The Lemon Detox: Half-hearted or full throttle?

We all gasped at the speed with which Beyonce shed her bootilicious curves for her role in Dreamgirls, and Madonna and Mick Jagger are reported fans of the Lemon Detox Diet too. This, for those who have been in a cave for the last two years… or too sensible to consider denying yourself the sheer joy that is good food, consists of nothing but a liquid blend of water, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper or ground ginger and Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup.

But is it really advisable to reduce your calorific intake down to a paltry 360ish a day and so quickly at that? Well, yes, according to various medical bods, including leading obstetricians and nutritionists, who claim the benefits (aside from the obvious weight loss) include: cleansed body and mind, improved complexion, thicker, more shiny hair, stronger, whiter nails, enhanced energy and vitality, improved sense of wellbeing and better sleep. So virtual starvation can actually give you more energy? Who knew?

As our ‘Intolerant’ diarist made clear, this diet isn’t for everyone. In fact Natalie Cassidy (AKA Son-yaaaaa from Eastenders) just did an exposé on faddy diets and, aside from losing a hefty 7lbs in as many days, she suffered heart palpitations and looked worryingly frail… and piled the weight back on immediately as her body was clearly crying out for a good feed.

We at Cult Beauty are far too self-indulgent and, well, busy, to try it out. So, we happily called on Mimi, a London PA, to do the hard work for us. This is what she said:

“After an overindulgent winter, I was feeling bloated and unable to kick the sugar habit when I stumbled on the Lemon Detox Diet. It sounded radical and just what I needed to get things back in balance. I stocked up on all the essentials: lots of fresh lemons, cayenne pepper and water bottles to carry, as well as The Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup.

Day 1: I’ve made my first drink and am really surprised at how easy it seems! If it tastes this good, the week will surely be a treat. I don’t feel too hungry and am ready to dedicate myself to total detox.

Day 2: The enthusiasm is already waning. I can’t concentrate on anything at work, and I have to think hard to do anything properly. I feel very groggy and slightly ill.

Day 3: I have an awful headache, a general feeling of uneasiness and am emotionally drained. But I was warned that this is all down to the ‘detox’ doing its best to get rid of the Nasties and am determined to persevere.

Day 4: I didn't sleep that well in the night but woke up feeling amazing! My skin feels super soft and my head is completely clear. Hurrah – it’s working!

Day 5-6: I’m starting to get really bored of just drinking and really looking forward to the prospect of food.

Day 7: My energy has dropped severely and I decide to stop the diet prematurely. I felt amazing for a very short while (starvation-induced euphoria, perhaps?) but don't want to lose any more energy.

This diet left me feeling thoroughly clean inside and the pounds also dropped off. I found I had to go back to eating normal food slowly though. I started with orange juice, then soups and then my normal vegetarian diet. Of course I fell off the wagon when baking some cakes a couple of weeks later, but everything in moderation, right? All in all I think it’s a great diet and I’m going to try to repeat it twice a year.”

Clearly Mimi is made of strong stuff (one of the CBers is on, pretty much, a wine and cheese diet, and that takes a lot of determination too!)… but if you don’t want to (for)go the whole hog, as it were, you can do a gentler version of the diet:

Either substitute breakfast or dinner with 2-3 glasses of the Lemon Detox formula or replace a full day’s meals each week with it. Eat balanced, healthy meals and avoid sweets, processed foods, red meat, fried foods, white bread, refined flour, full-fat dairy products, coffee and alcohol…you know, the fun stuff in life! If you’re forgoing breakfast, ideally eat lunch between 12pm and 1pm in order to avoid going crazy on the Laughing Cow later. If hunger strikes between meals, snack on an oatcake with nut butter as this combination of protein and complex carbohydrates will fill you up while boosting energy. Follow the relaxed programme for anything from 2-6 weeks. Obviously, the longer the duration, the better the result…

Well, summer is indeed upon us so if you are feeling anxious about baring all perhaps this detox will help lessen the saggy load a little… provided you have the willpower to say no to the Pimms, of course. But please, please be careful and do it under supervision. Amanda Griggs at The Balance Clinic will happily guide you through the ups and downs and you can pick up all the ingredients, as well as the guide book, there too.