The Dangers of the Master Cleanse
If you’ve read through all the articles here on MasterCleanseAnswers, you already know that the Master Cleanse is no more dangerous than doing a colon cleanse. However, depending on who you talk to or what websites you come across you may have heard some things that cause concern. Are there hidden dangers or side effect associated with the Master Cleanse? Is it O.K. to cleanse for 40 days or exercising while cleansing? In this article we’ll explore some of these issues and see if we can clear things up.
Please note, I am not a trained physician. Everything posted on this site is based on my research and the personal experiences of family, friends, and myself.
Many are concerned about taking medications while on the cleanse.
The safe way to go is to continue to take your prescribed medicines unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You may also want to give your Doctor a list of the cleanse ingredients to see if anything may neutralize the intended effect of the medication. Don’t be surprised if your doctor is not keen on the lemonade cleanse. Because this cleanse is categorized as part of the Natural Medicine movement, some traditional physicians may frown upon it.
Vitamin Deficiencies, Muscle Breakdown and Blood-Sugar Problems
Some people including doctors have warned that problems like these can arise from doing the Master Cleanse. Because so many people have jumped on the cleanse band-wagon to lose weight, it is important to point out that sustained periods of cleansing is not ideal. But for a 10 day temporary detoxification of the body none of these “problems” pose a real threat. For many of us vitamin deficiency is a daily problem whether you cleanse or not. Our foods just don’t have the vitamins they did years ago.
To concern yourself with minor issues such as these would be like complaining of a fly in your soup as you dine in a dumpster.
Powder, Pills, or Liquid?
Cayenne Pepper powder is the best form of cayenne to use in the lemonade drink. Stay away from the cayenne capsules unless you are going to take the time to crack open each one to get to the powder. I’ve heard of people using the cayenne liquid extract because it’s a little more tolerable. This should not be used for that very reason. The cayenne extract has been diluted to some degree, therefore it won’t have the same potency. I’m not saying cayenne extract is not good for you, it’s just not the best for this application.
Master Cleanse Variations.
I’m sure you’ve heard of variations on the Master Cleanse. There are people who dilute the mixture with extra water, add protein to the lemonade, and combine the Master Cleanse with other diets. Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do, and I’m sure there’s a method to the madness, but it can be confusing to newbies trying to find their way. Stanley Burroughs formulated the lemonade the way he did for a reason and each component serves a vital purpose in the cleansing process. Go back to the article “Essential Master Cleanse Ingredients” to see what Cayenne and Lemon actually do for the body.
There are however, safe and acceptable Master Cleanse modifications we will explore in future articles or you can check them out here.
10 20 40
How many days should you cleanse for? Depending on what your diet has been like over the years, you may need more cleansing time than say a Vegan would. Keep in mind cleansing, whether it be lemonade cleansing or any other type should be a part of your life style as your body is constantly in need of being cleaned out. Don’t feel like you have to do this all at once. Experts suggest doing a 10 day cleanse 3 to 4 times a year.
But be careful not to go overboard. Cleansing too often can cause problems like hair loss because you’re not taking in any protein.
Alternative sweeteners.
In many blogs and forums I’ve read where people are substituting agave for the grade B maple syrup. The reason for this is because agave nectar which comes from the agave cactus, is processed with no chemicals. And because many brands of agave are only heated at temperatures under 118 degrees, they are considered raw which appeals to those on a Living Food diet. As good as all this sounds, agave’s composition differs greatly from that of grade B maple syrup. Agave is made up mostly of fructose and glucose where as maple syrup contains less, and has the benefit of more nutrients like zinc. So to sweeten tea or a bowl of oatmeal use agave but for the constant intake of the cleansing lemonade, stick to the maple syrup. Side Note: In Stanley Burroughs’s book The Master Cleanser, he recommended using Molasses in place of maple syrup for diabetics.
Exercising while on the cleanse.
There are basic needs that your body has. One of them is protein which promotes muscle and hair growth. While on the lemonade cleanse you’re not supposed to consume any proteins. So if you’re weight training, your body won’t have the protein to rebuild the muscle tissue you break down. On the other hand if you’re doing light cardio, this may actually help you sweat out more of the toxins you’re trying to flush out in the first place. So remember, step aerobics good – bench press bad.
Hope this article helps you make sense of the Master Cleanse. Not that it’s a complicated thing, but with the hundreds of information sources available online, one could get information overload. There are many other beneficial health practices I could share that are outside the scope of MasterCleanseAnswers.com, but I wanted to keep this site simple and to the point. One thing I’d like to leave you with as I close this article is to remember that weight loss is not the sole reason for doing the cleanse. It’s just one of the many advantages.
Eating on the Go-Post Master Cleanse
So your 10 days are up and you’re feeling good. Now what do you do after the Master Cleanse? If you’re not careful you could drift back into your old eating habits and end up worse off than when you started.
With work, school, and life’s other demands, it can be a challenge keeping up a healthy diet. It’s so much easier to stop off and grab a quick bite at a fast food joint. To help you with this dilemma, below I have 12 tips that you can incorporate into your new POST cleanse life style that can both save you time and allow you to indulge a little without undoing all the hard work you put in.
• If you crave a Burger go protein style. The hamburger bun really adds a lot of unnecessary bulk to your meal.
• More and more restaurants are adding a Low Calorie menu. Read their nutritional chart online ahead of time so you have a game plan. Just remember not to get too caught up in calorie counting. Remember it’s the quality not the quantity.
• Did someone bring a box of candy into the office? Choose the dark chocolates, rich in antioxidants, over the milk chocolate.
• Try to have some form of raw or close to raw vegetables with whatever you order. And eat the veggies first. It activates and prepares your digestive system for heavier foods like meat. Heck, even Jack in the Box has a side salad for around a buck.
• Stay way from the combo meals that include a drink because 9 out of 10 times you’ll choose a soda. Get in the habit of carrying a water container with you. Also limit the amount of liquid you consume right after a meal. Drinking after you eat hinders the body’s digestive process.
• If you just have to have ranch or any other kind of creamy dressing with your salads, use half the amount you’d normally use. We always tend to drown our salads.
• Whenever possible customize your order. Ask them to replace the cheese on your sandwich with fresh Avocado slices. And don’t forget the whole wheat bread instead of the lighter types.
• Don’t super-size your meal. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but in many fast food restaurants what use to be large is now medium and the large is ridiculous.
• Many Asian restaurants have an over all healthier menu of items to choose from. Japanese cuisine is especially good.
• Believe it or not there are many health conscious eateries out there where you could eat just about anything on the menu. These joints could be right around the corner from home or work. So go online and do some research.
• Get the grilled chicken or fish instead of fried. This is common sense but sometimes we forget the obvious.
• Choose plain black or ice coffee and add the low-fat, or soy milk yourself to control your calorie intake. And use raw sugar or Agave. No artificial sweeteners!
There you have 12 tips to add to your new diet plan. Of course the best practice would be to stay way from fast food all together and cook your own healthy foods. But it’s not going to kill you to cheat a little. You should be doing some kind of cleanse or enema every few months to reset your system anyway.
A How to Guide for Mastering the Master Cleanse
I remember the first time I fasted. It was for a weekend retreat and we were only to drink liquids starting Friday morning and ending with a light potluck dinner on Sunday evening. It wasn’t easy, but I made it through. That was just for two days, can you imagine going for the suggested 10 days of the lemonade cleanse? If going without food is a new concept for you, you may be wondering how to get through this Master Cleanse process. Here are some key pointers for those who want to know how to prepare yourself before starting the master cleanse.
Identify where you fit in the scheme of things.
The Master Cleanse is going to go for much longer than 2 days. Ask yourself are you up for this? Have you fasted before and if so for how many days? If you’ve never missed a meal in your life you may be biting off more than you can chew. There’s no shame in postponing the cleanse for a week and doing a juice fast every other day to get your body ready.
Do your prep work.
As stated above, prepare your body for the cleanse by doing smaller fasts. Begin to gradually exclude the processed and fast foods from your daily routine. And because the cleanse is a fast and not a diet, you need to get yourself mentally prepared as well. Your body will talk to you and tell you it’s hungry. Foods will whisper your name in the midnight hour. Make the resolve that you, not your body, is the boss. Plan out your daily intake instead of being a reactionary eater. Make a schedule if you have to. If you’re serious about your health these are things you may want to make permanent habits. Everybody is different, and the steps to success for you may look slightly different than those for someone else.
I know you’re hungry but get a hold of yourself.
Now after 10 days without solid food I’m sure road-kill might start to look pretty tempting but don’t do it. It’s all in your head. Your body should be pretty much adjusted to your liquid diet by now. Just as it took time to adjust to liquids only, it will take time for your body to readjust to solid foods. Ease into a healthier diet. Drink lots of water and diluted fresh squeezed orange juice for your first day off the cleanse. Stay away from orange juice with added sweeteners. Just because it says Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice on the carton doesn’t always mean it’s truly that. On day 2, try introducing vegetable broth to your system. And by the third day it should be safe for you to eat some fruits or veggies. Don’t go crazy and order a 16 oz. Steak dinner. You could end up with some serious constipation. Everyone’s body is different so you may need to do some experimentation here. But a good rule of thumb is, less and slow is better than more and fast.
Monitor yourself closely.
As you come off of the Master Cleanse you’ll notice that you have a heightened awareness of how your body feels. Use this to your advantage and keep tabs on the frequency of your eliminations, energy level, and your overall mood. You may experience some nausea, headaches etc. In most cases this means you’ve transitioned to a more complex food type too soon. Of course you should check with a doctor if something isn’t right, but don’t let a little extra gas scare you into the emergency room.
Bottom line.
The Master Cleanse is just that, a temporary cleanse of the body. Once the fast is over you have to maintain a healthy diet. I’m not talking about a 60 plus year old, out dated standard for nutrition. And no, a glorified TV dinner with the label LITE stamped on it doesn’t count. Eat more raw or close to raw fruits and vegetables and less meat. Drink more water and less soda.
Stick to these basic rules and the ten plus day investment you make in the Master Cleanse will not have been in vain.
Essential Master Cleanse Ingredients
Master Cleanse ingredients are the topic of discussion in this article. Did you ever wonder, “Why Use Lemonade”, in regards to the Master Cleanse? Of all the ingredients you could use to cleanse the system what makes this special cayenne peppered lemon juice the choice vehicle to distribute these component? As you may have come to realize, this my friend ain’t your momma’s Country-Time lemonade.
What do we know about this detox cleanse so far? We know that it was invented by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. You are to drink 60 oz. of the lemonade (exclusively) per day for at least 10 days. And we know that this flushing of the body is supposed to rid the body of waste, toxins, and other bad stuff.
How does the lemonade do all this?
To answer this question lets look at the Master Cleanse ingredients used in the recipe.
• Water
• Maple Syrup
• Cayenne Pepper
• Lemons
I’m going to assume you already understand the importance of water. How it flushes the kidneys and liver, purifies the blood, and keeps us hydrated.
The maple syrup provides the needed energy you’ll be missing from not eating any solid foods. Grade B syrup (which is recommended) also contains nutrients and minerals that are accentual to the cleanse.
If you like spicy foods you may be familiar with cayenne pepper. Aside from giving your favorite dishes some kick cayenne pepper also;
- Increases Metabolism
- Improves Circulation
- Regulates Blood Pressure
- Rids Arteries of Cholesterol
- Cleanses Stomach & Intestinal Tracts
- Dissolves Mucus
- Heals & Repairs Cell Tissue
- Heals Ulcers
- Heals Tonsillitis
- Soothes Sore Throats
- Decreases Heart Disease
- Decreases Cancer
- Decreases Tuberculosis
- Decreases Infertility
- Decreases Rheumatism
- Decreases Leukemia
- Decreases internal hemorrhaging by promoting blood clotting
- Is an Anti fungal
- Alleviates Allergies
- Alleviates Muscle Cramps
Wow!
My Grandmother was from the south and back in the day she had home remedies for everything. And lemons were one of her chief ingredients. I don’t know if she knew it or not, but lemons do all the following;
- Fights digestive ailments
- Alleviates Nausea
- Alleviates Heartburn
- Heals Intestinal Problems
- Kills Parasites
- Stops Hiccups
- Stimulates the liver
- Dissolves Gallstones
- Treats Infections
- Brings down High Fevers
- Cures Asthma
- Heals Tonsillitis
- Soothes Sore Throats
- Dissolves Mucus
- Alleviates Sun Burn
- Alleviates Menstrual Cramps
- Alleviates Headaches
- Decreases High Blood Pressure
Whew! No wonder the lemonade cleanse is so popular. If you drank nothing but this lemonade for 10 days you’re bound to see some good results.
Now if you’ve never done a fast of any kind, the Master Cleanse may be a bit of a challenge. If this is the case, you may want to start small with a simple 1 day juice or all liquid fast. Once you’re comfortable with a weekend of fasting maybe you can graduate to the 10 day lemonade cleanse. One things for sure, your body can’t help but benefit from putting these good, all natural ingredients in it.
Basic Master Cleanse Info
I’d like to share some basic information on the Master Cleanse diet. You may have heard of this diet from family, friends or on television through it’s associated with celebrities. If you’ve sought out information on this topic and found MasterCleanseAnswers.com you came to the right place. The Master Cleanser diet, also known as the Lemonade Diet was created by the late Naturopath, Stanley Burroughs. Just in case you were wondering, Naturopath is a shortened name for Naturopathic Medicine or Natural Medicine. By consuming nothing but a lemonade solution for 10 days or more the body is cleansed of toxins created by improper diet which pretty much all of us is guilty of. There are many other benefits to the diet but the one most people are interested in is of course WEIGHT LOSS.
I don’t need to tell you that an improper diet is the cause of many of the physical problems we suffer from as a society today. Lets face it, foods just don’t carry the same amount of nutrition they did 50 years ago. To illustrate this point, imagine the earth as a big piggy bank we keep withdrawing from but never deposit into. After a while the earth just can’t produce the same quality fruits, vegetable, and grains for us or the animals to eat.
To make up for the lack of nutrients in natural foods and the build up of toxins produced from rotting processed foods lodged in our bodies, Stanley Burroughs invented the detox lemonade drink. Mr. Burroughs was not a Medical Doctor but did practice Naturopathic Medicine which basically means he believed that everything the body needs for health and wellness can be found in what the earth produces naturally.
Even though The Master Cleanse diet has been around for almost 60 years, it’s gained recent popularity from its being used by entertainers and celebrities to maintain good health. You can find the testimony of Robin Quivers, co-host of the Howerd Stern show, by Googling her name. And Beyoncé Knowles shared her positive experience with the diet on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
So what’s all the hoopla about you may be wondering? The purpose of the cleanse is to break up and flush out toxins, waste and congestion that builds up over time in your body.
Lets take a closer look at the Master Cleanse Lemonade and see how the cleanse works. The ingredients for the Master Cleanse drink are; Cayenne Pepper, Maple Syrup, Water, and of course Lemons. You are to drink 60 oz. of the cleanser per day for 10 days. During this 10 day period you can’t eat or drink anything else other than water, laxative tea, and a saltwater flush to help the elimination process. So you’re basically fasting from solid foods for 10+ days. No food coupled with the flushing of the cleanse eliminating the excess waste is what promotes weight loss. Because of the nature of the lemonade cleanse it is more appropriate to call it a fast and not a diet. Some of the other benefits to the cleanse are; increased energy, a stronger immune system, and stronger brain function, just to name a few.
So there you have the Master Cleanse in a nutshell. If you are thinking about trying the cleanse, do take into account any medical conditions you may have as you will be going without food for several days. The Master Cleanse is not a Weight Loss diet but a means to rid the body of waste and toxins. As long as you approach the cleanse with a clear understanding of it’s proper use, you should see some positive results.
