How to Do the Lemon Cleanse

The lemon cleanse, also known as the Master Cleanse, is a weight loss and toxin-reducing dieting program designed to flush your body of its toxins and to induce weight loss. Lemon juice is a key component of the regimen: you briefly stop eating all other foods and consume only a lemon-juice mix to help satisfy your body's need for nutrients and glucose. While you can practice the diet for longer, the typical length is 10 days.

Instructions

1

Create the lemonade used throughout the diet regimen by combining two tbsp. lemon juice, two tbsp. rich maple syrup, one-tenth tsp. cayenne pepper and one to two cups of water. This recipe will make one day's worth: you can mix up a new batch each day or make as many days' worth as you wish at once.

2

Drink a sip of the lemonade mixture whenever you have a hunger craving, and also drink a glass of water. You should be consuming a minimum of six to 12 glasses of water a day in addition to the lemonade so your body stays hydrated.

3

Consume a laxative or drink a glass of salt water (one to two tsp. sea salt mixed into a liter of water) at the beginning and end of each day. This will result in a bowel movement within about 15 minutes, so be sure you are near a restroom.

4

Continue the regimen laid out in Steps 2 and 3 for at least 10 days. Bear in mind that the first couple of days may be rough and you may experience hunger headaches, but your body will quickly adjust and you should notice an increase in your overall energy level around the fifth day.

5

Ease out of the diet for three days at the end of the 10-day period. On the eleventh day replace the lemonade mixture with a mixture of orange juice and water, drinking it as needed to maintain your energy level. On the twelfth day it is OK to begin to consume soups and other semisolid foods like applesauce and canned fruits. This step slowly introduces solid food back into your digestive system. On the thirteenth and final day consume raw fruits and vegetables only. After this final day you can begin to eat normally.