From Wikipedia:

• “The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemon Cleanse and the Maple Syrup Diet, is a dieting program created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941…The Master Cleanse claims to be a way to cleanse the body of toxins and remove the cravings associated with drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and eating junk food.The cleanse involves drinking only lemonade made from fresh lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, water and Cayenne pepper. No solid food is eaten for the entire cleanse.

  In 2006, the cleanse received media attention as a result of being embraced by some celebrities. The singer/actress Beyoncé did it for 14 days and lost 22 lb (9 kg) for her role in the 2006 movie Dreamgirls. Other celebrities include rapper Trina who did this liquid diet for 13 days and Howard Stern’s co-host Robin Quivers claims to have lost 73 lb using the Master Cleanse. Similarly, Jared Leto says he lost the weight he gained to play ‘Mark David Chapman’ (he gained 62 lb) all from the master cleanse.”

It has all the elements of a fad diet as it makes outrageous health claims, contains anecdotal evidence, and was supposedly used by celebrities as some sort of secret trick. It really just sounds like a gimmick to me (the exact kind of gimmick I want no part of in my quest to create a stable, healthy lifestyle). Of course, this is where the plot thickens.

My brother is a huge proponent of this cleanse. Having previously done it himself, he’s convinced that following the 10 day regimen will do wonders for my health, kick starting my metabolism and giving me a healthier lifestyle. For the last month he has been set on our setting the next 10 days aside to “cleanse”, and I’ve been really torn on whether I should try and participate. On one hand, I have my commitment to do this the right way. I set certain goals, and I’ve been meeting them without the aid of some diet fad. On the other hand I have the sincerest intentions of my brother, who absolutely believes this isn’t a gimmick at all.

In the end, my love and respect for my brother win. His concern for my health was one of the primary forces that led me to create this site to begin with. I reached out to my family for their help and support, and this is what Johnny brought to me. I owe it to him to set aside my skepticism and give it a shot.