The real deal on the Master Cleanse

It's been eight days since I ate anything. I'm not hungry.

The Master Cleanse is going pretty well. I'm vaguely surprised that I have this much willpower, but part of it could be stubbornness, after all, how else am i going to use the maple syrup and lemons I've already bought. I'm looking forward actually eating things and variety, but there have been some positive benefits. For one, perhaps for the first time since I left Olin, I'm actually sleeping through the night and finding that 6 hours of sleep is plenty. Second, most days I seem to have lots of energy. It's really quite lovely.

If you're considering doing it, I would say read more about it, then make your decision. Some advice:

• It limits your ability to be social. You can't really go to the bar, grab a bite to eat, or travel very far. Keep that in mind when planning.
• I imagine it's hard to do while living with someone. I have very little edible food in the house, but a roommate would be less fond of this arrangement.
• Don't do the cleanse during the winter; the cost of lemons would kill you.
• You should probably come up with a good way to explain what you're doing in advance. My coworkers still don't get my explanations.
• You need to own a juicer.
• Buying maple syrup in bulk is a good idea. I will probably have consumed 9 cups by the time I quit.
• Your ability to chug will be tested with the salt water flush. I hope you were a college champion of beer drinking.
• Be prepared for some or all of the following negative side effects: feeling cold all the time, a perpetual sore throat, feeling like your mouth is fuzzy, craving food, craving smells, itchy skin and/or a desire to read lot of recipes.

It doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but I think it might be good for me in the end.