You know, the lemonade diet that’s suposed to clean out your colon, clear up your skin, and help you lose 20 pounds in just a few days’ time.

But is this all just hype? Is the Master Cleanse really a good or even safe option for cleansing the body?

Let’s have a look, shall we?

What is the Master Cleanse Diet?

The Master Cleanse is a two week cleanse that consists of a home-made lemonade drink, daily salt water flushes (optional), and daily laxatives (optional).

The meat of the program is the lemonade drink, also known as the Lemonade Diet. Here’s the recipe:

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

1/8 of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

8 oz of water

You are supposed to drink 6-12 glasses of this concoction (I think concoction is an appropriate way to refer to this mess of a liquid, don’t you?) everyday for 10-14 days straight.

It is also recommended to drink saltwater each morning (2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 liter water) and take a laxative at night. The only other “food” that is allowed is herbal tea in the evening, if desired.

How Does it Work?

According to its proponents, the Master Cleanse is a great tool for detoxification and weight loss. The lemon juice provides vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, the maple sugar provides calories, and the cayenne supposedly breaks up mucus and helps with digestion and weight loss.

The saltwater flushes and laxatives are intended to clean out the colon and carry toxins out of the body.

Do People Actually Detox?

For the vast majority of people who eat a standard unhealthy Western diet, doing the Master Cleanse will more than likely provide positive results.

But these positive results have nothing to do with the the Master Cleanse itself. They are caused by the simple fact that the cleanse (like most cleanses) eliminates so many damaged and deranged foods and substances from the diet, including meat, cheese, milk, grains, alcohol, cigarettes, etc.

It isn’t the lemon juice, syrup, or cayenne that is “detoxifying” you. This is impossible. The body is what detoxifies and heals, particularly the liver, not the food you eat.

So you don’t have to drink a disgusting liquid or restrict calories to detox and lose weight. A simple diet of fresh, raw produce will give you the same results.

Even better? Such a diet is something that you can (and should) follow for a lifetime, which means that once you start, you will continue to get healthy, lose weight, and keep it off.

What About Weight Loss?

Yes, people do lose weight on the Master Cleanse. Any diet so low in calories will do that for you. The bigger question is whether or not these people can maintain the weight loss.

Permanent weight loss is something that the Master Cleanse, just like any cleanse, cannot guarantee. The only way you can continue to lose weight after the cleanse is to adopt a healthy diet and exercise plan.

If you go back to your same old ways that brought the weight on in the first place, you will gain it all back, as so many people who fall for the “miracle of cleansing” crap trap do.

Is It Safe?

Although extremely disgusting (yes, I tried the diet many years ago), the drink isn’t likely going to send you to the hospital as some sources claim. Remember, the lemonade drink is just that…LEMONADE! It’s nothing more than sugar water with some spicy powder mixed in to make ya sweat.

The biggest problem I have with the Master Cleanse actually isn’t with the lemonade drink, but with the recommended saltwater flushes and laxatives that are used to clean out your colon by making you go number two.

Salt, even so-called healthy sea salt, is a poison and should not be consumed for any reason. Laxatives are COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY and laxative abuse has become a serious problem (particularly among women) here in the US and other industrialized nations. I find it quite alarming that taking laxatives is a recommendation in a so-called healthy cleanse.

I use the loo 3 or more times each and every day (2-3 is the “goal” while on the Master Cleanse) and yet I never eat salt nor do I take laxatives. I just eat a healthy low fat raw vegan diet and my body takes care of the rest.

Too much info, I know.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to drink lemony sugar water to cleanse. You definitely should NOT drink saltwater or take laxatives if you want to detox and lose weight.

There are so many other cheap, effective, healthy and TASTY ways to cleanse and help you get started on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

In China, ginseng is held in high regard.  It is believed that ginseng has rejuvenating powers and provides stimulation to the whole body.  Ginseng also offers protection against fatigue.  Ginseng is known to be a stimulant for the central nervous system.  This root can also help with inflammation, fever, and hormonal imbalances to name a few.

The tea is usually made from the Wisconsin ginseng root.  Slices can be steeped to create a tea that is a strong as the consumer would like, or purchased as a powder and brewed using tea balls.  Both of these methods let the drinker control the amount of tea used.  There are ginseng tea bags available from specialty stores, but it is not recommended to buy the tea without reading all the ingredients as some packaged teas are sold as ginseng but in fact have very little of this herb in them, instead using mostly fillers

Consult an herbal practitioner or naturopath as to the right type of ginseng and how to brew your tea.  The tea can be sweetened with a little honey or stored cold in the refrigerator, as this tea is quite good served iced.

Take note, if you are pregnant use ginseng sparingly or not at all.