When Beyonce needed to shed 20 pounds quickly for her role in Dream Girls, she adopted a diet which eventually became known by her name. Beyonce's diet is actually Stanley Burrough's detoxifying diet, known as the Master Cleanse which has been around since its inception in the 1930s.http://www.blackvoices.com/black_lifestyle/health_headlines_features_advice/canvas/feature_article/_a/beyonces-breakthrough-diet/20060731143809990001 The diet earned the alias of Beyonce's Diet after the singing star shed the pounds for the movie.

The Beyonce Diet is also known as the Master Cleanse, the Lemonade Diet, the Lemon Cleanse and the Maple Syrup Diet. Promoted as a cleanse or detox program, it requires a 10-day cleanse that has dieters consume a lemon drink between six and ten times daily. If you are interested in learning more, continue reading about the Beyonce Diet and how to use it for weight loss.

The diet itself lasts ten days, although according to Burroughs, a person can safely continue it for up to 40. During the ten days of the diet, you are required to drink a saltwater flush each morning and a laxative tea before going to bed, as well as 6-12 glasses of the lemon recipe drink.

The Beyonce Diet is more widely know as the Master Cleanse, the Lemonade Diet, the Maple Syrup Diet or the Lemon Cleanse, and is based upon The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs. The book was written in the 1950s and documented Burrough's detoxifying program, which was originally designed to help heal one of his patient's of an ulcer. Although it is often called a diet, Burrough's himself referred to it as a detox, fast or cleanse, making the following points about the program's intentions:

• 1. Meant to eliminate all diseases
  2. Intended to be a detox and reduction, not a diet
  3. Supposed to permanently change a person's eating habits

Burrough's main idea was that over the course of ten days the body would begin to heal itself and eradicate disease because it no longer had to concentrate energy towards digestion.

Many doctors do not believe that internal cleansing is healthy, as the body has its own detoxifying mechanisms in place. In addition, many view the Master Cleanse as a dangerous weight loss plan that can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients.http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-lemonade-diet-master-cleanse-diet

First you need to understand all that the diet requires, in order to decide if it is right for you. Keep in mind that the intense physical stress is not the only repercussion to consider, but also the emotional implications that may arise from not being able to consume any solid food for ten straight days. All dieters consume for the duration of the diet is the saltwater flush each morning, between 6 and 12 glasses of lemonade drink throughout the day, and a laxative tea immediately before bed. There are several important questions to ask yourself before beginning the diet:

• 1. What are the immediate risks?
  2. What are the long-term risks?
  3. Do I have at least 13 days to commit to the diet?

Once you have decided the Beyonce Diet is for you, it is time to get prepared. You'll need to go to the store, preferably a natural market, and obtain the ingredients for both the lemon drink and the saltwater flush. The laxative tea can be purchased in packets that are sold separately. Here is what you will need:

• 1. Grade B or C maple syrup
  2. 50 lemons to start
  3. Cayenne Pepper
  4. Water that is not distilled
  5. Sea salt

Lemonade Recipe
Each day you should drink six-ten glasses of the following:http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-lemonade-diet-master-cleanse-diet

• 1. 8 ounces of water
  2. two tablespoons maple syrup
  3. two tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  4. A pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix together and drink. You can add as much cayenne pepper as you like.

Saltwater Flush
Each morning, before drinking your first lemon drink, you should drink the saltwater flush. Some people choose to drink a laxative tea in the morning, but if you can keep the saltwater mixture down, it is recommended over the tea in the morning.

• 1. Heat four quarts of water for two to three minutes in microwave, or until warm
  2. Mix two teaspoons of sea salt with the water
  3. Drink the warm saltwater as quickly as you are able to
  4. Be prepared to spend the next few hours near a toilet

Laxative Tea
Before retiring for the day, prepare some organic laxative tea. This will prevent constipation over the course of the diet.

Now it is time to start the diet. Here are some ideas and tips as you embark on your 10-day journey:

• 1. Keep a food journal
  2. Find a cleanse support group online
  3. If possible, avoid being around food for the first several days
  4. Even if you get tired of the drink, make sure you drink at least 6 glasses a day
  5. Do not forget to do the saltwater flush in the morning and the laxative tea at night

When the cleanse is complete, it is imperative that you do not immediately begin eating solid food. Give your body enough time to acclimate.

• 1. Day 11 - Drink only orange juice
  2. Day 12 - Drink orange juice throughout the day, and add vegetable soup for dinner
  3. Day 13 - Fruits and vegetables
  4. Day 14 - Resume regular diet

Whether you consider this a diet, cleanse or detox, there is no doubt the two week process is a rigorous one both emotionally and physically. It is not simply about changing your eating habits for a small period of time, but rather eliminating eating all together, which in itself is a challenge for many. For those that make it the entire two weeks, you will join a select group of people, because many people that begin this diet do not make it through the first day.

The content on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor or pharmacist before using the information presented here.