There are a few pitfalls to beware for newbie and master cleansers alike. The most common Master Cleanse mistakes, while understandable, are certainly very avoidable. Experience will help to identify and eliminate the problem areas that people often fall into when doing the Master Cleanse for the first time.
Many Master Cleanse mistakes revolve around the preparation of the ingredients, materials and equipment needed during the cleanse. All are avoidable, but don’t worry if you find yourself making them; every time we try something new, there is a learning curve. By the time you are done your first successful Master Cleanse experience, you will be able to post your comments and communicate your results to help new first-timers.
These mistakes are common, and seem to co-related to our the most frequently asked question, but not entirely, which is why we also made a “should” have asked questions list, make sure you check out both.
#1 – Fearing Misconceptions about the Master Cleanse
The misconceptions listed here are simply unfounded beliefs held by people, usually instilled by an ignorant population, parents, friends and rumors. Our lives are filled with these misconceptions, sometimes known as wives’ tales.
The Best Way to Overcome Your Fears is to Get Educated
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Master Cleanse is a great opportunity to uncover your belief system that is linked to food, eating and many other concepts. Some of those beliefs may be limiting and even based on old, outdated information or just not enough information. I see this cleanse as an excellent opportunity to learn about the way our bodies function and to get in tune with their natural rhythms. I have been moderating our Master Cleanse FaceBook Page for a couple of years now, and it is amazing to see how many people go on this Cleanse after they have spent a few minutes googling the recipe. It is very important that you understand all the Master Cleanse ingredients as well as the detoxing process that takes place once you start the Cleanse.
Download Our FREE Master Cleanse Road Map
We have put together this report so you could prevent many common mistakes and prepare mentally and emotionally for this amazing journey. It will greatly add to your successful completion of this cleanse and to creating as much of a pleasant, peaceful journey to healthier you as possible.
#2 – Understanding Cravings
It is important to understand the different kind of cravings we have. It is true that there is a physical desire to eat, an instinct as strong as flight from danger or procreation. What isn’t necessarily true, however, is that every sensation of hunger is related to that life-or-death instinct. Psychological cravings can be a part of our response. As we age, we begin to associate good or bad situations with eating. These associations — situations, smells, colors — are attached to emotions (good and bad), and then to eating.
When scenarios arise that carry these messages, we feel a craving to eat, in the manner of Pavlov’s Dog. In fact, almost all hunger pangs or cravings are psychological. You should not, however, ignore true hunger, which is difficult to describe other than to say: you’ll know it when you feel it. As you progress on the Cleanse, you will understand more clearly your limits and the messages your body is sending — which ones are real, and which ones make you eat with the fridge door open in your underwear at 11 pm because your girlfriend just hung up on you.
Recommended Resources to Learn about Your Cravings and How to Overcome them.
There are a few resources we recommend which may help you to understand your cravings better and allow you to explore your relationship with food. Master Cleanse is such a great opportunity to pay attention to your emotional attachment to some foods and also the psychological reason behind us reaching for certain foods in some specific moments. Here are two books we recommend :
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- Constant Craving by Doreen Virtue
- Women Food and God by Gennen Roth : After three decades of studying, teaching and writing about our compulsions with food, bestselling author Geneen Roth adds a powerful new dimension to her work in Women Food and God. She begins with her most basic concept: The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. Your relationship with food is an exact mirror of your feelings about love, fear, anger, meaning, transformation and, yes, even God.
#3 – Buying Low Grade Maple Syrup
Don’t be cheap or lazy here. There is PURE, unrefined, maple syrup available somewhere nearby. The real stuff contains all the nutrients natural to the product, the “blood” of a tree. These nutrients are used directly by your body, and are combined and converted with the nutrients and vitamins from the cayenne and lemon juice to provide your essential requirements.
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The Darker the Maple Syrup the better. You can’t use table syrup flavoured with Maple. All natural forms of Maple Syrup are acceptable, but do your best to find the highest quality you can. The darker grades have more nutrients. The first harvest takes syrup out of the tree that was stored all winter. Later harvests are freshly produced from the nutrients in the soil. During the winter, the stored syrup will lose minerals over time.
To learn more about all the specific qualities of maple syrup and its approved substitutes, please read our article on this topic.
#4 – Running out of Organic Lemons or Maple Syrup
This happens easier than you would think, especially if you are being strict and only using organic lemons. Many organic stores are closed on Saturday or Sunday. And sometimes there is no store open at all. If you find yourself without lemons, just drink the maple syrup. If you are out of both, and are feeling low on energy, find a natural, sugar-based liquid. You want to treat your body like a living IV (intravenous). Just get some calories in there without disturbing your resting system.
Master Cleanse Mistake 5: Eating Other Foods and Cheating
You may think a little cheating doesn’t hurt. Well, it does, if it causes you to fail. Once you get your mind/body thinking more about other foods, your desires will increase. Nothing with make that happen more quickly than eating other foods. This cleanse is a difficult challenge, and I’ll admit to a few tricks. On days when it feels more [easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”B000GFYRLW” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W05GZBXNL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]difficult, I drink a herbal tea in the evening with a little maple syrup in it. You are allowed to drink any herbal, decaf tea (organic if possible) to soothe your sweet tooth. A small glass of pure, freshly squeezed orange juice can do wonders for the psyche. Just remember to wash it down with a lot of water.
Master Cleanse Mistake 6: Not Inducing Movements, Laxative and the SWF
Everyone Poops.I love the name of that book. And everyone must poop. You eliminate toxins by having bowel movements. Make it happen everyday, or at least every 18 hours. I would do it every morning. I like the sea salt internal bath (see instructions). You can alternate evening one day, miss a day and go morning next, then miss a day and go evening next. Make a habit out of seeing how much cleaner your movements become every day. You must also do the herbal laxative each night to ensure you have a movement if the SWF doesn’t work for you or you simply don’t enjoy doing it.
Master Cleanse Mistake 7: Breaking too Fast or No Ease-Out
Most information out there ends at this sentence: Make sure you don’t break your fast too early. Hello? Not enough information. And others have the nerve to add: “Or serious injury can occur.” Thanks for that! It is probably common sense that on day 10 of your cleanse you don’t eat a Veggie sandwich from Burger King — although I witnessed a friend do just that. He was fine, however; maybe a little constipated for a few days. I also don’t have much more information on this, but please post comments with your experiences. This area of the Cleanse may be construed as medical advice. You should note, I KNOW nothing more than the understanding my experience provides. However, I can at least safely state this: just ease yourself back in. If you have to eat NOW, then choose something smart like an orange. Be careful about constipation. Moving back to solids will require a lot of water to keep you smooth.
Watch the Video on the Master Cleanse Common Mistakes
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Is it 10 days of the lemonade mix (plus prep and exit, so like 15-16 days total?) or how ever many prep days, then cleanse, then exit which all total 10 days?
Ease in day 1 Unfortunately, I am not able to purchase the expensive requested ingredients like real lemons or organic Cayenne. However I’m using “Real Lemon” 100% lemon juice- natural strength from concentrate and Cayenne store brand( no added ingredients).
Will this be acceptable for a successful results. And can I eat or do I just dink 8 glasses and be satisfied. Thanks
There are no enzymes in the store bought bottled juice.
Be prepared with everything you are going to need before you start.
stockpile with organic lemons and cayenne and maple syrup and filtered water. Plan it out that nothing may interrupt your cleanse no parties or baby showers or weddings.
I have done The Master Cleanse several times throughout the last 20 years. I am getting ready to complete it again and just came across your website. I’ve learned a few new things such as adding a laxative, herbal tea, and probiotic. Regarding the laxative, I was wondering if I could use Nature’s Secrete Ultimate Cleanse which are herbal pills for morning and evening to help with elimination. You can find it on Amazon.com for more information. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
Ease in day 1, I was wondering if the master cleanse will still work if i boil my water instead of using a filter or bottled water?
Hey ACE,
Yes, it will still work, though try to get filtered water if you possibly can as that would be ideal.
How benificial is it for your health if you “only cleanse every monday,fast one day a week,diet properly the rest of the week with exercise?Is it harmful in any way?
fASTING FOR ONE DAY WILL NOT HURT YOU BUT YOU NEED TO COMPLETE THE MASTERCLEANSE FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS TO GET THE SUGAR CRAVINGS OFF AND ALL THE DEPENDENCY TO SUGAR AND TOXINS OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM. 10 DAYS IS IDEAL TO DETOX AND CLEAN AS IT CYCLES THROUGH YOUR BLOOD, AND LYMPH. ONE DAY WILL IN MY OPINION, AND THAT IS ALL I AM OFFERING, SEND YOUR BODY INTO STARVATION MODE AND RAMP UP YOUR CRAVINGS AND STORAGE OF THE CARBS YOU WILL EAT ON YOUR 6 DAY “PROPER” DIET POST THE ONE DAY LEMON EXPERIENCE. BURROUGHS BOOK IS NOT EXPENSIVE AND IT ANSWERS ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. JUST MY TWO CENTS.
Is it ok to continue taking my medication for thyroid, cholesterol and bipolar?
This is my fourth master cleanse. I have fibromyalgia and CFS and my previous three cleanses have pretty much eliminated my aches, pains, and extreme fatigue. I was excited going in to my other three, but I have been dreading this one. Maybe it’s because I am trying to alleviate the pain and fatigue of a particularly bad flare-up? I don’t know. I am only on my first day and unlike the others, it’s just been miserable. I am on the verge of tears when I think about drinking the lemonade. I usually REALLY like it. Should I keep going or just stop?
On Day 1 of TMC, 3 days of easing in was fine. Feeling tired today. Found out I have Celiac Disease so I want to clean out the pipes and start Gluten Free. Not sure how much of this Lemon drink I should be consuming, so far I have had 4 cups (just this morning). How much water should I drink in addition to the Lemon drink? Thanks,
great post mike! what if family members are sick with a cold or flu, should you stay on the master cleanse if you are a few days in or get off? what if you get sick from one of them, is it better to stay on the MC? what’s the best way to protect yourself from other family members illnesses while u cleanse?? thanks!
On day 6 of 10, the unendng diarrhea finally stopped. . .I will be following TMC with Gerson Protocol, just waiting for my enema bucket to come in the post. Since Gerson Protocol is only vegetable juices and enemas, I think it’ll be a good way to come off the Master Cleanse.
I’m using pure organic blackstrap mollasses instead of maple syrup (VERY expensive to get this grade of maple syrup in Norway)
Interestingly, I’ve had almost no “normal” bowel movements. Either diarrhea or constipated. . .oh well, we’ll see how things progress by day 10
Loke,
You should not be expecting “Normal” movements. You aren’t eating normal. Not sure what you mean by diarrhea and constipation, as diarrhea-like movements are to be expected following the SWF and fro the laxative, and in-between no movements at all can seem logically like constipation, but constipation is failure to move, when you have pending movements.