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Last month, with the start of spring I went on a 12 day fast.  I decided to do the Master Cleanser Lemonade Diet in particular after conversations with a family friend who was on the last days of her Master Cleanser fast. She being very happy with her results is now trying to get everybody to try it too. As an acupuncturist and holistic health counselor, I focus a fair amount of time talking about diet. I hear many questions and comments regarding dieting and fasting. Hopefully this newsletter and upcoming workshop on fasting and detox dieting will provide some useful information and answers to questions many people share.

Why Fast or do a Detox Diet?
There are many reasons why a person starts a detox diet or fast. The most common are to lose weight, detoxify the body and to feel healthier. Many start to assist in recovering from illness. Others are hoping to undo the affects of months or years of unhealthy living habits and to reduce the affects of a stressful toxic society.
Ideally, when we make healthy lifestyle choices our routine, we are able to maintain a healthy weight, keep the body detoxed and reduce degenerative stresses. We feel healthier and generally have no need for special diets and detox procedures. Choosing to undertake a fast creates a great opportunity to break old habits. We gain a sense of awareness and discipline to address cravings and habitual habits regarding food and what we expose our bodies to. We regain our ability to chose how to properly nourish ourselves. Over time making seasonal adjustments to our diet and choosing to periodically reduce our food intake becomes a natural and instinctive process.

The difference between Fasting and Detox Diet.
A fast is described as an abstinence from some or all food and drink over a period of time. Reasons for fasting may include cultural, religious, spiritual or health related. Relieved from the task of digestion the body diverts energy to the task of self healing, rebuilding, detoxication and spiritual and mental advancement. During a fast the body undergoes a process called autolysis where it will consume unhealthy cells and tissue as well as release accumulated toxins and waste for elimination.

Fasting has been a part of many religious practices and cultures for centuries. Fasting techniques have assisted people in time of famine and personal difficulties. In modern days, fasting with no food or water is considered too harsh for most. Most people will consume fresh vegetable or fruit juice while fasting. This type of fast requires very little digestive energy and provides vitamins and minerals to assist the body during the fasting process.

A detox diet emphasizes consumption of foods that enhance the body’s natural detoxication processes and foods that assist the elimination of toxins (via adequate bowel movements, urination and excretion of waste thru the skin and breath). This diet will also focuses on minimizing or excluding foods that may be potentially toxic to the body. A detox diet may target particular organs, body areas or toxins. It may be done short term or be part of a long term health regiment.

Fasting and detox diets done for health improvements share many similarities. The main difference may be that fasting focuses on reducing intake of food while detox diets focuses on adding foods to initiate the detox process. The Master Cleanser diet described in this newsletter does both. It entails eliminating all food while consume only a lemonade drink that exerts a strong detoxication affect on the body. This newsletter will focus on fasting and detox diets for improving health and will use the two terms interchangeably.

The Master Cleanser / Lemonade Diet
The Master Cleanser or Lemonade Diet was introduced by Stanley Burroughs in the mid 1940’s and was reintroduced again by him in the 1980’s. It is based on traditional recipes and has been credited with helping thousands recover from illness, lose weight and improve their health.

The diet is very simple in nature and consists of three ingredients: lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Fresh lemon juice helps detoxify and strengthen all organs and tissues of the body. Cayenne pepper dissolves and eliminates mucus from the body. Lemon juice and maple syrup taken together provide vitamin, minerals and calories to sustain the body during the diet.

Lemonade made from these three items is prepared daily and consumed freely throughout the day. In the morning a solution of sea salt is consumed to clean and purge the bowels. Herbal teas may be consumed during the day and for those who may need, an herbal tea may be consumed at night to assist bowel movements. The suggested length of the diet is about ten days and it may be repeated two or three times a year. Some may chose to do the diet for a shorter length of time and repeat more frequently. Other may chose a longer diet done less frequent.

MORE INFORMATION

Why do the Master Cleanser Diet: