In the 1940s, Stanley Burroughs, a keen vegetarian (and committed nudist), came up with the Master Cleanse. It's a simple plan: You spend weeks consuming nothing but a cocktail of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, plus an optional daily cup of laxative tea and a glass of salt water. In recent years, it became a celebrity phenomenon. Beyoncé reportedly lost 20 pounds in 10 ...

Start the day with a hot cup of water, with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Why? Lemons work hard to decongest the liver and cleanse the blood. They accelerate the digestion of fats and proteins and boost the absorption of important minerals in the body.