Lemonade Diet Detox

When Stanley Burroughs originally developed "The Master Cleanse," popularly known as "the lemonade diet detox," making lemonade and green tea the main ingredients made perfect economic and biochemical sense. Among the citrus fruits, all of which contain high concentrations of vitamins and essential nutrients, the lemon costs the least and lasts the longest. Its flavor naturally complements the green tea, maple syrup and cayenne. Lemon has the most potent anti-oxidants and the lowest glycemic index among members of the citrus family, so that it works efficiently and effectively against free radicals, introducing very little sugar into the lemonade diet detoxer's system.
In the lemonade detoxification diet, each ingredient in the powerful master cleanser mix performs a vital homeopathic function; and cayenne pepper, packed with its own medicinal powers, also acts as a catalyst for all the other ingredients. The "Master Cleanse" adjusts the body's major organs and systems, restoring their optimal function and preparing them for long-term dietary change. Burroughs advocated that people "fast" for between ten and forty days and then dedicate themselves to a healthy diet rich in most of the same cleansing and nourishing agents they just experienced in the program. Like all naturopaths and homeopaths, Burroughs believed that people should eat only food products which look the same passing their lips as they look when they come from the ground; and, although he did not strictly advocate what today we call "veganism," he endorsed only fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Burroughs very strongly cautioned against animal products, including dairy, and yeasts. Yogurt marked the one salient exception to the no-dairy caution.
Because Burroughs obviously did not enjoy the luxury of a well-stocked juice bar, he went with by far the best expedients. You, however, do have a well-stocked juice aisle, and you have the privilege of finding organically grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes all year round. Your "lemonade detox diet" need not depend on lemons and syrup. You can garner all the same cleansing and nourishing benefits of Burroughs's original recipe and diet plan with really good-tasting and relatively inexpensive alternatives. Some nutritionists argue you get more anti-oxidant benefit and contribute to urinary health if you substitute cranberry juice-and its infinite combinations-for lemonade. They also argue that substituting or adding fresh red peppers to your steady diet of cayenne-flavored dishes and drinks will add a wealth of nutrients the spice alone cannot deliver.
Two issues always emerge in discussions of a lemonade cleanse: First, people fiercely argue their several stands on the question, "What about dairy?" And devoted carnivores routinely wonder and plead, "What about meat? Please, please, please, what about meat?"
Answering the first question, remember the one prominent exception to dairy prohibition-yogurt. Rich with digestion-enhancing cultures, and generally delicious enough to satisfy even the most desperate craving for something creamy-smooth, yogurt counts among your very best food friends as you stick with your cleansing diet. Some nutritionists also will make exceptions for carefully selected cheeses, because they note that people following excessively strict detoxification regimes often do not get enough proteins; some reduced-fat cheeses can make-up the deficiencies, adding flavor and texture to lots of cleansing recipes.
A strict lemonade cleansing diet also can deprive dieters of essential omega-3 fatty acids. Whereas nutritionists and naturopaths generally recommend soy products and "veggie burgers" to satisfy intense carnivorous cravings, many will allow carefully selected fish filets-broiled and liberally lemoned and cayenned-as often as twice per week. Do your homework before you venture bravely among Neptune's buddies, because many fish contain heavy concentrations of mercury and other water-borne contaminants. And under no circumstances, no matter how desperately your taste buds yearn for their rich-and-chewy flavors, should you visit the crustaceans. Remember simply that nutritionists describe lobster as "cockroach of the sea"; the phrase should put the damper on the craving.