My Fasting - The MASTER CLEANSE - Redux

Twice a year I fast for 10 days. It's a way to cleanse my body and bring it to balance again after all the WINTER and SUMMER indulgences! I have been doing this particular cleanse for 5 years now and I love the way it makes me feel. If you would like to know about it, here is a more concise version of my previous Master Cleanse post (for those of you who, like me, are a little A.D.D. )

My Fasting of Choice: The Master Cleanse

What is the Master Cleanse?

The Master Cleanse is a body and mind detoxification program created by alternative medicine performer Stanley Burroughs in 1941. Burroughs states that “this fasting is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins like pesticides, hormones, prescription drugs, chemical fertilizers, heavy metals and congestion that have built up in the body.”

What are the benefits of this cleanse?

Break unhealthy habits.


Cleanse your body of years of built up waste.



Give you a major energy boost.



Increase mental clarity and focus.



Make you look younger.



Strengthen your immune system.

­Give you more strength and stamina.



Relieve aches and pains.

Help fight insomnia.


Cleanse the kidneys and digestive system.

Purify the glands and cells throughout the entire body.

Eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.

Relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels

Build a healthy blood system.

Keep your youth and elasticity regardless of your years.


Even revitalize your sex life.

The lemonade fasting gives your body a much needed rest. By only consuming the lemonade, your body can take a break from the usual digesting, assimilating and breaking down food, detoxing, filtering, and other activities it endures when you are eating your normal diet.

This allows your body to turn its attention on the internal impurities, and work at getting rid of them which in the 10 days on the lemonade diet, it will.

Main Ingredients:

Pure Filtered Water

Grade B Organic Maple Syrup

Organic Cayenne Pepper

Organic Lemons

Sea salt - Unrefined, (Not iodized)

It’s important that you use the exact mentioned products! Don’t make any substitutions.

The Master Cleanse Recipe

The Master Cleanse works just how it sounds; you consume primarily lemonade for the entire time you’re fasting. The recipes for the diet itself are fairly simple. You should drink a minimum of 60 oz (6 to 12 cups) of lemonade a day, but you can drink more if you like. You can also drink as much water as you want.

Below are two different recipes. The first is for a single serving of the master cleanse lemonade. The second will make 6 servings

#1 (single serving):

2 Tablespoons of organic lemon Juice (about 1/2 a Lemon)

2 Tablespoons of Organic grade B maple syrup

about 1/10 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder

10 oz (1.25 cups or 300ml) of filtered or spring water

#2 (daily serving):

60 oz. (about 8 cups) of filtered or spring water

12 Tablespoons of organic grade B maple syrup

12 Tablespoons of organic lemon juice

about 1/2 Teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

There are a couple important things to remember when preparing the lemonade. For one, the lemon juice used must be fresh squeezed. This cannot be emphasized enough. Canned juice won’t work and will erase most of the benefits of using the master cleanser diet.

Also, the maple syrup must be grade B maple syrup, not grade A nor the sugar filled syrup that is used at the breakfast table.

The cayenne pepper might seem unnecessary, but it is actually very important. Not only does it help to add a bit of a kick, but the pepper helps to break up mucus and increases healthy blood flow. It also is a good source of B and C vitamins, commonly referred to as Super Vitamins due to their many benefits for the body. I recommend adding the cayenne pepper right before drinking the juice. The longer it soaks up the liquid, the spicier it gets.

While you are doing the fasting you can drink Herbal teas. Just make sure it’s decaffeinated tea because caffeine can restrict blood vessels and we want to keep your body passages as open as possible.

Flush Out Your System, a very important part of this cleanse

Every morning, on an empty stomach, you will be drinking 2 level teaspoons of unrefined non-iodized sea salt mixed with 32oz (a quart) of water to flush out your system. This is the method for cleaning the colonic tract. I’ve found it easier to drink the water at LUKE WARM temperature.

The salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood, hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood can not pick the salt.

I advise that you give yourself at least an hour before you go out when you do this. The salt water flush will work fast, and you will discover why you should probably be at home near a bathroom when you use them.

You will go to the bathroom a few times and then it will stop and you can get on with your day.

Ps: You will be surprised to find that even after many days without any solid food, you will still be going number 2! Can you just imagine what has been stuck inside of you? Yeah, let’s get rid of all that junk!

Exiting the Master Cleanse

The first day of ending the diet is when you should still only consume liquids. Start drinking a lot of orange juice and water. (Fresh orange juice please! Stay away from Tropicana and the like!) Drink slowly and let it settle. Orange juice is good for helping the body to adjust back to digesting regular food. More water never hurt anybody, so drink plenty.

On the second day, continue drinking orange juice and lots of water. Now you can add in light soups to the diet plan. It is best to use vegetable soup as this is healthy and very light. (no canned soup please!)

On day three you can add in fruits, vegetables, and salad. These foods are still easy on the stomach and very healthy.

For the next couple days follow this sort of plan and ease yourself back into a normal diet. Don’t rush it; let your stomach calibrate itself. Also, avoid meats and milk for a while.

Here are some frequently asked questions about The Master Cleanse:

Will I feel hungry?

The lemonade is a complete balance of minerals and vitamins, plus it is a true ‘appetite suppressant’. You should not feel hungry, but if you do, take a sip of your juice and your hunger should subside. (during the fasting I usually keep a thermo with lemonade for when I feel hungry)

How many days should I follow the diet?

It is suggested that your follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days.

Does the diet supply the nutrients necessary for the body?

Yes, the lemons provide the richest source of minerals and vitamins of any food. Maple has a large variety of minerals and vitamins, and the Cayenne pepper adds many of the B and C Vitamins. This lemonade is food in liquid form.

Can I exercise during the cleansing?

Absolutely! You will feel very energised, specially after the 3^rd day. I personally exercise 5 tp 6 times a week when I am doing the cleanse. Believe-me, if you are doing the cleanse correctly, you will feel very powerful!

Will my sleep be affected?

Yes! You will sleep like a baby!

How much weight will I lose?

That varies from person to person. I never lost more than 5lb (2-3Kgs) when doing the cleanse but I have friends that have lost 10 to 14lb (5-6Kgs). Basically, the more weight you have to lose the more you will lose.

Please feel free to leave me a comment with any questions you might have. I do love the way this fast makes me feel and will be glad to share any information that I have about it.

Here's a link to Stanley Burrough's book - I think it is a good idea to read it. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Cleanser-Stanley-Burroughs/dp/0963926209