Lemon Cleanse

Before starting the Lemon Cleanse Diet you need to introduce your body to a pre-diet habit for a few days. This will allow you to prepare yourself for less food consumption and begin the stages of an overall better diet. Below is a sample of a pre-diet meal plan (meats and processed foods should be eliminated and organic fruits and vegetables should be introduced)

Day 1–

Breakfast: Steel Cut Oatmeal with fresh fruit

Lunch: Fruit smoothie made with organic plain yogurt, berries, and a bit of honey (or maple syrup)

Dinner: Salad with roasted organic vegetables and goat cheese drizzled with organic olive oil

Dessert: Fresh Fruit

Day 2 –

Breakfast: Fruit and Veggie Smoothie (try berries, peaches, apples, and carrots)

Lunch – Fresh Orange Juice, a banana

Dinner- Grilled Vegetables (zucchini and eggplant are filling) with a blended fruit/veggie drink.

Day 3 and Beyond– You can begin the Lemon Cleanse Diet:

* 2 Tablespoons of organic lemon juice

* 2 Tablespoons of organic grade B maple syrup

* 1/10 Teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

* 10 oz of filtered water

That recipe is for a single serving of lemonade, and you should drink 6-12 servings a day. You can also make up a big batch by multiplying that recipe by however many servings you plan on drinking which is what I like to do. Just make sure you keep it refrigerated, and don't make more then one days supply because you want the lemonade to be as fresh as possible when you drink it.

You might be wondering about how the lemonade tastes. The cayenne pepper is a real concern for some people, but the lemonade is surprisingly tasty. The cayenne pepper gives the lemonade a nice kick.

What if you don't like spicy drinks? Here's a tip: Take two cayenne pepper capsules with each glass of lemonade instead of mixing the ground cayenne pepper into the drink. You can find cayenne pepper capsules at most health food and vitamin stores for around $5 a bottle.

If you find yourself hungry in between drinks, grab a big glass of water and drink that before giving in to food. I have heard that if you take a shot of lemon juice along with a glass of water that should subsides the hunger. Depending on how long you stay on the lemon cleanse diet (7 days is advisable), after day 3 it gets much easier.

At night you will want to may want to have some laxative tea or warm sea salt water to aid with the bowel movements. Just one cup preferable after dinner and a bit before bedtime is the most optimal time to do this.

This is the entire process. Just repeat for every day on the cleanse. 3 days is considered the shortest standard time-frame and 7 days is about average and should rid your body of a great number of toxins. During your Lemon Cleanse Diet you may also want to consider mild exercise and/or warm detoxification baths or steam saunas to help encourage your body to rid itself of impurities.

Once you have completed the detoxification diet, you don’t want to jump back into your old eating habits. Be conscious of what your body is telling you and start back slowly. Its best to start off with the fruit and veggie smoothies, juices, and soups. Gradually in the next few days, build up to a healthy diet which includes whole grains, dairy and lean meats or soy products, etc. Remember to continue drinking lots of water- this is very important.

*Please note that with every diet you consider participating in, it is advisable to seek the advice of a doctor prior to beginning to determine if this is something acceptable for you.