THE RULES

At its core, this is an elimination diet. Elimination protocols have been around since the 1920’s, and many doctors say they are still the gold standard in identifying food sensitivities—but only if you do them by the books. In order to accurately test how your body responds in the absence of these potentially problematic foods, you have to completely eliminate them. One bite of pizza, one spoonful of ice cream, one sip of beer within the 30-day period and you’ve broken the “reset”—and have to start over again on Day 1.

Over time, sugar can lead to a greater accumulation of fat, which may turn into fatty liver disease, a contributor to diabetes, which raises your risk for heart disease. Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease

This includes (but is not limited to) maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date syrup, monk fruit extract, stevia, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, and xylitol. If there is added sugar in the ingredient list, it’s out.

Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as “empty” calories. This means that they provide your body with calories but contain very little nutrients.

It’s long been known that alcohol intake can affect levels of hormones in the body, especially testosterone. Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays a role in many metabolic processes, including muscle formation and fat burning capabilities.

Alcohol consumption can lead to what is known as alcoholic fatty liver. This condition can damage your liver, affecting the way your body metabolizes and stores carbohydrates and fats. Changes in the way your body stores energy from food can make it very difficult to manage weight.

While, whole grains are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium), for these 30-days we will limit grains in lieu of its inflammatory factors.

Most people are too grain-heavy. Pasta and bread are easy go-tos when you’re in a hurry, and on their own are not that nutritious. Focus on getting your carbs from fruits and vegetables.

This means no wheat, corn, oats, bran, rice. pseudo-cereal grains, including amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa.

The carbohydrate component of dairy products can pose problems. The kind of carbohydrate found in milk is called lactose. While there are not huge amounts present in milk (and some other dairy products have very little because of processing), lactose is an issue for a large percentage of people.

If lactose cannot be properly digested, bloating and gastrointestinal upset may result. In addition, consuming even small amounts of lactose may contribute to an imbalance of gut bacteria, promoting dysbiosis. In addition, many people who consider themselves lactose-intolerant (by observing that dairy makes them feel poorly) may have a sensitivity to dairy proteins as well.

It goes without saying that processed foods alone tend to add 200-500 more calories then its whole food counterpart. For this month we will stay away from sugar dense treats, baked goods, and processed foods for sheer lack of nutrition density. Many of our bad habits are formed from the addictive properties that sugars hold, found in foods you would never think!

Because the sweetness of sugar is addictive, eating an excess amount is easy. The more we eat, the more we get acclimated to high levels, and the more we want. Artificial sweeteners are also commonly problematic, as they are hundreds of times sweeter than the sugar found in nature but lack any genuine nutritional qualities.

Added sugars are one of the quickest and easiest foods to provoke an unhealthy hormonal response, causing disruptions in leptin and insulin levels, primary reliance on sugar as fuel, and accumulation of lipids in the liver, bloodstream, and on the body (as body fat). This drives systemic inflammation, a major risk factor for many lifestyle diseases and conditions. In addition, these sugars are calorie-dense, but nutritionally barren — the very definition of “empty calories.”