A sea salt cleanse is often suggested by proponents of liquid fasting as a way to "detox" the body. Although not intended only for weight loss, a liquid diet coupled with a saltwater cleanse or "flush" is sometimes used for this purpose, according to Harvard Medical School. However, while diets that have you subsist on liquids may give you short-term weight loss, they probably won't give you the results you want for life.
A Comprehensive View
A sea salt cleanse, sometimes called a saltwater flush, is most commonly used in conjunction with a fad diet called the Master Cleanse, also known as the lemonade diet, lemon juice diet or maple syrup diet. The Master Cleanse itself has dieters drink nothing but six to twelve 10-oz. glasses of a concoction made of water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for between 10 and 40 days for purposes of "cleansing." However, the diet's creator, Stanley Burroughs, strongly encouraged cleansers to drink laxative teas, as well as a mixture of sea salt and water, to encourage waste elimination. Proponents of this liquid fast claim that you can lose a pound a day, while Burroughs asserts that you can lose up to two.
The Cleanse
The instructions you read on how to perform a saltwater flush can vary depending on which Internet page you land on. Burroughs' method involves mixing a quart of water with 2 tsp. of sea salt -- not table salt -- and drinking the entire thing in the morning on an empty stomach. In his writings, Burroughs states that it's imperative to have two, three or more bowel movements a day to fully cleanse the intestines. Advocates of the sea salt cleanse, which acts as a natural laxative, indicate that this aspect of the liquid fast does have you rushing to the bathroom quite frequently. The saltwater cleansing aspect of this diet can also cause dehydration, electrolyte depletion and abnormal bowel functioning, cautions Harvard Medical School.
Autointoxication and "Cleansing"
The Master Cleanse, as well as its accompanying sea salt cleanse, is part of an overall "detoxification" protocol described by Burroughs in his pamphlet "The Master Cleanser." He devised the diet in the 1940s. Burroughs adheres to the theory of autointoxication, which was quite popular even among Western physicians until the 1920s, when doctors discovered more about how the human bowel functions through surgical techniques. The theory of autointoxication presupposes that poisons from the waste impacted in your bowels are released into your bloodstream, causing numerous health complications. Although this theory has been discredited, many people continue to believe that the waste that remains in their bowels poses a health risk and go on cleansing diets to thoroughly and rapidly remove as much waste from their intestines as possible.
Colon Cleansing
While proponents of liquid dieting such as Burroughs insist that the colon needs a "thorough cleansing," this is contradictory to what conventional health practitioners will tell you. Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Michael Picco, M.D., states that your digestive system and bowels move everything along quite sufficiently without the need for special diets or other bowel-cleansing techniques.
Finding the Right Diet
According to EveryDiet.org, you will lose weight on a liquid fast and its accompanying saltwater flush -- water weight, that is. All of this weight comes right back on once you stop the diet. Diets that promise you quick weight loss often defy what you've been taught about getting adequate nutrition, and they're likely to leave you disappointed, says the American Heart Association. Most doctors recommend a diet that results in 1 to 2 lb. of weight loss every week -- not every day. Your weight loss program should include a diet that you can adhere to for the long run, allowing you to eat a wide range of foods that you enjoy. Cutting back on calories and getting regular exercise are the best ways to lose weight permanently.
Member Comments