The Plant Paradox

1. Plants Wage a Silent War: Lectins are the Culprits

I titled this book The Plant Paradox because while many plant foods are good for you—and form the bedrock of my eating plan—others that have been regarded as “health foods” are actually to blame for making you sick and overweight.

Plants aren't passive. They actively defend themselves against predators, including humans, through chemical compounds called lectins. These proteins, found in most plants, can disrupt cellular communication, cause inflammation, and contribute to weight gain. While some plants are beneficial, others, even those considered healthy, can be detrimental.

Lectins are sticky proteins. They bind to carbohydrates in the body, interfering with cellular messaging and causing toxic or inflammatory reactions. Gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye, is just one example of a lectin. Lectins target sialic acid, a sugar molecule found in the gut, brain, nerve endings, joints, and bodily fluids.

The Plant Paradox Program aims to identify and eliminate problematic lectins from the diet, promoting weight loss and reversing numerous health problems. It's not an anti-plant diet, but rather a guide to navigating the complex world of plant foods, distinguishing between friends, foes, and those that can be tamed through preparation methods.

2. The Four Horsemen of Dietary Disruption: A Modern Plague

Starting in the mid-1960s, we have seen a rampant rise in obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, asthma, allergies and sinus conditions, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.

The rise of modern ailments. Since the mid-1960s, there has been a dramatic increase in chronic diseases, coinciding with significant changes in our diet and personal care products. These changes have led to increased exposure to lectins and other disruptive chemicals. The author identifies four major disruptions in human eating patterns that have upset the balance between plants and humans.

The Agricultural Revolution introduced grains and beans, which contain lectins that our bodies are not well-equipped to handle. A mutation in cows led to the production of casein A-1 milk, which can trigger immune attacks on the pancreas. The Columbian Exchange brought New World foods like tomatoes, potatoes, and corn, which contain lectins that were previously unknown to Europeans, Asians, and Africans.

Contemporary innovations such as processed foods, GMOs, and the overuse of antibiotics have further exacerbated the problem. These factors have overwhelmed our bodies' ability to adapt, leading to a decline in collective health.

3. Gut Warfare: The Holobiome Under Siege

The lining of your intestine is only one cell thick, while its surface area is equivalent to the size of a tennis court.

The gut is a battleground. The gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of microbes, collectively known as the holobiome, which play a crucial role in our health. The intestinal lining, only one cell thick, acts as a barrier, separating these microbes from the rest of the body.

A four-pronged defense system protects us from the toxic effects of plants, including lectins: mucus, stomach acid, gut bacteria, and a layer of mucus produced by intestinal cells. However, this system can be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of lectins in the modern diet.

Lectins attack the gut wall by prying apart the tight junctions between cells, leading to leaky gut syndrome. This allows lectins, LPSs, and other foreign invaders to enter the bloodstream, triggering an immune response and inflammation.

4. Seven Deadly Disruptors: Hacking Your Health

The pace of these shifts is approaching warp speed, outpacing our ability—and that of our microbiome—to adapt in a comparable time frame.

Subtle changes, profound effects. Seven subtle changes in the last 50 years have significantly altered our health, disrupting the delicate balance within our bodies. These disruptors, or rogue pattern matchers, have compromised our ability to deal with lectins and other harmful substances.

The Seven Deadly Disruptors:

• Broad-spectrum antibiotics: Kill both good and bad bacteria in the gut.
• NSAIDs: Damage the mucosal barrier in the small intestine.
• Stomach-acid blockers: Reduce stomach acid, allowing bad bacteria to overgrow.
• Artificial sweeteners: Alter gut flora, killing good bacteria and promoting weight gain.
• Endocrine disruptors: Chemicals in plastics, cosmetics, and other products that interfere with hormones.
• Genetically modified foods and Roundup: Introduce artificial lectins and disrupt the shikimate pathway in gut bacteria.
• Constant exposure to blue light: Disrupts circadian rhythms and promotes fat storage.

These disruptors create a perfect storm, compromising our gut health and leading to a cascade of negative health consequences.

5. The Weight Gain Conspiracy: It's Not Your Fault

You are insulin- and leptin-resistant not because you are overweight; rather, you are overweight because your body is at war and is saving calories for the war effort.

Weight gain is a symptom, not a cause. Excess weight is often a sign that the body is in a state of war, triggered by lectins, LPSs, and other foreign invaders. The immune system responds by storing fat to fuel the battle, leading to insulin and leptin resistance.

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a lectin found in wheat, mimics insulin, disrupting endocrine function and promoting fat storage. It also blocks sugar from getting into muscle cells, starving muscles of nourishment.

Grains and beans turbocharge fat storage. They promote greater fat deposits per calorie than any other food source. This was beneficial in ancient times when food was scarce, but it works against us in the modern world.

6. The Plant Paradox Program: A Three-Phased Approach

Following the three phases of the Plant Paradox Program, you will initially remove the most problematic lectins so that you can heal your gut.

A roadmap to vibrant health. The Plant Paradox Program is a three-phased approach designed to heal the gut, restore the microbiome, and promote long-term health and weight management. It involves eliminating problematic lectins, repairing the gut lining, and feeding the good gut microbes.

The program is a vegaquarian diet. It emphasizes certain plant foods, wild seafood, and limited amounts of pastured meat. Vegan and vegetarian variations are also available.

The three phases are designed to work synergistically, addressing the root causes of health problems and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

7. Phase 1: Kick-Start Cleanse - Starve the Invaders

Coal miners used to take caged canaries into the mines with them because the birds are especially subject to the lethal effects of carbon monoxide and methane.

A three-day reset. Phase 1 is a three-day cleanse designed to prepare the gut for healing by starving the bad bacteria and reducing inflammation. It involves eliminating dairy, grains, fruit, sugar, seeds, eggs, soy, nightshade plants, roots, and tubers.

Focus on specific foods. Instead, the diet consists of vegetables, small amounts of wild-caught fish or pastured chicken, and healthy fats like avocado oil and coconut oil. Green smoothies are a key component of this phase.

Optional but beneficial. While the cleanse is optional, it can provide a significant boost to the healing process. It's like preparing the soil before planting seeds, creating a more favorable environment for the good gut microbes to thrive.

8. Phase 2: Repair and Restore - Rebuild Your Gut Fortress

If you have any of the conditions listed here, guess what? The water is already boiling.

A six-week commitment. Phase 2 is a six-week program designed to repair the gut lining and restore the balance of the microbiome. It involves continuing to eliminate problematic lectins and introducing foods that nourish the good gut bacteria.

Key strategies:

• Eliminate major lectins, GMO foods, and crops treated with Roundup.
• Minimize intake of omega-6 fats.
• Eliminate industrial farm-raised poultry and livestock.
• Consume a diverse array of vegetables, resistant starches, and healthy fats.
• Limit animal protein to 8 ounces per day.

The goal is to create a gut environment that supports the growth of beneficial microbes and reduces inflammation, allowing the body to heal itself.

9. Phase 3: Reap the Rewards - A Sustainable Lifestyle

Half of my patients seek me out because they have failed to show improvement on other famous gut-healing regimens, such as the GAPS diet, the SCD, and the Low FODMAP diet.

A lifelong journey. Phase 3 is a sustainable lifestyle that builds upon the foundation established in the previous phases. It involves continuing to follow the principles of the Plant Paradox Program and making adjustments based on individual tolerance.

Key strategies:

• Continue to eat foods on the "Yes Please" list.
• Gradually reintroduce small amounts of lectin-containing foods, if tolerated.
• Reduce intake of animal protein to 2-4 ounces per day.
• Practice intermittent fasting.
• Restore daily and seasonal rhythms.

The goal is to maintain a healthy gut, manage weight, and promote longevity by making conscious choices about food and lifestyle.

10. Keto Plant Paradox Intensive Care: A Targeted Intervention

The compounds that trigger these receptors are so small, so invisible, that they seem insignificant.

A specialized approach. The Keto Plant Paradox Intensive Care Program is designed for individuals with severe health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure, or neurological diseases. It is a more restrictive version of the Plant Paradox Program that further reduces animal protein and eliminates almost all fruits.

Key strategies:

• Follow the principles of the Plant Paradox Program.
• Eliminate almost all fruits, except those that are listed as resistant starches.
• Limit animal protein to a maximum of 4 ounces per day.
• Supplement with MCT oil and other ketone-boosting fats.

The goal is to provide a targeted intervention that addresses the underlying metabolic derangements associated with these conditions and promotes healing.

Last updated: March 15, 2025