The Master Cleanser: With Special Needs and Problems
by Stanley Burroughs
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Book Reviews of The Master Cleanser: With Special Needs and Problems
Book Review: A surefire way to cleanse and rejuvenate...give it a chance!
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently did the Master Cleanse fast. I was only able to stay on the fast for 6 days because of a number of commitments where I could not avoid eating or drinking, but I can say that even in that short time period I achieved significant benefits. I have long suffered from acid reflux and general stomach maladies, and the cleanse helped a great deal in relieving my symptoms and generally cleaning things out. I could have easily stayed on the cleanse four more days. A word about this book - it is not particularly well-written, detailed, or scientific. Burroughs is a natural healer and the book does not read like a medical journal. While I think it is essential to read this text and understand the foundation for the Master Cleanser, I found the abundant materials available online to be much more useful (just search for "master cleanser").
I agree with other reviewers that recommend reading the Yahoo! discussion group mastercleanse - you can learn a lot from the experiences of others (such as the fact that EVERYONE has a hard time the first few days, and that is normal and will pass). I happen to find the lemonade delicious, and as many others have noted, I missed the experience of eating, but my stomach did not want for food. The second day was the hardest for me, as I saw way too many advertisements for food and drinks, but once you push through that hump, things get MUCH easier - you will not even miss the food. I lost about 6 pounds, which have not come back 1 month later. I did not consider myself overweight before the fast, and I believe that the more weight you have to lose, the greater your results will be if you are faithful to healthy eating once you end the fast.
I am a firm believer in natural healing, and believe that this cleanse as well as other types of healthy fasts (juice, etc) can yield great benefits. We inundate our bodies with toxins on a daily basis - give yourself a chance to heal. Try the Master Cleanse - you will be amazed at how much better you feel. Just the discipline you gain over your habits is truly remarkable.
Book Review: Revolutionary Healing begins here!
Summary: 5 Stars
==PERSONAL ADVICE===
I have found that the best time to start a cleanse or any health/life enhancing practice is with a changing season. If at all possible, try to coincide your cleanse with a transition in seasons; you will most likely find that your body takes to it better.
==ON TO THE REVIEW==
I first heard about the Master Cleanse from my cousin, who is a chiropractor, back when I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (A digestive disorder) in the mid 1990s. I was in high school at the time, and realized there was no way I would be able to make this cleanse work for me at that time. I put it out of my mind, and instead placed myself on a food-restrictive diet (no meat, reduced consumption of processed/preservative-rich foods). The restrictive diet was helpful, but it never really was enough to keep my disease in check. I was recently reintroduced to the idea of cleansing from a health-conscious friend of mine when the illness flared up last winter.
She lent me her copy of Peter Glickman's simplified version of Burroughs' cleanse program, and I read the book cover to cover. After reading all of the credit Peter Glickman gave to Burroughs, I was compelled to buy the original book: Burrough's Master Cleanser, and I'm glad I did. What Burroughs outlines here is not so much of a diet, but a cleansing fast. The methods are simple, but challenging at first, and the rewards are great to those who stick with it.
I completed a 10 day fast in February of 2006 with my then girlfriend, shed some excess weight, but most of all, restored my energy and put my ailment in check without any further use of medication. I plan to continue the trend of a February/March cleanse each year, and will likely vary from 10-20 day periods.
The bottom line: If you want to try a challenging but rewarding approach to better health, read this book; you can probably find a copy at most libraries...and if you plan on fasting more than once in your lifetime, I recommend buying the book for your personal collection.
Book Review: Stay With It - It Works!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a total foodie and had put on considerable weight. I believed this was what my body was craving and had read from other sources that fasting was very healing and good to give our digestive system a break. I regret that I was only able to stay on this program for 6 days which was really quite amazing for me still. I only broke the fast because I had cravings to "chew" something -- not because I was actually hungry. In fact, I was shocked that I was not hungry at all especially since I'm the kind of person who is planning my next meal while still eating one. I felt very positive during these 6 days because I knew I was doing something healthy for myself for a change. My skin glowed and I had incredible energy and felt wonderful. I'd been polluting my body for so long (smoking, drinking, junk food) that it kind of felt like it was thanking me. About the 3rd or 4th day, I did go through a serious detox where I pretty much shut down and had to nap for several hours (good to plan these days on a weekend) but I knew what was happening and welcomed it. I had also been smoking for 3 years and knew the detox was partly the nicotene detoxing from my system. Awesome! After just 6 days -- my cravings for cigarettes were totally gone! I plan to do this again and make it through the full 10 days. The lemon drink was very satisfying in that it kept me from being hungry and even the salt water flush was no big deal at all like I had read. I mean, it just takes a minute to drink it and it's just salt water. I guess the most important thing to say is, I could really tell my body was responding to this in a positive way. Every morning I would get up and my skin was glowing and looking younger than it had in years. My tongue showed the results of a detox (yuck!) so I knew it was working just as I had read. Do your body a favor and try this and be really committed. It's like turning back time and hopefully in the long run, leading you to better eating habits and preventing disease. Good luck!Book Review: At $6.50, the only thing you can lose is your extra weight
Summary: 5 Stars
The Fast
I have had overwhelmingly positive results with the Master Cleanser. I've done it three times and each time I lost between ten to fifteen pounds. While one never knows for certain, it seems to efficiently detox my body. While I always miss the ritual of eating, I have never been hungry on the diet. I feel great during most of the fasts. I do the salt cleanse portion on days when I know that a toilet will be nearby. I highly recommend the Lemonade Diet (as it is also known) to anybody looking to lose weight. Since the books are so inexpensive, I keep extra copies to hand out to anybody who expresses interest. Despite my experiences, I know just as many people who couldn't do the diet as those who swear by it. For some reason, the Master Cleanser just doesn't work with everybody. Given my involvement, I'm at a loss to explain why it doesn't work for some folks. The only way that you can know if it's right for you is by actually doing the fast.
The Book
Since the actual recipe can be found online, the potential faster has to wonder if it is worth purchasing the book. I highly recommend the book. The first time I did the fast, it was an unsettling experience into an internal frontier. Stanley Burroughs explained the diet in a way that ensured comfort and affirmation that I was doing the right thing and not going to harm myself. After all, the practice of drinking nothing but lemonade with maple syrup and cayenne pepper fails the common sense test. The booklet is short and easy to read. It contains a good deal of background information and general data on nutrition. While most of this does not directly apply to the fast, it is interesting. Some of the content is clearly outdated, but don't let that scare you away, the Master Cleanser does work. The Amazon reviews were a significant inspiration for me to do the cleanse, so I'm happy to share my experience with other potential fasters.
Book Review: For those complaining of pain, cankers, headaches, dizziness
Summary: 5 Stars
I've read a number of reviews here where a person starts on this cleanse, but then stops after a few days because of all the sudden "pains, aches, canker sores, dizziness, pimples, feeling horrible" etc. It IS important to listen to your body, but at the same time...this is a CLEANSING DIET. All the source material about detoxing that I've ever come across makes the point that all such "pain and discomfort" is generally a result of the detox, and is a sign that your body is getting rid of GUNK! The gunk in your cells, tissues, all through your body...it doesn't JUST come out the potty end. If you're suddenly feeling pretty bad a few days into this intense cleanse, that's a very good sign that not only is it working, but that you NEED it. It's no fun to go through the process of releasing toxins, but at the same time, if you can get through it, you will burst onto a whole new level of wellness. If you think about it, rewards often come through a certain level of "trouble", whether it's spending weeks in the library studying a subject to gain knowledge or running 3 blocks to catch the last train. You've got to "get through it" to get the reward. My main point here is: this detox diet is not "bad" because it causes painful (and initial) side effects. That's a sign that it is working to clean out your body. As a small second note, it amuses me to read the reviews here that rail against the "dangers" of not getting a full daily dose of every vitamin, mineral, etc. during the fast. The average American diet is cheesburgers, fries, coke, and meat-lovers pizzas. This diet seems like a very benign "danger" next to a lifetime of fettucine alfredo!
Fasting isn't for everyone, but if you choose to, you should understand what fasting will do for you, and how.