Master Cleanse

A friend in my program and I decided to bind together and commit to trying the Master Cleanse.

First, my disclosure:
Our reasons are not based on 'losing weight.' Neither of us believe in diets that do not incorporate exercise and allow your body to shed pounds gradually over time. This type of 'diet' would not be healthy for the sole purpose of losing weight. It's too extreme in that regard (not to mention lacking in some much needed nutrients if done for an extended period of time). For me, this cleanse is a way to detox my body, better understand the role food plays in society, as well as my relationship with food. Essentially it is a challenge for the body and mind cleansing test of will. I am only doing the 10 day challenge (plus the 'ease out' days). That's long enough.

Anyways, enough with that spiel. Here are some of my thoughts in a nutshell (or since I'm in Hawai'i... my thoughts in a apple-banana peel).

Journal처럼: (일기처럼)
*Of course this 'journal' is leaving out other aspects of this graduate student's life. Just some tidbits of information to chew on.

Day 1: (Tuesday)
-Not so bad. I only consumed 3 cups of the 'special lemonade' consisting of lemon, (real) maple syrup, cayenne pepper, water.
-Note to self... bad idea. Follow the directions which state AT LEAST 6 and do not forget to bring the nifty ingredients with you. (규칙 잘 따라야지. 알았어...)
-Awareness of how often I think about food. What kind of energy do I actually need? Am I really hungry or just under the assumption that I am hungry (out of habit).

Day 2: (Wednesday)
-Salt water is bad. That did not get better. (마시기가 안 좋아... ><)
Chugging 1 L of salt water is no walk in the park... (절대로 그렇지 않아!)
-Awareness of how often I hear others mentioning food.
-Temptation isn't so bad. (생각보다) Very endurable actually.

Day 3: (Thursday)
-Free lunch? What? It's not Pizza Hut but actual food? Wait... I can't partake. This blows....
(5 minutes later) Didn't give in... strangely feel empowered. Awareness of my desire to eat for economical reasons.
-I love my lemonade. No professor it is not whiskey (maple syrup bottle apparently bares resemblance to a whiskey bottle ㅋㅋ). ^_^

Day 4: (Friday)
-Food really is ingrained in culture; not just 'our' culture but all culture. In part, it defines a society, social interactions and so much more. Awareness brews.
-Still hate salt water... "This is chicken soup. This is chicken soup." Ummm... I guess my mind power isn't that convincing. Darn. Good try.

Day 5: (Saturday)
-I feel alive (at least during the day). Feeling good. (기분이 좋다 ^_^)
Cashier: "You must be making some lemonade". (Brings back memories of buying out the Chex cereal at Home Plus (in Korea) for my high school students' "American snack" class)

My response: "Nah... Wait. Actually I am". (*wink*)

-It appears that this Master Cleanse is also "bipoloaring" my daily 'condition' (meaning: discomfort level mood, energy level, etc). Never a dull moment... Then again my 'episode' was self-inflicted to an extent, but I prefer to blame it on my 'studies'. I didn't want to disrupt my study groove so I decided not to return home for my lemonade. This led to a stomachache and a choice to deny myself a lemonade when I returned home. In short, no lemonade. Just study, chit-chat with housemates, and 바로 sleep.
-Awareness of the repercussions of denying your body what it needs (not wants but needs). "Listen to your gut" has a whole new meaning.

Day 6:
-I have made petty comments about having 'experienced hunger' such as "I'm starving...", "I need food now... so hungry" but more often than not it is a mind game. I find that often a non-premeditated thought will spill from my lips, including comments about hunger, a need to buy something, a dislike for something petty... the list continues. I'm aware that I am "a bit" sensitive about the my surrounding environment (general or individual moods) but this realization pertaining to hunger has been thought-provoking to say the least (for lack of better of words).

-Lifting my head was an effort; let alone cutting a lemon. But to an extent this was a mind game as well, or rather a test of will. I had not followed the rules down to a tee and was suffering from those decisions. Therefore, "Get up," I order myself and managed to make two cups of the lemonade. Felt infinitely better. Wow. That was intense.

Day 7:

-Not bad. Awareness of the declination of my indulgent cravings. I feel less antsy, calm around the aroma of delicious entree or dessert.

-Entering the garden on my property was where the urge to verge from the lemonade increased. I was craving veggies. Not bad not bad. :) But the chocolate piano that was shared in the study room was something I wouldn't have minded digging my teeth into. :)

Day 8:

-Feel energized.

Day 9:

-Nothing special. Just feels like another day.

Day 10:

-Last salt water cleanse! Let me tell you. Nothing could make me happier (Exception: if I could sneak a peak at the day after finals to assure myself that I did indeed come out alive^^).

-I keep telling myself that I should extend the 'Cleanse' but actually extend. This also is playing a trick on the mind. Knowledge that this is the last day spurs temptation for some reason... So fool the mind. ^^

-Just bought a carton of 100% organic juice. This better be good because it did a number on my wallet. Then again why am I complaining? I am avoiding the original instructions stating that I should juice enough oranges to produce 2 L of orange juice for tomorrow's 'Ease Out'. This should be sufficient.

Day 11:

-10 days are up! Home "free". Just 'easing out' of the Cleanse at the recommended pace. Now here is the test. Will I remember what has been learned? Looking forward to a yogurt though. ^^

*Note: If you haven't heard of the 'Master Cleanse' here is a link to some basic information:
http://themastercleanse.org/