by Mark Hyman
Each day includes the three core elements I introduced in Chapter 11:
Nourish: This encompasses what you’ll eat and drink and what you’ll avoid, as well as which daily supplements to take.
Energize: I’ll talk about how much, when, and the ideal exercises to do on this program.
Rejuvenate: I’ll give you simple strategies to make sure you’re relaxing and sleeping as well as you should.
NOURISH
You won’t be counting calories, or weighing your food, or anything else that makes eating a chore. And most important, you won’t feel deprived or hungry!
Here are the basic guidelines of what you should eat each day and what to avoid. Beginning here, you’ll find more detail about which foods in particular are optimal on this program.
What to Eat
Fat. Use only good, healthy fats and clean (grass-fed or sustainably raised) animal foods (see here for a complete list). You should include at least one serving of fat at each meal. The best sources are avocados; extra virgin olive oil; nuts and seeds; extra virgin coconut oil; organic coconut milk; whole organic eggs; fatty fish such as sardines, wild salmon, mackerel, and herring; grass-fed lamb, bison, and beef; and organic poultry. You can also add MCT oil to salad dressings or smoothies. MCT oil is flavorless, so it can be used where you might not want the coconut taste from coconut oil, like on salads. A typical serving of fat is 1 tablespoon of oil, a handful of nuts or seeds, or 4 ounces of fish or animal protein. You want to have four to five servings of fat a day. See here for a full list of your best fat options.
Protein. Eat 4 to 6 ounces of protein at each meal. (See here for a complete list of the best proteins.) The average person needs about 0.68 gram per pound of body weight per day (or 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day); you may need to adjust that up if you exercise vigorously or are recovering from an illness. Pay attention to how your body feels and you’ll know. You can learn by experimenting and recording your observations each day. Check your hunger, energy level, cravings, and amount and quality of sleep to see how they change according to more or less protein. If you feel fatigued or sluggish, it may be a signal that you require more protein.
Carbohydrates. Most of your diet should be carbohydrates. Shocking, right? I’m not talking about bagels, rice, potatoes, or cookies; I’m talking about the carbs in whole plant foods. All vegetables are carbs. Broccoli, asparagus, and green beans are all carbs. In fact, nonstarchy veggies full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber should make up about 50 to 75 percent of your plate at every meal. You get unlimited refills, so fill up on these foods! Nuts and seeds contain carbs (as well as protein and fat), as does fruit.
Snacks (optional). You can have up to two snacks a day, as needed. Easy snack options are a handful of raw nuts; raw veggies with almond or cashew butter, olive tapenade, or tahini; or half an avocado sprinkled with sea salt, pepper, and lime or lemon juice. In Part IV, you’ll find other tasty snack recipes.
Salt. When you cut down on carbs, your body needs more salt. You will lose water and salt initially and can feel tired, weak, and unable to exercise if you don’t consume enough salt (1 to 2 teaspoons a day of sea salt). If you have salt-sensitive high blood pressure, simply watch your blood pressure daily and adjust the salt to help keep your blood pressure normal. This is why I suggest supplementing with electrolytes in the form of E-lyte.
Fruit. You can include ½ to 1 cup per day of the following (but only these) fruits: berries, pomegranate seeds, watermelon (which has a very low glycemic load because it is mostly water), lemon, lime, or kiwi.
Bone broth. Enjoy Dr. Hyman’s Veggie-Bone Broth (1 to 2 cups a day; see the recipe, here) to help heal leaky gut, which results from food sensitivities, overgrowth of bad bugs, or overuse of antibiotics. Having a leaky gut allows bacterial toxins and food proteins to “leak” into your bloodstream, causing inflammation and weight gain. Bone broth also reduces inflammation and provides a rich source of minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorous) and body-building collagen and nutrients. Make enough for a week and store it in the fridge or freezer.
Coffee (optional). If you enjoy coffee, 1 cup daily made from the highest-quality beans is fine. Try the Bulletproof Coffee here, or simply blend 1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil or ghee and 1 tablespoon of MCT oil into your coffee instead of milk or cream. This can be your breakfast, if you like, as it is high in healthy fats and will keep you satisfied for several hours. No sugar or other sweetener, please!
Water. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of pure, clean water throughout the day.
Additionally, take your daily supplements, detailed here. For a quick, easy reference guide of what to take and when, see the Resources section here as well as www.eatfatgetthin.com.
What Is a Leaky Gut and Why Does It Matter in Weight Loss and Health?
Unfortunately, we modern humans have done many things to damage our inner gardens and promote the growth of bad bugs that cause weight gain, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, depression, and even autism.1 First, we dramatically changed our diet from whole, unprocessed, high-fiber, low-sugar foods to a high-sugar, low-fiber diet high in processed foods and in omega-6 fat (soybean oil)2 that harms our gut bacteria. Some evidence indicates that certain GMOs (genetically modified foods) damage our gut bacteria. We have also had a rise in Cesarean sections, which prevent the normal colonization of a baby’s gut as it passes through the mother’s birth canal.3 And we have had a decrease in breastfeeding, necessary for the normal development of the gut and the gut immune system.4 The overuse of gut-busting drugs such as antibiotics, acid blockers, anti-inflammatories, birth control pills, hormones, and steroids has led to changes in our gut flora and damaged the lining of our guts.
This results in a leaky gut, in which bacterial products, toxins, and food proteins “leak” into your bloodstream and interact with your immune system, creating inflammation and causing insulin resistance and weight gain and even heart disease, diabetes, cancer, allergies, and autoimmune disease. Some even hypothesize that our overly hygienic, highly sanitized world (constant hand washing, avoiding dirt, and so on) negatively affects the normal immune function that results when we live more closely with bugs. Case in point: People who grow up on farms or live in developing countries have less asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disease than people who don’t.5
Here are some tips to keep in mind for meals:
Breakfast. For best results, eat only fat, protein, and/or veggies for breakfast. Toss some spinach in with your eggs, or try the Triple Green Smoothie, Bulletproof Coffee, or any of the other breakfast recipes in Part IV.
Lunch. Lunch should consist of 75 percent nonstarchy veggies and 25 percent protein by volume on your plate, with fat included in dressings, olive oil, and coconut oil, and found naturally in proteins such as fatty fish, meat, or nuts and seeds (see here and here for veggie and protein sources).
Dinner. Dinner is the same as lunch. If you like, include ½ to 1 cup of starchy veggies such as sweet potato, winter squash, or parsnips at dinner (see here for starchy veggie sources).
What to Avoid
1. Gluten. In anything. It is hidden everywhere, so be sure to read labels carefully to look for hidden gluten or wheat products (see www.celiac.org to learn these hidden names and discover sources of gluten in our food). Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, oats, Kamut, spelt, and triticale or anything made from those products, as well as soy sauce. Even gluten-free oats are suspect because of potential contamination and cross-reactions! The best way to avoid it is to eat only whole, fresh foods and nothing made in a factory unless you are 100 percent sure it is gluten-free. Also be vigilant when you go to restaurants. There is a lot of cross-contamination in restaurant kitchens. If you are gluten sensitive, even a thimbleful of gluten can cause problems.
2. All grains. Avoid rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and all other grains. Whole grains can be part of a healthy diet, but they are still starch and ca
n spike blood sugar and insulin. They can also create gut problems and inflammation for some people. This isn’t a forever thing—you may choose to reintroduce these after the twenty-one days—but for now, we’re looking to reboot your system, and removing these grains will help heal your gut and lower insulin spikes that drive weight gain. Taking a break for twenty-one days and then reintroducing grains can help you identify how they affect you.
3. All dairy products. The only exceptions to this are grass-fed butter, clarified butter, and ghee, all of which are allowed in the program. If you know you have a dairy allergy or sensitivity, you may tolerate clarified butter because all the milk proteins are removed. Grass-fed butter and ghee have many antioxidants and good fats, including CLA, which boosts metabolism. Dairy is one of the most common allergens and causes significant inflammation for many. It’s not the fat that causes problems; it’s the proteins that trigger your immune system. That’s why clarified butter and ghee are fine for most dairy-sensitive people.
4. Beans. Beans contain a fair amount of starch, and they aren’t ideal for blood sugar balance. They also contain inflammatory compounds called lectins, and since you want to cool off inflammation, you should stop them for twenty-one days. And they aren’t that easy to digest. The only exceptions to the no-bean rule are organic non-GMO tofu or tempeh (soybeans that are broken down or fermented and easier to digest), green beans, snap peas, and snow peas.
5. All fruit. This is with the exception of the ones listed in the previous section, “What to Eat.” Fruit is full of antioxidants and beneficial fiber and nutrients. But it can also be a source of sugar, and for those who are insulin resistant or trying to lose weight or kick sugar addiction and reset their metabolism, it can be a trigger. I have seen many people binge on fruit as a sugar substitute. Once you reset your body, you can add fruit back in moderation.
6. Refined vegetable oils. This includes corn, canola, soy, sunflower, safflower, and the like. These contain a lot of inflammatory omega-6 fats and toxic contaminants. Stay away forever. Extra virgin olive oil is good!
7. Processed foods of any kind. Nothing that contains additives, preservatives, dyes, or MSG. This includes processed meats like conventional bacon, salami, canned meats, hot dogs, and so forth. They are the only meats that have been linked to increased risk of disease. No more Spam sushi for you Hawaiians. These are out forever.
8. Artificial sweeteners. These have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and neurological problems. Run away from these and don’t ever look back.
9. Natural sweeteners. Sweetness is one of life’s great pleasures. But in order to reset your metabolism and unhook your brain from sugar addiction, we’re going to take a short twenty-one-day break from honey, maple syrup, raw sugar, and so on. This will allow you to get into the right relationship with sweetness in your life, and then a little bit can go a long way.
10. Carrageenan. This is a “natural thickener” in nut and other plant milks, which can cause leaky gut and inflammation in the body.
11. Alcohol. It’s really just another form of sugar.
I thought giving up wine would be hard, but because my inflammation went down, it turned out I didn’t need to drink to reduce pain. I canceled the physical therapy I had scheduled to resolve knee pain, because I no longer needed it! That was just as thrilling as losing 4 inches of belly fat in 3 weeks. I’ve known for a while that wheat and dairy are not good for me, but I didn’t realize how closely related my inflammation was to consumption of these products. Now I’m more motivated to avoid these foods.
—Polly Stecyk
Good Sources of Fat
Include the following healthy fats in your daily diet. Be sure to include 4 to 5 servings of fat per day. Serving sizes for each are in parentheses.
Extra virgin coconut oil (1 tablespoon)
Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, walnut oil, almond oil (1 tablespoon); use these in salads or stews—they should not be used for high-heat cooking; for high-heat cooking, use coconut oil or ghee
MCT oil (1 to 2 tablespoons a day); I like MCT oil from NuMedica
Organic coconut milk (¼ cup); Native Forest brand is my favorite—the cans are BPA-free
Avocado (½ to 1 avocado)
Fatty fish like sardines, mackerel, herring, black cod, and wild salmon (4 to 6 ounces); aim to include these 3 to 4 times per week
Nuts and seeds (2 to 3 handfuls); all are okay except peanuts
Olives (¼ cup)
Grass-fed butter, clarified butter, or ghee (1 tablespoon); if you are allergic to dairy, just use ghee
YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST FAT-CONTAINING FOODS
Animal Protein
Beef, grass-fed
Bison, grass-fed
Lamb, grass-fed
Ostrich, grass-fed
Venison or elk, grass-fed
Poultry
Organic only with no hormones or antibiotics
Chicken—with or without skin
Duck
Eggs—farm, omega-3, or organic
Turkey
Seafood
Fish—Sustainable and Low in Toxins (Mercury)
Check out the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), Seafood Watch (seafoodwatch.org), or Natural Resources Defense Council (nrdc.org) for more information about fish choices. Check out CleanFish (cleanfish.com) to find the best brands of clean, sustainably farmed fish or sustainably caught fish. If the fish are not on this list, they are high in toxins or not sustainably farmed or harvested.
Anchovies
Catfish
Herring
Mackerel
Sardines
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (freshwater)
Wild salmon (canned)
Wild salmon (fresh) or organic salmon
Shellfish
Clams
Crab
Mussels
Oysters
Scallops
Shrimp
Dairy
Clarified grass-fed butter
Grass-fed butter
Grass-fed ghee
Nondairy Milks
Be sure they have no carrageenan or sweeteners. Homemade is best.
Almond
Cashew
Coconut
Hemp
Nuts
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Chestnuts
Hazelnuts
Macadamias
Pecans
Seeds
Chia
Black sesame
Flax
Hemp
Pumpkin
Sesame
Sunflower
Walnuts
Nut and Seed Butters
Almond
Cashew
Hazelnut
Macadamia
Pecan
Sunflower seed
Walnut
Saturated Plant Fats
Coconut milk (canned, not boxed or packaged stuff with weird ingredients)
Extra virgin organic coconut butter (don’t use for cooking)
Extra virgin organic coconut oil (best for high-heat cooking)
Palm oil (sustainable only; check for the CSPO label or buy Nutiva red palm oil or Spectrum palm oil)
Healthy Oils
Almond oil (for salads)
Extra virgin olive oil (only for very low-heat cooking)
Macadamia oil (for salads)
Sesame oil—expeller-pressed only for higher-heat cooking
Walnut oil (for salads)
Other Foods with Good Fat
Avocados
Cocoa butter
Dark chocolate (as a treat at the end of the twenty-one days)
Olives
Good Sources of Protein
Protein should be divided up throughout the day because the body can use only about 30 to 40 grams at any one meal for muscle synthesis. A steady intake of protein also helps inc
rease what we call thermogenesis, or your metabolic heat. Protein literally turns up your metabolic engine and will increase your calorie burning.6 By adding protein to your breakfast, for example, you can increase your calorie burning so it adds up to eleven pounds of weight loss in a year.
Your best choices for protein are:
Whole free-range organic or omega-3 eggs (unlimited amount).
Grass-fed, organic, sustainably raised lamb, beef, bison, venison, or other game (three to four times per week maximum). Avoid pork, which accumulates more toxins than other animals. See Meat Eater’s Guide from the Environmental Working Group to learn how to source grass-fed or sustainably raised products (www.ewg.org/meateatersguide).
Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring, black cod, and wild salmon (at least three to four times per week). As you’ll recall, these also count as good fat sources, so you hit two targets with one arrow. Go to Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics (www.vitalchoice.com) to order organic frozen or canned fish.
Shellfish, including clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and crab. Avoid lobster, which is higher in mercury.
Calamari or octopus.
Organic poultry (chicken, turkey, duck).
Organic non-GMO tofu or tempeh.
Seeds, including hemp, chia, pumpkin, sesame (maximum 2 to 3 handfuls daily).
Nuts, including almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts (maximum 2 to 3 handfuls daily). Avoid peanuts, which are legumes, not nuts.
What About Protein Powders?