Not only are they not part of the original cleanse but just from from a "common sense" and "logical" point taking into account how the digestive system works the capsules are not a good idea at all and possibly harmful.

The way digestion works is that it starts with the saliva which contains digesting enzymes that are necessary for proper and complete digestion. That's one of the reasons you'll find in many books and nutritional regimens that they recommend that you hold and swish liquids in your mouth before swallowing or as they call it "chewing your liquids.

When the heat of the cayenne hits your mouth it also triggers the secretion of the proper digestive fluids/enzymes in your stomach. So throwing a hot spicy capsule down your gullet and having it explode in your stomach or further down the GI tract all at once can not be a good thing at all and for some individuals with weak digestive systems even something that will do harm.

One of the frequent posters in this forum Russ had problems where the caps didn't dissolve and got stuck in him rectum and was "burning his butt off" actually it happened both to him and his wife.

Here is Cinds sugestion on how she/he coped with the cayenne issue:

I agree with you. I didn't like it at all when I started my 10 day fast. I thought if I had to taste that for the next 10 days, I'd wondered if I could finish. That is the one thing I could taste when I swallowed and when it was in my stomach. I drank mine mixed with 3/4 boiling water and 1/4 cold water and it tasted like a neo citran would (but the cayenne was so strong).

Then, low and behold, on the 3rd day, it didn't taste so strong even though I was using the same amount. As each day went on, I was noticing it less and less. During the last 3 days, I even added extra to do a better "cleaning" of my bowels -- didn't even taste as strong as that 1st day! Surprising but true. Would this be the same for you?

Try putting a little less in on day 1 and 2 and see what happens on day 3. If the same thing happens to you, return to the proper amount on day 3. Maybe you could add extra near the end to "make up for" the first few days.

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I too had issues with the heat of the cayenne but unlike Cind I just forged ahead and just chased the lemonade with water and by the third day I was fine. Stoped chasing with water and even started liking it. Later I even went on to add a little more.

If you just can take it mixed with the lemonade and must take the caps then given the logic regarding saliva, enzymes etc that I listed before I would suggest doing what another poster (hopingso?) does when they take their caps which is they put a little pinch of cayenne under their tongue to triger the proper digestive enzymes from the saliva and the stomach. I think that the pinch thing is a very well thought out and excellent idea for those that must take the caps. Caits sugestion to make sure you have liquids in you before and after if you do take the caps is also a good idea.

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Dr Shulze the "world renown" and revered herbalist and naturopath, holistic healer and whatever else, who has written several books, has cured thousands and is a staunch proponent of the healing properties of cayenne advices against the use of cayenne capsules. Dr. Christopher another world renown proponent of the healing properties of cayenne writes:

"Taking Cayenne in capsules is not the way to get healing to most effectively happen. Much of Cayenne's healing starts to occur in your mouth. As Cayenne touches your tongue, nerve endings send signals throughout the body, sending along with it waves of fresh blood to wherever your body is sick. These surges of fresh blood do not occur when you bypass the mouth by taking capsules."

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We have at least 2 posters that have had bad experiences and then there's Hpoets post below where she tell what she went through after having a cap burst open inside her; "I got very sick feeling and sweat like a plow horse, even down to my shoes and socks "

I wonder how many others go through discomfort and perhaps illness on the MC and don't make the connection that the caps bursting all at once in their GI tract are the possible culprit.........