The 5 Pillars of Dr Dan's Food Plans
Most importantly, all food must be nutritious and anti-inflammatory. It must be real food. It should nourish the gut microbiome and promote healthy mitochondria.
Second, the food must be delicious! This is not a program of sacrifice. There will be an adjustment period while your taste buds adapt to your new microbiome. Once that’s settled in, though, you’ll find that the food is fantastic. I look forward to my meals every day and eat as much as I want. There’s no calorie counting here!
Third, the food must be cost-effective. This doesn’t mean quality food can be as inexpensive as processed food. However, when you consider the costs of medication, doctor visits, surgery, and the decline in quality of life caused by the Standard American Diet (SAD), it makes sense to spend more on real food than on medical expenses. Instead of buying a case of diet soda, purchase grass-fed beef or wild-caught salmon. To illustrate, consider that a bag of Doritos costs about $1 per ounce—that’s $16 per pound! Compare that to about $12 per pound for grass-fed chuck roast.
Fourth is the matter of time efficiency. We’re all busy. Most of us don’t have much time to cook. The recipes I use offer busy people an efficient way to enjoy nutritious meals. This was one of the most challenging aspects of the food plan, but I think you’ll like it once you get used to it. I enjoy watching YouTube chefs, but I don’t have anyone to help me prepare the ingredients, and I bet you don’t either. The most important feature is the “plan over.” Planovers are not leftovers. They are foods that are prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator to be eaten over the next couple of days. You’ll understand this better when we talk about real menus in later sections.
Lastly, it must be sustainable! This isn’t a quick-fix fad diet that people use for a two-week tune-up before a beach vacation, only to return to their old habits afterward. This lifestyle will dramatically improve your appearance and how you feel. It will also improve your lab values and likely extend your healthspan and lifespan. This food plan brings us back to a diet similar to our ancestral diets—the ones with which our genetics evolved.