You know, I toyed with this. (I always toy with rigorous things like this. I like to punish myself, I guess.)

Honestly, it was after I read Heather Armstrong's (dooce) decision to do it that really peaked my interest in it. But then I read her post today that said she decided to stop.

Soooooo....I'm on the fence now. But if you do...I look foward to hearing how it goes.

when dooce *told me* that she was starting the cleanse i seriously thought on it all day.

i wondered if i were ready for such a test.

at 10 o'clock that night, i found myself eating leftover picnic ribs. seems that i'm not ready.

good luck! be sure to update us hourly-

I'm on Day 4 of a 5 day juice cleanse, nothing as ambitious as a 21 day cleanse (!!), but I have been feeling great and realizing how crazy humans are about food. It has really reset my hunger/cravings/expectations. So, I guess i'm saying I think you'll get a lot out of it and I can't wait to hear more about it. xo Abbey

I would love to do it, but I'm still nursing my son and I am afraid I would die if I could eat chicken/cheese/beer/chocolate/anything that isn't nailed down.

When I am finished up with nursies, I am going to do the Master Cleanse.

Good luck and good call starting after the 4th.

I meant COULDN'T.

I'd love to know how this works out. I've been thinking about it, but just don't think I could do the no sugar thing.

We've been trying gluten free and that is the hardest part for me. Sugar's out too, right? Oh God.

I'm up for it. I want a t-shirt!

I am totally in. Me and SGM have a 20 year HS reunion coming up, and I need that tee-shirt to wear to it!

ps, I also want to be your BFF!

I hate to be a predictable bitch but I don't like this. I have some opinions (what a shocker) on these whole cleanse things.

I know I'm not a doctor but I did cry myself to sleep working my ass off for years in a cell biology major so hear me out:

Call it an exercise in will power. Call it a spirtual quest to recharge your energy. Just do not do it and attach the good name of science and biology to it.

First of all, the cleanse claims to rid the body of toxins. What toxins? If there were toxins free floating in our body all the time we'd get septic and die. Lysosomes organelles on the sub-cellular level as well as a variety of macrophages reside all over the body. These OCD type A little guys gobble up debris, pathogens, toxins, and excess chemicals in the lymph, liver, lungs, granulomas, spleen, kidneys, and connective tissue. If you spill it, it's right there behind you to clean it up.

The immune system is highly complex and specialized. Each type of cell knows exactly what to look for and marks, lables, packages and ships, each harmful or unknown compound and gets it out of your body. The macrophages work round the clock cleaning up after us. They never take vacation days and they rarely make mistakes. It's a thankless job.

All these cells ask in return is enough ATP to power them to do their jobs. They are so good at what they do and they don't want a raise, time off, better benefits. All they need to keep you clean is enough ATP to go on. Talk about loyal. ATP is a molecule that releases a blast of energy when it loses a phosphate ion.

ATP comes from food. We dont' make it we just break it. Eating nothing isn't going to make you "cleansed" and it's insulting to the phages to suggest as much. You're turning your loyal workers into slaves. And during this cleanse once the ATP is used up they won't have enough energy to go on. And then you have no immune function. And then you get sick.

Yes a cleanse can make you loose a lot of weight, water bloat, and the increase in vitamin rich lemonades or whatever will strenghten cells in other ways. You'll get clearer skin, stronger fingernails and you'll feel lighter weight and more energetic because...well...you will be lighter. Just don't kid yourself into thinking you are cleansing anything.

If you want to clean your house you don't go on vacation and expect it to be clean 21 days later when you get back. Planning a nutrient rich diet based on yuour body's specific needs is the equivalent of hiring a maid.

Just my thoughts.

Schmoly, Les. That's why I love you. Put it to me straight, baby!

Still doing it though, as an exercise to get me off of my Diet Coke addiction.

If only I could leave on vacation for 21 days and come back to a cleaner house! Maybe if I left a pitcher of water, lemon juice and cayenne pepper on the coffee table that might help cleanse my house???

Unless I am retarded, which is possible, I think this cleanse is just CUTTING out the list Jamie gave us, which will not deplete the body of anything. Some of us might be a total bitch for a week, but after your body gets over the sugar and caffeine withdrawal you should be totally fine.

I think the purpose of this cleanse is to get rid of all the crap that "normal people" eat. Like animals and their product, refined sugar, overdoing it on the wheat, etc.

While it is a little misleading to say cleanses get rid of toxins, the do help get you off the sauce. Like sugar and alcohol. It take a few days to go through withdrawal is you eat these often (we all do- the sugar!) and you will stop craving them. It will give your body 21 days to get the taste for sugar and cheese out of your body and maybe develop a new taste for veggies.

Doing crazy cleanses that deprive your body of essential things. But this cleanse seems very safe and reasonable. I already don't use alcohol or caffiene or animal products. So I will join you Jima.. but send me a tshirt so I can have something to gnaw on when I give up sugar (which is in EVERYTHING!).

I think doing a cleanse like the one suggested is like the "diet change" leslie proposes. Which i think she "supports." It is not cleaning your body out, but it is RIDDING you of crap you don't need in your life and your body. So, yea. That is cleaning, just not cellular. But I don't think there is any real proof that toxins AREN'T released duing a cleanse. It is just not in giant levels. So let the people who want to believe, believe. It's like people that use fancy face creams (even tho none of those molecules can be absorbed in the skin) or that believe in God. Both of which I do even tho there is no real evidence of them.

I can tell you when I eat better, I feel better. So I support it. As long as people are being really careful!

Ummmmumumumum, I'll do it.

BUT!

What DAY would you be starting? This question is crucial to my agreement because I canNOT forgo any of the French food I will be gorging myself on while I'm on vacay. When I get back, though? I'm game. I've always wanted to try.

Um, just another question, why would someone quit this? How is it hard to do?


Just gut your house, make your partner do it. It can't be that hard.

Being completely ignorant I must say Leslie's comment made a lot of sense to me, but also megs has a point, I think.
Anyway, I'm thinking that instead of this ultra radical cleanse, I will join you but with my own rules.
Back in 2005 I did gave up sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten and most dairy products for a month once, and I did felt soooooooo much better, lost weight (still ate white meats and eggs and some lactose free cheeses once a week) and acquired superpowers: all the cravings disappeared and I was so full of energy spider webs were coming out of my wrists.
Will you count me in nonetheless?

i'm starting next week as soon as i get my book in. i've been reading more and more about it and it doesn't seem like a too bad idea. i couldn't do the master cleanse one, its too crazy for me.


btw i lurrrve yo blog.

sol! yes, you're in!

and SFM, and Jessie, and Megan.

eff yeah - we're doing it.

leslie- points well taken.

its only 21 days. what's the worst that can happen - we just quit.

Leslie paints a picture of perfect toxin cleanup, a natural innate system that's 100 percent effective at mopping up every molecule of every toxin out there.

I'm not buying it.

There's a reason civilized societies set up agencies like the FDA and the EPA (as ineffective as they might be). Our bodies are NOT perfect at cleaning up the millions of man-made and naturally occurring (plant-originated) toxins out there. Crap IS getting in and evading and overtaxing our immune systems and making us sick and killing us. Radon? Asbestos? Botunlin toxin? Aflatoxin?

Having said that, I do agree that there's no documentation that this diet will do anything significant. Nor is there proof that it won't. My objection is to this idea that "Your body will perfectly handle everything you throw at it. Nothing to worry about." It's the height of naivete.

fyi, I'm not looking at this as way to lose weight or even "cleanse." I'm just want to see what it's like to cut out all the processed crap and white sugar. I might have to allow some organic lean meat into my diet, but I'm going to go read up on this and decide.

I already don't eat sugar, starches or grains. I am fascinated to see if I can do the rest of this.

I'm in! I'm in! I'm in!

um, so, what do we eat?

I'm seriously considering a cleanse and have been for a while since seeing her on lady O. I've been toying with my own version which is pretty much the same. I'm a big wimp though. I may be on board for the July 5th lift off. Way to commit huh?

JJ, you're in. sweet.

remind me of your email address and i'll be in touch.

I emailed you @ your aol. :)

Jamie!

I am up for a challenge.

A 21 day cleanse is just what I need to get myself back on my "healthiest self ever" track.

BTW, absolutely love your blog. It is one of two I check daily.

I'll be blogging about the cleanse as we go to keep myself disciplined where I tend to lack in self control ;)

Email me the details.

gertrudegrannypanties@gmail.com

Thanks!

Gertrude

anxious to hear all about how it works for you!

I jumped in too early and tried to cleanse before the july 4th weekend. www.kwanawrites.blogspot.com

Only made it 5 days. Sigh. But do vow to eat better so I'll be there to support you and needing support myself. Please give shout when starting the cleanse. May still be on board. Would love to but a tee shirt. I'm a huge fan.

Do you recommend a cleansing diet or an herbal cleansing supplement.