There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the The Master Cleanse diet, which was first introduced in the 1940’s by Stanley Burroughs as a body healing and detoxification plan. Also known as the Lemonade Diet, it was mainly used by health gurus to “cleanse” the body of harmful chemicals and toxin buildup from food and other environmental factors.
The diet is known to last anywhere from 4 to 14 days depending on how long you can hold out for drinking the “elixir” and only that. The drink consists of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Not exactly my go-to meal if you ask me.
This diet started to become increasingly popular after Beyonce announced that it had helped her lose 20 pounds for her upcoming movie, Dreamgirls. With that, other celebrities started to follow in her footsteps from Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore to Ashanti.
Soon after the Master Cleanse diet craze happened, experts started pointing out some negative effects it would have on such as depriving the body of essential nutrients. If you’re one of the daring people to try out this diet, here’s what you need to know:
Say good-bye to solid food!
For at least 10 days, your new best friends are not-quite lemonade, water, and laxatives. This diet is made to flush out bad toxins from your body so no pigging out for you!
You will lose weight!
With nightly laxatives and so few daily calories, how could you not? But be warned, don’t expect lasting results. You’ll mostly be losing water weight and lean muscle mass—not fat—making you more likely to regain once you resume a normal diet.
It is not for everyone!
Though preparation is simple, giving up solid foods in favor of liquids may prove difficult. You will grow accustomed to a growling stomach and may crave something to chew on. Experts have also compared the liquid to an energy drink.
*Remember to get the O.K from your doctor before starting!*
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