Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse - Final Review

Okay, so I finished the cleanse, and here are my final thoughts/comments. I will share them in the form of pros and cons, and you can make up your own mind.

Pros:

• Lots of energy throughout the cleanse
• Felt I did rid my body of extra waste
• Drank lots of water
• Didn't feel sick or uncomfortable
• Easy to take/work into my schedule, since you take everything in the evening
• Didn't get the stomach flu many others had at the time (not sure if this was actually related, but I have heard that doing a cleanse can rid your body of harmful bacteria, and can stop the stomach flu quickly)
• Affordable

Cons:

• Couldn't take all my vitamins on my regular schedule, since I didn't want them flushed out of my system
• Really really bad (smelly) gas for the last few days(!!)
• Having to plan dinner around the cleanse/keep track of timing of when to take things

Other observations/notes:

•  I did "cheat" and skip one day, as I had plans to go out for dinner, and couldn't really gulp down a big glass of brown slime at the restaurant! I hope that didn't affect the results too much - it didn't seem to.... (I did finish the whole 10 days - I just skipped one night - I think #6 - and then picked back up the next night)
• I didn't put this in the cons, because it wasn't really that bad, but drinking the powdered mix part was a bit gross at first. Actually it wasn't - it had no smell, and tasted only mildly nutty, but it was both slimy and gritty, so the texture wasn't that fun, and it looked like a glass of brown slime (due to the psyllium husks and flax seeds). But by the 3rd night I was used to it, and really didn't mind it at all. I found it was best to let the powder settle completely into the water before stirring, to avoid lumps. Then continue to stir while drinking, as it settles fast.
• Other than the gas, the other "cons" were really minor. It did fit well into my schedule (other than the restaurant dinner), and was easy to take. I do feel cleaner afterward, and well-hydrated, with good energy.

I am glad I did the cleanse, and would (and may) do it again - just not for a while.  It is definitely affordable compared to many of the other systems out there, and I know the ingredients are really pure and all-natural - no fillers or artificial anything (I am really impressed with the quality of all the Garden Of Life supplements I have seen so far).

If you are interested in trying a cleanse that is affordable and easy to take, you may want to try this one. Just be prepared to shun society for a few days if the gas hits! :-)  (Although it may not, since every body works differently....) You can find it at many health food stores or online, including on Amazon.com.

Garden of Life 10-Day Perfect Cleanse:
  

Perfect Cleanse - Day 5

Okay, so I'm half-way through the Garden Of Life 10-Day Perfect Cleanse....  How clean am I? Not sure.... So far the side effects haven't been too bad except for (and forgive my over-sharing here, but this was about a detox cleanse so, what did you expect?) :-)  the toxic gas....   Yes, that is right, I said toxic gas - as in, it could possibly kill a horse, and definitely a canary (or a whole flock)! (Ha ha - see picture below....)

Image by macspite via FlickrFortunately it does not occur constantly, so I'm still okay as far as the "not interfering with my everyday life" - it's mostly first thing in the morning, or at night after dinner, so as long as I avoid people during those times, I'm not actually gassing anyone but myself.... and I manage to suffer through somehow.

I still feel that I'm not eating as clean as I should during a cleanse - way too much sugar (what was I thinking, starting this during Valentine's week?), and also white flour. But since I eat mostly organic anyway, and lots of veggies, I guess I'm doing okay. My hardest thing has been resisting my nightly small glass of red wine, and I have succumbed a couple of times I admit, but I've been pretty good there for the most part. I wish the instructions that came with the kit had given some guidance on what to eat or not to eat during this week - that would have been helpful.

Anyway, I don't have a lot to report. Other than the gas, there have been no noticeable stomach issues, and the only other thing is the being extra thirsty, which I believe I mentioned last time. That has continued, so I'm well hydrated these days!  The one other good thing I've noticed, and I can't say for sure that it is the cleanse, but I really suspect it is, as I can't think of anything else I've changed lately - my energy level is awesome! I'm typically not a morning person, and I like to sleep late whenever I can. It's often a struggle to get out of bed, and I also sometimes get tired in the afternoon. This week I've been bouncing up like an Energizer bunny (well, sort of), and I can go all day without slowing down - I feel very alert, fresh, strong, and motivated to work out, even late into the evening.  Even on the weekend when I sleep in, it's more that I choose to - not that I feel I have to.

So it's going well, but I am still looking forward to being done with it next week. Be sure to check back for a wrap up and final review then!
Have a great weekend!
Rose.