Every year it seems a new fad diet emerges in the ongoing battle against rising obesity rates. From Atkins to South Beach, everybody who's anybody jumps on the bandwagon-throw in a celebrity or two, and the trend becomes a craze. The next regiment in line for celebrity diet-dom is known as the Master Cleanse. Superstar Beyoncé's 10-day master cleanse successfully shoved the idea of using the traditional detox as a diet into the limelight, revolutionizing the way people approached the process.
The Master Cleanse, created over 60 years ago by natural healer Stanley Burroughs, is a simple and straight-forward fasting program with a few specific requirements. For a minimum of 10 days (but up to 40 for the overly zealous) you drink nothing but fresh lemon or lime juice mixed with Grade B maple syrup, cayenne pepper and distilled water. If this concoction does not sound quite "cleansing" enough, there is the traditional salt water flush-no imagination needed-after which there is little doubt the body will be 100 percent toxin-free.
Clinic director and entrepreneur Peter Glickman's recent bestselling book Lose Weight, Have More Energy & Be Happier in 10 Days is entirely devoted to the Master Cleanse and its detoxifying powers.
"The body accumulates toxins from three different sources: external (Mercury, Lead, DDT), artificial sweeteners and normal digestion," Glickman said, adding that uric acid, usually from meat and dairy products, is an especially difficult toxin to eliminate. "People misunderstand toxins, they either think they kill you or leave you alone."
According to Glickman, the vast majority of toxins make you tired, miserable and contribute to annoyances such as headaches and rashes. These relatively minor disturbances are often passed off as byproducts of everyday factors such as lifestyle or stress level while they may actually be attributable to a much more obscure event.
The buildup of toxins in the body mostly occurs in the fat cells. During the detoxification process, toxins abandon fat cells as they are expelled from the body. Since the fat cells are no longer needed as storage, they are also disposed of during the process. Although the Master Cleanse is often criticized for extreme weight loss in a short amount of time, supporters cite the above reasoning as proof that the Cleanse is a completely healthy way to lose weight quickly. However, they also emphasize that weight loss should not be the motivation behind participating. Instead, the focus should lie on the health benefits, including releasing of pressure in arteries and blood vessels and the complete expulsion of toxins.
The Master Cleanse also claims emotional benefits as part of its extensive repertoire of rewards. Users cite greatly increased energy levels, lower stress and better memory, all in addition to an overall sense of mental clarity and calm. Furthermore, the diet claims to help break unhealthy eating habits including high-fat food cravings.
Nevertheless, Glickman acknowledges how the recent publicity has changed the base motive for many people.
"Before Beyoncé, approximately 70 percent of Master Cleanse dieters did it for detoxification purposes. Now, I would say that number has dropped to 50-55 percent with the second largest group doing it purely for weight loss."
Junior Stacey Blase used the Master Cleanse this summer to recharge and revitalize for the stressful fall semester. Although she struggled for the first day, she said she gained plenty of energy. For Blase the weight loss was the one glaring negative.
"I lost too much weight too quickly, so I stopped before the ten days were up," Blase said.
Glickman accredits not willpower but knowledge as the key to success on the diet.
"[Users] need to understand which days are the worst and learn to appreciate the detox symptoms. If a person knows when the worse days are, they can make it through."
He said lack of education and understanding of the diet is why most people last a max of eight days. Glickman's book and website (www.themastercleanse.com) offer sources of support and knowledge necessary for anyone undertaking the diet.
Regardless of the positive acclaim, the Master Cleanse raises a slew of questions about possible detriments to overall health and nutrition. Many Cleanse practicioners experience cravings, tiredness and irritability as well as physical aches, nausea and vomiting while on the diet. Of course the latter, more distressing side effects only occur when an individual is, according to Glickman, "severely toxic" and appear to dissipate in a day or two.
Contrary to Glickman's explanation, most dieticians attribute such side affects to factors such as change in eating patterns, low blood sugar or simply the lack of consuming anything with nutritional merit. Furthermore, some experts question the need for such a drastic cleansing ritual.
"There are no specific foods that help us remove toxins from our bodies. Moreover, the liver is very effective at breaking down toxins," wrote -----Lisa Miles, nutrition scientist for The British Nutrition Foundation, in an e-mail.
Duke dietician Franca Alphin supports a lifestyle change in eating habits over a quick and drastic fix.
"The reality is eating a diet high in fiber and fruits and vegetables is better than any detox diet," Alphin said. "Your body has unique mechanisms to deal with what we eat, we don't need to detox it."
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