Question from B.N. and his office staff: Martha, what do you think about the Master Cleanse Diet? Our office staff is thinking of trying it. Do you think it is a good plan to try?

Answer from Martha: I have had several inquiries in the past few weeks regarding my opinion of the Master Cleanse diet.

First, a little background info on Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse detox diet, also known as the Lemonade Diet was originally created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. It has been made more popular lately by Peter Glickman in his  book Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days.  The reported purpose of Master Cleanse is to eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body, however many people (including Beyonce, Robin Quivers from the Howard Stern show) have used it for weight loss. The diet is recommended for a minimum of ten days, although it is not uncommon for people to stay on the cleanse for longer periods of time

What does it consist of?
The Master Cleanse involves eating no solid food. Instead, you drink up to 10 daily glasses of the following ingredients:
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp maple syrup
a small amount (~ 1/10th teaspoon) of Cayenne pepper.
1 cup water (or to taste)
This mix can be taken cold or hot, as a tea. In addition, you may take a laxative tea at night and luke warm salt water in the morning. This passes through the digestive system rapidly - in about 30- 60 minutes. Fasters who drink 6 glasses a day are likely consuming ~ 650 calories a day.

Possible “Cons” to Master Cleanse
1. This diet, along with other fasts, is deficient in most all nutrients including protein, fat, and all vitamins and minerals.
2. Chances are that if you follow this diet for more than a few days, you will feel weak, lightheaded, get a headache and experience overall poor energy levels.
3. Contraindicated in certain medical conditions such as hypoglycemia and diabetes (if on insulin).
4. If weight is lost while on this fast (which probably will occur as you are only consuming ~ 600-700 calories a day!), it will likely will be regained as much of the weight loss will be from water. In addition, fasts and other strict diets often lead to binging once the diet is stopped.
5. It will put a crimp in your social life…no more dinners and drinks out with friends while on this fast.
6. Plan on spending lots of time near the bathroom as this diet is likely to cause excessive urination and liquid bowel movements.

Possible “Pros” to Master Cleanse
Hmmm…. Had to think long and hard about this one.
1. Some people say they feel healthier after fasting. If you do a search on the web, you will find a lot of testimonials (look in chat rooms as well). Supporters of the Master Cleanse have credited it with helping them lose weight, increase energy, and even alleviate some chronic diseases.
2. Does not require you to plan meals as it is simple and mindless to follow.
3. While I do not recommend fasting for more than a few days, it could help you get rid of some bloat to fit into an outfit for a special occasion.

What the experts say about Master Cleanse
Most experts caution against extended fasting. While there is no harm in fasting short term for the average healthy person, there are no proven benefits. There is no scientific evidence that these types of fasts “cleanse” the body. While it is possible that our bodies hold on to toxins, (i.e. mercury from eating too much tuna), there is no proof that the ingredients in this fast will rid the body of toxins. Our organ systems such as the liver, spleen, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys have a natural way of getting rid of toxins. In addition, most experts recommend limiting toxins such as excessive alcohol and acetaminophen.

My opinion on Master Cleanse
As I stated above, there is no evidence that these fasts actually detox the body (it sounds good though!). I would recommend that you do your own natural “detox” by drinking a lot of water, limiting alcohol, eating adequate amounts of fiber found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and limiting processed foods.

However, if you still have your heart set in doing Master Cleanse, try not to do it for more than a few days. If you don’t feel well on it, stop!  And keep in mind that if you are doing it for weight loss, the majority of weight that you lose will likely be regained. I have seen this happen numerous times with my clients! Forget what the testimonials say.  The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to make permanent changes in your eating and exercise behaviors.

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