Publisher's Synopsis
The Whole30 is an elimination diet based on Paleo principles. The theory behind Whole30 is that many health problems, both physical and mental, are due to the foods we eat. Whole30 does not consider itself to be a diet in the sense of losing weight, but rather a prescription for healing nearly anything that ails you. Whole30 wants to help you cure digestive problems, boost immunity and energy, rebalance hormones, and remedy or improve other medical issues. By cutting out all sugar, grains, legumes, dairy and alcohol from your diet for 30 days, the creators of Whole30 say you can reset your system and free yourself from chronic pain, brain fog and sugar cravings. When (or if) you reintroduce these food groups, your body's reaction to them will tell you what you need to avoid.Whole30 is a relatively new diet. In 2009, Melissa Hartwig and her then-husband Dallas Urban decided to give up eating all the foods that they suspected were potential triggers of his shoulder pain, then slowly reintroduce them to see which ones were causing the problem. Hartwig blogged about the experience, saying she slept better, had better focus at work, more energy, and just felt happier overall. But she says the biggest change was her relationship with food. She stopped looking at the scale and in the mirror, and rather than have a glass of wine or some junk food, found new ways to reward and soothe herself. The idea is that by getting rid of all the foods that potentially cause inflammation, damage your gut and disrupt your blood sugar for one month, your body can recover and reset, and you can rid yourself of many physical and mental ailments, from diabetes to high blood pressure to depression. It is important to note that the Whole30 plan is not intended for weight loss, although on such a restrictive diet, you could easily do so. But there is no calorie-counting and you are discouraged from stepping on a scale or taking any other measures.Hartwig calls Whole30 an 'anti-diet.' Hartwig has her certification as a Sports Nutritionist and has written several best-selling books about the diet, including It Starts With Food, The Whole30, Food Freedom Forever and The Whole30 Cookbook.
