Breaking the fast

[Happy_butterfly]

I agree with you.
I managed to combine everything and still survive.
But you can't survive only on juices, the body needs solid food as well.

[cryspyfood123]

Hi all,
lets see, now we are talk about which things we need to do when the fast is going on, During a fast, the body undergoes several biological changes. Enzymes normally produced by the digestive system have ceased to be produced or have been diminished greatly, depending on the type of fast performed, so introducing food slowly allows the body time to re-establish this enzyme production.
The protective mucus lining of the stomach may be temporarily diminished as well, making the stomach walls more vulnerable to irritation until it also returns to normal. Gentle reintroduction of foods, beginning with the simplest and easiest-to-digest foods, supports this process. Substances known to be irritating to the system, such as coffee and spicy foods, must be avoided during the breaking process. The fruit made juice is the best food after a long time fast.

[IslandG]

I am on the 3rd day after breaking the fast. The first day, I began drinking watered down orange juice and water and one MC lemonade for the hunger... I probably drank more water than anything that day. The second day, I had some full-strength grapefruit juice and some full-strength oj, concluding the day with some veggie broth and rye wafers for dinner. Today I had a few glasses of slightly diluted oj again, and veggie soup and a probiotic pill at lunch. I have not felt nauseous in the least on any of the days following the fast, but I am actually continuing to have watery bowel movements as if I were still doing the Smooth Move and the SWF... not continuously running to the bathroom, but pretty consistently eliminating. I have been drinking water to counteract any sort of dehydration this may be causing.
Has anyone else experienced this? How should I handle it?

[HealthyBiz]

I am on the 3rd day after breaking the fast. The first day, I began drinking watered down orange juice and water and one MC lemonade for the hunger... I probably drank more water than anything that day. The second day, I had some full-strength grapefruit juice and some full-strength oj, concluding the day with some veggie broth and rye wafers for dinner. Today I had a few glasses of slightly diluted oj again, and veggie soup and a probiotic pill at lunch. I have not felt nauseous in the least on any of the days following the fast, but I am actually continuing to have watery bowel movements as if I were still doing the Smooth Move and the SWF... not continuously running to the bathroom, but pretty consistently eliminating. I have been drinking water to counteract any sort of dehydration this may be causing.
Has anyone else experienced this? How should I handle it?

IslandG - Hi! I'm so sympathetic. I never had this happen on any of my cleanses, but I can imagine how it could. Your body appears to be extra efficient in getting out the toxins. It's great, really, that you're still eliminating in the manner of the cleanse - just annoying. It should stop soon if it hasn't already.

A few questions: Did you start the probiotics on the first day after the cleanse or did you wait until the 3rd? It is good to start them immediately after the cleanse. And you stopped the senna tea and SWF on the last day of the cleanse?

I did a quick search to see if I could find anything related. I found something that might help. It isn't exactly what's happening with you, just a little similar:

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.
Here is the link to the whole article about stages of cleansing:
http://themastercleanse.com/forum/sh...3624#post93624

In any case, your watery bm's should be solidifying soon now that you can add more fiber to your diet. It sounds as if you're doing everything right and coming off the cleanse in a way that is recommended and is easy on your system. Congratulations on a successful cleanse!

[IslandG]

Aloha HealthyBiz -

Thank you so much for addressing this. I hadn't found anything else on the boards anywhere to console me... just lots of people saying they hadn't had a bowel movement yet. Of course, my husband, who did the cleanse with me, has not deviated in the least from the perfect textbook MC experience and had his initial solid bm this morning. It is good to know my eliminations are a positive thing. I felt like it was a real waste (no pun intended) yesterday when I ate the delicious soup and salad and then had those eliminations... rather like my food going through me on a water slide.

In answer to your questions:
No, the probiotics I didn't start taking until I ate some solid food... I saw something in Peter's book about taking them when you begin solid food, and I also read a post on here somewhere about some people who started them earlier and had horrible cramps, so I was a little bit hesitant to start them before the food.
I did my last Smooth Move the night of Day 10, and my last SWF the next morning... as I had been drinking the lemonade all day on Day 10, and the lemon and cayenne were munching away on all the bad stuff all day, it only made sense to me to do one final "agitate and rinse" cycle.

I have had 3 probiotic pills so far, and this morning, I had a much more normal bowel movement... not totally normal, but way more normal than the past few days... it is definitely headed in the right direction.

Thanks so much for the encouragement and the info about the stages of cleansing... it is much appreciated!

[HealthyBiz]

Aloha HealthyBiz -

Thank you so much for addressing this. I hadn't found anything else on the boards anywhere to console me ... just lots of people saying they hadn't had a bowel movement yet. Of course, my husband, who did the cleanse with me, has not deviated in the least from the perfect textbook MC experience and had his initial solid bm this morning.

I *LOVE* the Aloha greeting. My mother grew up in Hawaii and we spent many a family vacation there in the growing up years. Still have Aunties that live there.

Isn't it great when people we live with, husbands especially, have textbook experiences, leaving us even more confused! I had to giggle at that.

Loved your reply. Hope all is still doing well!

[HealthyBiz]

I know every cleanse is different, but this one is strange - in a good way. It was so easy to do. Not many cravings and plenty of old aches and pains surfacing, which lets me know the detox is on track. Today, my first day off the cleanse, I never had a lemonade. I usually do, but I wasn't hungry at all. I had to force the orange and grapefruit juice a bit. There was room for it in my stomach, so it wasn't a big force, but I was never hungry for it. I had an evening meeting and brought a carrot with me. I ate it slowly, chewing it really well on my drive over. Again when I got home, I had to make myself drink more OJ. And, by the way, I love fresh-squeezed OJ. Just wasn't hungry. All in all, I had about 400 calories today. I know we're supposed to have more. Soup starts tomorrow and I'll make sure I get more calories ingested tomorrow.

I'm not complaining that my hunger didn't return today like it normally does. Just wondering if/when it will. Intriguing.

I've soaked my veggies, dried them and refrigerated them today. My soup pot is on the stove ready for me to start making my summer soup. I may have a green smoothie, a small one, in the morning. That's my plan. More later...

[HealthyBiz]

Ahh... sitting here drinking my first glass of OJ for the day. It's early afternoon and I just wasn't hungry enough for it earlier. I did ride 15 miles on my bike this morning, then had an hour of yoga class. I'm so happy! I've been missing my morning exercise routine - due to the SWF.

I've planned a veggie soup. Since I ate the carrot last night with no dire consequences, I think I can eat a few easy solids. However, it's hot and I don't feel like cooking. Perhaps, I'll just take some of them and put them into a green smoothie of sorts. ... once I'm hungry again. That OJ really filled me up.

I'm craving a boiled egg - but i's way too early for that! - probably need some protein. So maybe I'll have a green salad. I have lettuce and kale and cabbage. Could add some red pepper for color and flavor. That should help with the protein craving for now. I have some walnuts, but I think it's too early for that, too. Maybe I'll try a nut or two tomorrow.

[IslandG]

I *LOVE* the Aloha greeting. My mother grew up in Hawaii and we spent many a family vacation there in the growing up years. Still have Aunties that live there.

Isn't it great when people we live with, husbands especially, have textbook experiences, leaving us even more confused! I had to giggle at that.

Loved your reply. Hope all is still doing well!

Aloha again, HealthyBiz -

Yes... all is going well... my system is definitely re-learning what it is like to eat and digest food... such a rare and wonderful new world! When I was doing the cleanse, I wondered if I would ever re-join the ranks of humans who partake, and now here we are!

Glad you are back into your morning exercising... that is something I missed too... and your mentioning walnuts reminded me of my first day post-cleanse, when I went into the pantry and peeled the lid back on a can of salted cashews (so naughty, yet so delicious!)... just to smell them and dream of the day I might chew them once again.

Enjoy your food in good health!

[HealthyBiz]

your mentioning walnuts reminded me of my first day post-cleanse, when I went into the pantry and peeled the lid back on a can of salted cashews (so naughty, yet so delicious!)... just to smell them and dream of the day I might chew them once again.

lol. Hey IslandG, we share a trick! I love to smell good foods when I'm on the cleanse - the trick is just not to partake. Somehow the aroma seems satisfying enough until I can enjoy them. Love cashews. I imagine you might have had one or two by now.

I'm loving eating again and the food plan ... and deviations! ... all seem to be working to slowly get my digestive tract back on track. Day 3 off the cleanse and still not totally back to regular, but really, really close. I had a big salad today at lunch, a few bites of salmon, a few stalks of asparagus and loads of unsweetened tea. So delicious! And had a lot of food to bring home for tomorrow. That was about 5 hours ago and I'm still feeling full - never stuffed, just satisfied. So I think I might have a piece of fruit before going to bed and call it a day.

Just wondering what I'm going to do with all the vegetables I bought for my summer soup?? Guess I'll figure that out another day.