I recently completed the phMiracle Total Cleanse. Unlike some of the cleanses that restrict consumption to things like cayenne pepper and maple syrup, the phMiracle cleanse is a raw vegetable cleanse that includes three solid foods; tomato, avocado and tomatos. In addition you can eat soups with a fair number of restrictions, they can’t contain any animal or wheat byproducts. Also sugar is off limits. The whole premise behind the phMiracle philosophy is the bring the ph level in your body to 7.5 or higher. Numerous studies cite the connection between having a highly acidic blookd level and the negative impact it can have on your immune system. The diet includes a number of supplements as well including a dry vegetable supplement and various cleansers that you serve in water. My wife and I used fresh lemons and limes to add some flavor to the water and various supplements, because you drink a lot of water on this cleanse, 4 liters per day.

Pros – If you can get through the detox you will feel completely revived and you should have a new level of energy. You will cleanse too. Be prepared to be near a toilet. I started the cleanse on a Thursday afternoon which was perfect because I worked from home on Friday and then had the weekend. The first three days were the toughest to get through for me. When I went back to the office on Monday I was in a good rhythm with my diet.

Cons – You will have a couple of bad days. If you eat sugar, bread, meat or drink coffee, your body will physically miss these foods. Fatigue, lack of energy, serious cravings, head aches and diarrhea are the things I felt during the process. Your body is releasing the toxins built up over the years of consuming these foods. You also may feel weak if you do any endurance work outs. I found myself winded, but this is likely because I wasn’t eating enough. For a mail, you are supposed to consume 4 cucumbers, 4 avocados and 4 tomatoes per day. I was likely eating one to two of these each day.

Day0 – started after lunch. Had a fiji water on the way home from ft. laud. which is listed as neutral on the pH scale. Dinner was tomatillo y avocado with cucumber chips. 2 veggie mixes and 2 phlush. (Thur)

Day1 – first full day. Really hard. Had a veggie juice with wheat grass for lunch. along with staple for dinner and chia seeds for b-fast. 2 veggie mixes and 2 phlush.(Fri)

Day2 – the worst day. Started to detox around noon maybe 2. took a nap for an hour and woke up with limbs feeling numb. I was told by a physician that night that that was in fact detox. 2 veggie mixes and 2 phlush. (Sat)

Day3 – better day. Food on FB. Took kids to Jupiter and DeChams. Cheated by eating some almonds. Started to flow though on the can. Veggie juice at Whole Foods. 2 veggie mixes and 2 phlush. I had some soap that night and my wife and I splurged by splitting half of a slice of cheese pizza. (Sun)

Day4 – an even better day. All good eating accept had some cashews and the juicer was broke at a Whole Foods so I had they made me a shake with kale, spinach, bananas and apples. Fruit is a cheat. It seemed so sweet to me. 2 veggie mixes and 2 phlush. (Mon)

Day5 for dinner I had thick tomato slices topped with cucumber, avocado, humus, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, along with some pepper soup with garlic salt and pepper, one more veggie drink and one more clay.

Day6 One of my best days yet. Started with 1 liter of pH balanced water lemon. . As usual white chia seed with almond milk for breakfast with a veggie drink, phirma and chlorophyl drops. I then did my clay with L-Argenine. Eat a couple of cashews at the office. Drank an Ultimate Veggie from Whole Foods for lunch. and for dinner all I had was some pepper soup with garlic salt and pepper, one more veggie drink and one more clay.

Day7 I am done, finito and hasta luego baby. I had my first “meal” today (or what most people would call a meal). I am having a beer tonight to celebrate. Note that I said a beer, not 4 or 5. 

The end of the cleanse is bittersweet as I really felt that I was in a groove. So why stop? Good question and i think the word “stop” is a misnomer. I am not stopping I am actually just beginning. The awareness I have gained on nutrition, balanced diet and what I am capable of has expanded greatly over the past 7-days. So this isn’t really over. No its a new beginning. I am not going to quit I am going to start being far more aware of what I ingest. I love beer, wine, bread, pasta, chicken, steak and seafood. I am not going to stop consuming those things. But I am going to moderate far more than i did before. Furthermore, raw vegetables will replace wheat as my staple going forward.