EDITOR’S NOTE:  The recipie for the Master Cleanse is at the end of this blog post!

his week marks the fourth time I’m doing the “Master Cleanse,” also known as The Lemonade Diet. I decided to write a fresh article on what exactly that is since a few people have asked me what is the master cleanse or have expressed interest in knowing more about detoxing their body.  I hope this info is helpful to someone out there in cyberland also!

What is the Master Cleanse?

Essentially, it is a liquid fast lasting 10 or more days designed to detox your body, where all you drink is a special concoction made from freshly squeezed lemons, cayenne pepper, grade B maple syrup, and distilled water.  I call it a “potion,” and it tastes pretty much like lemonade.  I will list the exact recipe later in this blog. 

Wikipedia also gives a great definition of the Master Cleanse here at this link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_Cleanse 

You can also download a PDF of the book by Stanley Burroughs called, “The Master Cleanser.”  The Master Cleanse (also called by some “The Lemonade Diet”) was actually “invented” (so to speak) by Burroughs.  Here is the link to download it: http://www.box.net/shared/5q38hdv2yq 

Benefits of Doing the Master Cleanse

Here are some of the benefits of doing the Master Cleanse: 

• GIVES YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM A BREAK
  Since you aren’t eating, your digestive system has a chance to relax and restore itself.  It’s quite a few organs that are hard at work digesting your good on a daily basis.
   
• DETOXES YOUR BODY
  Because we eat so many things never intended for the human body to consume (high fructose syrup, processed foods, refined sugars, etc) and do the population in the air and other things that get into our systems, a cleanse like this helps all of those trapped toxins a chance to release adn expel from our bodies.  Poisons literally start coming out during a cleanse like this, mostly in your urine.  The toxins in our bodies are the cause for a lot of illnesses and disases in our bodies today, and many minorities especially are not in the habit of doing regular “detoxes” (such as this cleanse) to rid the body of bad stuff. 
   
• ELIMIATES IMPACTED WASTE CLOGGING OUR COLONS
  Over 90% of Americans are walking around with clogged colons, with about ten or more pounds of impacted feces inside their colons.  This cleanse helps eliminate that waste.  If you’ve had weight you’ve never been able to loose, this may be why!  Having that waste trapped inside is unhealthy and is even said to cause colon cancer.When you have a bowel movement, waste comes out, but over time if your diet isn’t full of fiber and the other healthy things we should be eating or if you eat a lot of cheese and stuff, it begins sticking to the walls of your colon instead of coming out!
   
• SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
  The cleanse is a great time to also do a “spiritual” cleansing.  The Bible says that something things only come about by prayer and fasting, so why not seek God a little more while you are doing the Master Cleanse, which is a fast.  You can even choose to pray or read your bible during times when you would normally eat.
   
• BUILDS SELF DISCIPLINE and CONFIDENCE
  Being able to sucessfully obstain from eating for 10 days is not easy!  So by accomplishing this you build self confidence and assurance of your will power.
   
• BOOTS ENERGRY
  One of the most common testimonies by people who do the cleanse is that they have a ton more energy than they normally do.  Getting all that “junk” out of your body seems to do wonders for people’s energy level. Many have said they actively exercise while on the fast due to the energy they still have. The first three fasts I did not exercise, but this time I am, and I haven’t passed out or anything; I feel just fine
   
• WEIGHT AND FAT LOSS
  Most people lose around 15 pounds on average when doing the cleanse, although some people gain that weight right back if they continue poor eating habits and lack of exercise.  To keep the weight lost after the cleanse, you have to continue burning more calories than you eat.  Eat healthier (whole grain foods, veggies, fruit, try soy instead of dairy – try almond milk instead of cows milk, rice chips instead of potatoe chips, etc, etc), and eat smaller portions.  This is the “magic” behind Weight Watchers and other weight loss programs.

The Master Cleanse Recipe: How to make It

Here’s how to make it!  You should drink at least 6 servings per day plus lots of water – plus laxative tea at night and a salt water flush in the mornings – I will go over those details later on. 

If you make the recipe just right, it can actually taste quite delicious! If you can’t drink it down or it doesn’t taste right, the culprit usually is that too much pepper was put in. Also, if you are trying to loose weight, don’t overdo it with the maple syrup. 

Ingredients:

• LEMONS
  You can also use LIMES too.  I alternative between both to switch things up. When you use limes, the “potion” tastes a little different.  Some people also say it’s best to use ORGANIC lemons, but I don’t think it really matters.
   
• GRADE B MAPLE SYRUP
  Don’t use Grade A!  You must use Grade B Maple Syrup, and don’t substitute by using Aunt Jemima’s!  It’s not the same thing!  Grade B has ESSENTIAL MINERALS and NUTRIENTS that your body NEEDS while on this liquid fast to quench your hunger and also keep you healthy.  It’s essentially your nourishment while you’re on the fast.You can get Grade B maple syrup at Trader Joes (they sell the really big bottle), Whole Foods, and most Acme Supermarkets.  Some markets only sell Grade A, so beware.
    
• CAYENNE PEPPER
  Any brand of Cayenne pepper will do.
   
• DISTILLED WATER
  If your market doesn’t carry distilled water, it’s okay to use purified or natural spring water, but it’s best for the purposes of the cleanse to get distilled.  It’s sold in gallon jugs for around $1 each. 

Recipie A: Individual Serving Recipe

(Makes one glass.) 

– 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
– 2 tablespoons of Grade B maple syrup
– 1/10 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
– 12 ounces of distilled or purified water 

Recipie B: Bulk Recipe

(Makes 2.2 liters.) 

– 1 cup of lime or lemon juice
– 1/2 cup of Grade B or C maple syrup
– 2-3 pinches of cayenne pepper
– 2.2 liters distilled water 

Laxative Tea and Salt Water Flush

Another part of the fast includes drinking a laxative tea at night right before you go to bed (such as SMOOTH MOOVE) and what’s called a “salt water flush” in the mornings. 

I’ll add that information right here in this paragraph soon. 

Do’s and Don’ts 

• DO mentally prepare yourself before starting
• DO the fast and find a friend or family member to do it along with you; it helps when you have someone who is also fasting!
• DO make sure you drink plenty of the potion to curve your hunger pains; if you drink enough it really does help you not to be hungry; if you last the first three days, it’s easy from then on out
• DON’T start immediately eating after the fast; yoru stomach isn’t ready for it yet; ease in by first eating veggie soup, then add fruit and gradually other foods.