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.
