The Master Cleanse is a weight loss and detoxification diet. Although it's been in use since the 1940s, it has received a lot of media attention in recent years after pop star Beyonce admitted to following the program to lose weight for a movie role. The cleanse is a modified fast; you are allowed to drink a special lemonade beverage throughout the day. The Master Cleanse is not appropriate for everyone. Talk to your doctor before beginning any type of detox diet plan.
Stanley Burroughs developed the Master Cleanse as a detoxification program designed as a cure-all; weight loss was just one of the many diseases the cleanse would help. You can follow the program for three days up to 40 days. There is a three-day transition into and out of the cleanse. The cleanse itself has three parts: the lemonade beverage, a saltwater flush and a laxative tea. Only water may be added -- no other beverages or foods.
The Transition
The three-day transition into the cleanse purportedly helps your body prepare for the drastic reduction in calories by gradually lowering food intake and eliminating processed foods high in salt and sugar. Side effects include headache and hunger -- typical signs of low blood sugar -- as you start the diet. If you normally drink coffee, you might have a headache or feel tired as part of caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Breaking the cleanse follows the same steps as starting the program, but in reverse order.
Easing In and Out
You ease into the detox in three steps; each step takes one day. More foods are eliminated each day, until you're following a liquids-only diet. One of the reasons for this slow transition is to break the "habit" of eating. It also lowers your calorie count slowly, which might help you avoid low blood sugar. After this three-day transition you start with the lemonade beverage, saltwater flush and laxative tea. Breaking the fast is done the same way, but in reverse. It takes three days and starts with adding more liquid calories, then easing into fresh whole foods. Ideally, you do not go back to your original eating habits, but continue to eat fewer processed foods.
Dangers of Breaking the Cleanse Quickly
The lemonade detox beverage is low in calories and lacks protein, fiber and healthy fats. It also flushes bacteria from your body -- both harmful and helpful bacteria.The beneficial bacteria aid in digestion. If you resume normal eating habits too quickly, the addition of fiber back into your diet will likely cause constipation and gastric distress. Eating hard-to-digest foods such as animal protein too soon will cause an upset stomach. Adding some healthy fats into your diet can increase regularity, but too much fat too soon could result in nausea and diarrhea.
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