The Master Cleanse is also known as the Lemonade Diet and has been around since the 1940s. Stanley Burroughs designed the Master Cleanse and detailed the diet in his book, "The Master Cleanser." The Master Cleanse is supposed to last upwards of two weeks and was created to dissipate internal toxins and dissolve waste from your organs and joints. This is such a stringent detox plan that it requires preparation and post diet steps to ease your body in and out of the cleanse. Talk to your doctor before beginning such a diet.
Ease-In
In order to prepare your body for the detox portion of the program, an ease-in step is recommended. You should ease in for approximately three days. The first day is referred to as the "Living Food Diet," where you only eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably slightly more vegetables than fruits. Avoid meats, processed and refined foods and dairy products from here on out. The second day moves to fruit and vegetable juicing, and soups and broths to prepare you for an all-liquid diet. Blend your own juices with fresh fruits and vegetables to avoid added sugars from premade juices. On day three you are advised to only consume 2 liters of freshly squeezed orange juice and water. You can add maple syrup to the orange juice for additional calories.
Lemonade Diet
When you reach the lemonade diet, your detoxification begins. It is best to prepare your lemonade the day before so it is ready in the morning. A day's worth of lemonade calls for 60 oz. of spring water, 12 tbsp. of organic grade B maple syrup, 12 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice from organic lemons and slightly more than 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper. This provides six 10-oz. glasses of lemonade to drink throughout the day. Since this step provides very little fiber, you are supposed to drink herbal laxative tea two times per day to stimulate your bowels, which provide the flush of toxins. You can substitute one serving of tea for a glass of the saltwater flush, which consists of 1 liter of water and 2 tsp. of sea salt. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Ease-Out
When you are ready to stop your cleanse -- typically 10 days out -- you can begin your final ease-out step. This step is significant because it prepares your body for solid food again. You can reverse the ease-in phase, just make sure not to eat fruits and vegetables until at least the second day out. The first day of the ease-out phase can consist of 2 L of orange juice and water or soup broths. Vegetable soups and broths are acceptable on the second day, along with fresh fruit and vegetable juices. You can begin to eat solid fruits and vegetables on the third day out. On the following day you can start to eat solid foods again, just keep easing into solid food and choose a healthy, balanced diet.
Considerations
Talk with your doctor before you begin the Master Cleanse to make sure it is safe for you. If you are advised to start the cleanse, have it closely monitored by your doctor to avoid potential health risks such as malnutrition. If you wish to do the cleanse for weight loss purposes, make note that the majority of the weight loss will come from fluid loss, rather than fat loss and may come back on after the diet has concluded. Additionally, Harvard Medical School warns, there is no sufficient medical evidence behind detox diets and they may not provide the health benefits that are claimed. Also be aware of potential side effects such as loss of energy, dehydration, upset stomach, constipation and dizziness.
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