The diet consists of fasting using lemons. Sounds simple and it is. Not only is this diet effective in weight loss, but its main benefit to you is a safe, natural detox where your body will rid itself of the toxins it has accumulated.

The diet is easy, cheap, and effective, it can be used any time however frequently you want.

WHY FAST

Fasting can be consider one of our oldest and most effective methods of treating ailments, aiding weight loss and detoxifying the body. The easiest way to start fasting is by following a `juice fast´. This is where you use the juice of an orange,lemon,grapefruit,pineapple etc. and dilute it with water - 50:50 ratio. This drink should be taken every few hours from morning until mid evening; 8am - 8pm. The total intake should be no more than 8 glasses of the juice.

The Lemon Recipe

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons of maple syrup - or Madal Bal tree syrup
cayenne pepper to taste, mix with hot water in a tall glass

Tips

Stock up on lemons - 70ml fresh lemon juice can be extracted from 2 lemons herbal teas are useful, i.e. peppermint or detox.

Eat healthy the day before the fast
Reduce your coffee and tea intake
Cut down on the number of cigarettes
Try to stick to as close to your normal daily routine - without the food!

Once you have completed the fast slowly introduce fruit juice then soup to your food intake.

Naturopath Janine Leach explains the importance of completing the fast correctly and ensuring your eating habits do not overload your internal system immediately. "As with any fast it is extremely important to start with motivation! It is equally important to break the fast very slowly; to waken a sleeping digestive system with proteins and fats can cause serious illness such as kidney damage. First fruit juices are introduced, then fruits, followed by light foods over a few days."

The lemonaid program has been claimed to be safe to use for up to 40 days. However, for many the 1 - 5 day use is adequate in refreshing the internal system and losing those extra pounds.

NB: In order to lose weight use two fold approach of exercise and reduction of food intake.

It is recommended that during the diet the minimum exercise is 15 minutes which can simply be a brisk walk.

Naturopath Janine Leach of the British Naturopathic Association explains that fasting helps the body heal itself as it rests the digestive tract, allows detoxification and acts as a stimulus for the immune system to gain strength.

Fruits & Its Importance To You

Fruits are great sources of minerals, vitamins and enzymes.

A generous intake of fruit in your diet can help you again lead a healthy life. Fruits can prevent the onset of disease and keep a person active throughout their life.

The Lemon

MINERALS AND VITAMINS
Calcium 70mg
Phosphorus 10mg
Iron 2.3mg
Vitamin C 39mg
Calories 57

Parts of the lemon are commonly used within medicine and the fruit is credited with being beneficial in the treatment of digestive condition such as dyspepsia, constipation and biliousness. It eliminates gases in the digestive tract and is a great help against the common cold when its juice is add to boiling water and honey.

Naturopath Stanley Borroughs invented this easy diet in the 1950s, its original use was to help a patient who had a stomach ulcer. It did the job so effectively that the diet lead to a best selling book. Today it is once again gaining popularity and has become something of a fad with celebrities in California.

The diet aims to:

By achieving the above, you will find that excess weight will be easier to remove.

In the Lemon Diet Booklet, medical studies show how patients who followed the diet for
1 - 5 days lost on average 6lbs

For the duration of the diet you will be fasting whilst taking only the lemonaid mix, herbal teas and water. However, you will be receiving over 600 calories from the mix so you will be able to continue with your normal daily routine.

Medical conditions that may benefit from the diet

Overweight
Digestive ailments
Catarrh and sinus problems
Skin conditions
Viral infections including common coughs and colds
Circulatory disorders
Depression & anxiety

The lemonaid mix can also be given to children over the age of six

The only reported adverse effects of the diet/fast program is occasional dizziness and nausea but these can pass quickly.

Tips to make a positive change:
Only eat when you have asked yourself if you really are hungry.
When eating chew food slowly and thoroughly. Finish your meal at the point you feel comfortably `full´. You don't have to clear the whole plate!
Try to avoid eating late in the evening - make 7:30pm your cut off time for meals.
If you need a snack later - don't over do it.

FOR A WELL BALANCED DIET
Eat regularly
Use bread, potatoes, rice and pasta as part of your main meals
choose low fat products
eat snacks such as chocolate & chips only occasionally

NB: The best way to lose weight is maintaining a combination of eating less food and being more physically active.

References:

Burroughs S. The Master Cleanser. Borroughs Books ISBN - 0-9639262-0-9 1993
Beyer KA The Lemon Diet. MIVA Neuheim 1987

Good Luck and enjoy your new diet!