Detox Stages

[jonibug]

I stopped the cleanse on Saturday, my day 10. Since then I've been very emotional and vulnerable. This fast seems to have unravelled some of my blocks and now they are coming forward. Deeper healing is on the way! Unfortunately, they are pushing my "overeating" buttons, too. But this time I know what is going on and will learn to deal with this deep pain another way.

[eliseheather]

I am on day 19 of a 30 day cleanse. I am having a hard time with desiring to eat. I have lost 8lbs and work out daily running 2-4miles a day. Otherwise I am feeling great. Just am curious about the sudden hunger when the cleanse has been so great up until now. I did a 15 day in July of last year and lost 10lbs in the first week. The weight loss is not a big deal to me only that I want to be doing this correctly. could someone help me out with some info- thanks!

From what I've read what you're calling hunger is probably a detox symptom - cravings!! According to Stanley some people can actually gain weight on the cleanse. Everybody is different and so are their results. Good Luck and stay strong!

[eliseheather]

I have a question....

I'm on day 3 of my first one. There were 2 purple spots in my bm this morning. is that ok?

Purple? Could it be gum you swallowed as a child? I've seen some pretty strange things myself. Better out than in I say

[eliseheather]

Anyone find a way to prevent the canker sores yet?

Prevention no... soothing try swishing some of that salt water around in your mouth.

[enoerawa]

remembered reading this article back during my MC1 in march.
Thought i'd share with everyone, esp since there's so many questions about why ten days and complaints about the ten days being too much...

Detoxification Stages

Here is an overview of the detoxification stages during a juice fast. The time periods are a general estimation.

Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2)
On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for half a day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst.

Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period unless the enema is used which quickly assists the body into the fasting state by ending digestion in the colon.

Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7)
Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety center in the hypothalamus. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40 to 60 days, depending on whether you are on water or juice.

The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing. White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucoid matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-colored mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen.

Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15)
On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood. On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body's increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body's ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body's natural healing ability was compromised.

During fasting, the body's healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a reoccurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers.

Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30)
The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve.

Stage 5 (Breaking the Fast)
The sticky, toxic, mucoid coating on the intestinal wall is loose, and the first meal frees it from the intestinal wall. Toxins enter the blood through the colon. The gallbladder dumps its waste in a heavy discharge of bile. This can cause an instant bowel movement upon eating followed by intense diarrhea. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, an enema will help.

Thanks for the info . My legs (arthritis) are hurting and I was wondering was this normal.

[Elena]

I am on my second cleanse, day 12. Today, I have received my first horrible headache. The kind of ache that causes nausia, light sensetivity, and throbbing pain. I really really didn't want to, but my husband convinced me to take some tylenol. I can't lay down right now, or else it gets worse, so decided to check out this bulletin board to see if anyone else has had the same problem.

-Melissa

Yesterday, on Day 11 I had horrible headache, more like a migraine or tension headache. I did an enema with 2 quart of purified water; headache was gone by the end of the procedure. I know that we are not supposed to use enema, but I used it as an emergency tool, definitely better choice then Tylenol. Enema cleaned the colon, as well as hydrated me instantly (clean colon absorbs the water quickly to help with dehydration, and the headache could be from that too).

[jjm]

I am most of the way through day 3 of the MC. I have had incredible pain day two, night and day three. Aching in the legs, back hips, and intense abdominal pain. I am drinking about 5 glasses of the lemonaid. After I drink it I have intense reaction for about an hour and then it calms down. Pain especially bad during the night. I also am doing the SWF and had a good release the first day and very little release day 2. Very few movements in general. Questioning how something that causes so much pain and discomfort to the body can really be good for me. Please advise. jjm

[Adiana557]

I'm wondering if being cold is part of what happend on the cleanse. Given, the weather has changed a bit, I still feel really, really cold, at all times, at night when I'm sleeping and wake up, and even during the day at work. Has anyone experienced this?

[marsh]

yes. i'm constantly freezing and i'm on day 19. your metabolism slows way down while fasting. bundle up!

[Allison706]

I am now on day 15 of my second master cleanse (the first one was ten days and very recently) and have been using the cleanse to primarily treat my candida overgrowth. From day 7 to now I have been having intense vaginal dryness and burning but little to no discharge. Could this be related to all the times over the years I tried to treat my chronic yeast infections with conventional methods (monistat, diflucizan, nystatin) rushing out of my system? I have been following the diet with either molasses or maple syrup and can't think of anything that I am doing wrong. Any help would be appriciated.