With the increasing fame of The Master Cleanse (Hollywood’s celebrity colon cleanse of choice at the moment), a lot of women are wondering if they should consider clearing out their own bowels. They’re rushing to the store and filling their carts with lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper (the three ingredients in the cleanse) in the hopes that they too can find happiness in this concoction.
The question becomes: Is The Master Cleanse really the ticket to true and final weight loss? Is it something you should consider? Will it take care of all that ails you and your body, like many of its users proclaim?
Let’s take a look at it and see.
What It Is
The Master Cleanse, also called the “Lemonade Diet”, is touted by famous celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyonce. They also have a quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer on their website boasting about its positive effects. So, what exactly is it?
It is essentially a 10-day juice fast that, according to their website, “provides a healthy amount of calories and nutrients specifically suited for weight loss and cleansing, while resting the digestive system and allowing the body to heal naturally.” It involves mixing a blend of two tablespoons of juice squeezed fresh from a lemon, two tablespoons maple syrup and one-tenth a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder with 8 ounces of pure water and drinking 6-12 glasses of this throughout the day.
They also want you to take a laxative tea before bed and begin the first or second day with a “Salt Water Flush”. This is yet another mixture of two teaspoons of non-iodized sea salt and one quart of warm water that is designed to get you to go to the bathroom 3-7 times. (However, they warn that it is difficult to get down so you may want to chug it so you don’t throw it right back up.)
You can either do their 3-day “Ease-In” which allows you to slowly eliminate foods from your diet, or you can just jump right in and start the cleanse. They also have a 3-day “Ease-Out” option as well to get your body used to consuming real food again.
Still interested in the process and think it could be for you? First, you’re going to want to know what some health experts think so you can make an informed, intelligent decision.
From the Health Experts
Although The Master Cleanse has just recently come into the public eye, this cleanse has been around for more than 50 years. So, a lot of professionals in the field have had ample time to weigh in (no pun intended) as to what they think of following this fast.
Trusted sites like WebMD warn against it calling it “dangerous to your health”. They go on to say that, “Nutritionists point out that the Master Cleanse Diet plan is lacking in all the essential nutrients: calories, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat.”
They admit that you’ll lose weight when you follow the plan, but only because your caloric intake is so low – around 650 calories a day. Also, when you cleanse your colon in this manner, you get rid of the good bacteria that is actually healthy for your body, right along with the bad, which isn’t a desirable consequence.
U.S. News Health agrees. They state that, “If you’re healthy, trying Master Cleanse once probably won’t hurt you.” However, they also warn you could be setting yourself up for future health issues, such as vitamin and mineral deficiencies, a poor immune response and potentially even heart and kidney complications.
Okay, so a lot of professionals aren’t real proponents of The Master Cleanse, but what do those who’ve tried it think? What are the results they got and are they for or against it?
From Those Who’ve Tried It
In a post published on Vogue’s website, Jeffrey Steingarten writes an amusing story about his experience with this famous diet and cleanse. He is rather frank about the fact that it had its positives and negatives.
On the bright side, his skin was clearer than ever (even causing a red blotch that he’d had for quite some time to disappear), he had great sense of taste and smell, and he now requires less salt in his meals. However, some of the negatives included regaining most all of the weight he lost (after only three days), headaches, inability to concentrate and trouble functioning in general.
But, he did point out that his wife was still doing it and was experiencing great results. Also, he admitted that perhaps he cheated every now and again which may have had some effect on his overall success (or lack thereof).
Other people report mixed results as well. A lot of them refer to the increased energy that they feel, but most say it is only initially. After just a couple of days with no food they felt weak and lethargic. (Apparently it can also cause your tongue to turn white as that seems to be a common side effect.)
Of course, those who stayed on the cleanse as directed lost a decent amount of weight. But, a lot of people reported gaining it all right back. They voiced their frustration at enduring ten days of drinking the juice only to have to return to square one. Some of them even gained back more than they lost.
There was also the abdominal discomfort that a lot of them experienced due to the continuous bathroom breaks. It made them feel lighter, but it also made them irritable and moody.
Putting It Altogether
There are some positive attributes to The Master Cleanse and a whole lot of negative. Most reviewers reported both, although there are still some proponents who swear that it was all good.
If you’re still considering it, it’s always good to get your doctor’s clearance first just to make sure you aren’t going to cause more harm than good. And, listen to your body. If you try it and something doesn’t feel right, maybe you should reconsider.
So, there you have it. It’s now up to you as the choice is yours.
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