Also...

I have to admit I just don't trust Splenda...that after-taste makes me think there might be more chemical intervention than they tell us. But I do agree that sugars cause many problems in the body...have you tried agave? It's very sweet and natural with a low glycemic index. I'm hoping to use it to wean myself off sugar, but the brain is used to getting a seratonin high from sugar, something the substitutes don't do. Another reason why quitting Sugar is hard...it's not just the taste, but the seratonin rush it gives.

Nothing wrong with doing the cleanses; just read the instructions and warnings carefully (never do when you're not feeling well), but don't over-do, either. Some enthusiasts have gone overboard if they didn't get the results they expected. However, I think starting cleansing at 18 is probably one of the best things you can do for your lifetime's health; by 40 the liver is generally a clogged, half-functioning organ. But you won't have that problem by starting early.