Chris James 12 day Mind and Body Cleanse.

Please read below to see how I got on with the Chris James Mind and Body Cleanse.

Chris James is well known for his 12 day mind and body cleanse. He recommends clients undertaking his cleanse undergo 3 colonic treatments during the cleanse and only recommends ARCH therapists. This is Chris’s independent recommendation, and there is no affiliation between ARCH and Chris James other than by recommendation.

After chatting to Chris James recently, I decided to try his 12 day Mind and Body Cleanse for myself. I have heard very good reports from people who have done it and I always like to recommend things from first hand experience where possible.

Below you will find my blog as I report daily my experience.

For more information on Chris James 12 day Mind and Body Cleanse visit http://www.chrisjamescleanse.com/

I hope you enjoy it.

Gillian

Day before the cleanse

Today I went shopping to make sure I had all the things I need to start the Chris James 12 day mind and body cleanse.

I hate getting all geared up to do something and then find I haven’t got all the ingredients.

I have decided, since I haven’t done this before, to follow exactly the recipes Chris James has given in the handbook.

I’ve also bought lots of veg and some fruit ready to start juicing.

There are 3 days of fasting involved. I have done juice fasts in the past and been very successful. The longest one I did was a week, so am hoping three days won’t be too bad.

Don’t be too impressed though. I do enjoy my food and I eat meat, so 12 days of no meat protein is a bit daunting, let alone missing my first cup of Earl Grey tea in the morning.

I am a natural optimist so I assume that it can’t be that bad otherwise no-one would do the cleanse!

I would also like to lose a few pounds too!

I have a colonic to prepare me for the next 12 days.  I find a colonic works really well for me as I feel clean and empty and it motivates me into a new regime.

Gillian

Day 1

I started the day with the supplements as directed in the book.

I made up the muesli and decided to use almond milk. Something new for me as I normally drink skimmed milk. Was a bit pensive as I have tried soya milk several times over a number of years and don’t like it! On the basis that I like almonds I assumed (hope) it will be ok.

Got off to a good start. I had my muesli. Fabulous! 10/10 for taste and texture. And I like the almond milk. Didn’t taste any different to eating it with cow’s milk really, and afterwards I am really full.

I make a cup of peppermint tea after half an hour and set to making Chris James’ lentil soup and borlotti bean stew for later. I make enough for two days so that I haven’t got to worry if I am hungry, it’s all there ready to heat up.

Another 10/10 for the soup. I blended it right down and it is really tasty. The celery has natural sodium in so it doesn’t taste bland.

I had borlotti bean stew and sweet potato for my evening meal and again am feeling comfortably full. I really enjoyed it. I decided to make things as easy for myself as possible so the first 3 days I am going for mainly warm and comforting.

I am surprised I became really tired as I have found the the day really easy. Went to bed quite early. I have taken all my supplements and had lots of water.

Am feeling good.

Day 2

Lost 1lb. I know the weight loss aspect is secondary to the cleanse but I want to lose some weight and find it motivating.

Ate the same as Day 1, Had my supplements,  museli for breakfast, lentil soup and borlotti stew and had lots to drink.  Slept like a log. Switched to nettle tea as I find peppermint can be a bit too cooling for me sometimes. I like nettle as it is warm and comforting. Good for the liver too.

Felt really full of beans! Surprised to find I haven’t missed drinking tea apart from first thing in the morning.

Day 3

Repeat of day1 &2. I slept really well again. Ate the same as yesterday. I really do like the lentil soup.

I was surprised that around midday I developed a massive headache and had to take some paracetamol! I know that is not very cleansing but needed them as I was working.

Became really tired again around 5pm but got a second wind by 7pm. Good job as I wanted to be awake to watch Britain’s Got talent!  I got so emotional I had a cup of nettle tea to calm me down.

So, a day filled with loads of nettle tea and water. I am looking forward to the next three days which is, I think more raw food and starting to do some juicing…

Day 4

Didn’t sleep too well but lost another 1lb.

I see the next three days erring towards raw and starting to juice more.

Trouble is I am going to London today to an ARCH (Colonic Association) committee meeting. It’s a really early start so ‘going raw’ is too difficult. (or lazy, depending on your perspective!)

So I had muesli for breakfast and make a flask of lentil soup to take with me.

Am pleased to meet one of my raw food colleagues who gives me some raw crackers to go with my soup.  Got back quite late and have a stir fry. Bean sprouts, and raw sprouted pulses with peppers mushrooms and courgette.

Was really tired so am late putting my blog on.

Day 5

Slept really well last night. Haven’t lost anything this morning but not surprised as I feel full of fibre!

Get off to a good start by juicing. Am in happy territory here as I like juicing and feel righteous after all those live nutrients.

Breakfast is Cantaloupe melon and fresh ginger. I love it. It has always been my favourite start to a day of juice. It really makes me feel awake.

I then make some fruit juice for lunch following (almost) Chris James’ recipe

1 apple

1 lemon (Whole, no need to peel)

1 pear

2 kiwi

Really zingy and gets your taste buds going.  It’s always best to make juice and drink it straight away, but if that isn’t practical I put it into a flask.

For later I will  juice

1 beetroot

2 apples

2 carrots

Celery

Feel flooded with nutrients!

I am going to have sprouted mixed beans and sautéed mushrooms for tea with beansprouts, peppers and celery

Day 6

Lost another pound!

Ate same as day 5 but less beetroot. I felt bloated, I think I have had too much beetroot juice,  so have a colonic. Glad I know I have eaten beetroot or would be off to hospital as it’s all so red!

Felt much better and very empty after my colonic. Followed Chris’s advice and used an ARCH therapist (Moi!)

Had same for tea as yesterday. Sprouted mixed beans and sautéed mushrooms for tea with beansprouts, peppers and celery.

I am feeling really well and looking forward to another change to the cleanse tomorrow as I start 3 days of juicing.

I am very impressed with the way the cleanse weans you down towards the  3 day juice fast gently.

Day 7

Slept really well again.

Am really enjoying the food. I have missed having meat protein, but am enjoying the change of food every three days.

I’ve got lots more energy today, so went out shopping. I am enjoying juicing . Juicing is such a fantastic way to get a huge amount of live nutrients in your body really quickly and makes you feel full of goodness.

Juices same as yesterday but with some more ginger in all of them. (I like ginger!)

No solids though. I have more juice with:

Apple

Carrot

Celery

Broccoli

Kale

Beetroot  (not too much this time!)

Spinach

Feeling lighter and raring to go… Was slow to update my blog as I was working late…

Day  8

Lost a pound. Am seeing a pattern developing of losing half a pound a day, and am very happy with that.

More juicing all day as before. Feel full of energy which lots of people find surprising on juice. However it gives your digestion a rest and is well worth a try if you have never done it before. It’s also great fun to do, and if you don’t like the result, just make something different!

 Day 9

Last day of juicing. I have really enjoyed these three days. I have the same as before and am already thinking of what the next three days are to bring.

It’s been nice to have a break from ‘normal’ food for a while and you don’t feel hungry. Chris James’s supercleanse supplements contain (amongst other things) fibre which keeps you feeling full as well as having a really good cleaning effect. I am realising lots of good effects doing the cleanse so please make sure you read my conclusions at the end of the course.

Day 10

Yippee! Lost another pound.

Change of regime again as I start the maintenance phase.  I start with melon and ginger juice again, and fruit juice for lunch. In the evening I have a stir fry, Beans mushrooms, peppers, beansprouts and sprouted pulses.  Easy to buy from health food shop or Waitrose and you can either eat raw or stir fried for a lovely nutty flavour.

Am feeling really good and very happy to have been losing weight!

Day 11

I am on a CPD course for two days, all about herbs and IBS. I have a very early start so have some muesli. I arrive and have spinach soup for lunch and raw salad for evening meal.

I am really looking forward to the course as I have a big interest in IBS and the colonic association are having IBS as our theme for the next 12 months. As Chairman I am really looking forward to our conference in a couple of weeks in London where Prof Nick Read from the IBS network is our main speaker. Prof Read is a gastroenterologist and psychologist.

As I am on a CPD course with colonic colleagues I have the third of my colonic treatments whilst I am here. This is  a real treat as I can really relax during my treatment.

I’ve missed my juicing today. It does make you feel so well. By the way, juicing is different to blending and also different from making smoothies. Juicing extracts the juice from the food and discards the pulp/fibre so you get all the lovely live nutrients without the bulk of the fibre.

We all need a good balance of water and fibre so it is really important to take some fibre when juicing especially if you are fasting on juice only.

I usually take psyllium husk capsules, but on this cleanse I am taking Chris James supercleanse formula which has lots of other ingredients in it. (Along with lots of other cleansing supplements which make this cleanse so unique).

Always remember. It’s really important to drink plenty of fluid when taking psyllium.

 Day 12

I can’t weigh myself as I am away from home. It’s the last day of the cleanse. I have fruit juice for breakfast, soup for lunch and a stir fry for tea. I have another lovely day with my ARCH colleagues and have learned so much about the new herbs and how they can help with people suffering with IBS.

We have always used herbal infusions during colonics, but the new formulations are, in my view, much more effective.

So… Here I am at the end of my cleanse. I’ll be reporting tomorrow on my conclusions. After a long day I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep.

Post cleanse

Day 13.

Final weigh in and  I have lost another pound.

To be perfectly honest I have been surprised at how I have felt over the last 12 days, and how my habits have changed for the better.

As a consequence:

I have realised how much tea I have been drinking and had got out of the habit of drinking herbal teas. Lesson learned. Drink less tea and more herbals.

I have realised how much I have missed juicing. I have really enjoyed getting out my juicer and especially having cantaloupe melon and ginger for breakfast, Lesson learned. Do more juicing again.

I really missed eating meat protein but realised how much I have been eating. Too much! Today I had my first meat in 12 days but with half the amount and twice the enjoyment. Lesson learned. Eat less animal protein.

My first meal following the cleanse I have had half the amount I had had pre cleanse and ate more slowly, savoured each mouthful and felt fuller quicker. Lesson learned. Eat smaller portions and eat more slowly.

I have really enjoyed the muesli and especially the almond milk. The muesli is so lovely to eat, tasty and filling without being hard and too crunchy. Lesson learned. Reduce dairy and I have switched to almond milk on muesli. I will continue to eat Chris James muesli recipe as I prefer it to my previous branded (and more expensive variety). As does my husband!

People have said I looked well and could tell I have lost weight! Fabulous! Glad they noticed and really glad all my clothes feel looser. Lesson learned Chris James cleanse has a noticeable effect.

To summarise. There is nothing unpleasant about the cleanse and I will definitely do it again.

I have lost half a stone, had a banging headache for a day, (Which surprised me to be honest!) but felt really well afterwards.

It has brought to my attention the fact that I have been eating too much protein, and will reduce the amount by 50%. I have missed juicing, which is something I did daily for a couple of years so will be doing more of it again. I haven’t missed drinking tea, but have missed herbal teas which I will continue to do.

It has made me think more about what I am eating and drinking is a positive way and I think that doing the cleanse twice a year is a really good  way of reminding oneself of what you are eating and drinking.

The on line support is great so you never feel you are on your own. Chris is available to answer any questions by email, the booklet that comes with the cleanse is really easy to follow and is very informative. I really like the fact that you get a list of foods that you can eat and foods that you can’t. The supplements support and underpin the whole cleansing process and I really do feel that my mind has been cleansed as well as my body as it has focused my attention back to what I am eating.

So, the big question:

Do I recommend Chris James mind and body cleanse. Absolutely Yes!

Gillian Edwards

1 Comment

  1. Looking forward to seeing the new you this weekend Gill. I hope you’re not too slim, and you make me look fat!!

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