The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemonade Diet, was first published by Stanley Burroughs in 1976 in his book “The Master Cleanser” and is still in use 25 years later. The cleanse, which is also referred to as a modified fast, can be associated with headaches. You should speak to your doctor or health care provider before attempting the Master Cleanse or any other extreme diet.
Purpose of the Cleanse
The 10-day cleanse is designed to remove toxins from your body. According to Burroughs, this leads to increased energy, disease prevention and better health. The cleanse also claims to relieve symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Because the cleanse involves consuming very few calories, it also results in drastic weight loss. According to media reports, singer Beyonce lost 20 pounds in two weeks by following the diet. You almost certainly will lose a lot of weight on a fast -- but you also will regain it quickly when you resume normal eating, according to Harvard Medical School, which also notes that there is no proof that this diet is effective in removing toxins from your body.
What You Can Eat
The Master Cleanse includes three phases: The Ease In, The Lemonade Diet and the Ease Out. The Ease In phase is voluntary and lasts three days, during which you slowly eliminate foods from your diet. During the Lemonade Diet Phase, you only drink fresh lemon juice mixed with water, rich maple syrup and cayenne pepper. You are allowed six to 12 glasses of this lemonade every day along with unlimited amounts of water. You also take one to two laxatives per day and do a saltwater flush to remove toxins. This modified fast should last at least 10 days, although the diet places no limit on this phase. After the diet, there is an Ease Out phase in which you reintroduce other foods over the course of three days.
Links Between Fasting and Headaches
A study published in "Current Pain and Headache Reports" notes that fasting headaches are located in the frontal region of the brain and are characterized by nonpulsating, mild or moderate intensity. In most cases, the headache occurs after at least 16 hours of fasting and dwindles within 72 hours after you start eating. Since the master cleanse lasts at least 10 days, the likelihood of a fasting headache increases because, according to the study, the likelihood of developing a fasting headache increases directly with the duration of the fast.
Dehydration and Headaches
Headaches are also a common symptom of dehydration. This diet is extreme; the Harvard Medical School estimates that the daily intake is just 600 calories. At this level of calorie intake, much of the weight loss is actually water loss. The use of laxatives and saltwater flushes only compounds this loss of bodily fluids, which can lead to dehydration.
References
- Themastercleanse: Master Cleanse and the Lemonade Diet
- Celebrity Diet Doctor: Beyonce Knowles Uses
- Harvard Health Publications: Health Beat: The Dubious Practice of Detox
- Current Pain and Headache Reports; Fasting Headache; P. Torelli, et. al; Aug 2010
- Mayo Clinic: Dehydration: Symptoms
- The-Master-Cleanse.net
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