It’s been 3 weeks since I started to come off Master Cleanse which I did for 7 days. As with each cleanse I’ve done, the experience offered a new perspective on health and my relationship with food. Since cleansing, my food choices have been vegan with few exceptions. I am pleased with this transition. The cleanse was a good way to mark a new beginning. I could write a whole entry just on the topic of a vegan coming out, and I think I will.
Now I’d like to say a few things about the return to solid foods. First of all, for all you cleansers out there, return to solids slowly! My morning routine includes drinking a large fruit smoothie. Before the cleanse, this was easily 40 ounces or more. The smoothie also varies in consistency and thickness from day to day as I have a varied bunch of ingredients that I include. On my first smoothie day after the cleanse, I drank my first glassful and felt quite full. However I had another ‘glass’ to drink. I use the term ‘glass’ loosely here because they hold more than a pint of liquid; roughly 2.5 cups. So because I felt full I waited 40 minutes or so before drinking the rest of the smoothie. I couldn’t stand to just pour it out. I would have been wasting the most nutritious ‘meal’ that I make all day! Drinking this second portion was against my better judgement, and I felt so sluggish afterward. I felt ‘full’ in a whole new way. I think that my body was not ready to digest or process so much food at one time, even though it was in liquid form. The feeling of sluggishness lasted for an hour or more.
This is one example of the way that common food habits are brought into a new light after the cleansing process. Since the cleanse I have reduced the amount of smoothie that I’ll drink in the morning from 5+ cups to 3.5 cups. I think this is a better balance of both my need for high caloric intake and my body’s digestive comfort zone.
Tags: cleansing, health, master cleanse