I'm Marcheline, and I've been between 80 and 99 percent raw for about four and a half years now.

Lately, I've been slipping up pretty badly, due to extreme stress. Of course, the slipping up has made the stress worse... you know how the cycle goes. So I am embarking on a self-designed cleansing/deep detox regime for a while, and I would really appreciate some input and support.

My program consists (tentatively) of something like this:

Yesterday, I used a lot of senna to get things started, and had some coconut water to hydrate. Today, I had a bunch of fresh OJ (maybe 2/3 gallon) , a fresh pineapple, and some citrus kombucha. Tomorrow, I'll start with lemon juice in warm water, a probiotic, and then pineapple, water, and maybe ginger tea. I'll have fresh, juicy fruit all day after that.

After a day or two on all juicy fruit, (mostly the pineapple and OJ, with some pomegranates, and apples thrown in) I'll start adding in green smoothies. I plan to spend about three weeks (maybe more?) like this: warm lemon and water, probiotic, fresh fruit, green smoothies, water, kombucha, and ginger tea.

I won't have any sweeteners, dried fruit, overt fats (even avocado), spices, salt, etc. I will include celery and cucumber, but no tomatoes, or veggies (other than celery and greens) for a while. I'll start phasing them in after a while (not sure how long... when ever feels right) by way of fresh veggie juice.

I will be using a magnesium supplement (recommended to me by a hydrotherapist to keep the colon hydrated), the warm lemon water, and the the probiotic daily- plus some detoxing supplements (taken according to directions)- FlorEssense tea, and this "total body cleanse". Also I got some astragalus tea, burdock tea, and milk thistle tea.

Oh, and after doing this for a while, I am going to start taking some herbal combinations for parasites- and when I'm done with the general cleansers I'm going to start with a liver cleanse product (also by Renew Life, I hear they're pretty good).

I'm going to exercise when and how my body feels like I need it (different from "when I want to", lol, get lots of sleep, and when I have the chance- rebound, sauna, steam room, and get massages.

Any input would be great!!!

I did the Lemonade Cleanse (Master Cleanse) earlier this year & I really enjoyed the benefits I received from it. I have also done several juice detox fasts over the years that I feel work wonders in detoxifying & basically "cleaning house".

I personally feel that a person would benefit more from a liquid cleanse such as juice fasts, rather than fruit or even the smoothies that you mentioned. Reason being is that your digestive system is still active.

I would be interested in doing all pulp free juices simply to get the colon/digestive system cleansed. Did you have any cramping problems with the senna tea?

I know that can be a problem, especially if one doesn't consume enough water. I commend you on your decision to re-commit to your raw food lifestyle & your efforts at getting back on track. We all have our moments of weakness; in the beginning years of my raw food journey,

I had a few tempting periods that I gave in to, simply because the rest of the family was eating cooked & old habits die hard...

Keep us posted on your progress!

Oil pulling helped me a lot. Take 1 TBs good quality coconut oil (I got mine from www.NaturesApproved,com), swish it around your mouth for 20 minutes then spit it out. It got rid of my very dry skin overnight. It was a miracle and I can't stop talking about it. It's the only thing that completely healed my cracking dry skin. Also the first time I did it my teeth were noticeable white. Good luck.

Your plan sounds pretty good to me, though I'm no expert. I'd try it, see how it goes and if you feel you can take it to a "deeper" level, try more juices Good luck with the cleanse

Thanks for the replies. I'm not a fan of the Master Cleanse- I don't find it helpful unless one is a SAD eater. I'd rather fill up on fresh juicy enzymes and nutrition! The lemon and cayenne, sure- but I don't think maple syrup is that great for you.

I've done juice fasts before, and short water fasts, but I really think that those are better when you're already cleaned out. I want to push the fiber and nutrients now, and in about a month or two I'll do a juice fast.

I'm not sure what the oil pulling post was in response to. I don't have nor did I mention dry skin, etc.- I sense spam.

[www.oilpulling.com]

oil pulling is a method of cleansing. you swish oil in your mouth, and toxins are supposed to come out of your body through your gums, and then you spit it out.

Yes, I know what oil pulling is. But I find it odd that a post promoting a specific source of a product was posted in response to a thread having nothing to do with it.

I'm not saying that oil pulling per se is an issue- not at all.

Oil pulling is a detox & cleansing technique.
I think oil pulling goes beyond pulling toxins out of the gums and also pulls toxins out of the tongue and the sublingual [www.medterms.com] area under the tongue and the rest of the mouth in general as well.
I have often wondered how much difference in effect there is between using expensive oil and inexpensive oil ?

greathealth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oil pulling helped me a lot. Take 1 TBs good
> quality coconut oil (I got mine from
> www.NaturesApproved,com), swish it around your
> mouth for 20 minutes then spit it out. It got rid
> of my very dry skin overnight. It was a miracle
> and I can't stop talking about it. It's the only
> thing that completely healed my cracking dry skin.
> Also the first time I did it my teeth were
> noticeable white. Good luck.

Thanks, greathealth, for the link to Figi coconut oil [www.naturesapproved.com] . It's tough to beat cold pressed.

..though home made coconut oil is assuredly raw and fresh and not hard to make. I've actually never tasted storebought.

I've tried other brands but I really like the brand I get the most. It just smells and tastes fresh. It's not tainted like other brands.

Easy does it. Give yourself a break.
My experience is my body is going to take the correct time to do everything. My job is to put in what it needs, which is wholesome food. Regaining my health is not a race anymore.
Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Hey folks,

Thought I'd give an update, and renew the request for input.

I'm on day 16 of this plan, about a week and a half into green smoothies, and I have a week to go on the total cleanse supplements.

Everything's going well so far. In a week or so, I may do this fast plan:

Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 1 in Fruit Smoothie Juice
Day 2 in Juice Juice Juice
Day 3 in Water Water Water

Day 1 out Juice Juice Juice
Day 2 out Juice Juice Juice
Day 3 out Juice Smoothie Smoothie
Day 4 out Juice Smoothie Fruit
Day 5 out Fruit Fruit Fruit
Day 6 out Begin to return to a balanced diet including sprouts and fermented foods.