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 is an adjustment period while your taste buds adapt to your new microbiome. Once it’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. No calorie counting here!

Third, the food must be cost-efficient. That doesn’t mean quality food can be as inexpensive as processed food. However, when you consider the costs of medications, 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, buy grass-fed beef or wild-caught salmon.

Fourth is the matter of time efficiency. We’re all busy. Very few of us have hours to prepare meals. Fortunately, every recipe I use provides an efficient method that allows busy people to enjoy nutritious meals. This was one of the most challenging aspects of the food plan, but I think you’ll appreciate it once you get into the system. I enjoy watching YouTube chefs, but I don’t have an army of helpers to prepare the ingredients, and I suspect you don’t either. The main feature is the “plan over.” Planovers are not leftovers. Rather, they are meals prepared in advance in sufficient quantity to be eaten over the next couple of days. This will make more sense when we discuss actual menus in the sections ahead.

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, improve your lab values, and likely extend your health and lifespan. This food plan brings us back to a diet similar to our ancestral diets—the ones with which our genetics evolved.