Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

The cheap seats have a 'two for one' deal every tuesday night. So, we decided to take Filip to this movie.

I liked this movie much better than the first one. The plot is weak, but the charactors were an improvement from the last one. Basically, it's a bunch of dumb story developments to deliver hilarious pop-cult gags.

If you take the plot seriously, you'll be like "this is just a poor man's lion king" or "didn't I see this 10 times before?". So just view it like you're being entertained by the likes of Bernie Mac, Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cedric the Entertainer, Alec Baldwin, and that guy from 'Friends', in animal suits. It will make you laugh.

Day 5 - Two for one

I noticed something else from the cleanse. My face always feels tight and dry after I wash it. For the past two nights, I didn't even feel like I needed lotion. It's also noticeably softer.

I was concerned about Filip maybe getting toxins from nursing while I'm on the cleanse. However, it appears he's getting the detox affect as well. His diapers have been really stinky, which means he's passing more bad stuff. He has had bags under his eye since he was born. I noticed that they have gone down. Also, his little stye has shrunk. I don't know if they're permanently gone, but it is worth noting.

JR seems to be doing well on the cleanse. His eyes look younger.

Day 4 - See ya

Today I decided to introduce foods back in my diet. In just those 3 days, I did notice good changes in my system:

My lymph nodes are back to normal.
My root canal tooth does not bother me.
I have gone 4 days without caffeine without so much as a headache.
I lost interest in desserts.
My colon is completely cleaned out!

I know I would have gotten even better results if I stayed on longer. I just got concerned about how it affected my milk. My thinking is that if toxins got released in my milk from this, then the things that help detox did as well.
The real reason I stopped was that I got past the minimum amount of days to be on this, I got pretty much the results I was after, and I was hungry.

Today, my slow introduction to food started out well. I added orange juice to my mix for breakfast, and made dandilion broth.
Then, I went to Jeannie's house. I ate a piece of bread with my broth, and finished off Filip's hot dog. I figured it would be okay if I chewed really well.

Do not do this.
You must slooowwwyy introduce food. Basically, it's like the 2nd phase of the cleanse. Add orange juice the first day. The 2nd day you can add vegetable broth. The 3rd day you can eat vegetables. After that you can eat normal.

JR is continuing on this cleanse. I will continue to update the results he gets.

Before you decide this is something for yourself, I think it would be a good idea to read the book "Master Cleanser" By Stanley Burroughs

I did not do this. I think if I did, I would have had more determination to stick with it. It's good to be knowledgeable about the benefits when you're doing something difficult. It's also good to have support of people who understand the whole detox thing.

So, I'm not recommending the cleanse itself, because that is a personal decision. If you do it though, read the book, and make sure you talk to people who understand the natural health perspective. Also, where they say you should talk to a health care practictioner, make sure it's a natural doctor. My opinion is that Medical doctors go to a completely different school that cannot be reconciled with 'alternative' health.

Day 3 - It's working

This is supposed to be the hardest day.
This morning I had hot flashes after my salt water flush. I also had trouble regulating my temperature. Flu-like symptoms like that are common, because that's the way your body gets rid of things that impair your health.
After I took a hot bath, and a nap this morning, I felt much better.

I can totally see how it helps you break bad eating habits. It's like a re-set for your tastebuds. This morning, I drank a glass of water, and the water tasted sweet to me.
I read that molassas can be a substitute for maple syrup for diabetics. So I used that as an excuse to have some myself. I took 3 tsp of it, and it tasted like candy. I also could tell the difference between regular lemons and organic lemons by taste.

It seems like the afternoons are much better than the mornings for me. So I believe the hardest part of the cleanse is over. Yay! Now I just have to decide how much longer I want to keep this up. If I get good results tomorrow, I might start introducing other juice and vegetable broth by the weekend.

Day 2 - Not so bad

JR joined me on the cleanse today. We were both very tired. That is to be expected for the first few days, because it takes alot of energy for your body to purge toxins. We both took a nap this afternoon, after we had slept in later than usual.

I was so hungry this morning. Then I figured out that I should be sipping on the lemonade all day long. Before, I was waiting until I was hungry, and drinking lemonade as my meal. So now, I have my McDonalds cup I keep sipping out of, and I feel much better.

*next par. is gross*
Oh yeah, if you do this cleanse, don't pass gas. Go to the bathroom, because you never know for sure. Other than that, it really shouldn't mess up your routine (or your pants, haha).

From now on, if I have something gross to share, I'll warn you before the paragraph with this:*gross*

Now that I'm not eating, my standard for what a greedy meal would be has changed. If you gave me a salad with oil and vinegar, with a bowl of dandilion broth, I would be in heaven right now. I would probably top it off if a piece of whole grain bread and butter. I can't even imagine what food I'd imagine before the cleanse, but I can tell you it sure wouldn't include salad and dandilion.

So now, that I reformed my cravings, can I stop now?
JR would say no.

Master Cleanse - Day 1

I drank the Senna tea last night. It did not affect me as strongly as it usually affects me. I used to drink it whenever I felt bad about what I ate that day.

This morning, my quart of salt water was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I left about 2 oz. behind though. I drank it quickly, and was beginning to feel like I could throw up because of that.

The lemonade tastes good, because I love all 3 ingredients. I'm surprised at how well it fills me up. I was feeling starving at the meeting, like I could eat 3 hamburgers. I drank my 6 oz cup of lemonade when I got back into the car, and my hunger was gone.

I'm learning how much comfort I gain from eating food. The lemonade cures the hunger. So any impulse I have to eat is strictly to feel good. I keep telling myself that I'm not hungry, and I can find another way to feel comforted. So, when I got home, I took a 2 hr nap.

JR ate a turkey burger for lunch. It smelled good, but I didn't mind not eating. Filip came in smelling like 7 layer dip. I don't really care. I'll just drink my lemonade.

The Master Cleanse

I'm starting the Master Cleanse tonight. You can google that or "Lemonade Diet" and get all the details how to do it.

For ten days I will do the following:
Drink a quart of salted water first thing in the morning.
Drink a home-made lemonade recipe every time I feel hungry
Drink Senna leaf tea every night

The reasons I want to do this is mainly for the detoxification effects. Here are symptoms I have right now, that I think the cleanse will improve:

My skin breaks out often
I noticed some enlarged lymph nodes on my neck
My tooth that I am postponing a root canal on is aching more
Some dark patches of skin on my stomach
I crave alot of sugar
I need caffeine daily
I have been having more frequent anxiety attacks

So starting tomorrow, I'll be completely on liquids for 10 days. I will update regularly on how well it is going.