The Master Cleanse, also known as the lemonade diet or the lemon cleanse, is a detoxification diet that consists of drinking a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup and water. The Master Cleanse was created by Stanley Burroughs. Burroughs was not a doctor, and was charged with practicing without a license and involuntary manslaughter when one of his patients died, says "Fitness" magazine. Try the Master Cleanse diet at your own risk and under the supervision of a doctor.
Step 1
Ease your way into the detox program by adjusting your diet three days before starting the Master Cleanse. Three days before beginning the diet, eat only living foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Two days before starting the diet, drink only fruit and vegetable juices. The day before starting the Master Cleanse, drink only orange juice.
Step 2
Prepare the Master Cleanse lemonade. Mix 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp. maple syrup, and 2 tbsp. lemon juice in 8 oz. of water, says Burroughs in his book, "The Master Cleanser." Drink a glass of this lemonade every time you feel hungry or thirsty.
Step 3
Consume nothing but the lemonade mixture and water to detox the body. Burroughs suggests following the detoxification diet for at least a week.
Step 4
Ease back into your everyday diet by drinking orange juice the first day after the diet, vegetable and fruit juices two days after the diet, and living foods the third day after the diet.
Tips and Warnings
- Use organic lemon juice and maple syrup if you can get it.
- Consult a doctor immediately if you feel dizzy or nauseous.
Things You'll Need
- Fruits and vegetables
- Fruit and vegetable juices
- Orange juice
- 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
References
- The Master Cleanse: Directions and Ingredients
- "Fitness" magazine: What is a Detox Diet? Celebrity Detox Diets You Should Try - And Avoid
- "The Master Cleanser"; Stanley Burroughs; 1976
Member Comments
LiveFree75 June 14
I did the detox for only three days. I have an active lifestyle and the part about not eating for for a week was too tough for me. However, just after the three days, I acheived the desired results which was to aid in my problems with allergies. It has been 3 months and I have not had an attack, despite the fact that I am outdoors all the time. Will everyone have this effect? Probably not. I also read the part above about a person dying doing this detox. The problem is, it doesn't go into full detail about this particular man's case. Was his body just sensitive to such regimen's? Did he over do it? I don't know. But I do know that people have died as a result of taking vitamins too. Does that mean everyone should stop taking vitamins? I can only recommend that you be smart and responsible enough to know your own limits. Just like with excercise; don't push your body too hard and something is always better than nothing. Also, the detox mix is surprisingly tasty and tolerable to taste. Good luck with your own experience.