Master Cleanse: Still crazy after all these years!

The Master Cleanse program is a liquid (lemonade) fast some of whose proponents tout its benefits as a diet while others recommend it as a detoxification regimen. In either case, its adherents are both misinformed and misguided. As with all quick-fix crash diets, Master Cleanse works initially (because of extremely reduced caloric intake and excessive bowel movements), but as soon as the fast ends and regular eating resumes, the lost weight is quickly regained. As a detoxification regimen, Master Cleanse is both unnecessary and ineffective. Your colon is not a septic tank, building up toxic contents, that needs periodic cleaning. Rather, it is an elegantly evolved perpetually self-cleaning system that empties on a regular, or as-needed, basis.

In this regard, consider the wisdom of Dr. Douglas Pleskow, a Boston gastroenterologist, quoted in an article entitled “Time to cleanse? Think again,” in the Boston Globe, May 12, 2008: “I’ve heard my kids say that there’s stuff in the GI [gastrointestinal] tract for seven years. That is the urban legend. In reality, most people clear their GI tract within three days.”

I can’t emphasize this enough. Regardless of what you might hear or read, or even pictures you might see, your colon keeps itself clean and doesn’t accumulate anything for longer than a few days at most. Those disgusting photos shown on colon cleansing websites that purport to show long ropes of ancient stool wondrously delivered after taking the right cleanse product? Turns out that these are created by the product itself, a mixture of the bulk laxative psyllium and the bentonite clay it is combined with. As Dr. David Gorski notes in his post entitled “Colon ‘cleanses’: A load of you know what…” – “…as a surgeon, I can tell you from simple experience operating on the colon that hardened feces do not accumulate on the walls of the colon as the colon cleansers claim. Often the bentonite clay is combined with psyllium, which is often used as a bulk laxative. The beauty of this, as far as sellers of colon cleansing products go, is that bentonite clay is responsible for those disgusting rope-like stools that are touted as “evidence” that people’s colons are coated with layers of disgusting waste that is “poisoning” them. Such stools consist of the clay expanded by the liquid from the gastrointestinal tract, plus the bulk formed by psyllium, all coated with feces. Thus, the product itself produces the very condition that it claims to treat!”

What about toxins? First of all you should know that colon cleansers never describe, name or provide any specific details on these alleged compounds. And that’s because they simply don’t exist! They are myths first created in ancient times before digestive physiology was understood and then resurrected and promulgated by purveyors of colon cleansing products that prey on many people’s inherent dislike and fear of their own feces, which they see as somehow making them “dirty.” Here’s Dr. Bennett Roth, a gastroenterologist from UCLA, quoted in the Boston Globe article mentioned above: “There is absolutely no science to this whatsoever. There is no such thing as getting rid of ‘toxins.’ The colon was made to carry stool. This is total baloney.”

Regular readers of this column will know that I’ve written many times about the basic absurdity of the Master Cleanse and that hundreds of people have written back to challenge my assertions and to voice their equally strongly held positive opinions. Those interested can “read all about it” at these links:

Master Diet = Master Scam (the original post)
Master Cleanse Redux (my response to all the heated comments on the original)
Master Cleanse and HealthTalk in the News (AP press coverage)
Master Cleanse – Another Negative View (why it’s still a bad idea)
Master Cleanse debate on radio talk show (KCRW public radio program on food)

What’s your opinion on Master Cleanse? Have you tried it or other colon cleansing regimes? Please leave a comment so others can learn from your experience. We look forward to hearing from you.

What should my Master Cleanse Poop Look Like?

Ah poop. It’s fun to use such silly words to describe such unpleasant topics. Master Cleanse poop, stool, bowel movements, BM’s, or whatever you want to call them are a critically important and telling process of the cleanse.

Cleanse Poop Stages over Time

Your Master Cleanse stool, or bowel movements will vary over time during the course of the cleanse, eventually being mostly liquid and will contain some old, solid waste matter from your colon, digestive track and from the mucus membranes from each and every deep dark corner of your body where toxins were sequestered to as to prevent from causing more damage to the body’s systems.

1. Ease-In Poop Guide: If you choose to ease in you will not see much difference in your poop as you’re still eating foods. But, by doing the Ease-In, you will quicken the transition from solid to liquid stool more quickly during the Lemonade Diet days 1 through 4.
2. Lemonade Diet Poop Guide – Day 1-4: On day 1 of your lemon juice cleanse you will take your laxative the night before you start your cleanse (cleansers eve), on the last day of your (optional) Ease-In or regular eating. You will likely still have 1 maybe two “normal” bowel movements due to the transit time the food you ate the day before. Day 2 however is the biggest change in this stage.
3. Lemonade Diet Poop Guide – Days 4 and Beyond: By day 4 you might be saying to yourself (hmmm), my poop is yellow. Is that normal? And the answer is yes. It’s a yellow water poop with a few floaters here and there. Well many, many floaters if you’re really looking.
4. Ease-Out Poop Guide: On day 1 of your Ease-Out, the orange juice day, you may get your first natural, solidish bowel movement without using the Salt Water Flush or the Herbal Laxative Detox Diet. It will be squeezy and scattered and light brown even orange a little (not surprisingly). This stool will be loose. Day two, it will all come together (literally). Your poop will gradually become more normal.

Stool as your Elimination Vehicle

During our Master Cleanse, poop acts as our most obvious elimination vehicle or detox system our body uses to remove waste and toxins from our physical body.

1. Breathing: Surprisingly our most prolific detoxer. We breath out fat, we breath out toxins. Using breathing exercises to optimize your breathing detox
2. Sweating: Using our largest detox organ, our skin. Try steams, light exercise, infrared saunas to sweat more.
3. Urinating: You’ll be urinating a lot. I mean a tonne. It’s a little annoying but feels awesome. You’re never as hydrated as you are while on The Master Cleanse (if done properly)
4. Defecation: Poop! Yay poop. Just make you poop or your cleanse is back-firing. You need this elimination vehicle cause you got a lot of toxic deportees being detained and lined up for removal.

Monitoring your Master Cleanse Poop

In order to ask the question, what should my poop look like, begs the question, what are you doing looking at your poop in the first place. Well it’s natural. Most animals will stick their noses in deep to get a good whiff. Some will even eat it (I am looking at you dogs and monkeys). They do this to monitor their health. They can tell if their well, or what type of disease they have by their poop. We all need to be better poop doctors and at least know what out poops should look like (see the graphic below). In most cases you’ll get bored really quick because all you’ll ever notice is that your poop is a yellow water.

My Poop is Yellow Water. Is that Normal?

Yes.

Next question.

Seriously tough, you drinking a lot of lemon. Which is yellow. You’re not eating solids (also know as liquid water). So ya your poop should be yellow water.

Other Types of Cleanse Poops

Various other forms of questions regarding the Master Cleanse and poo tend to revolve around these big 3:

1. The Poop Rope: The mythical cleanse poop rope that people claim to remove ‘mucoid rope‘ or plaque from their intestines. I’ve never seen it, but people say it happens, and that master cleanse poop ropes can happen too. If it’s happened for you, please let us know. And please, don’t send photos 🙂
2. Constipated (Non) Poop: People complain they are constipated. First of all, of course you are. You’re not taking fibre so you won’t produce a typical bowel movement. That’s why we do The Salt Cleanse as well as the Senna detox tea. If you’re doing one or both of these elimination methods and your still not moving at least once per day, then you’re truly “master cleanse constipated”. You need to up dosages or correct mistakes in your procedure to ensure one of those methods works for you. Without them, all the toxins being stirred up form the lemon cleanser will be sitting in your intestines, making you sick and even more toxic.
3. Parasite Poops: As the body becomes more alkaline from the lemon and the cayenne breaking up mucus an eliminating through our movements, the living environment for parasites and other microorganisms becomes hostile (I know, poor parasite). This makes the master cleanse an effective parasite cleanse, but when doing just the master cleanse and not another parasite cleanse as well, the process can take a long time, however many people do report seeing a parasite, come out whole, or in parts in their yellow liquid poop. Don’t be surprised. Do be disgusted. And do send photos (but warn us first).

Master Cleanse Poop Pictures: (What should my poo look like)?

On that note, please don’t send us all kinds of master cleanse poop pictures. Your photos should be taken for your own health monitoring and self-care experience journalling, but we don’t need to see them and neither does anyone else. That said, if something remarkable occurs like a parasite making an appearance or the loch ness poop rope monster appears, sure send it in We’re students of the game and that’s an interesting development. Otherwise, here’s a simple chart of what your Poop should look like:

Master Cleanse Diet – Essential Tips for Stress Free Experience

Welcome! This is where you find the famous master cleanse FAQ 2019 – 36 common questions and answers to your most burning questions about he master cleanse diet. But first, people want to know if Master Cleanse is safe and if it has enough calories and nutrition (more below). And, one thing you should know is that it’s a good idea to consult with your physician prior to performing a cleanse.

Is the Master Cleansing Diet Safe?

Is it safe? Yes, if you do it properly. Just follow the instructions on this site and you’ll be fine. The lemon juice and maple syrup used in making the Master Cleanse elixir gives you the essential nutrients that your body needs to get you through the day. This is an extremely low calorie diet that helps your body burn off the excess calories and give you extra energy…which leads to weight loss.

While doing the cleanse your metabolic rate slows down and you may feel a little cold at times. There is Cayenne pepper in there to help speed your metabolism up which burns more calories as well. It is highly recommended that you stick to the directions and do not stray from your Master Cleanse diet. You should not cheat and eat foods that are outside of the diet. You can find some alternatives to some of the ingredients involved with the diet. They are listed on this site.

What About Prescription Drugs and the Master Cleanse?

Some people wonder if their prescriptions drugs will interfere with their cleanse. The best advice for this is to consult with your physician prior to doing the cleanse. We do not recommend taking any kind of drugs during the cleanse because your system is going to be really extra sensitive. Your body will not have any way of diluting or absorbing the drugs and you may experience stomach pains. Your prescription drugs may be a bit difficult for your body to deal with. One person took heart pressure medicine and did the cleanse. After a few day he took his normal dosage and actually passed out. His body had corrected itself so much that his meds had an adverse affect. The result was that he claimed he didn’t even need those meds after he did the cleanse.

Should I Talk to My Doctor Prior to Doing a Cleanse?

Yes, it’s a good idea. It’s especially important if you are going through any kind of health issues or taking medications.

Should Women Do the Master Cleanse While Menstruating?

Again, everybody’s body is different and will respond in its own unique way to the Master Cleanse. If you are someone who has complications during your menstrual cycle or if you’re anemic, then talk to your physician before you try it.

Can I Work Out While I’M Doing the Master Cleanse?

Absolutely! I found that I had a lot of energy, especially around the third day of my cleanse. I rode my bike and worked out to help burn off a bit of that energy. Just listen to your own body, it really will lead you. Just respond to what it tells you.

Can the Kids Join in on the Master Cleanse?

No. You should not let kids do this. They are still in the development stages of their lives. This is something for adults only.

How Can I Endure the Full Cleansing Diet Even When I Feel Awful?

You may get to the point where you ask yourself “how am I going to persevere when I feel so terrible?”. It’s a legitimate question. What you have to do is take it on minute at a time. It depends on how your body handles it and your past diet. That’s what determines the amount of toxins you have in your body. The toxins accumulate over many years. Once you start your Master Cleanse you will see your body beginning to purge the toxins out. Experiencing this process can be painful. Some people are more toxic than other people and they might take a longer time to get those toxins purged.

On the first day of my cleanse it was not so bad. However, the next two day were pretty rough. I felt like quitting but I thought about my wife and how serious it was and how she already did it, so I hung in there. I remembered her going through the rough spots and after I made it through the second day I felt better. There are highs and lows as you go through the process. I was inspired by my wife, even though there were times I wanted to give up.

It helps if you can find something that gives you a little inspiration, something that keeps telling you that this is a temporary thing and it is loaded with benefits if you just get through it. Every day of the cleanse you gain in mental strength. You soon realize that the Master Cleanse actually reboots your system back to its optimum health along with your mental state.

If I Have Vices Like Smoking or Drinking Alcohol Will It Matter?

Me and my wife love our coffee but don’t think it’s a good idea while doing a Master Cleanse. If you need a caffeine fix it’s better to get it from something like peppermint tea. Look at it this way – if you are unable to pull yourself away from these vices you are only cheating yourself. You need to be strong during your 10 days of cleansing and afterwards you probably won’t even want those things any more.

Can I Do the Master Cleanse Diet for 5 Days Instead of 10?

Some people want to know if they can do half of the days, which is 5, and still get some benefits. The answer is YES! However, your body will not get the maximum benefits like it would if you went the whole ten days. Be tough, hang in there, and reap the rewards!

Can We Do the Cleanse Longer Than 10 Days?

The answer is yes. You have to let your body guide you. Some people go 15 days, others 20, and some 25 or 30. It really is up to each individual person. We feel that the 10 day system works for us. Just listen to your own body and make that decision yourself.

How Will I Know When I’M Finished?

If you completed a full 10 days then CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU! You’ll see some signs that will immediately tell you it was a success, like more energy, a pink tongue, a craving for health foods, and ailments have vanished. You always have the option of doing it again, but you should give your body enough time to recuperate before tackling it again.

How Often Should Someone Do the Cleanse?

Me and my wife do the cleanse once a year. We know of other people who prefer twice a year and there are even those who do it quarterly. Some people who do it one time a year exceed the recommended 10 days and go as long as 30 days. That’s very extreme and we just say that it’s up to you. Everybody has to listen to their own bodies and do the cleanse accordingly.

How Much Weight Will I Be Able to Lose?

Everybody is different, that’s why the master cleanse results can vary from person to person. Each body is going to react differently from another.

Me and my wife lost quite a bit of weight when we went through the cleanse.

Once we finished we found that we were only craving foods that were natural and healthy which helped to continue our new weight. We did eventually gain back a little weight, but it was not fat.

Will the Weight I Lose Come Back?

That depends on you and your body type. If you dropped a significant amount of weight you will be able to keep it off by eating healthy and exercising. However much weight you gain back will most often be water gain. It’s not much and people who have gone through the cleanse are still quite slim and have lost their desire to eat processed foods.

Will the Cleanse Affect My Metabolism?

The answer is YES. It will slow down while your are doing the Master Cleanse and your hands may feel cold or you might feel cold yourself. This is normal however, and the Cayenne pepper will counteract the slowing down of you metabolism while it boosts it back up and burns the calories that are available. The Cayenne targets stored fat calories and when it burns them you lose weight.

Will a Master Cleanse Help With Diabetes?

We cannot stand by this but there have been reports of people being cured of diabetes after a Master Cleanse. The main thing if you have diabetes is to consult with your physician first, before you to through the cleanse. A Master Cleanse greatly affects how the sugars in your body are processed. You need to have your doctor nearby in case any adverse reactions happen while you cleanse.

Will This Cleanse Cure Headaches?

This is hard to say. Everybody reacts differently and is affected in their own unique way. As far as OUR experience is concerned, the answer is YES. We used to suffer from migraines, but they stopped after we did the Master Cleanse. We also know other people who experienced the same thing, and even got relief from things like arthritis and other ailments.

What Should My Bowel Movements Look Like During the Cleanse?

This topic is a bit gross but very necessary. You can find clues that let you know if your Master Cleanse is going right. When you first get started you might notice small chunky things in your stool. Don’t worry, that’s normal. As time goes on and you continue your cleanse your stool will take on a lighter color and there will be less body to it. This is actually an indicator that your intestines are being cleaned out.

A clean colon is paramount to good health. Some people know that and some don’t. A lot of people just don’t eat right. Diets that are high in processed and refined foods are much more likely to have their intestinal walls ‘cake up’ and block the absorption of necessary nutrients.

Your intestinal walls can cake up and foul materials will be poisoining your system. A lot of ailments are the result of this buildup in the intestines. You can minimize your risk for ailments by ridding yourself of these buildups with the Master Cleanse.

Does the Kind of Laxative I Use Matter?

Yes it does. You should really use the laxative that the Master Cleanse suggests. It will give you the most benefits. Some of the alternative laxatives can cause some adverse reactions.

Is There a Kit I Can Buy That Has Everything I Need?

Yes. Actually there are a lot of them. Just make sure the one you get is organic, it will be much better for your body. You can find many good and complete kits on amazon, make sure to read the reviews before you buy your master cleanse kit.

Does It Matter About My Kit Being Organic or Non-Organic?

Yes it matters. You want to have the maple syrup, lemons, and cayenne in the mix. They should not be contaminated with any form of chemicals. Using organic ingredients is the best thing for your body and the cleanse.

How Many Lemons Should I Use Each Day?

That number can vary. It depends on what lemons you use. We like to use the little ‘Meyers’ lemons and it takes about three to four a day. If you use a larger kind of lemon it might only take a couple a day. The goal is to get 12 tablespoons a day if you’re using the 60 ounce elixir recipe. A single serving only calls for 2 tablespoons.

Fresh Ingredients or Juice From Concentrate?

Stay away from anything that is processed or refined. No concentrate. Use only fresh ingredients for your cleanse. Organic is always best.

How Can I Find the Best Lemons for My Cleanse?

Having good lemons is important. You don’t want to have lemons that contains too much acidity. You also don’t want them to be any more bitter than they have to. It depends on your preference, but most people prefer a lemon that is mild and has low acidity. That’s why many people like the Meyer lemons. They have a sweet nature and carry a low acidity. Meyer lemons are hybrids and are comprised of mandarin oranges. That’s why they are so much more appealing to a lot of people.

What Grade of Maple Syrup Should I Get?

What type of maple syrup should you use for the master cleanse?

Grade A or Grade B are both sufficient for a Master Cleanse. Both work really well. The recommended grade is grade B. There are maple syrup samplers you can use to find something you like. You are going to be tasting it for 10 full days, so make sure it’s something you like.

At the below is some info regarding the grade system, color, flavor, and more. This information is aimed at helping anybody who is considering the Master Cleanse and needs to know what grade and color of maple syrup to use. Maple syrup grades.

Where Can You Get Grade a or Grade B Maple Syrup?

You can find them at most any health food stores. You can also find them on Amazon. A simple Internet search will put you on the right track.

What Alternative Do I Have to Maple Syrup?

Well, there are a few, but the Grade A and Grade B maple syrup work the best. They give you the necessary calories and nutrients you will need as you go through the cleansing process. If you really need an alternative, then cane juice and molasses are good choices.

Why Is Cayenne Pepper Used?

Cayenne is a crucial element of the Master Cleanse. It speeds your body’s metabolism up and give you the nutrients necessary for your body as it goes through the cleanse.

It suppresses your hunger as well.

How to Make a Salt-Water Flush

You want to start your day by drinking your Salt-Water Flush when you get up.

Just follow these directions –

• 1 Quart of Warm Water (luck warm)
• 2 Teaspoons of Non-Iodized Sea Salt

Drink one quart of this Salt-Water Flush in the morning.

Do I Have Any Alternatives to That Salt-Water Flush?

As of now we really don’t know of any. If you follow the suggested recipe you body is going to get a lot of great benefits and be able to flush out a lot of toxins that your body has stored up on the intestinal tract. When we did this the first time my wife really struggled to drink it down, and it actually came back up. She finally wound up taking it every other day and overcame it. Now she endures the full 10 days of Salt-Water Flushing when we perform our annual Master Cleanse.

The Master Cleanse Instructions (Recipe, Ingredients and Directions)

Here are the daily and nightly instructions for your Master Cleanse. Begin it with a Salt-Water Flush followed up by consuming your Master Cleanse concoction. Drink lots of water. At night have a laxative tea.

Here are the ingredients –

In the Morning drink:

• 1 Quart of Salt-Water Flush Laxative
• 1 Quart of Warm Water
• 2 Teaspoons of Un-Iodized Sea Salt

Through the day drink 60 ounces of a lemonade concoction. You can find the master cleanse (60 Oz) lemonade concoction recipe for a whole day below. You can drink all the water you want to help you feel full. The Cayenne pepper will help to suppress your appetite and contains a modest amount of vitamins B and C. Use more if you like.

At night drink some kind of herbal laxative tea. If it has senna leaf it should work quite well. Smooth Move is recommended.

The Recipe for the Lemonade Concoction is this (makes 6 servings) –

• 60 Ounces – Filtered Water
• 12 Tablespoons – Organic Maple Syrup
• 12 Tablespoons – Fresh Squeezed Lemon
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Cayenne Pepper Powder

It can be a difficult process but going through the Master Cleanse can change your life. Again, it is always best to consult with your physician before going through a cleanse.

Get the step-by-step, picture-by-picture master cleanse instructions here >>

Which Ingredients Are the Best?

This recipe is pretty simple and it is the quality of your ingredients that should take priority. There are things to consider like the acidity of your lemons and the bitterness of the taste of your concoctions.

You can find out a lot about the different types of maple syrups and what their grades means and their nutrient content. Grade A or B is highly recommended for this cleanse because they contain the bare nutrients that are necessary for a successful cleanse.

Does the Kind of Water I Use Matter? Will Tap Water Work?

It absolutely matters what kind of water you use. We like to use spring water. It has all the minerals your body needs. Some people prefer light mineral water or alkaline water. It’s best to stay away from tap water. Water that is distilled lacks the minerals you need and can actually drain the minerals you have left. Always avoid tap water, it is loaded down with chemicals and has a lot of contaminants.

What Alternative Ingredients Can I Use?

Well, there are some like –

• Lemons – If you don’t like lemons you can try limes. The closer to the original recipe the better.
• Maple Syrup – You can substitute molasses or cane juice for maple syrup. They give you the essential nutrients and calories you need. Molasses and cane juice have proven to be excellent replacements for getting through the Master Cleanse. Don’t try to use any other alternative sweeteners because they won’t contain the necessary calories and nutrients for the cleanse.
• Cayenne Pepper – Be sure you stick with cayenne because it is the best. There are some alternative peppers you can use though, that will still give you the necessary nutrients for your cleanse. You’ll have to do some research on it to see what options you have, but if you can just stay with the Cayenne.
• Salt – For the cleanse you should use either sea-salt or non-iodized salt. Iodized salt should not be used, neither should refined salt or table salts.
• Laxatives – I want to strongly emphasize that you use what is suggested, which is a Salt Water Flush and a Smooth Move (senna leaf tea). There are a couple of alternatives which are Bentonite and Psyllium. Psyllium is a hefty fiber that you grind up into a powder and mix with a drink. The Bentonite is actually a clay and it extracts the toxins from the intestines. Using a combination of both of them makes a real powerhouse of a laxative. You can also use them individually. I recommend following the Master Cleanse directions to the letter.

What Should I Expect as Far as My Body Is Concerned While I Go Through the Master Cleanse?

As I said before everybody is going to have a different experience. In general you will see your body go through waves of both pain and euphoria. The first couple of days seem to be the hardest for most people. Your body is going to expel a lot of dark materials when you have a bowel movement, and you might see your tongue turning gray or whitish. Don’t panic because that’s normal. While your body continues the cleansing process you bowel movements are going to get lighter in color. They will have less body and your tongue is going to change to a pink color which is an indicator that your have a health and renewed system.

What Should I Expect After I Finish My Master Cleanse?

Once you’ve reached the end of your 10 day cleanse you should feel totally rejuvenated. You should find yourself craving natural and health foods and be full of energy. If had any ailments before, you may see that they no longer exist. You should have lost weight and your tongue should be a nice shade of pink.

You want to let your body adapt to eating solid foods slowly. Begin by drinking tomato juice or orange juice and eating fresh vegetables. Don’t start right off by eating a full meal because your body will probably reject it. You have to ease your body back into the swing of things.

Final Words

When it comes to doing a Master Cleanse your best bet is to follow the directions exactly as they are laid out. If you do that you will get the best experience the Master Cleanse has to offer and you will come away being glad you did it. It will help you lose weight, gain more energy, and rid your body of all the toxins that are unhealthy and keep you from operating at your maximum capacity. Once you get through your first Master Cleanse you will want to make it a regular part of your life. It can be an annual or semi-annual or a quarterly event, depending on you and your body.

-Christina

If you have any questions about the master cleanse diet, you can contact me here.

Master Cleanse Diet – Essential Tips for Stress Free Experience

Hi, this site is where I have collected 5+ years experience and knowledge about the master cleanse diet.

To help you get started with the master cleanse I have collected the most frequently asked questions that I have heard over the last couple of years. On this site you will not only find those questions, but you will also find my answers to them. If there is any questions that you have, and that you cannot find the answer to in my FAQ, feel free to e-mail me and ask me directly.

I’m constantly updating this FAQ with new information and new questions, so make sure to check out the FAQ before you email me your questions.

Some of the most common questions I get about the master cleanse is if it’s safe. Therefore, during 2015, I have expanded the FAQ section about safety and the master cleanse. I hope that you find my effort worthwhile.

Also, in an attempt to make things easier to digest and to understand I have added new images to the FAQ. This I hope will illustrate important point in a more precise and clear way. Over the coming months I’m also planning to add videos to the FAQ. If you have any special suggestions about what you would like to see explained even more in-depth, shoot me an email an let me know. I will also upload the videos to my YouTube channel.

Make sure to follow me on twitter and face book, where I will announce updates and improvements to the FAQ. I’m planning to update this FAQ for many years to come.

If you’d like to get in touch with me, you know where to look (hint; check out my contact page – you can find it in the top/primary menu on this site).

I’ve said it before, but I will say it again, if you have any questions about the master cleanse, send me an email and let me know, I read every email, and I will do my best to answer all your questions regarding the master cleanse.

-Christina R. Chapman

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Salt Water Flush to Cleanse the Colon and Detox

You’re likely familiar with a colon cleanse, even if you’ve never done one. But did you know a salt water flush is a simple, safe and effective way to detox the body and cleanse the colon from the comfort of your own home? It’s true.

By drinking a beneficial mixture of real sea salt dissolved in water (sometimes along with a little lemon juice), you’re able to push waste through the body, release toxins and improve digestion.

Sound a bit crazy? This method of colon and stomach cleansing has actually been used for many years, and it appears to be a lot safer than many commercial colon-cleansing drugs, laxative teas or diuretics. Below, we explore why this is and how to perform a salt water flush.

What Is a Salt Water Flush?

A salt water flush, also sometimes referred to as a “salt water cleanse” or a “master cleanse,” is designed to help you cleanse your colon and digestive system by bringing on a forced bowel movement.

Salt itself is needed for many biochemical processes, including (but not limited to): adrenal gland/thyroid gland function, cell wall stability, muscle contractions, nutrient absorption, nerve stimulation, pH, and water balance regulation.

The official salt water flush has become more popular over the past decade as a “hack” to facilitate digestion and cleansing as part of a kick-start when doing a “master cleanse” program. The idea is that drinking a salt mixture ignites the body’s own mechanism of natural detoxification and waste elimination, helping to get your digestive system back on track and in the process making you feel lighter, less sluggish and less weighed-down.

Maybe you’re wondering if it’s really necessary to cleanse your colon and detox with salt. The fact is that for many people — especially those eating poor diets — toxins, heavy metals and waste build up in the colon over time due to insufficient and infrequent bowel movements. This leads to digestive issues and can contribute to inflammation, low energy and possibly even disease development.

Nearly 20 percent of the adult American population reports suffering from very frequent constipation. While taking an herbal laxative such as slippery elm from time-to-time can help to produce a bowel movement, a saltwater flush is a safe, simple and effective way to clear things out entirely now and then. (1)

Why Do a Salt Water Colon Cleanse?

While they’ve existed forever, salt water flushes have gained notoriety as more people have started to do “detoxes.” Not familiar with the master cleanse? The master cleanse (also called the “lemonade diet”) has been in the media over the past few years, since supposedly some celebrities turn to this “hack” to quickly lose weight for upcoming roles.

The master cleanse is a liquid-only juice fast, which means it’s extremely low in calories and also lacks any dietary fiber, which is necessary for healthy digestion. When you only consume liquids for a certain amount of time and don’t actually eat any foods with fiber — vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds or beans, for example — you’re likely to have a lot of trouble going to the bathroom.

During the master cleanse, people have a daily detox drink — only a concoction of water, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

The result? For many people, this kind of juice fast can cause constipation, low energy and bloated stomach (not to mention other complications from consuming too little nutrients/calories). Fiber is partially responsible for igniting the process of peristalsis, which is the series of muscle contractions in our digestive tracts that allow us to poop — exactly the reason that people with low-fiber, highly processed diets often suffer from constipation.

Unfortunately, this is pretty much the opposite of what most people hope to accomplish when they sign up for a “detox.” This is where the salt water flush comes in. It basically forces your digestive system to release stored waste in the toxins, however little (or a lot) there might be.

Salt can also help clear up fluid retention, despite what most people think. Real sea salt (not the processed kind that’s stripped of minerals) helps you lose extra fluid weight by properly balancing out electrolyte/mineral levels in the body, releasing retained water your cells hold onto.

What Does Sea Salt Do to Your Body?

Sodium and salt often get a bad name, but real sea salt is loaded with dozens of minerals and is definitely part of a healthy diet. Keep in mind there’s a big difference between regular table salt, which is iodinated, and pure sea salt. The processed salts in sodium foods, especially in processed, packaged or fast foods, along with the sodium usually contribute too much salt to people’s diets and pose the most health risks (like high blood pressure).

It’s necessary and natural to have some real salt in your diet, so there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to ingesting some salt. Of course, if you did nothing but drink salt water, you would become extremely dehydrated. In fact, you would die because your kidneys and bladder would cause you to lose more water than you’re taking in. But as long as you do a sea salt flush or use pure sea salt in moderation along with an otherwise healthy diet, you shouldn’t suffer any negative consequences.

Salt water has many uses and benefits, including helping to ease sore throats, cleansing wounds, lowering pain in inflamed muscles (which is why salt is used in many detox bath recipes) and providing trace minerals (not to mention making your food taste better). A little known benefit of sea salt is that it affects muscle and nerves functions. It helps contract muscles in the digestive tract that push waste out through the colon. This forces out toxins that have been trapped inside your system and are contributing to sluggishness and constipation.

Real sea salt does have lots of sodium, but it’s balanced out with other minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium and more than 60 other trace minerals. Salt activates enzymes needed for proper digestive processes and is required by the parietal cells of the stomach wall to make hydrochloric acid.

Salt also helps balance hormones, facilitates with metabolic processes and establishes an optimal pH level in the body. That’s because your stomach acid is naturally very acidic, but salt (sodium chloride) counteracts some of the effects of acids. Salt supports “hyperosmolarity” of extracellular fluids, which has positive effects on your metabolism because it helps with the breakdown of proteins and glucose. Plus, a diet that’s very low in salt causes more aldosterone to be synthesized, which can have effects like lowering potassium and magnesium levels in the body — the opposite of what most people need.

Is a Sea Salt Cleanse Dangerous?

It’s possible that salt water flushes can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting or weakness in some people, but most of the time heavy metal detoxes and cleanses using salt water are safe. If you have a history of serious digestive issues or high blood pressure, you might want to talk to your doctor before doing a salt flush (not because real salt will raise blood pressure on its own, but just to be on the safe side).

While very low-calorie, juice-only detoxes like the master cleanse can be harmful in some situations and aren’t recommended for everybody, you can safely use the same practice of a sea salt flush if you suffer from occasional constipation but aren’t dieting. If you do a salt water flush as part of a juicing or cleansing program, make sure you pay attention to your body’s feedback and give yourself enough rest/nutrients in the process.

Many people safely use a warm salt water cleanse to help clear up problematic digestive issues like constipation, bloating and gas. And sea salt colon cleanse is much less likely to cause side effects that are common when using laxative teas or cleansing pills — like slowly forming a dependency on them or experiencing electrolyte imbalances, water retention afterward and having trouble eating normally.

Many detox programs, including the master cleanse, promote the use of both sea salt water flushes and also potentially dangerous laxative teas, without warning people about complications that can occur. If you have a hard time going to the bathroom for whatever reason, sea salt flushes are a much better option and more gentle on your system longterm. For example, the master cleanse’s own website states that “laxative tea is like a deep down purge scrubbing, digging into corners, where the salt water flush is more like power car wash blasting away surface grit and grime.”

When properly performing a sea salt flush, you use warm water and real sea salt that have been fully blended together, so your body easily absorbs the salt’s minerals. When it’s properly prepared you won’t see any granules of sea salt, just a cloudy mixture that’s uniform in terms of color and texture.

This is important because when the sea salt fully dissolves into the water it helps your digestive organs process the mixture most effectively and safely. Your kidneys won’t pull out the water and leave behind only salt, while high amounts of salt won’t end up in your bloodstream, which can raise blood pressure.

When it comes to safety, salt water flushes appear to be both safe and effective — working just as well as other types of “colon cleansing” products, even the kinds that are prescribed by doctors for patients prior to undergoing a colonoscopy.

Certain studies examining the effects of salt water on cleansing the digestive tract have found that oral sodium mixtures are well-tolerated and even more effective than certain colon-cleansing blends, such as Picoprep. One study done by the Department of Colorectal Surgery at Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia found that salt mixtures seem to cause similar side effects as other colon cleansers (like cramps, some nausea, etc.), but 91 percent of people who used the oral sodium mixture reported that it worked and they would use it again. (2)

How to Cleanse Your Colon with a Salt Water Flush

The salt water flush is most effective if you perform it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you do it later in the day, just make sure you haven’t eaten anything in the past one to two hours. Ideally, perform the flush before you eat breakfast, but be careful if you plan to leave the house or exercise in the morning — you’ll have a strong desire to go to the bathroom shortly after and might have a queasy stomach after the flush.

Give yourself enough time to use the bathroom several times after the flush before leaving the house, and keep in mind that you will likely want to shower afterward. Plan for most likely at least about a one-to-two-hour duration (possibly longer) from the time you drink the flush until you’ve completed emptying your bowels.

Some people recommend doing the flush around 7 a.m., but this depends when you wake up and what your schedule is like. The key here is to drink the mixture (check out my homemade salt water flush recipe, which only takes about five minutes to prepare) when there’s not much else in your system. This way you absorb the solution as much as possible and get the most “cleansing” effects.

How often should you perform a salt cleanse? You can do an initial period of several flushes in a row if you’d like — but not every day. Occasionally doing a salt flush can be a safe and therapeutic way to cleanse your system, but doing it too often will result in problems balancing electrolytes and side effects that can be dangerous (dehydration, dizziness, blood pressure changes, muscle weakness, fatigue, etc.). Every few weeks seems to be best, which gives your body enough time to recalibrate and repopulate your microbiome with good bacteria afterward. Check with your health care provider first if you have any health conditions or if you are taking medications.

Trouble-Shooting a Sea Salt Flush

Did you perform a salt colon cleanse and found that it didn’t work well for you? Here’s a few reasons that might be the case, plus how to perform a more effective flush next time:

• Adjust when you perform the flush: Make sure your system is pretty empty and try doing it the morning if you didn’t the first time.
• Adjust how much salt you used: If you use too much or too little salt, it might not work well or might cause side effects.
• Make sure you use pure salt (not iodinated): It’s possible to use the wrong kind of salt without realizing, which will effect how it’s absorbed. Recheck that you use un-iodized organic sea salt. Look for pink Himalayan salt or grayish-colored Celtic sea salt, not the white type that is cheap and sold in most grocery stores.

Salt Water Flush Takeaways

• By drinking a beneficial mixture of real sea salt dissolved in water, you’re able to push waste through the body, release toxins and improve digestion.
• A salt water flush is designed to help you cleanse your colon and digestive system by bringing on a forced bowel movement.
• Nearly 20 percent of the adult American population reports suffering from very frequent constipation.
• The master cleanse is a liquid-only juice fast and can cause constipation.
• A saltwater flush forces your digestive system to release stored waste in the toxins.
• Real sea salt helps you lose extra fluid weight by properly balancing out electrolytes/minerals levels in the body.
• Salt water has many uses and benefits, including helping to ease sore throats, cleansing wounds, lowering pain in inflamed muscles and providing trace minerals.
• Salt helps balance hormones, facilitates with metabolic processes and establishes an optimal pH level in the body.
• A sea salt colon cleanse is much less likely to cause side effects that are common when using laxative teas or cleansing pills.

Read Next: The Benefits of Lemon Water: Detox Your Body & Skin

Who Knew There’s Years of Poop in You – June’s Journal

NOTE:  Due to so many persons requesting info about the lemonade fast, I decided to post all the info I have right on this web page for everyone’s convenience! 😉
 
Okay, if you were sent to this page to get the recipe for the Master Cleanse aka “The Lemonade Fast,” here it is:

For complete details on The Lemonade Fast, you’ll want to either buy the book, “The Master Cleanser” by Stanley Burroughs, or click here for the PDF version of the book (Adobe Acrobat Reader).  The book discusses the origin of the fast, its purpose, the do’s don’ts, and contains some other interesting info.  The remainder of this web page will contain: 

• Summary of the book and the fast
• The Reason Why We Should Detox
• A Look at Why African Americans are More Prone to Diseases (i.e., colon cancer, heart disease, etc)
• Fasting for Spiritual Reasons

SUMMARY OF FAST:  To summarize, the lemonade fast is a liquid fast where all you drink is the above described “potion” for ten (10) days (that’s what I call it, a potion).  And believe it or not, the potion has all the nutrients that your body needs!  So unlike a water fast, you won’t feel hungry.  The book goes into detail about the health benefit of each ingredient.  The first three days are the hardest, but if you make it past that, it’s pretty much smooth sailing for most people.  You can exercise, go to work, and do all the things you normally do without feeling weak.   

You’re supposed to drink six (6) glasses of the potion each day, along with plenty of water, and you are to also drink a herbal laxative tea at night (e.g., SMOOTH MOVE; see/click photo to the left).  You are also allowed to drink mint tea which helps with bad breath while you are fasting (smile).   

In the mornings, the book instructs you to drink another herbal tea, *or* to do a “sea salt flush” where you drink a quart of water with sea salt.  It’s important that it’s sea salt because sea salt can not be digested and will go straight through you which helps to clean your colon out.  And it’s important to drink the daily laxative tea at night so that your body can get the maximum cleansing during the fast.   

The book says to do the fast for a minimum of 10 days (i.e., eating and drinking nothing else but the potion, water, and mint tea), and this is supposed to rid your body of toxins and poisons).  But even if you do it only 5 days, it’s probably still beneficial!  The maximum amount of days you can do the fast is 40 days.  But be sure to check with a doctor if attempting to do the fast for longer than 10 days.  Even though there are a multitude of testimonies of how this fast has helped cure all kinds of health issues that people may have, this fast may not be for everyone.  You also should be careful not to take the laxative for more than 40 days or your body may become addicted to the laxative in order to do its job; i.e., poop. 
  
The book also stresses that you are supposed to come off the fast slowly; i.e., the day after the fast, drink nothing but orange juice, then the next day you can add vegetable soup, then the next day you can add salad and so on, so that your digestive tract can be ready for solid foods again.  Although, many persons report that they ate regular food the day after the fast and they were just fine.  I’m one of those people (smile).  Orange juice wasn’t cutting it for me when it was time to call it quits, although I aspire to do the “right way” next time.   

Many persons have done the fast and testify that they have never felt so much energy and are in much better health.  I discovered dozens of message board forums online where persons on the fast were describing their experiences and being a moral support to others who were on the fast.  (I’ll post a link to some of the forums later when I get a chance.)  Some people seem to be on the fast as a quick way to lose weight.  You do lose weight on the fast, but if you don’t want to lose weight, the book says just to add extra maple syrup to your potion.  But most people don’t mind losing weight.  My hubby and I did the fast together.  The result?  His blood pressure was no longer high!  I did the fast and felt better too, and although I didn’t really have any health problems, detoxing the body is a good thing and can help prevent problems from beginning.  Countless people online are testifying that they were cured of all sorts of varied health issues, but this doesn’t surprise me after I learned the importance of detoxing one’s body.  

The Reason Why We Should Detox 

Why detox?  Part of the reason is the types of poisons that enter into our body in the 20th Century.  We inhale pollution, second-hand smoke, PESTICIDES (unless you eat 100% organic foods which most of us don’t), processed foods, trans-fatty foods, junk food, fast food (read my blog about McDonald’s).   

Our bodies were not designed to handle those type of poisons!  Our bodies are designed to handle things that God naturally provides in nature:  e.g., fruits and vegetables, without chemicals.  So, because we have so much toxins entering our body, it’s important to help our bodies out by detoxing it.  Our body isn’t setup to get rid of the type of junk and poisons on its own, not the kind of stuff we put it in nowadays, so doing a fast to detox is very important.   

FACTS:  

1. Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.
2. Over 90%” of Americans are walking around with clogged colons.
3. Many of us have ten or more pounds of impacted feces in our colon.

These facts alone should inspire us to be concerned about having healthy colons and detoxing regularly!

Do you know that years of poop accumulates in our bodies, specifically in our intestinal tract and colon and grows hard?  Poop is waste… often toxic waste… that’s why it’s “supposed” to EXIT our bodies… yet some of us have poop stuck inside our intestinal tracks that has never come out.  So there could be literally years of poop in you!  Most people who do the Lemonade Fast see all kinds of things coming out in the toilet… (hey, folk are quite candid on some of those message board forums about what is happening to their bodies), and it’s a lot of stuff coming out that had been trapped in for so long… so that’s why they feel better.  The thing is, if this stuff stays in our intestines and colons, it can breed diseases and start cancer and stuff.  Remember, it’s waste, and it will begin to seep through our intestinal walls to other parts of our body.  Yuck, I know, but true stuff!  I’ve read it on multiple websites and in books, including The Master Cleanser. 

We Perish for Lack of Knowledge

Okay, here’s where I get to stand my soap box for a moment and give what I call a sermonette.   

We wonder why Black men are more susceptible to just about every disease that is out there today.  If you’ve ever heard statistics on cancer, heart attacks, or other illnesses or health complications, the statistics are often a lot higher for American American males. Black males are labeled an extra high risk category for many diseases.  Well, why is that?  Is there something in the water that only Black males are drinking?  Of course not.  I believe that the reason is that we as Blacks are not taught the very important, vital information about good eating and exercise habits; therefore, we don’t do these things, and so we die more than other races.   

We are literally dying due to lack of knowledge.Our families, schools, and circles of influence simply are not impacting our lifestyle choices; choices we make because we simply do not know. In fact, as I remember in elementary school being in a health class where the teacher taught us that pizza is an excellent food choice because it has all of the major food groups:  cheese (dairy group), pizza dough crust (bread group), tomato sauce (vegetable group), and pepperoni (meat group).  Hey, I’m not making this up.  She also taught us that cheeseburgers were also a nutritious food choice and broke that down too.  Unbelievable, but sadly very true.  

Other races seem to somehow be much more enlightened.  I’m generalizing big time here, but it seems that a lot more White folk know about things like detoxing their bodies and drinking pomegranate juice.  I’m in my mid-thirties and never heard of the importance of detoxing my body once a year until a few months ago!  In my home growing up, we cooked what I thought was “wholesome” foods because it was home-cooked, included “starch” and “vegetables” and tasted great.  And when I moved out on my own, guess what, I cooked the same kinds of things my family fed me growing up: artery-clogging soul food such as collard greens and hamhock, mac-n-cheese, casserole dishes, and pork chops.  You get the idea.  I actually thought the collard greens were healthy because it’s vegetables, right?  But the way we cook it in the black culture, we cook all the nutrients right out of it… altho it sure tastes good :)God did not intend for our bodies to digest pesticides and other impurities… the very reason why we’re supposed to detox our systems at least once a year.  Many people do it a whole lot often than that.  It’s time we educate ourselves.  I’m helping to spread the word and hope you will too!  PASS THIS INFO ON TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO YOU CARE ABOUT!  

Fasting for Spiritual Reasons

Although the Lemonade Fast is not a spiritual fast, why not seize the opportunity to cleanse yourself physically and spiritually?  The time you normally spend eating can be spent in God’s Word and prayer. Some things only come about through fasting and prayer.  That’s what the Bible says.  So the Lemonade fast can certainly “double” as a spiritual fast. And maybe you are reading this and are glad you learned how to clean out your body.  Maybe you are amazed at how fascinating the human body is.  God is the master designer of the human body, and you can actually have a personal relationship with God.  If want to learn more about this important truth, click here.

“Cleaning” My Colon: A Master Cleanse Diary

At the James Randi Educational Foundation, we hear all sorts of interesting health claims: “These special candles can remove excess ear wax,” “these colored lights will align your chakras,” or “apricots cure cancer.” One of the most popular claims is that “cleansing” your colon will eliminate “toxins”: substances that build up in our bodies, causing harmful side effects like weight gain, fatigue, and a host of diseases. So the story goes, a special fast or diet can help eliminate these poisons and promote better overall health. Never one to turn up a good experiment, I decided to try one of the most popular alternative colon therapies: the so-called “Master Cleanse.” The test: try to survive five days of consuming nothing but lemon juice, maple syrup, water, cayenne pepper, and two daily doses of laxatives. Guest blogger Ross Blocher joined me in this investigation by trying out a similar alternative medicine practice, colonic hydrotherapy, which he will share in a future post.

What follows is my daily diary of what happened when I stopped eating food, and started drinking non-stop lemonade and laxatives. Warning: stool photo within.

Day One

Today is my “ease-in” day. According to the rules, a Master Cleanser can choose to ease in to their fast by first eating a “regular diet” for a day, relying heavily on “live” foods (I’m not sure what that means, but vegetables and grains are offered as examples), eating only fruits and vegetables for day two, fruit and veggie juice for day three, nothing but orange juice for day four, and then start the lemon juice medley on day 5. Since the lemon juice fast is supposed to go on for ten days (and I am only attempting five total), I thought I ought to get this truck rolling, and sprint right to the orange juice phase. I allowed myself one large glass of orange juice, followed by nothing but “lemonade” and laxatives.

So far, it’s been about 19 hours since I ate solid food, and I’m feeling fine. The orange juice is keeping me relatively satisfied, even if I am tempted by the faux ham and fancy bread I have in the fridge here at the JREF office. The instructions advise me to drink my lemon juice mixture every time I get hungry, followed by water or tea. Needless to say, I am taking frequent bathroom breaks. Tonight I take my first laxative; the Master Cleanse site I’ve been studying tells me that because I am not eating, I won’t have bowel movements (sure) and therefore can’t remove toxins from my body (oh!), so the laxatives will help me do that. Sounds not at all shady– let’s give it a whirl.

Day Two

It’s the second day of my fast and I already hate fruit. Lemons, oranges, limes: I hate them all and vow never to consume them again, even if it means James Lind is going to make an example of me. Last night, I took the first laxative of this cleanse (and of my life), and another this morning. Shockingly, my body had nothing to expel, so now I just have two laxatives in my stomach. That doesn’t seem like healthy living, but what do I know?

JREF outreach coordinator Brian Thompson is sitting across from me, chomping away on a piece of coffee cake from Starbucks. I would think this sort of food exhibitionism would make me jealous at best and promote workplace aggression at worst, but since everything I am allowed to consume is basically made of sugar, nothing could look worse. I’ve never wanted a pretzel to this degree, before.

A note on the “lemonade” part of this diet: it’s not lemonade. I don’t claim to be some sort of lemonade chef, but lemon juice, maple syrup and water is definitely not the magic recipe. The maple syrup all falls to the bottom, no matter how much I stir it, making the upper half unbearably tart and the bottom like drinking a liquified pancake. Sprinkling cayenne on top is the last possible way to make this drink worse, so I am leaving out the pepper entirely and eating that on its own (off my hand– the perfect way to maintain personal dignity).

     Eating cayenne pepper off my hand… for science.

Day Three

Things I found myself saying to my coworkers today:

“I’m hungry, but I’m out of lemons.”
“The efficient machine that is my body is broken.”
“I have gotten to the point where I don’t want to tell you what’s going on in my person.”
“I just lick the cayenne off my hand. It’s easier.”
“No, you can eat lunch in front of me. I have some syrup left.”

The worst part is definitely the stomach pain. The morning laxatives start twisting my stomach up around noon, and since there is nothing for me to expel, this results in a bathroom visit too horrible to detail here. I do feel hungry, but it’s a vague sense of something I once got to experience (food), kind of like missing an aunt who died years ago. I’ve given up on knowing the feeling of a full belly, and all my favorite foods sound good but not great.

Coworker Brian suggests that soon I will feel the euphoria that sets in as a person slowly starves. I can’t wait!

Day Four

Well, last night was eventful. After I went home from work, I was overwhelmed with a stabbing stomach pain so bad, I called poison control to tell them how many laxatives I had taken (the minimum required for the cleanse) on an empty stomach. The doctor there advised me to go to a doctor right away for the horrible pain and the laxative overuse. I took this as a sign to stop taking the laxatives, and… eat something.

I know, I know. I have failed all of you and eaten something on only day four of my fast, but my capability to do future investigations will be much reduced if I am dead. So, I ate some curry. Then I threw 75% of it up. Then I went to bed.

This morning, I returned to fasting, drinking tea and lemonade like a champ, but foregoing the laxatives. The crippling stomach pain is gone, but the hunger remains, and for the first time during this process, I feel lightheaded. Getting up to go to the bathroom (something I must do frequently, since I am drinking an absurd amount of fluids) makes me feel like I am going to faint. The good news, however, is that my colon has been empty since day one. If it was ever full of excess waste, as the cleansers claim, I haven’t seen it, despite having taken seven laxatives now.

I want to eat something.

Obligatory stool photo.

Day Five

Well, friends, after four days of not eating and three days of laxative misuse, my body called it quits. I found myself lightheaded, distracted, and in pain (though less pain) even after I stopped using the horrible blue pills I have come to hate. I now harbor suspicions of those who claim they have done this “cleanse” for five or ten or forty days, especially if they are taking the laxatives as they go. One woman on youtube tells us she did the Master Cleanse for 40 days and lost 32 pounds. Her magic formula? 1200 calories a day of the patented “lemonade.” Never mind that eating only 1200 calories a day of Twix bars would do the same thing.

Cleansed?

If the Master Cleansers are right, my colon should be in tip-top condition at this point, free of the “toxins” and excess waste bogging it down these twenty-eight years of negligence. Somehow, though, I feel much worse. Maybe it’s the toxins escaping for the first time, wearing me out. Maybe it’s exhaustion from pumping out the (invisible) lining of my large intestine. Or maybe I need to go eat a salad.

Testing last hypothesis… now!

Carrie is the communications director for the James Randi Educational Foundation, and co-host of Oh No, Ross and Carrie!. You can hear more about her Master Cleanse experience here .

90,000 Mattress stain removal tips, learn how to remove stains

Modern mattresses in their composition resemble sandwiches: a fabric cover, an interlayer of various materials, a springless filler or a spring block. Due to their complex structure, they have excellent properties. But when you need to remove a stain or eliminate an unpleasant odor, this layering is puzzling. But it is impossible not to monitor the sleeping place, because cleanliness is a guarantee of health. Plus, a clean mattress lasts longer.

Of course, the easiest way is to take the item to dry cleaning. But if you have free time and the desire to cope with pollution, you can also at home.

Cleaning of different types of mattresses

Look at the label before taking action. To clean the product and not spoil it once and for all, the following recommendations must be followed:

• spring. Do not deform the spring bed or wet it.Detergents and moisture can damage the metal springs are made from. Stains can only be removed with special dry products. Ventilate the mattress regularly, vacuum it, turn it over every 3 months.
• springless polyurethane foam. If the product is made of polyurethane foam, the operating conditions allow for both dry and wet cleaning. But it is not recommended to wet it too much. It is enough to regularly wipe the surface with a damp cloth from dust.
• springless coconut.The coconut bed can be knocked out. To do this, cover it with a damp cloth made of natural material, lightly pat it with a beater over the entire area and dry it.

Speaking about how to clean an anatomical mattress at home, several important points should be noted. Spring models cannot be bent: this has a great effect on the block, the springs included in it are deformed. As a result, you will have to put up with dents and folds on the surface.

Anatomical models of mattresses of any kind, except for coconut, are undesirable to knock out.It is better to vacuum the product or shake off the dust with a soft brush.

Remember: the less often you use chemical care products, the longer the mattress will retain its properties and attractive appearance.

Removing difficult dirt

Specific recommendations on how to remove stains from an anatomical mattress depend on the type of contamination. Difficult and common types include urine, blood, and mold stains.

Urine

If there are small children in the family, “surprises” in the form of yellow spots on the bed cannot be avoided.You can clean urine stains using various means:

• mix salt with lemon juice to make a gruel, apply on the stain, wait 2 hours and rinse with a damp cloth;
• apply baking soda on a fresh wet spot and leave it overnight, then collect the remains with a vacuum cleaner;
• Apply diluted essence or 9% vinegar to the trail and wipe with a rag.

Blood

A fresh stain can be removed with laundry soap and cold water.

And this effective home method will help to cope with dried blood: rub 30 g of laundry soap on a grater, dissolve in 1/4 cup of water and treat the area with a solution with a toothbrush. Wait half an hour and wipe the treated surface with a wet rag.

Hydrogen peroxide also helps to remove old traces of blood. It is necessary to apply it to the stained area, and remove the foam that forms in this case with a soft cloth. Repeat the procedure until the stain is completely removed.

Mold

To get rid of mold stains, remove the clumps from the surface and move the bed to a well-ventilated place where the sun’s rays fall to kill the fungus. Vacuum it thoroughly on both sides. Then mix water with isopropyl alcohol and scrub the mattress with this solution using a soft cloth or sponge. It remains to consolidate the spray treatment with an antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide.

How to get rid of an unpleasant odor from a mattress

Cleaning anatomical mattresses eliminates not only dirt, but also unpleasant odors.The easiest way to do this is with ventilation. If possible, take the product outside or on the balcony and leave it for a day.

Airing does not help or does it not work? There are many other options:

• odor absorber. The stores sell special products that can be used to clean mattresses with a stubborn odor. To do this, the agent is applied to the desired area, after 3-5 hours it is swept away with a brush, the residues are removed with a vacuum cleaner and the surface is wiped with a damp cloth.
• salt. Dilute salt in water in a 3: 1 ratio. Apply by rubbing onto the surface. Wipe with a clean cloth and blow dry.
• vinegar. Soak the stain with vinegar, cover with baking soda, and vacuum in the morning.
• soda. Perfectly removes the smell of tobacco, just sprinkle the product on the bed and vacuum it after 12 hours.
• laundry soap. Effective for persistent urine odor. You need to moisten the area, rub with soap and wait 20 minutes.Then soak a cloth in a solution of vinegar (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water) and rinse off the soap. Wipe the treated area with a clean, damp cloth, dry with tissue paper, and iron through the cloth.

Note: It is easier to remove dirt before it gets old, so remove it right away. And when purchasing a new bed, buy a moisture and dustproof cover for it: you don’t have to rack your brains over how to clean the anatomical mattress from various contaminants.

Country toilet

Now, in the 21st century, unfortunately, many more summer residents are content with an ancient toilet.An unpretentious classic plank building measuring 1.2 meters by 1.2 meters in plan with a shaped hole in the plank floor and a specific smell.

Every summer resident in a city apartment has a hygienic toilet room. But for some reason in the country you have to be content with the ancient classic toilet. Why? Expensive? Time consuming to refit? Or is the established centuries-old tradition of rural toilet a brake on transformation? However, now in stores a wide variety of plumbing fixtures allows you to choose equipment at an affordable price, aesthetics, quality.Modern plumbing makes the toilet attractive, comfortable and clean. Installing a toilet bowl for a summer residence is not a problem today.
The country toilet draws attention.
Unlike the usual one used in apartments, the country toilet does not require a water supply for flushing: it simply has a relatively large opening, without a water seal. Therefore, such a toilet can be used in winter, without fear of freezing water in any folds, pockets, because they are not there. A country toilet can be successfully used year-round and in rural areas, with a heat-insulating circle.For such a toilet, sewer pipes are not required: only a toilet and fasteners in the form of two screws.

And for those who are still used to apartment-type toilets and are in gardens only in summer, we can recommend the familiar toilets with a water seal snail. Then the penetration of smell from the cesspool is excluded and – no air movement from below. This is a plus. But with the onset of the pre-winter cold, you need to remember to empty the toilet from the water in order to prevent it from freezing with the subsequent rupture of the toilet.

This toilet requires a water supply. There is water in the garden. After all, plants could not develop without watering. Therefore, with water – no problem!

In our company “Master Plumber” you choose the toilet you like in terms of price and parameters, and for a toilet with a water seal – also 1-2 bends of the sewer pipe, as well as water supply to the tank. It remains to screw the toilet bowl to the floor with two screws. And the modern toilet is ready. And now – about the details of the country toilet.

Reconstruction of the existing toilet in terms of labor intensity – small.We leave the method of collection and accumulation of feces unchanged: the cesspool, the method of cleaning it remains the same. All you need is a one-piece flat floor in the toilet room and the ability to position the sewer pipe from the toilet to the cesspool (for a toilet with a water seal). As a rule, the pit is made either under the toilet or next to it. You can use modern means of biological conversion of feces into natural fertilizer, which increases the culture of the dacha economy, eliminates unpleasant odors.

The water supply to the toilet is multivariate. The source of water can be a) a well, b) a well, c) a centralized water supply. The easiest way to do the water supply is to have a centralized water supply system. But this option is rare. Then you should provide a storage tank, placing it above the level of the toilet cistern – possibly on the roof of the toilet. Its volume should be such as not to distract the summer resident with frequent refilling of the tank with water.
If you have a centralized water supply system, then water can be supplied: a) from the city water supply system, b) from a collective well, c) pumped from a nearby river or stream.In the last two cases, water often contains mechanical impurities in the form of particles of sand and clay.
Water can be purified from mechanical impurities with an inertial filter – a closed container with a volume of at least 1-2 liters, mounted with two fittings into the water supply system. Particles of sand, falling into the inertial filter, lose their speed, settle and collect at the bottom of the container. The inertial filter has a slotted plane to free it from accumulated sand, clay and other particles that can contaminate the water.The figure shows a fine filter. To convert it into an inertial filter, it is enough to remove the filter element from it and reassemble it without the filter element.
Once again, we draw the attention of those who have chosen a toilet with a water seal: the toilet can only function at a positive temperature. Therefore, in the fall, you need to prepare it for winter by removing water from the elbow of the water seal in any way.
Our company “Master Plumber” calls on summer residents to improve the conditions of stay in the country, to make minor changes to the country toilet system.Choose the most suitable toilet bowl and the necessary accessories in our stores. Our experts will help you in choosing a product.

How to cleanse the intestines of toxins with kefir and flaxseed

The method of bowel cleansing using flaxseed flour and kefir is considered to be very strong, therefore, it should be resorted to no more than once a year.

It is a well-known fact that the rectum processes about 100 tons of food and about 40,000 liters of fluid throughout the life of an individual.Accumulating in it, harmful substances cause malfunctions in the body, upset our health and undermine immunity.

Safe method

If you have regular constipation, heaviness in the liver, kidney problems, excess weight, skin, nails and hair, then there is a high probability that your intestines are not working well.

Try cleansing toxic deposits from your rectum using a safe folk method.Consuming 1-3 tablespoons of flaxseed flour will safely rid the intestinal tract of the accumulation of parasites, mucus and feces without disturbing the intestinal flora. Thanks to this, weight is stabilized, metabolism improves, and cholesterol levels are reduced.

Flaxseed flour is used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, cystitis, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, etc.

Cleaning procedure

Its duration is 21 days.This is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. For the first week, mix 1 tablespoon of flaxseed flour with 100 ml of kefir.

In the second week, the dose is increased by one spoon. That is, you need to mix 2 tablespoons with kefir.

Accordingly, in the third week, the daily dose rises to 3 tablespoons. Only now you need 150 ml of kefir.

Helpful Hints

If it is not possible to use flour, it is better to use freshly ground flaxseed.You can buy it at any pharmacy. Flaxseed can be ground into powder in a mortar or ground in a coffee grinder.

During the procedure, try to exclude fatty foods from the diet, do not overload the body, more cereals in water without oil and sugar. It is good to drink herbal teas.

Use the product only before breakfast on an empty stomach.

Make sure you drink at least two liters of water a day.

It is not recommended to abuse the procedure.It is better to repeat it no more than once a year.

Earlier, “Kubanskie Novosti” talked about products that will help remove excess water from the body.

How the sewerage system works in Moscow

In parallel with water purification, the station is dealing with sludge. The sediment from the primary clarifiers and the surplus activated sludge are processed together. They enter the digesters, where at a temperature of plus 50–55 degrees, the fermentation process takes place for almost a week.As a result, the sediment loses its ability to rot and does not emit an unpleasant odor. Then this sludge is pumped to dewatering complexes outside the Moscow Ring Road. “30–40 years ago, the sediment was dried on sludge areas in natural conditions. This process lasted from three to five years, now instant dehydration. The sediment itself is a valuable mineral fertilizer, in Soviet times it was popular, the state farms took it with pleasure. But now nobody needs it, and the station pays up to 30% of the total cost of cleaning for disposal, ”says Vadim Gelievich.

A third of the sludge breaks down, turning into water and biogas, which saves on disposal costs. Part of the biogas is burned in a boiler house, and part is sent to a combined heat and power plant. A thermal power plant is not an ordinary element of wastewater treatment plants, but rather a useful addition that gives treatment facilities a relative energy independence.

Fish in the sewerage

Previously, an engineering center with its own production base was located on the territory of the Kuryanovskie wastewater treatment plants.Employees set up unusual experiments, for example, they bred sterlet and carp. Some of the fish lived in tap water, and some in the sewer, which was purified. Now fish is found only in the discharge channel, there are even signs “Fishing is prohibited” hanging there.

After all the purification processes, the water goes through the waste channel – a small river 650 meters long – to the Moskva River. Here and wherever the process takes place in the open air, there are many seagulls floating on the water. “They do not interfere with the processes, but spoil the aesthetic appearance,” Isakov is sure.

The quality of the treated wastewater discharged into the river is much better than the water in the river for all sanitary indicators. But drinking such water without boiling is not recommended.

Biological treatment plants with installation in St. Petersburg

Sale of biological treatment plants from leading manufacturers,

proven on the Russian and Finnish market

Sewerage and wastewater treatment systems have made an evolutionary leap in the last decade.The need for new technologies was dictated by the critical level of environmental pollution by various products of technical and domestic human activity. This leads to large-scale pollution of groundwater, which makes it impossible to use it. This problem is most acute in small settlements where there is no centralized sewerage system.

Biological wastewater treatment plant: operating principle

How does the station work? For wastewater, mechanical, chemical and biological treatment methods are used.The last method has shown the greatest efficiency; it is able to solve those problems that the other two cannot cope with. Previously, this technology was used to treat large volumes of wastewater, and only recently has it been applied in the private residential sector. Such stations for biological treatment of sewage waste are designed taking into account the peculiarities of operation in harsh Russian conditions. In addition to the full cycle of water purification, which includes the removal of nitrogen, such stations produce inert sludge.This substance can be used as a fertilizer, which completely solves the problem of waste disposal.

The operation of these installations is based on aeration of effluents, that is, the saturation of raw water with oxygen. The biological treatment station creates comfortable conditions for the existence of aerobic bacteria. They break down and oxidize solids, converting them into liquid and soluble compounds. Also in the treatment plants there are anaerobic bacteria, which do not require oxygen for their vital functions.

The combination of different types of microorganisms makes it possible to purify water from organic waste by 98%, which is beyond the power of the previous generation purification systems operating on different principles. Such a high degree of purification complies with sanitary standards, therefore Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision recommends using these installations throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, as evidenced by the certificates of our purification systems.

Compared to three-section septic tanks, waste processing is much faster.At the same time, the dimensions of such a station are much smaller, and an additional filtration field is not required, which greatly simplifies the installation process. In operating mode, the biological treatment station has no unpleasant odor and operates silently. This allows it to be placed in close proximity to buildings. In the event of a power outage, a transition to the operating mode occurs – a classic three-section septic tank.

Do you need a bioremediation station? We will advise you and help you make the right choice!

How to compost – OBI

3.Useful Tips

Fertilization of the garden, as well as agricultural land with compost, is always done purposefully, in order to quickly and under control carry out the transformation of organic matter in the soil. Here, we’ll show you how to build a compost pile and what to look out for over time.

Laying
The compost heap can be laid at any time (exception: frost). Fall is the ideal time to do this, as it accounts for most of all garden waste.

Sub-layer
In the area where you intend to lay the compost heap, excavate a layer of soil 15 cm deep and an area equal to the desired compost heap (for example, 1.50 mx 1.50 m), and put drainage there: in case of clay soil – a layer of sand, with sandy soil – a layer of clay soil.

Building
The compost heap requires heat, air and moisture. It is laid in layers so as to ensure deep penetration of moisture and air circulation.In this case, the lower layer is formed from coarse waste (scraps of hedges, shredded scraps of bushes and trees), and then layers of green mass and brushwood in a 2: 1 ratio follow alternately, which are laid out freely, not densely, for better air circulation.

Intermediate layers
Between these layers of mixed waste approximately 20 – 25 cm high, a thin intermediate layer of nitrogen-containing fertilizer of animal origin and lime should also be placed (attention: only slaked!) – you can also use preparations to accelerate the ripening – and then on top, you need to pour a thin layer of earth or last year’s compost.

Completion
The compost heap should be tapered from base to top and be no more than 1.50 m in height. Foliage, straw or chopped cut grass can be used as the top protective layer.

Too humid? Too dry?
If the compost heap is too wet, then it is poorly ventilated. And she is in danger of rotting. The compost heap must be well ventilated and repositioned. If it is too dry, it means that too much heat is being generated in the compost.Therefore, if the compost heap is dry, pour it over, and in rainy weather, cover it.

Transfer
With small compost heaps, this is not necessary; large compost heaps are best relocated in early summer. Since they are an incubator for many beneficial organisms. When transferring, the material should also be laid in layers from edge to middle and from middle to edge.

Usage
After nine months, if the compost has been composted correctly, it can be spread around the garden.The best time for this is autumn. Even earlier, you can use the so-called coarse compost, which has decomposed into larger parts and is especially suitable for mulching (compost mulch is distributed only over the soil surface).

Sieve
With the sieve you can additionally sift the compost soil. The remaining large pieces can be put back into the compost heap. Spread the compost soil around the garden and smooth it out a little with a rake (but do not bury it).

90,000 Unclean behavior of a cat in the house. Why is this happening and what to do?

Unclean behavior of cats in the house

Cats are the most popular pets. They are beautiful, affectionate, with them, unlike dogs, you do not need to walk – just put a special toilet, pour in filler and periodically clean it. It is very convenient. However, quite often something goes wrong, and the owners find puddles and piles in completely inappropriate places.

We don’t like it when a cat does “its business” on a sofa, rug or bed. This is unacceptable for us, but from the point of view of the cat, it does nothing wrong. She does not understand that the sofa will be ruined, and the smell of cat urine is unpleasant for people.

The problem of unclean behavior of a cat in the house is one of the most common, and it is quite difficult to solve it, which often becomes a reason to get rid of the animal. There are many methods for solving the problem: from the wildest, like poking your face at the traces of a “crime” or beatings, to quite civilized ones.However, these methods don’t always work. Why? Because the reasons for the “bad” behavior of cats can be very different, and it is not so easy to recognize them.

Correct reaction

Let’s try to understand the situation. What do we mean by unscrupulous cat behavior? This is either the departure of natural needs in an unauthorized place, or the marking of the territory with urine or feces. That is, two completely different types of behavior.

In any case, you need to be patient and turn off your emotions, because you can’t fix the situation right away.Just accept the fact that you have brought in a predator that nature was not meant to live in a modern apartment or country house. There is no place in her genome where it is written that you can empty yourself only in a plastic toilet on a special filler! She has no idea that you have specific expectations about her. She didn’t read books about good cats, didn’t watch commercials. She doesn’t know that the couch is expensive and that people get upset when they find cat poop in their boot. It must be admitted that all responsibility for creating an acceptable habitat for the animal, the formation of its behavior and for its health lies with you.

So, we take a deep breath, calmly remove all traces of the “crime” and begin to act. Don’t complain about this. If your cat’s behavior is triggered by stress, you will only exacerbate it. If there are health problems, then it is simply not humane. If the cat likes the rug by the door more than the toilet, then she doesn’t care what you think about it. In addition, you need to understand: if some time has passed since the cat’s action, then she simply is not able to understand why you are angry and why on earth this aggression is directed at her.

Health check

First of all, you need to check the health of your pet. According to retrospective studies, 60% of animals with similar behavior had urological syndrome or idiopathic bladder disease (we will talk about the second in the section on stress). Subsequently, especially if the animal has not received adequate treatment, this behavior is fixed, and it will be very difficult to get rid of it.

In addition to problems with the urinary system, unclean behavior can be caused by other diseases: diabetes mellitus, inflammation of the uterus, oncology, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel diseases, constipation, allergies, neurological problems. In old animals, uncleanliness can be provoked by arthritis, age-related changes in the nervous system, and decreased vision or smell.

Himself a zoopsychologist

So, you have examined your animal by the veterinarian.We did an ultrasound scan, passed all the tests and received a conclusion in our hands, which says that your pet is absolutely healthy. Then why does he regularly “shit” in the wrong places? Out of harm or out of revenge? It is unlikely that these feelings are peculiar only to people. Something similar can be experienced by a cat if it has a conflict with other inhabitants of the apartment. And yet this is not revenge. But first things first.

Of course, the best recommendation in this case is to contact a professional animal psychologist or veterinarian specializing in animal behavior problems.And we would gladly give it if such specialists were available in our country. In most cases, the owners themselves have to become a zoopsychologist. All of the recommendations listed below are aimed at ensuring that your actions are as meaningful and effective as possible.

Start an observation diary first. Remember and write down the answers to the following questions point by point:

• How long has the problem been?

• What changes in the house preceded her or occurred in parallel? (Up to buying a dishwasher, not to mention the appearance of a new pet or family member, including from neighbors.)

• Were there times when the cat only used its own litter box? How long are they?

• How does she behave in the toilet, does she bury excrement?

• What does she leave elsewhere? Feces, urine, or both.

• On which surfaces does it defecate: vertical or horizontal?

• How often do “embarrassment” occur? Daily, once a week, once a month? Under what circumstances?

• Does the cat burrow excrement left in the wrong place?

• What is the size of the urine spot? What is the size and consistency of the stool?

• Does it always happen in certain places? It would be nice to mark on the diagram of the dwelling in which places the cat leaves traces of the “crime”.

• Are episodes of aggression occurring between animals, between animals and humans, or only between humans?

In general, you need to become a research scientist and record everything that happens in detail. Get the rest of your family involved. Usually 7-10 days is enough to collect statistics. By analyzing your notes, you can in many cases be able to understand the source of the problem.

And remember: do not scold or punish the cat, it will only make the situation worse. Clean up feces and urine as soon as possible using an enzymatic surface cleaner.

Examples

In her litter box, the cat does not dig litter, but attaches itself to “doing things” on the edge of the litter box – she does not like litter. The cat empties on soft surfaces – for some reason it hurts to stand on the pellets. The cat walks “on a large scale” rarely, the feces are dry and hard – she has constipation, you need to see a doctor. The cat urinates very often little by little in different places – she has problems with the urinary tract, again to the doctor. Repeated defecation in the same places, especially if these places are noticeable – marking the territory.Large puddles on horizontal surfaces – the animal empties the bladder, you need to look for the reason why it does not do it in the toilet. A cat or cat urinating or splashing urine on vertical surfaces marks the area.

If the answer does not lie on the surface, we begin to analyze the situation. We will talk about this in the following sections.

Veterinarian Rachinskaya E.A.

This article is based on the British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Guide to Canine and Feline Behavioral Medicine.
A lot of valuable information on keeping and treating cats can be found on the ISFM website –

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