The Master Cleanse Diet, also known as the Lemon Cleanse and the Maple Syrup Diet, is a program developed by alternative health practitioner, Stanley Burroughs, in 1941. However, it didn’t gain great popularity until Peter Glickman published his book ‘Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days’. The book promotes the ideas and beliefs of Burroughs to more modern audiences.
The Master Cleanse Diet was designed to aid in the removal of harmful toxins and poisons from the body. The diet was also promoted to treat ulcers but it only became popular for weight loss after the book was republished by Peter Glickman, published in 2004. And today, popularized by Beyonce, the Master Cleanse Diet is referred to as a fast.
In 1976, Burroughs presented the diet in the book and promoted it not only for ulcers but for every kind of disease, claiming it would lead to the correction of most disorders. Unfortunately, the first book was disorganized and difficult to decipher. It was only after the second book was published did the general public learn of the theorized benefits of the content.
Neither Burroughs nor Glickman were doctors or medical researchers. Burroughs was convicted of practicing medicine without a license and was imprisoned. Glickman is a software engineer and chiropractor.
The diet consists of drinking lemon juice or lime juice mixed with maple syrup, cayenne pepper and spring water for 10 days. The individual isn’t allowed to eat any other foods or liquids except water and the juice. It is literally a juice fast. Burroughs and Glickman both encourage people to drink at least six glasses of the fluid each day. And, to encourage bowel movements daily the diet instructs participants to use a herbal laxative twice daily – morning and evening.
Once the 10 days (or longer) has been completed the individual will transition back to solid foods. In Stanley Burroughs version of the diet the individual would transition to a raw food vegetarian diet. For others, who don’t have the desire to completely convert to a vegetarian diet, they should first transition to vegetables and fruit and then gradually add back meats.
During the diet, participants shouldn’t drink alcohol, cola, tea or coffee or smoke,. However, Burroughs suggests that once on the diet the cravings for these products will completely disappear.
One of the main arguments for using this diet is the use of lemon or lime juice to detoxify the body. The truth is that the body will help to detoxify itself. And, while a fast is good for the body, fasting on sugar and juice for 10 days or more can be dangerous to your health. And, although most individuals will lose weight on the diet because of the decreased caloric intake, the weight will most likely return when they return to their regular diet. On the Lemonade Diet a participant will take in between 600 and 1200 calories. The average adult will eat about 2000 calories but once the adult returns to their previous eating habits the weight will return.
For the average person, a day or two of fasting doesn’t have any ill effects. However, this diet calls for at least 10 days of fasting and the intake is particularly low in protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals. Also, using laxatives to purge the body of toxins is also characteristic of eating disorders.
By cycling the body between loss and gain, the heart, liver and kidneys are placed under greater stress.
Others have found the diet to be life changing and it has given them the impetus and push to change their eating habits and life style choices they needed. Others have found that although 10 days is recommended, they completed 4-5 and had some of the same benefits.
To date there is not empirical clinical data to support the claims of those who support the use of the Master Cleanse Diet. As a result of deficiencies in calories and nutrition, some individuals will suffer from headaches and body aches which proponents believe is from the detoxifying process. While most physicians believe that for relatively healthy individuals, who have no metabolic illnesses such as diabetes, the diet is relatively safe, they also believe that the diet shouldn’t be followed for greater than 3 days.
The Master Cleanse Diet may be able to give some individuals the jump start they need when they want to change their dietary habits and lose weight. Although, first promoted to treat ulcers and other medical conditions, it now is promoted solely for weight loss. Ingesting lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 days or more can put a huge strain on the cardiovascular system. And, while the participant may not ‘feel’ any negative effects the damage to the heart, kidney and liver will have long-term affects to their health.
If you are serious about trying this stringent diet, try using it for shorter periods of time and decrease the amount laxatives and salt loading that is called for in the diet. Natural diets for the body consist of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Processed foods were never intended for the stomach and intestines and they don’t do a good job in the intestinal tract.
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