Here’s 3 easy steps to successfully finishing the Master Cleanse from a newsletter subscriber…

1. Make sure you follow the recipe when you make the lemonade

There’s only a few ingredients but it’s important that you get it right if you want the cleanse to work as advertised. Here the Master Cleanse recipe in case you’re not familiar with it http://mastercleansesecrets.com/step3.php

Get all the ingredients you will need including the “sea” salt and make sure you will not run out. The lemonade contains pure grade B maple syrup, which gives you energy. Though, I do make my lemonade with a bit less syrup than called for. I don’t like my juice too sweet tasting. For example I may use 14 – 16 Tblsp lemon juice (more lemon because I prefer it that way) with about 8-10 Tblsp of syrup…a little tart. Don’t forget the cayenne pepper! – you must have this in your lemonade in order for the toxins in your body to be stirred, then preparing you for elimination. Put the amount called for in your pitcher or in your cup as you drink (if you add the cayenne in to your pitcher, stir juice well before pouring to mix it around)

2. Make a days worth of lemonade ahead of time

When starting the cleanse/diet, I make a gallon of the lemonade so I have enough for most of the day – usually making a second pitcher later in the day to get through the evening. Have plenty of lemons and maple syrup (and of course, cayenne pepper) on hand.

I drink 1-2 cups before starting my day – I like it heated like tea in the morning. Then, I usually drink it at room temp. For me it tastes better than cold (go by what you like). I do not drink other liquids except water – my mother used to have a cup of black coffee in the morning, then started her juice and it didn’t seem to bother her results, just make sure you don’t add any cream.

Go on to work or on about your day, but make sure you bring your juice with you. I carry it in a large thermos, bottle, or pitcher. Make sure you have enough along for the length of time you will be away from home. Not enough juice and you may feel weak, light-headed, even sick to your stomach.

Besides a couple of cups in the am, I try to drink at least 1 cup of juice every 2 hours (for energy) during the day, drink extra at lunchtime, take it in the car, take it to the kid’s game, or leave in the car when shopping, drink at my desk when working, etc. My mom always said drink a little less (6 cups) for more weight loss, but I know that drinking too little juice will result in a bad feeling (headache, etc), I could never do that.

I recommend drinking at least 8 – 12 cups per day. A headache may come on within your first 2-3 days, no matter how much you drink, and it may stay with you for a few days – this is not abnormal – your body has toxins being stirred up that need to be eliminated . After day 3 or 4, I usually feel light, clear-headed, and not hungry. . . rather blissful! At this point it’s easier to continue for a week or however long I wish to stay on.

I’m hungriest on day 2 & 3 and need to drink more juice to get thru the hunger pains! Stanley B. recommended doing the Master Cleanse for 7 days, 14 day, 21 days, or 30 days. Of course the longer time was for people with more medical issues. I feel that even 3-4 days is long enough to cleanse your colon and intestines and feel better. I generally stay on for 7 days, and have gone as long as 21 days. Of course, this is with elimination by way of salt water cleanse every morning, after the first day of drinking the lemonade.

3. Understand how your body will respond to laxatives

Last but not least important, is elimination! After drinking the lemonade on day 1, you must (in my opinion) drink the laxative tea or do the sea salt water cleanse.

If you do not, toxins are building up in your system. I did not have good results from the laxative tea and did not eliminate enough, so I used the sea salt water cleanse. Each person may differ on the results.

Do one or the other and they say if you use the laxative tea (senna is the best), drink it at night and first thing in the am. You may not eliminate enough if only drinking once. Personally, I had good results with drinking the sea salt water first thing in the am. I drink 4 cups of lukewarm water, with 1/4 tsp sea salt in each cup. It may take 15 – 20 minutes to get this down, drinking too quickly may make you gag – they say you can add some lemon juice or soy sauce to make it more tolerable. I don’t but again depends on how you tolerate.

Get up extra early, allowing at least 1-1/2 hours for drinking salt water or tea and elimination time. They say to lay down on your right side for 30 min. for the salt water to flush your small intestine, then get up and stay close to the bathroom. I usually didn’t lay down and it still worked fine, but it may be a good idea.

Don’t be surprised if you eliminate 3-4 times and after the first time, it may come out as water. Once you can walk around, get ready for the day, with 30 minutes and no bowel movement you are probably cleansed out for the day and can leave for work, etc.

As the days go by, you will notice the color becoming lighter, as you are cleansing out. DO NOT MISS A DAY OF ELIMINATION! If you miss this process in the am, you may not feel good, and in my opinion, all these toxins stirred up by the cayenne, need to come out.

Hope you have good results and feel as great as I do when on this program. if you should have any symptoms you’re not sure about, they merit checking with your doctor. It may be best to stop the cleanse and check it out.

Be smart about this. Read about coming off the lemonade Master Cleanse . . . don’t start out with a steak – you’ll be sorry! I do juices and soup broth, then soft cooked veggies, soup, applesauce.

Watch out for yourself after the cleanse – make it a point to add more healthy veggies and fruits (less processed foods, less cheese, dairy, desserts, and red meats). You can gain the weight back with unhealthy choices. I used the MC every 3 months for cleansing out and enjoyed the overall good feeling it promoted. Haven’t done for a few years, but just about to start today… and happened on this blog.

Good health to you!!