Elimination Diets
Heal Your Gut
A key aspect of healthy eating is cultivating a healthy gut microbiome. The 100 trillion microorganisms literally do the dirty work. They break down food and produce compounds necessary for life. Unfortunately, many of the foods we eat cause inflammation, damage the intestinal lining, and disrupt healthy microorganisms. Therefore, the first thing we must do is heal the gut. The reset process takes about two weeks.
Reset Fructose Metabolism
Fructose, which is found in fruit, high-fructose corn syrup, and half of table sugar (sucrose), is the main trigger of fat storage. The more fructose we consume, the better our system becomes at digesting it, creating a vicious cycle of weight gain. While it’s true that we gain weight more easily as we age, age itself is not the cause. During the two-week reset, we must eliminate all sugar completely. I know; I hear the groans. But I love sugar, Dr. Dan! We all do; we’re genetically programmed to. There was a time in our evolution when sugar helped us survive. However, it’s impossible to reset your system while consuming sugar. This includes both natural and artificial sweeteners. Everything sweet must go. If you absolutely must, it’s okay to slowly reduce your consumption of sweets. However, anything sweet signals “sugar” to the brain, which promotes insulin release. The two weeks begin when you eliminate all sugar and sweets. Zero. Also, know that alcohol and sugar are like evil fraternal twins. They stimulate each other’s desire as well as their own. Together, they are more powerful.
Eliminate the Villains
Now, let’s talk about healing. The main cause of a leaky gut is chronic inflammation. A leaky gut allows molecules to enter the body. The immune system attacks these foreign substances. Sometimes these molecules resemble our own tissues, causing the immune system to attack both the invaders and our tissues. This is often referred to as an autoimmune disease. There are many types of autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and sarcoidosis. We don’t suddenly become allergic to ourselves. Healing the gut wall enables it to do its job of keeping these molecules out. Imagine cutting your skin and getting an infection. The area becomes red, hot, and painful. The same reaction occurs in our gut, but we can’t see it. The main causes of gut inflammation are wheat, sugar, vegetable seed oils, and unfermented dairy products. We must eliminate all of these foods for at least two weeks. Once we do, however, we probably won’t want them back.
Cheating and Failure
Let’s address the number one problem with diets. First, almost all of them work. People lose weight on almost every type of program, including keto, low-carb, Mediterranean, paleo, and carnivore. Whatever the diet, someone has had success with it. But check back with them in a year, and most have returned to their previous eating habits. Why? Because they don’t like the new food. It’s not a mystery: People eat what they like. The goal of this food plan is to replace the foods you currently like with real foods that you will like just as much, if not more. It takes time for your microbiome to influence your taste buds. There will definitely be times when you’ll really want something from your old diet. Go ahead. That’s not cheating or failing. That’s just being human. This isn’t a race, it’s a journey. With persistence, you’ll be able to replace unhealthy foods with delicious, healthy alternatives. Over time, you won’t crave or even like your old food anymore. It’s really true. I still have a bourbon every once in a while. It doesn’t satisfy me the way it used to, and I enjoy it less and less. So it’s okay. Go at your own pace. It’s not a failure. Pick a food group and get started!
