This year I did an 80-day mono-eating cleanse in late winter and early spring and would like to share my experiences with you.
I have been on the healing path for 2 years and have fully committed myself to it and decided to cut out all no-foods from the start. But sometimes the cravings were too hard to break, so I still consumed some no-foods every now and then. My weakness was fat, rolls, salt and cheese. I had been eating very compliantly and well all week, but when I went shopping, I suddenly found myself sitting in my car in the parking lot eating the best, crispy, soft, juicy pretzel croissants with goat cheese. Who bought them? I bought them, but the viruses told me to buy them! I swear.
Mono-eating cleanse as a tool against flatulence
I grew up eating foods full of fat, gluten, very few fruits and vegetables, and no salad at all. And all of this ultimately led to bloating, which I now wanted to address with the mono-eating cleanse.
Before I did the mono-eating cleanse, I had already done a half and a complete Original 369 liver cleanse and once an advanced cleanse. Intuitively, I knew that the mono-eating cleanse would be my next thing. It was helpful to follow someone on Instagram who had done the same cleanse and showed how it was done so I could prepare a little. I have the mono-eating cleanse chapter in the book Heal yourself read it many times and waited for the moment when I was ready. One day I tried the banana mono cleanse, but I could only do it for 10 minutes – it was too sweet for me. I love fruits, so I was a little worried about how I could survive without fruits, but only eating banana – that’s not for me!
One day there was a special full moon and I saw that someone had posted on Instagram that this full moon is good for change and cleansing, so I took the opportunity to join in. And really, I felt like I was supported and safe during this cleanse.
The beginning of my mono-eating cleanse
On the first day I was a bit panicky and felt like I didn’t know what to do. So I did a kind of bridging day by doing a lot more Honey ate and drank a lot of coconut water. After a while I began to calm down and I understood that it was all very simple. I learned that when I suddenly had nothing to eat, I… potatoes I could peel them and cut them into cubes so that they were steamed very quickly. I loved my diced potato candies. They really tasted so sweet and good. What I noticed is that when I peeled and diced them, I had to eat more of them. When the potatoes were whole and with the skin on, they were more filling and I could only eat less of them.
Sometimes I had moments when it was difficult, so I steamed the potato cubes first and then grilled them in the oven. That helped and after that I was able to continue with steamed potatoes. Sometimes I didn’t like the taste of the variety, then I would crush it and add some water to make it taste better.
Follow your intuition
I have to say that I followed my intuition very much. I drank tea 2–3 times, once peppermint tea and then lemon balm, raspberry leaf and nettle tea. Sometimes I also drank aloe water because I had also drunk it before the cleanse and therefore it is okay to drink aloe water. At first I took my nutritional supplements (half the dosage), but at some point it became too much for me, I stopped taking them all and then soon again Zinc and B12 added. One time when my immune system got a little weaker and I started getting shingles pain in my shoulders, I decided to take some supplements to stop it. That helped quickly.
So I carried on – I continued to cook food for my partner and I even traveled to visit a family and cooked compliant food for them for a week, made cakes and various delicious foods, but I was at peace with my mono eating cleanse and I loved potatoes, so I had no desire for anything else, the smell of other foods was enough for me.
Great grounding and peace from the Mono Eating Cleanse
I felt like I was really being grounded. Once I had that feeling, I became calmer and was able to sort things and keep things in order much more easily. I felt like my liver was starting to become peaceful and was able to sort things out and keep order in my body much more easily. I understood very clearly the following sentence: If our livers were clean and healthy, there would be no war on earth. That’s what I felt. I felt that if my liver could keep things in order, I could keep things in order, if my liver could keep things in order, it was easy for me to keep things in order.
I’m actually a big mess, so this was a special experience for me – being a person who brings order to things. I also noticed that I didn’t react to things as emotionally as I used to, I observed people involved in dramas and didn’t get drawn into them.
Changes in the body
And surely I cured my bloating in 7 days? No. Some people post the photos and happily say that their tummies are flat after a few days of mono-eating cleanse. That wasn’t the case for me. I actually wanted to stay on this diet until I noticed that something changed. Not that I get a flat stomach, but that I feel that my body has come a step further. I had no idea how long it would take and the weeks went by without me feeling like finishing the treatment.
I remember after 50 days something started to change, not dramatically, but something was different, I no longer had as much hardness in my stomach and no longer looked like someone who is seven months pregnant. I was also able to wear clothes that were a little tighter again. I don’t have a scale, so I don’t know exactly how much I’ve lost, but I’d guess it’s 4–5kg.
Not enough leafy greens
My mistake was that I didn’t eat enough leafy greens during the mono-eating cleanse. I tried. As I said, I grew up without salad and didn’t try to eat salad until I was in my mid-20s, but I’ve always resisted eating leafy greens. I’ve found that juicing is the easiest way to consume them, but I know that leafy greens massage the intestines, so eating them is better. It would have been helpful to ask the Angel of Habit to help me, but unfortunately I didn’t think to ask her during the mono-eating cleanse.
On the 77th day I felt that I will finish the cleanse NOW but I couldn’t, something is still wrong. So I thought, I’ll do it until the full moon, then it’ll be exactly 3 months. But it was on day 80 when I was lying on the floor doing my exercises and suddenly felt – it’s enough now, I can’t eat another potato!
The end of the cleanse
I went into the kitchen and made myself a banana and orange smoothie, and then another, and then some more fruit. The next few days were a bit difficult, I wanted to eat too many heavy things, I did eat some, but I was always nice to myself and said it was ok, so after 3 days I wanted potatoes again and understood that potatoes always still my favorite food, the best food for me was steamed potatoes mashed with freshly sliced yellow or red onions or garlic and a little maple syrup. Any time I felt like I was missing something, this food helped me feel full and satisfied.
That was my plan for the day
In the morning:
- 1 L Lemon water with Honey
- 1 liter celery juice
- potatoes
- Coconut water throughout the day
Midday:
- 1 L Lemon water with Honey
- potatoes
At evening:
- 1 head of lettuce (not every day)
- 1/2 L cucumber juice (2–3x per week)
- potatoes
- 1/2 L Lemon water with Honey
This cleanse wasn’t always easy and the beginning was the hardest. This cleanse won’t be right for everyone, but it’s worth giving it a try. The mono-eating cleanse helps make things easier – you don’t have to think about what you eat, it’s always the same and the brain can rest. I really enjoyed this experience and will definitely do the mono-eating cleanse again, perhaps at the same time next year.
Author: Maarja Urb