Morning all,

'The answer is blowing in the wind' - as usual I have been really drawn to listening to music first thing in the morning when the house is still quiet and I actually get some time to myself. Of course some of the old classics are soothing for the soul! 

Well, I made it through day 4 - flying it actually. So far this has been the easiest MC that I have done, in terms of feeling lots of energy, clarity and certainty about what I want to accomplish. Part of that I would put down to the fact that I have done so much Intermittent Fasting over the past few months that my body is a clearer or more grounded place.

However, some of it may have to do with the fact that it is spring and the sun is shining (at least in the morning) making me feel great each day getting up. Sort of like urging me forward with this detox in every way. 

I have been keeping busy finishing up projects and working from home which is what I usually do, however I do take time out to paint or draw a picture during the day with the kids as well as sit in the sun for a few minutes and get into the garden to pull some weeds around the herbs (yes, I know, herbs are weeds LOL).

One thing that I commonly find during a detox such as this is that I have an urge to clean - my house is generally clean and mostly tidy, however I always know that the cleanse is working on some deeper levels when I find myself wiping out drawers and organizing closets a little better. Cleaning outside - cleaning inside.

This reminds me of another issue when it comes to cleaning - I would not use harsh chemicals in my house nor would I use them inside of my body. One of the main reasons to remove toxins in general from you diet - all toxins - as they will accumulate and cause harm. Poison is still poison no matter how attractive the package. 

So what are these toxins that I am talking about - well we can start with any medication, synthetic chemicals, drugs, alcohol, highly processed foods, night shades, sugar, and food known to be contaminated with any of the above. Before you choose to believe that this will leave you with nothing left to eat - I eat. My family eats. And we eat very well choosing a wide variety of great tasting, high quality and interesting foods.

The reason I mention the above toxins and poisons is because this is what you will be removing from your body during your Master Cleanse should you decide to try one. Many times our livers are busy processing so many other things coming into our bodies that these toxins accumulate and build up in the tissues (one of the functions of fat leading to over weight) if you want to lose weight effectively and keep it off, do a detox at the same time as part of a weight loss program and it is more likely to stay off.

However, 10 days would just be the beginning for many of us, as there is a lot to remove, heal and re-build from years of poor lifestyle, unhealthy eating and exposure to contaminants. 

I just realized that I have written all of this and have not yet told you how I feel! I am much better, my shoulder is 80% back to normal with only one area that is still sore, most mobility is restored and I can raise my arms over my head without a problem.  My cold is on its last legs as well and I am sleeping very deeply at night. 

I did some exercise a couple of times yesterday as well which makes me feel great and plan to do yoga today, especially after dreaming of it last night! See, what I mean about those dreams, they will inform you of what you should be doing to keep the detox cycle going and the body healing.

Oh, and as many people wonder about the weight loss aspect of the Master Cleanse, even though that was not my reason for starting a cleanse at this time - I can give you some statistics. I am about 5'10 and weigh about 10 stone. My weight has come down about 3 lbs during the past 5 days. If you have weight to lose, you will lose a lot more and there have been times when I have lost weight rapidly when doing a Master Cleanse.

The weight is mostly water for me and some will likely go back on, but not all as fat, toxins etc are also reduced significantly. However, I can tell you that immediately following a MC is an ideal time to build up muscle, so I plan on jumping into my free weights again as soon as I am finished the 10 days.

I hope that you are enjoying my posts on this, I am certainly enjoying writing this as I go along. I recorded my 40 day MC as well and plan to put it in my book on fasting that will be ready soon.

Have  a lovely day!

April