Lemon Cayenne Maple Syrup Cleanse

The Master Cleanse is a popular detoxification program which combines lemon, cayenne, maple syrup and distilled water to reportedly cleanse your system and flush it of toxins. Its creator Stanley Burroughs developed the technique to help balance your system, create healthy habits and eliminate the toxins that can create illness and disease. There are three phases: Ease-In, The Lemonade Diet and Ease-Out.

Three-Phase Cleansing Process

The Ease-In phase is a three-day a pre-diet routine that will help to prepare your stomach and mind for receiving less food while you are on the cleanse. On the first day, remove all meats and processed foods from your diet. This will leave you essentially with fruits and vegetables. Day two, consume the same fruits and vegetables, but juice them. This will help to prepare your body for the liquid diet that you are about to embark upon. On day three, you should juice as many oranges as it takes to make two liters of orange juice mixed with water (as much as you like) along with two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Now you're ready to begin the Lemonade Diet. According to the Master Cleanse, you should follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days but no more than 40 days. It is important to note that during this portion of the diet you should either be using a laxative tea or salt water flush to help produce bowel movements and gently cleanse your GI tract.

Each morning, you should wake up and prepare your day's requirement of the lemonade. To do so, mix 14 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 14 tablespoons of real maple syrup, teaspoon (or as much as you like) of cayenne pepper with 2 liters of purified water. Take your mixture with you (along with a separate container of water) wherever you go. Whenever you feel hungry, take a good drink of the lemonade followed by water. This will help to control and reduce any hunger pangs.

The Ease-Out process is similar to the Ease-In process. On the first day, revert back to drinking freshly squeezed orange juice with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Day two, drink veggie and fruit juice. On day three, eat all of the vegetables and fruits that you want and on day four, you can revert to a regular diet.

After you are finished with the cleanse, it is important to make healthy food choices. Avoid emotional eating, drink plenty of water and focus on whole, fresh foods.

The Salt Water Flush

The salt water flush should be performed in the evening, when you are at home. Within 30 to 60 minutes, you will need to be close to a bathroom. Mix 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of sea salt with 1 liter of room temperature water. Mix well and drink the full amount. Once you've finished, you can proceed with your normal activities until you begin to feel some rumbling in your stomach. Because the sea salt solution is indigestible, you will be expelling it, along with any other solid matter in your GI tract. Expect to have several bowel movements over the course of the next hour or so. You should repeat this process over the next three to ten days.