I've been intrigued by the idea of these cleanses for getting to a clearer minded place. But looking at the lists, except for the juice fast, this is mainly how I eat anyway.

Ok, plus 3 cups of coffee a day and some salt.

Would temporarily cutting out the coffee and salt make that dramatic a difference? I don't think so. Except forthe 4 day homicidal headache from the caffeine withdrawal, that is.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Deb's Daily Distractions

I just went through a rapid detox by letting go of coffee and cigarettes, drinking green tea which I know contains antioxidants. I feel great, physically and mentally. No pain, no headaches, just a feel good state. I highly recommended it to everyone. It helped me quit smoking and I have a much better general tonus.

Head-clearing, it is. Although I haven't done it lately, leaving all the head-clearing to my Neti Pot. So help me, I just posted a pictorial of myself pouring salt-water through my head. But dang it, I WILL spread the Word of the Neti!!

Belinda

I've done the Stanley Burroughs Master Cleanser (lemonade fast). It was hard; I was tired during the 4 days I fasted. Plus I missed beer. The lemonade tastes good. The salt flush every morning? Not so good. I skipped that after the first day.

"Extra dirty." Heh. I'm sorry, but I have to insert some lecherous laughter here.

Mary
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy & Family
Mom Writes

I must know of this.

Belinda

...mixed with yummy gooey glue of some sort...I forget if that's the exact ingredient in the flushes I've used a couple of times, but it tasted like burnt clay and maybe is. Revolting, but it sure did work. Amazing what we store up there in nooks and crannies!

May I add that imho, it's also VERY important to have that complete colonoscopy if you've hit fifty...also no fun, but much better than colon cancer. Schedule it soon!

Ovo-lacto-fishily yours,

~Kathi
i.e. An Intercultural Educational
Resource Network

http://mysisterwasastbernard.blogspot.com

On the suggestion of a woman friend, I tried something called the "Fat Flush". The way she sold it to me was that it was based on getting your liver really healthy by giving it a vacation: not eating anything that the liver would have to detox, drinking tons of water, and ingesting the right foods that would help the liver function better. You apparently would lose weight because the liver, being relaxed and healthier, could then spent more time converting fat into energy.

It actually worked for me, but it was a tough diet. 2 week bootcamp, basically, with NO SALT, only a handful of spices, minimal amounts of meat, no bread, no sugar, no caffeine. The fanciest flavors you could have were apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper. All the veggies you could eat, though, if they were green and leafy. Althogh I'm not on this regimen now, it did shift my emphasis more toward veggies and eating less of that other stuff. The sugar and bread, in particular, were making me feel sleepy all the time...after I cut them out and started drinking a lot more water, i have felt much better.

The book was interesting for the science background...reminded me a little of Atkins in its targeted approach at specific metabolic processes, but not as extreme.

Cleansing diets are generally scoffed at by the dietitians and physicians I know and love. And, they can be incredibly dangerous to people with certain health conditions (like Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis - conditions that may make you feel like a cleanse might be good, ya know?). If you have symptoms of digestive disorders, consult with a doctor before attempting to "flush" in this manner. ;-)

Having said that, there have been times in my life when I've needed to clear my head and going cold turkey without caffeine, salt, sugar and processed foods in general has been sort of helpful emotionally. But it was the taking control part that was helpful, not the physical cleansing of the body.

~Denise
Daily Dose of Denise