Becoming a Healthy Eater
Start with a cleanse to make your body ready for healthier eating.
Jul 5, 2009
The Master Cleanse
Stanley Burroughs, the author of "The Master Cleanser," says that, "...cleansing is basic for the elimination of every kind of disease." There are many different products on the market for cleansing the body of toxins, just as there are many books on the subject. They all have a common goal and many follow common processes. The most popular cleanse, called The Master Cleanse, is also quite simple to follow. It uses only natural ingredients that can be found on any grocery store shelf and does not advocate the use of any pills, supplements, or other manufactured products. The diet itself can be found at this Website: Directions to The Master Cleanse.
Background of the Diet
According to Burroughs, the Master Cleanse was first introduced in the 1940s and has been used successfully since then to cleanse the body of toxins that naturally build up in the cells, organs, and intestines. He goes on to say that, in order to be complete, a system such as this needs to cover the entire field of human experience: physical, mental, and spiritual. In making a decision to undergo a Master Cleanse, one should take the time to explore the reasons for doing so. There are going to be physical changes to experience, including a complete change of diet for a period of time. One must be mentally prepared and ready to commit to the changes, not only through the initial cleansing process, but after as well.
Phase One: Easing into the Cleanse
The first step in the Master Cleanse is the easing in phase. It normally takes about three days. Day one is very simple and easy to do. Simply remove all meats and processed foods from the diet. Consume only fruits and vegetables. It is best to start the day with a cup of tea meant to preserve digestive health. Peppermint tea is a good choice. Eat raw, fresh fruits or fruits cooked with no added sugar, etc. Vegetables can be consumed cooked in water or eaten raw. Do not use any canned or frozen fruits or vegetables. The best way to do this is make a vegetable soup like the one in this article: How to Make Amazing Vegetable Soup. It does not matter how much is eaten, or how often, just as long as nothing but fruits, vegetables, and lots of water are eaten on this first day of Phase One.
The second and third days of Phase One are very simple. In order to prepare the body for a sustained liquid diet, it is important to consume only juices and or broths on days two and three. These juices can be made from fresh, whole fruits and vegetables using a juicer or cooked in water, creating a broth that is both nutritious and delicious. Day three is designed to introduce the body to the cleansing process. Fresh orange juice, with organic maple syrup added for caloric needs, is the only food consumed on day three. Start each day with a cup of the peppermint tea and end it with a cup of a laxative tea like Smooth Move, which can be found in most health food stores. Drink plenty of water along with the juices and broth.
Phase Two: the Lemonade Diet or the Actual Cleanse
This phase is the major element of the cleanse. It consists of up to 40 days (most people only do 5-10 days) of a diet consisting of fresh lemonade, organic maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Start each morning with a salt water flush, designed to flush out the toxins that the lemonade and cayenne pepper remove from the cells and organs. The lemonade is made with 4 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 4 tablespoons of organic maple syrup (for caloric needs) and a dash of cayenne pepper per one 20 ounce container. Use a container suitable for drinking out of. Add ice and water to full the container. During the course of each day on the lemonade diet, consume three of the 20 ounce bottles of lemonade. Whenever hunger is felt, drink some lemonade, followed by fresh water. Again, start and end each day with the peppermint and laxative teas. Continue the lemonade diet for as many days as can be tolerated, with a minimum of five and a maximum of 40.
Phase Three: Easing Out of the Master Cleanse
This is an important step in the Master Cleanse, not one that should be skipped. It is simple to follow as it is Phase One in reverse order. On the first day of Phase Three, consume only fresh orange juice with organic maple syrup, the two teas, and water. Do not do the salt water flush in Phase One or Three. On day two of Phase Three add vegetable and fruit juices or broth and on day three add in fresh vegetables and fruits. After Phase Three it is okay to start eating more normally, but remember to stay away from processed foods. It is important to follow the steps in Phase Three closely. Do not overeat or nausea will become a problem.
After the Cleanse
Now that the body is free of toxins, it is time to start fueling it with healthy, fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. Eating meat in moderation is OK for the non-vegetarians. Some have reported changing their diet to incorporate the principles of a vegetarian diet, however it is not necessary to become vegetarian after completing the Master Cleanse. It is important to be more aware of food choices and try to choose organic, fresh food whenever possible.
