. I really do feel like my old self (the one I knew before my run in with health problems).
It used to be that if I felt any energy and tried to do a lot in a day (what most people refer to as a normal day), I would be suffering for a few days afterwords (exhaustion, pain, stiffness etc..). I have done a crazy amount of activities and still feel like I could do more. It’s a fabulous feeling.
There have been no headaches, stomach pain, dizziness or any other side effect I was worried I would be dealing with.
So now that I have mentioned the positive stuff, I will let you in on the negative aspect of the cleanse. The first day I felt like I had drunk a ton of beers. I couldn’t stop going to the bathroom. I felt like I must have peed a few gallons worth of fluid. The worst was after my first drink. I left the house to drop of my daughter at a friend’s house and then stopped by the drug store. Within 5 minutes of entering the store, I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom NOW. It was as though I had been holding it for too long and was about to have an accident. I ran out of the store and when I got home, raced for the bathroom. The amount of liquid I expelled was stunning.
The rest of the day was like that. All of a sudden I had to get to the bathroom fast. I must have lost a pound of weight from peeing so much. This issue had resolved itself by day two thank goodness.
Day two started out well. My downfall was around 4pm. I was starving. No amount of fruit and vegetables helped. As I write this my head is hung in shame, but I had a small bowl of beef stroganoff for dinner with the family. Thankfully, it didn’t make me ill.
I am on day three and I am determined to get through the day without cheating. Like I said, the cleanse is as much about inner strength as it is about health. You acknowledge your weak moments and move on. I refuse to beat myself up over any setbacks. Instead, I will just get back up and start again.
One last note, I have lost 4 pounds. I know it sounds crazy, but I did. For some, this would be reason to celebrate. For me, I am eating the fruits and vegetables so I don’t lose a ton of weight.
So, that’s where I am at. I hope reading this has inspired you to try to eat healthier and think about how you are treating your own body.
Related articles
Wendy McCance
To contact Wendy McCance about a writing assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
Latest posts by Wendy McCance (see all)
- A Week in the Life of a Writer - August 3, 2014
- Give Yourself a Secret Advantage Before Starting Your Own Business - July 30, 2014
- How to Improve Your Presence on Twitter - July 29, 2014
Good luck with it Wendy! I have had CFS/Fibro for 20 years and have tried a myriad of treatments along the way. Most recently I was tested by a naturopath for food allergies and have found that I am intolerant to several foods. Since cutting out those foods, I have had much better energy and almost no bloating. Everyone is different, and it’s great that you are trying the Master Cleanse. I hope the energy boost and being free of pain is long lasting.
Thanks so much Marg.
good on you, as they say in NZ - this sounds great, and your example is inspiring. Thank you so much for giving me the amounts - next week after my grandchild’s 21st party, I’ll start the great adventure, knowing I have your blog to light the way!!!
I think your bog will become compulsive reading!
Thanks Valerie. Please let me know how it works out for you.
Not sure if this helps at all, but i’ve had digestive issues since I was pregnant with my first son (10 years ago). Simply put, I was constipated like nobody’s business. I popped like twice a week. It was awful. About a year ago I switched to a Paleo diet. I know it’s all the rage right now but I’ve been doing it off and on for 5 years until I did the full switch. It has pretty much cured my problems I’m not kidding. No more bloating, straining, stomach aches, etc. It is difficult to live by 100%. there are a ton of restaurants here in San Diego where I live and a huge amount of products available, but it is still not easy. So I tend to go 80-20 with it. And when I’m doing the 20% of not eating Paleo I don’t go hog wild. I just have a slice of pizza or maybe a bit of cheese or a piece of cake or something. I definitely can tell if I’ve gone too far. I use a cookbook I love because I am not a big fan of cooking and her recipes are simple and yummy. Not sure if I’m allowed to put a link to her book so if you’re interested, feel free to email me and I’ll send it to you.
Vicky
Hi Vicky, my daughter is a big fan of the paleo diet. She keeps trying to get me to do it. I do think that after the cleanse I would like to try it out. We’ll see how it goes.
Like I said, i has fixed my issues. I know you have your daughter as a resource and I’m no expert, but if you’re ever interested in a good recipe or too, let me know!
V
I have never done a cleanse just not something I am interested in but if it is working for you then all good……….
Wendy, so glad the cleanse is working for you. I am a vegetarian so I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables but some days I eat too many carbs and it really slows me down. I admire what you are doing! Stay healthy.
Thank you so much. It’s great to have some support.
Nice to see there are other vegetarians out there!
After reading your ‘blog’ about your cleanse, I wondered if you had researched more about gluten. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 12 yrs ago and struggled with the pain and fatigue. I stopped eating red meat, then all meat and cut most dairy products….occasional cheese. My pain symptoms are gone. I read the book Wheat Belly and tried gluten free for 10 weeks just to see how i would feel and noticed yet more improvement. It is challenging but you do get used to it. Energy is better and no bloating or belly discomfort. After your cleanse, it might be something you could research. Great book and they now have a Wheat Belly cookbook. Best of luck.
Thanks. I love getting comments from people who have fibromyalgia. It’s always eye-opening to hear what is working for them. I know if nothing else, I need to scale way back on the pasta and bread. Sadly, I could live off of that alone.
You can make a lot of the same recipes by substituting pasta with rice. Not hard at all, I have learned about so many new foods in this process and it is kind of fun to try new things and know I am being good to myself. I’m happy to share recipes if you are interested.
Thanks so much.
Great minds think alike. I have embarked on a new goal to lose 25 Lbs. That entails eating properly and healthily as well as getting the proper amount of exercise. I see as a ling term thing that can change bad habits into good. Your article only inspires me more.
I’m so glad. I know you will have great success.