• 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.

Learning about the affects of this diet is an important step because of the extreme guidelines one is expected to follow. The diet itself lasts 10 days, though according to Burroughs, a person can safely continue it for up to 40. During the 10 days you are expected to drink a laxative tea or saltwater flush in the morning and before you go to bed, as well as 6-12 glasses of the lemon drink.

• Now that you understand what the diet requires, it is time 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 10 straight days. There are several important questions to ask yourself:

• 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?

• Now 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

• Each day you should drink six-ten glasses of the following:

• 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 would like.

• Every morning before drinking your first lemon drink, you should do the saltwater flush. Some people chose to drink the laxative tea at night and in the morning, but if you can keep the saltwater mixture down, it is recommended over the tea in the morning. Here is what you should do:

• 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

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

• 1. Keep a 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 during 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 that 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. That's when it is time to give yourself a pat on the back, because most people that begin this diet often cannot make it through the first day.