The Basics
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Ret1058
Posts: 20 Member
The Daniel Plan program was put together by Pastor Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Dr. Oz.
The Plan is based on 5 essential elements:
1. Faith
2. Food
3. Focus
4. Friends
5. Fitness
The simplest explanation of the Food section: If God made it, eat it. If man made it...don't eat it (or eat very little of it)
Detox: The Daniel Plan recommends that everyone go on a 10 Day Detox Program which is designed to determine if you have food sensitivities.
On the detox plan, you will eat:
* real, fresh, whole foods
* follow The Daniel Plan Detox meal plan chart or create your own from the real food ingredients
* drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
What you will let go of on detox:
* stimulants and sedatives: alcohol, caffeine, etc
* processed or fast food, additives or chemicals
* artificial sweeteners of all kinds
* all sugar in any form
* all dairy (milk, yogurt, butter, cheese
* all gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut)
I found out that I am sensitive to both gluten and dairy. I would also highly recommend it. After about 2 or 3 days on the detox plan, most people report that they no longer have cravings or hunger. Everyone is amazed by this. But it's not about will power, it's about eating the right foods and the right combinations to keep your blood sugar level throughout the day. This makes it a lot easier to resist temptations that come along. I looked at the Detox phase as an adventure to try new things. Personally, I followed the detox menus exactly, but you can follow the basic plan too.
Many people report that many symptoms immediately greatly lessen or go away completely. I finished Week 1 of the detox plan. Lost 8 pounds, several inches. The excruciating pain I had in my right hand for weeks…the pain was totally gone and I had full use of my hand. The bloat was gone (probably from gluten). Continual sinus problems - gone (probably from dairy). Joint pain/stiffness gone. Hands don't go numb any more. "Brain fog" is gone. Blood pressure was down. More energy…continually feeling tired was gone. Sleeping better. Feeling much better. I guess because the gluten and dairy are gone...it seems that inches are just falling off. So thankful that I found out about this plan. It's more than a diet. I am now completely off of blood pressure medication. I have noticed that if I add back in the gluten, the painful symptoms come back within 15 hours. If I go off of the gluten, the symptoms will go away quickly. Amazing. Many things cause inflammation in the body.
After detox, if you feel great, continue eating according to the detox meal plan. If you want to add back healthy forms of dairy or gluten, make sure you add one at a time. If you get symptoms back, you will know what to cut out.
After detox, the basic plan is simple. 3 meals and 2 snacks. In a nutshell, the perfect plate would be:
- 1/2 of the plate non-starchy veggies
- 1/4 of the plate whole grains/starchy veg
- 1/4 of the plate lean protein
- and some low glycemic fruit.
Eat natural, real foods.
* Cut out sugars, white flour, white rice, white pasta (these all act like sugar in the body)
* Cut out all artificial sweeteners
* Increase fiber.
* Cut out bad fats - trans fats and processed and refined vegetable oils (vegetable, soybean, corn, canola) -- these cause
inflammation in the body
* Use better oils: cold pressed or expeller pressed from grape seeds, sesame seeds, or walnuts, olive oil, and coconut oil
* Avoid: MSG, soy protein isolate, sodium and calcium caseinate, phosphoric acid, artificial flavors, carrageenan, colors
and dyes, sulphites, nitrites and nitrates
There's so much information in the book...it would be impossible to share it all here. I highly recommend reading the book and watching the videos.
The Plan is based on 5 essential elements:
1. Faith
2. Food
3. Focus
4. Friends
5. Fitness
The simplest explanation of the Food section: If God made it, eat it. If man made it...don't eat it (or eat very little of it)
Detox: The Daniel Plan recommends that everyone go on a 10 Day Detox Program which is designed to determine if you have food sensitivities.
On the detox plan, you will eat:
* real, fresh, whole foods
* follow The Daniel Plan Detox meal plan chart or create your own from the real food ingredients
* drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
What you will let go of on detox:
* stimulants and sedatives: alcohol, caffeine, etc
* processed or fast food, additives or chemicals
* artificial sweeteners of all kinds
* all sugar in any form
* all dairy (milk, yogurt, butter, cheese
* all gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut)
I found out that I am sensitive to both gluten and dairy. I would also highly recommend it. After about 2 or 3 days on the detox plan, most people report that they no longer have cravings or hunger. Everyone is amazed by this. But it's not about will power, it's about eating the right foods and the right combinations to keep your blood sugar level throughout the day. This makes it a lot easier to resist temptations that come along. I looked at the Detox phase as an adventure to try new things. Personally, I followed the detox menus exactly, but you can follow the basic plan too.
Many people report that many symptoms immediately greatly lessen or go away completely. I finished Week 1 of the detox plan. Lost 8 pounds, several inches. The excruciating pain I had in my right hand for weeks…the pain was totally gone and I had full use of my hand. The bloat was gone (probably from gluten). Continual sinus problems - gone (probably from dairy). Joint pain/stiffness gone. Hands don't go numb any more. "Brain fog" is gone. Blood pressure was down. More energy…continually feeling tired was gone. Sleeping better. Feeling much better. I guess because the gluten and dairy are gone...it seems that inches are just falling off. So thankful that I found out about this plan. It's more than a diet. I am now completely off of blood pressure medication. I have noticed that if I add back in the gluten, the painful symptoms come back within 15 hours. If I go off of the gluten, the symptoms will go away quickly. Amazing. Many things cause inflammation in the body.
After detox, if you feel great, continue eating according to the detox meal plan. If you want to add back healthy forms of dairy or gluten, make sure you add one at a time. If you get symptoms back, you will know what to cut out.
After detox, the basic plan is simple. 3 meals and 2 snacks. In a nutshell, the perfect plate would be:
- 1/2 of the plate non-starchy veggies
- 1/4 of the plate whole grains/starchy veg
- 1/4 of the plate lean protein
- and some low glycemic fruit.
Eat natural, real foods.
* Cut out sugars, white flour, white rice, white pasta (these all act like sugar in the body)
* Cut out all artificial sweeteners
* Increase fiber.
* Cut out bad fats - trans fats and processed and refined vegetable oils (vegetable, soybean, corn, canola) -- these cause
inflammation in the body
* Use better oils: cold pressed or expeller pressed from grape seeds, sesame seeds, or walnuts, olive oil, and coconut oil
* Avoid: MSG, soy protein isolate, sodium and calcium caseinate, phosphoric acid, artificial flavors, carrageenan, colors
and dyes, sulphites, nitrites and nitrates
There's so much information in the book...it would be impossible to share it all here. I highly recommend reading the book and watching the videos.
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Replies
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Thank you for posting this message. It must have taken a lot of time. I have to admit this plan is very strict and takes a lot of discipline. I am Vegan and many of these principles I practice, but it took me awhile to implement it fully. I had so many issues I can't even count them. However my personal focus with not knowing the Daniel Plan is Focus on obedience, Faith, Fitness, Food (Vegan Nutrition & Cooking), Family & Friends and Fabric (I like to sew). I teach these principles to my 5 children. So when I heard that this book has the same principles I was more than happy to join this group. I'm going to get the book because this plan is a great way to live, but it takes alot of support to live this way for the long haul. It's truly futile going it Alone...0
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I don't want to scare anyone away from The Daniel Plan. Everyone makes progress at their own pace. Many are making small goals each week to move toward more healthy eating.
I also want to say that it's not about deprivation….there are many things that you CAN eat on the plan. Many times, it's just a matter of learning to make it in a healthier way. (see the cookbook post)
I have eaten out at restaurants many times while on the program. It's possible to eat healthy at restaurants and stay on the plan.
But…it all starts with a change of mind…a decision to change your way of thinking about food. I made the decision that food was no longer going to control me…that I was going to control it. This reminds of me of Joyce Meyer's book, The Battlefield of the Mind. This battle truly does happen in the mind…beginning with a decision to change. Then, daily by being aware of our thoughts and not allowing them to control us…and saying what the Word says.
One important point they make in the book is that there is no failure. You learn from your situations and slips and think about what you learned and how you can make a better choice the next time.
So, I hope you don't feel overwhelmed…although it can be at the beginning. I decided at the beginning that I would put my efforts on the Food part of the book with some of the Faith and Focus. Now that I have the food part down pretty good, I'm adding other components. I dove in head first and went cold turkey on everything. But…it's ok to make small goals and move towards some of these ideas. Everyone's journey is different….and that's ok.
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I think you will enjoy the book. It sounds like it supports what you have already been focusing on. 0
