The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet (2014) is an unprocessed, low-carb detox diet.
- Preparation phase: Come off caffeine, alcohol, sweetened beverages, and processed foods.
- 10-day detox: Eat unprocessed foods, no gluten, grains, dairy, or beans (basically a paleo diet).
- Transition phase: 3 alternative ways to transition out of the detox.
- Plan for life: unprocessed, low-sugar; test your reactions to gluten and dairy and reintroduce if nonreactive.
Below is a description of the food recommendations in the diet. Prep phase | 10-day detox | Transition phase | Long-term plan | Guidelines for vegetarians and vegans. There’s a lot more in the book.
Use this page as a cheat sheet alongside the book. Send this page to friends, family, and anyone else who you want to understand what you’re eating on this diet.
Get a copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet for toxicity questionnaire, exercise guidelines, supplements, journaling, relaxation, daily rhythms, breathing exercises, daily tips, cooking basics, daily menus, and recipes.
Get The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook for more than 150 more recipes.
See also Dr. Hyman’s earlier book, The Blood Sugar Solution.
The reasoning behind The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet
The author says that what makes you sick also makes you fat, and what makes you fat makes you sick. Health is a state of balance, and disease is a state of imbalance. When you begin to put on weight, especially belly fat, your biology shifts out of balance, veering into the unstable and unhealthy territory of disease – which in turn makes you fatter. Imbalance occurs along a continuum, and the farther along that continuum you are, the more problems you have.
The factors that cause your symptoms are the very same factors that cause weight gain, pre-diabetes, and diabetes. Those factors include inflammation, hormonal imbalance, toxicity, and more. As it’s all connected, your excess weight problems very likely share many of the same root causes as your other health complaints. As you follow the program, you’ll come to understand how the ways you eat, move, relax, live, and think can quickly create either an environment of healing or an environment of toxicity within your body, and set the stage for weight gain or weight loss.
Foods that spike blood sugar are biologically addictive. In order to break free from addictive substances and reprogram your biology, you need to detox from the druglike foods and beverages you’ve been hooked on.
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet plan – what to eat and foods to avoid
Prep phase | 10-day detox | Transition phase | Long-term plan | Guidelines for vegetarians and vegans
If you are on prescription medication (including blood pressure pills or insulin), you must work with your doctor to carefully monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar, and adjust your doses as necessary.
Note that you may get some withdrawal symptoms while detoxing, including bad breath, constipation, achy flulike feeling, fatigue, headache, hunger, irritability, itchy skin, nausea, offensive body odor, sleep irregularities, brain fog. It usually takes only a few days for this to pass. Strategies for relieving detox symptoms include: give yourself some downtime, embrace the symptoms as proof that the detox is working, flush your symptoms, make sure your bowels are clean and working well, exercise gently, take vitamin C and plenty of fluids.
10 Day Detox Diet Prep Phase
Set aside 2 days to prepare:
- Detox your kitchen – remove foods listed in “Foods to avoid in the 10-Day Detox” – anything that is not real food, unless it is a canned whole food, such as sardines or artichokes, with only a few real ingredients, such as water or salt; any food or drink that contains sugar of any kind, anything that contains hydrogenated oils or refined vegetable oils, any foods with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, additives, coloring, or dyes, all gluten products (including bread, pasta, bagels, etc.), all grains (even those that are gluten-free), all milk products (including milk, yogurt, and cheese), all beans
- Gather your supplies – see “Foods to eat in the 10-Day Detox” – foods in the 10-Day Detox Staples Shopping List, other non-food recommendations listed in the book such as bath supplies, detox journal, supplements, testing tools, etc.
- Taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar
- Align your mind and intentions – see guidelines in the book
- Measure yourself – see guidelines in the book
- Join the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community (http://drhyman.com/programs/10-day-detox)
There’s a preparation checklist in the book.
Foods to eat in the 10-Day Detox Diet Prep Phase
- There are no guidelines of anything special to eat – just reduce/stop the foods listed below
Foods to avoid or limit with the 10-Day Detox Diet Prep Phase
- Caffeine
- Drink half your normal dose on the first prep day, half of that reduced dose on the second day, then quit on the first day of detox
- Gentle exercise, lots of water, a hot bath, and extra vitamin C can help reduce withdrawal headaches
- Alcohol
- Go off alcohol cold turkey
- Don’t taper, just stop
- Sweetened beverages
- Stop drinking any sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages
- Don’t taper, just stop
- Processed foods
- Stop eating all processed foods
- Don’t taper, just stop
10 Day Detox Diet
This stage lasts for 10 days, and you’re told in the book what to eat on which day.
Foods to eat in The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet
These foods boost detox pathways, reduce inflammation, improve gut function, and balance blood sugar
- Meals
- Each day has a specific menu plan, to take out the guesswork and make sure you get the right balance of filling and detoxifying foods and nutrients
- Eat until you are gently satisfied – 80% full. Alter the portion sizes in the book to suit your needs
- Breakfast – Choose your favorite Breakfast Detox Shake (recipes in the book)
- Lunch – Every day, you have two Core Plan lunch options: You can choose one of the soups in the recipe section, along with protein; or Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar, also in the recipe section of the book, along with protein. Alternatively, you can choose the Adventure Plan lunch option listed for that day
- Dinner – Choose either that day’s Core Plan dinner recipe (in the book) or the Adventure Plan dinner recipe (for a little extra fun if you have the time and desire to explore)
- Snacks – The morning snack each day consists of a small handful of nuts (ten to twelve nuts), such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, or macadamias. This is optional; you may not need it if you still feel full from the breakfast shake. For the afternoon snack, enjoy any one of the dips and spreads in the recipe section, to be eaten with crudités (sliced raw veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers, or celery). These dips and spreads can be mixed and matched as you like throughout the ten days. Or you can opt for an afternoon nut snack (instead of the spread and veggies) if you prefer
- If you are really pressed for time or don’t like the Core Plan or Adventure Plan recipes for that day, you have the option to prepare instead a very basic protein (chicken, fish, tofu, or lean red meat, though limit red meat to once during the ten days) and nonstarchy vegetables (steamed, sautéed, grilled, or roasted). You get unlimited refills on the nonstarchy veggies and can have as many different types as you want at every meal
- Do not eat within 3 hours of bedtime
- Vegetables
- Nonstarchy vegetables e.g. artichokes, arugula, asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collards/collard greens, cucumber, daikon radish, dandelion greens, dark green leafy vegetables, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, green beans, hearts of palm, kale, leeks, lettuces, mixed greens, mushrooms, mustard greens, napa cabbage, onion, peppers (all types), radicchio, radishes, romaine, scallions/green onions, shallots, snap beans, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress, zucchini
- Starchy vegetables: beets, carrots
- Sea vegetables e.g. arame, dulse, kombu, nori, wakame
- Herbs and spices
- Herbs e.g. basil, chives, cilantro, curry leaves, dill, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme
- Spices e.g. cayenne pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, ginger, mustard seeds, onion powder, paprika, turmeric
- Fruits – in moderation, low-sugar fruits, portion sizes shown in the recipes in the book
- E.g. berries, blueberries, cranberries, kiwi, lemon, lime
- Proteins
- Serving size 4-6 ounces
- Where possible, use sustainably raised, grass-fed, or organic
- Meat – lean and grass-fed, e.g. beef, grass- or pasture-raised beef jerky (with no nitrates)
- Fish and seafood – wild, e.g. bass, cod, herring, salmon, sardines, snapper, (skip tuna as it has too much mercury), salmon jerky
- Poultry – organic, skinless, e.g. chicken, turkey, natural turkey jerky
- Eggs – omega-3
- Fermented soy products – non-GMO, e.g. tofu and tempeh
- Protein powder for breakfast shakes – hemp protein, chia protein, rice protein, pea protein, non-GMO whole soy powder
- Nuts and seeds
- Nuts, raw, e.g. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts
- Nut butters, raw if possible e.g. almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia nut butter, walnut butter
- Almond meal
- Seeds, raw, e.g. chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
- Tahini / sesame seed paste
- Unrefined oils and fats
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil, flax oil, walnut oil
- Extra virgin coconut butter / coconut oil
- Grape seed oil, for high heat cooking
- Sesame oil, for flavoring
- Nuts and avocados
- Other foods
- Canned full fat coconut milk, unsweetened hemp milk, unsweetened almond milk
- Capers, canned or jarred Kalamata olives
- Broth (low-sodium), mustard, tamari (low-sodium, gluten-free), kimchi, salt, black peppercorns, vinegar (apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar)
- Beverages
- Keep hydrated
- Fresh filtered water – drink at least 8 glasses a day (especially important if you’re taking PGX), 2 glasses before you eat
- You can also drink hot water with a squeeze of lemon or noncaffeinated herbal teas (hot or iced) such as Yogi tea, Mighty Leaf tea, or Tazo throughout the day
Foods to avoid with The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet
- Sugary/sweet foods
- All sugar products including sugar, agave, honey, molasses, etc.
- Liquid sugar calories in sweet drinks – soda, sports drinks, sweetened teas and coffees, energy drinks, fruit drinks, and hundreds of other sugary drinks
- Fruit juice
- High fructose corn syrup HFCS
- Foods containing sugars
- Artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes
- Gluten
- Found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticale, and oats
- All grains
- Including gluten-free grains
- Including breads, bagels, flours, pastas, cereals, and snacks, even gluten-free ones
- Dairy
- Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream
- Casein (found in non-dairy products)
- Note that eggs are allowed; they don’t come from a cow
- Beans or legumes
- Beans, lentils, split peas, etc.
- Note that green beans are allowed
- Processed foods
- All processed and factory-made foods
- Chemicals, preservatives, additives
- Artificial sweeteners
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Hydrogenated fats
- Monosodium glutamate MSG – including anything with the word “glutamate” in it, gelatin, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), textured protein, hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), yeast extract, glutamate, autolyzed plant protein, yeast food or nutrient, glutamic acid, autolyzed yeast, vegetable protein extract, anything “hydrolyzed”, protease, anything “enzyme modified”, anything containing “enzymes”, umami, carrageenan, bouillon and broth, stock, any “flavors” or “flavoring”, maltodextrin, barley malt, malt extract, natural seasonings
- Refined oils
- All refined and processed vegetable oils
- E.g. corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil
- Note that extra virgin oils and fats are okay
- Alcohol
- Any type – it’s just sugar in a different form
- Caffeine
- Coffee
- Soft drinks and energy drinks
- Other stimulants and sedatives
- If you are on regular medication, don’t stop taking it without an okay from your doctor
- This isn’t food but influences eating: Media overload, the incessant overexposure to phones, texting, the Internet, social media, and television that stresses our nervous system and often shapes our eating behavior and preferences.
Transition phase
Super-Advanced transition plan | Advanced transition plan | Basic transition plan
There are 3 different transitional paths to choose from: the Super Advanced Plan, the Advanced Plan, and the Basic Plan. After transition, move to the Blood Sugar Solution for Life.
If you didn’t feel much better or lose much weight, consider these issues: sugar or gluten may have found its way into your food products; you may not have had enough exercise; you may have hidden food sensitivities (see The UltraSimple Diet for an elimination program); you may have toxic overload or systemic imbalances. See the book for more details on how to address these issues.
The Super Advanced Plan
- Follow this plan if you want to lose 25 pounds or more; have diabetes and want to reverse it; are on diabetes medication or insulin and want to get off it; have high triglycerides and low HDL and want to get off statin medication; have high blood pressure and want to get off medication; or just feel so great and want to keep going to experience greater levels of wellness
- Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7 of the book, “Your Daily Practices.”
- Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal (eggs, chicken, fish, lean animal protein, nuts and seeds)
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
- Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
- Avoid grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), beans, and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake)
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
- The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements
The Advanced Plan
- This plan is similar to the Super Advanced Plan, except you can add in legumes (beans and lentils). This is the same plan as outlined in The Blood Sugar Solution
- Follow this plan if you want to continue to get the benefits of the 10-Day Detox and add beans back to your diet to see how you respond to them; have advanced diabesity
- Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7 of the book, “Your Daily Practices.”
- Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal (eggs, chicken, fish, lean animal protein, nuts and seeds) or ½ cup beans or legumes per meal – note the best way to eat legumes is by pairing them with a high-quality protein such as fish or chicken
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
- Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
- Avoid grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake)
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
- The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements
The Basic Plan
- This plan transitions you into nongluten grains, low-glycemic fruit, and a small amount of starchy vegetables. It’s the same as the Basic Plan outlined in The Blood Sugar Solution
- Follow this plan if you have normal blood sugars and blood pressure but still want to continue with weight loss or still have belly fat; you have any health conditions, inflammation, or generally don’t feel fabulous; you don’t have a history of heart disease or diabetes; your lab tests show you are a “skinny fat” person with high triglycerides, low HDL, small LDL particles, high blood sugar and insulin
- Eat:
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal
- Include gluten-free grains (such as quinoa, black rice, and buckwheat) in their whole -kernel form. Ideally, stick with just one serving per day, but you can occasionally have up to two (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked). Avoid processed grains or any flour products
- Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, ideally just one serving per day, but you can have up to two (serving size: 1 cup winter squash, ½ sweet potato)
- Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 medium piece, ½ cup berries, ½ cup mixed fresh fruit)
- Include beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked or canned)
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal
- Avoid:
- Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners
- Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice)
- Continue to avoid all processed foods
- The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements
The Blood Sugar Solution Plan for Life
Eat for life | Avoid for life | Reintroduce dairy and gluten
After the transition phase, follow these guidelines for lifetime health. Note you can reintroduce legumes, dairy, and gluten to see how you react to them.
Foods to eat in 10-Day Detox Diet plan for life
- Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals or snacks. Get in the habit of filling 50 to 75 percent of your plate with nonstarchy veggies
- Include 4 to 6 ounces of lean protein in each meal
- Include gluten-free grains in their whole-kernel form: quinoa; black rice, brown rice, or red rice; buckwheat ; 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked)
- Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, up to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 cup winter squash, ½ sweet potato)
- Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size: 1 medium piece, ½ cup berries, ½ cup mixed fresh fruit)
- Include a moderate amount of beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (serving size – ⅓ cup cooked or canned)
- Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g. ¼ avocado or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, or sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with each meal
- Note – if you are trying to get healthier, lose more weight, or get better control of your blood sugar, stick to one serving (not two) of the beans, grains, or starchy vegetables
- You can add back in a few treats (such as coffee or tea, alcohol, and sweets) if you choose, but all in moderation and as an occasional pleasure, not a staple of everyday life. If you notice that cravings get triggered, it’s a sign to scale back on the treats
Foods to avoid or limit with the 10-Day Detox Diet plan for life
- Avoid all processed grains or flours (with the exception of the pasta you will use to test gluten according to the instructions below)
- Stay away from liquid sugar calories such as soda or juices, unless you are making fresh-squeezed green vegetable juices
- Continue to eliminate all artificial sweeteners
- Minimize all forms of sugar, but especially avoid foods with added sugars. You can always add a little bit of sugar, maple syrup, or honey to the food you cook yourself. That way you know exactly how much you are getting. Note that you should watch to see if any sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) triggers an addictive pattern of eating. If so, like some alcoholics or addicts, you may have zero tolerance; you’re encouraged to stay away from any type of sugar or sweetener and get your “sugar” exclusively from whole fresh fruit
- Minimize inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee and alcohol). One cup of coffee and one glass of wine or alcohol three to four times a week can eventually be well tolerated by most people. Just pay attention and notice how they make you feel
- Continue to avoid processed foods
- The book also has guidelines on other daily practices and supplements
Reintroduce gluten and dairy
- Start with dairy
- Eat it at least one serving 2-3 times a day for three days. Stick to plain milk or plain yogurt without anything added to see how you feel
- Track your response for the next 72 hours using a food log – date, food reintroduced, symptoms
- If you have a reaction, stop dairy immediately
- Next, reintroduce gluten
- Wait at least three days before testing gluten next
- Eat foods containing gluten at least 2-3 times a day for three days. Use only plain wheat without added ingredients. The best thing to try is pasta, because most breads also contain yeast and sugar, or you might try cream of wheat cereal for breakfast
- Track your response for 72 hours using a food log – date, food reintroduced, symptoms
- If you have a reaction, stop gluten immediately
- Common food sensitivity reactions: weight gain, resurgence of cravings, fluid retention, nasal congestion, headaches, brain fog, mood problems (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.), sleep problems, joint aches, muscle aches, pain, fatigue, changes in your skin (acne, rashes, eczema), changes in digestion or bowel function (bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, reflux)
- In general, if you tolerate gluten and dairy, it is okay to eat them from time to time, but don’t make them staples of your diet. For dairy choices, be sure to stay away from industrial processed cheese, as it is full of chemicals and additives and hormones. Also, modern forms of wheat (dwarf wheat) have much higher starch content and more gluten proteins, which make them more likely to cause inflammation. Try to find “heirloom” sources of gluten and dairy, such as grass-fed, heirloom cows and locally sourced cheeses. They may be more expensive, but they taste better and it will take less of them to satisfy your appetite. You can also experiment with other grains such as spelt, rye, kamut, or einkorn. If you are not gluten sensitive, try whole-kernel German rye bread
- If you stay off gluten and dairy, you can often start eating other foods you once reacted to without having problems. In other words, once you remove the primary triggers, the other allergens simply won’t affect you as much. Limit any potentially problematic foods to just once or twice a week so you don’t trigger the same cycle of illness. If you still react after eliminating that food for twelve weeks, avoid that food entirely, or see a physician, dietician, or nutritionist skilled in managing food allergies.
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet for Vegans and Vegetarians
The vegetarian and vegan guide can be found at http://drhyman.com/downloads/10DDVegetarianVegan.pdf
- On the 10-day detox and beyond
- Omit all grains
- Focus on the glycemic load, not the calories
- Swap animal proteins for whole, organic, non-GMO soy products such as tofu or tempeh once or twice a day. A serving size of traditional soy foods is a quarter pound or about 3 ounces. This does NOT include soy protein isolates or concentrates found in alternative “meats” such as soy burgers, meatless “chicken,” soy protein found in protein bars, or even hidden in restaurant meat as filler
- Add nuts and seeds to your diet as a source of protein and good fats
- Eggs are a wonderful source of protein (for vegetarians not vegans) and if you choose whole omega-3 eggs you will be getting good fats with great protein
- You can sprout beans, seeds, and even grains to increase their nutritional value and ease of digestion
- Always combine a carbohydrate with fiber, protein or anti-inflammatory fats: never carb it alone
- Eat green carbs freely, yellow carbs in moderation, red carbs in limited amounts, and avoid forbidden carbs completely (processed carbs, gluten-containing whole grains, dried fruit, resistant starch)
- On the lifetime plan
- Keep grain portion sizes small
Health benefits claimed in The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet
The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: acne, allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disease, belly fat, bloating, brain fog, bronchitis, canker sores, chronic coughing, constipation, depression, diabetes, pre-diabetes, diarrhea, dizziness, earaches, eczema, fatigue, food addiction, food cravings, gas, headaches, heartburn, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high insulin, hives, hot flushes, hyperactivity, inflammation, insomnia, insulin resistance, irregular heartbeat, irritability, irritable bowel IBS, joint pain, mood swings, overweight/obesity, rashes, reflux, sinus problems, underweight, water retention
As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, not endorsing it.
Get a copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet for toxicity questionnaire, exercise guidelines, supplements, journaling, relaxation, daily rhythms, breathing exercises, daily tips, cooking basics, daily menus, and recipes.
10-Day Detox Diet Book
Get The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook for more than 150 more recipes.
Cookbook
See the book’s website, http://drhyman.com/programs/10-day-detox, for an online community group, supplements, events, coaching, quizzes, tracking tools, a weekly newsletter, and more. Dr. Hyman’s website is http://drhyman.com, he’s on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/drmarkhyman, Twitter at https://twitter.com/markhymanmd, and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/markhymanmd. But remember that during the 10 day detox you’re supposed to be avoiding media overload!
How has this diet helped you? Please add a comment or question below.
{ 73 comments… add one }
Thank you for the break down of the book. You really make it clear and simple view point.
I am going to send my clients over to read it.
Hi there, I am about to start the diet. I am confused – can you pick ANY of the core meals daily or do you have to stick to the one he outlines on that day – either the core or advanced? I just simply cannot purchase so much food to make recipes my family will not eat, so I am hoping I can pick the ones they will eat- in other words, have whatever I want each night from the core list. So fist night Asian Chicken Skewers versus the salmon with onion marmalade he says to have. Is that possible? Is it flexible to pick and chose what you want to cook for dinner each night? Everything else seems achievable, but those dinners are intense. Thank you in advance!
Dr. Hyman advises this in the book:
– Lunch – Every day, you have two Core Plan lunch options: You can choose one of the soups in the recipe section, along with protein; or Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar, also in the recipe section of the book, along with protein. Alternatively, you can choose the Adventure Plan lunch option listed for that day
– Dinner – Choose either that day’s Core Plan dinner recipe (in the book) or the Adventure Plan dinner recipe (for a little extra fun if you have the time and desire to explore)
– If you are really pressed for time or don’t like the Core Plan or Adventure Plan recipes for that day, you have the option to prepare instead a very basic protein (chicken, fish, tofu, or lean red meat, though limit red meat to once during the ten days) and nonstarchy vegetables (steamed, sautéed, grilled, or roasted). You get unlimited refills on the nonstarchy veggies and can have as many different types as you want at every meal
So you can pick either the Core or Adventure plan for that day, or create a simple meal instead (Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar plus protein for lunch; basic protein and nonstarchy vegetables for dinner.
I can’t see anything saying you can pick and choose which of the core meals to have on which day.
Hope that helps!
I have 2 special problems. Inability to do a lot of chewing (i.e. greens) due to dental partials and TMJ, and I have diverticulosis and torsioned bowel. So elimination is really important. I take fine ground flaxseed 2-3 times a day. I am on Day 6 of the 10 day detox and feel so much better. I definitely am very sensitive to sugar and will stay away from it from now on. Any suggestions would be so welcome. Nancy
If you can’t chew greens, you could have them as smoothies (if raw) or blend them (if cooked) instead – not what Dr. Hyman would usually suggest as this reduces the fiber load on your body, but you’re already taking in additional fiber so it should be okay in your case.
When you’re eating fruits and other foods with carbs, the usual advice would be to chew them well as carbohydrate digestion starts in the mouth. As you can’t chew much, try at least rolling them around in your mouth to encourage the digestive enzymes to start working.
Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to encourage elimination.
This breakdown is REALLY well done. Thanks.
I’m glad you find it helpful!
I started the detox June 1st and have read the 10 day Detox book and did a lot of research prior to starting the detox. You summarized the book quite well and I enjoyed reading what you wrote – thank you!
You’re welcome! Good luck with the detox.
I just bought this book and went through it yesterday. I am planning to give it a try but I am wondering about the supplements. It is the only thing I question. I believe if we eat a balanced, real food diet (as this book suggests) than supplements are not needed. I also question the usefulness of supplements and how well they are actually absorbed by the body. I don’t like taking any form of pills and many supplements have added ingredients which I try to avoid. I am wondering if anyone is doing or has done this plan without the supplements, and if so how it worked? Thanks.
Michelle
I have unfortunately GAINED weight on this diet. I have also begun to have intense mucus in my nose and always blowing it. I also fell lightheaded often. My arthritis pain is much worse. My cholesterol levels went up as well. The GOOD news is that I like the food. On Dr. Mcdougall diet I lowered my cholesterol 60 points but was always eating and always hungry and hated the diet. So it’s a trade off I guess. If I keep gaining weight I will have to go back to Mcdougall. Anyone else have these issues?
On the first few days to a week, it’s possible you’re detoxing from something that’s been excluded from your diet – mucus and lightheadedness are possible symptoms.
But if it carries on for longer, that’s not good! Try cutting back on any trigger foods for your type of arthritis – perhaps meat or nuts.
Thank you for this breakdown. It is a HUGE help. I am reading the book on my Kindle and just order it and the cookbook in hard copy.We will start the Detox this coming week. This all makes perfect sense and I look forward to not having FLC syndrome any more! 😉
Thanks, and good luck!
I know this reply comes a year after your post, so I hope you have found successful solutions to your problems. I’ll post anyway, in case others are experiencing the same thing. I’m not sure about the weight gain, can’t begin to give you a clue. But the increased mucus, lightheaded issues and arthritic pain may be caused by what is called a “healing crisis”. This can happen when you are on a detox or cleansing therapy: you body will begin to release toxins that were originally trapped in your fat cells and other parts of your body, and back into the blood stream, to be eliminated via the normal processes. Due to the presence of these toxins now flowing thru your bloodstream, you can feel as sick as when you begin to acquire the toxins. If you are releasing them quickly, you can feel really bad really soon, but as your body goes thru the elimination process, your troubles begin to subside. Maybe slow down on your cleansing process, or take extra supplements, or drink more water to accelerate the elimination process. Google “healing crisis” to get more information. I made the mistake of stopping in the middle of a cleanse because I didn’t know about healing crises, and basically compounded my problems. Good Luck!
Hi, this is very helpful. I don’t have the book yet but a friend did it and recommended it. I have a question. Tofu is mentioned in the protein section but beans are not allowed. How is that? I don’t eat red meat and very little chicken but lots of fish. I live in Labrador and can’t get free range anything (except fish and occasional game, which I will eat). Food is very expensive here and forget about suppliments. I’ve been on similar diets for my allergies and asthma. I’ll do my best! It is berry season here and I will eat them. Thanks.
Jan Morrison
Beans are a starchy food, and starchy foods are omitted during the 10-day detox. They’re allowed in limited amounts in the advanced and basic transition plans (not the super advanced plan), and in the lifetime plan.
Good luck!
Hi Penny,
I guess I wasn’t clear. I see on the 10 day portion of the breakdown that one can eat tofu (under protein section) but in the banned section no beans but green beans are allowed. Tofu is made of soybeans so that is what my question was about. I think I will just hold off until the 10 days are over. I just came back from shopping. No unsweetened almond milk but unsweetened coconut milk. I’m surprised they have anything like that. Feeling good on day six and I’ve dropped 6 to 8 pounds. Thanks for this breakdown – very helpful.
Hi Jan,
I assume that the difference between tofu and beans for this diet is that beans are fairly high carb; tofu is made from soy beans but there’s a fair bit of processing involved so the nutritional composition is not the same as soy beans.
According to the USDA nutritional database, tofu is usually about 1-3% carbs, and soy beans are about 30% carbs.
Also, soy is an inflammatory food for many people. No soy on the detox. (I’m vegan, so I have to compromise on this rule. I still have had amazing results and feel the best ever when I am working a vegan version of this plan.)
what about brown or wild rice
You shouldn’t have any type of rice during the 10-day detox itself, but you can have whole grain rices in the Plan for Life.
Dr. Hyman mentions black rice, red rice, and brown rice for the Plan for Life, and I assume wild rice would be okay as well because it’s a gluten-free whole grain.
It is unclear if pistachios are allowed as nuts in the diet.
Pistachios aren’t mentioned by name in the book in the examples of nuts, but that’s not unusual as diet authors don’t always remember to put all examples of a food but give a food category and examples instead.
The book says you can eat nuts, and doesn’t say you can’t have pistachios, so pistachios should be okay to eat as a type of nut.
Your breakdown of the book is excellent. I am on my third day, my mind is still foggy, I am thirsty allllllll the time, my mouth is dry and I am urinating like crazy. The good news I had lost 2 lbs (I would love to loose 10lbs. of belly)I had all my tests done right before I started the plan and I am healthy, everything is where it needs to be, I am not overweight (just belly fat from being hyperinsulinemic, I was born like that…). I miss eating fruits and my occasional cafe latte. The real reason I am doing it is to get rid of the chronic yeast infections, so hopefully it will help!
Thanks, and good luck!
Thanks Penny, great info. I’m now on day 5 of the 10 day detox and I while I’ve gotten past the hard part (the first three days for me), and I’m feeling better, I haven’t lost any weight at all. I’m doing everything correctly and I already don’t eat gluten or dairy, I’m very healthy, and I don’t eat loads of meat or fatty meats (last few days have been fish and tofu). I do wonder about all the fat content in nuts and seeds and wonder if this is why I’m not losing weight (I don’t snack on nuts between breakfast and lunch). My only symptoms were mild headaches the first few days – and tiredness in the late afternoon on a couple of days. I’m going to limit my nut/seed consumption to just one tablespoon a day and see if this makes a difference. If you have any other suggestions on weight loss that would be greatly appreciated. I am 10 kg overweight.
This is a fairly low-carb diet, and you need to get your energy from somewhere. If you also avoid fats, your body may think it’s in starvation mode and hold onto weight. Instead of decreasing the amount of fat you’re eating, try increasing the amount of unrefined oils and fats you eat.
Can you eat raw fresh coconut and drink Kombucha
on this plan?
Dr. Hyman doesn’t mention coconuts (although he mentions coconut milk and coconut oil). He says that nuts are allowed, so I’d assume you can have raw fresh coconut. However, coconut water is probably out as it’s got quite a lot of natural sugars.
Kombucha usually contains some sugars (if the scoby has consumed all the sugars, the kombucha would be extremely sour and undrinkable). So, as a food containing sugars, you probably shouldn’t have it on this diet.
can I use Stevia in my hot tea?
Dr. Hyman doesn’t mention stevia in the book, but he says to avoid all sugars and sweeteners.
In http://www.10daydetox.com/launchbonus/_downloads/The_Missing_Ingredient.pdf [note November 2015 – no longer available], he says “Remove all sugar from your diet. Anything that has sugar is manufactured with one sole purpose in mind: to hijack your brain and make you a food addict. Beware of the pseudonyms sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, malt, glucose, cane sugar, caramel, sucanat, stevia, agave, honey, lactose and galactose.”
So he says you shouldn’t use stevia for this diet.
Dr. Hyman uses the term “coconut butter”, and says that some call it “coconut oil”. They are different products and I want to be sure that I buy the correct one. Thank you.
In the shopping list (p.257) he lists “Extra virgin coconut butter (often called coconut oil; at room temperature it is solid, but at warm temperatures it may be liquid)”
You’re correct that coconut oil and coconut butter are technically different products, but it looks like he thinks of them as equal to each other, so coconut oil should be fine when he says coconut butter.
Could you please tell me what I can substitute for the fish supplements and fish? I am severely allergic to ALL seafood and seafood products. Thank you.
For fish and seafood in meals, you can substitute any other of the approved proteins.
I focus on the food side of diets, rather than supplements. It looks like the fish oil supplement is to provide omega-3s, and you may be able to use other sources. See http://drhyman.com/blog/2012/03/01/time-for-an-oil-change/ – for someone with a fish sensitivity, the Dr Hyman Nutritional Staff suggested “You can try incorporating hemp, chia and flax seeds along with walnuts into your diet.”
You could also try checking out the 10-Day Detox Community.
Is it possible to have a glass of almond milk as a snack on the detox?
That would probably be okay as long as it’s just almond milk with no additives or preservatives. Make your own by putting the number of (unsalted) nuts you’re allowed into a blender plus some water and straining the results.
Is it possible to use sweetened almknd milk? I can’t find unsweetened.
Sorry, you definitely can’t have sweetened almond milk on this diet. You can make your own unsweetened almond milk with almonds, water, and a blender (do a browser search for “almond milk recipe”). Or you could try buying it online, e.g. at Amazon.
If I don’t take the suplements, will the diet still work?
Dr. Hyman says he provides “specific recommendations for the nutrients and supplements you need to succeed in the program” (p. xxii) – that implies that you need to take the supplements for the diet to work as intended.
If you prefer not to take supplements, you could still follow the food recommendations, although they might not work quite as well without the supplements.
I cannot find the answer in my books/online to an easy question! I hope you can help
Is it ok to gather 10 dinner recipes from the cookbook and have them on any night I choose or must I do night one dinner core or advanced only on day one, etc. I am unsure if the meals/ingredients are planned in such a way that day one should only be day one, day two should only be day two, etc.
Thanks for any insight!
Dr. Hyman says “Each day has a specific menu plan laid out for you, to take out the guesswork and make sure you get the right balance of filling and detoxifying foods and nutrients.” (this and the notes below are from p. 120)
– For breakfast, he says to choose your favorite Breakfast Detox Shake.
– For lunch, he says you can choose (a) one of the soups in the recipe section, along with protein, (b) Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar, with protein, or (c) the Adventure Plan lunch option listed for that day
– For dinner, he says you can choose (a) that day’s Core Plan dinner recipe or (b) the Adventure Plan dinner recipe, or (c) a very basic protein and nonstarchy vegetables
– For snacks, in the morning it’s an optional small handful of nuts; for afternoon it’s crudites and dips/spreads which can be mixed and matched as you like throughout the ten days (or an afternoon nut snack instead).
He’s pretty specific about using the dinner recipe for that day but also allows you to prepare your own meal, and also the other meals in the day aren’t very specific. My assumption would be that you could move around the dinner menus and have them on different days than suggested.
The book does not specify how much protein can be consumed if cooking the basic dinner option of veg and protein. The recipes are designed to serve 4 people, difficult to work out how to split if it is just for one! So cooking the basic veg and protein would be easier but as i said there are no guidelines on how much.
In the “Dr. Hyman’s Super Salad Bar” lunch recipe it says 4-6 ounces of protein (per person).
In the dinner recipes, the serving size is also generally 4-6 ounces per person.
I’m curious about those with DIVERTICULITIS. We’re on Day 3 of the detox as a family and he feels terrible. Day 1’s breakfast shake was before I found Ground Flax Seed & Ground Chia Seed, so we’re not sure if that’s his issue or its just typical detox symptoms?
On a side note, aside from a yawn here or there, I feel great!
It’s probably just typical detox symptoms – keep an eye on it to make sure it’s only short term.
The advice to avoid nuts and seeds if you have diverticulitis is out of date – nowadays you’re advised to eat a high-fiber diet (which may include nuts and seeds) to help reduce your risks. For example see http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/diverticulitis-diet/faq-20058333
I just bought the 10 day detox book ..I really don’t eat meat how can I get my protein .
See the vegetarian guidelines above.
Trying to sign up for the 10/day detox resource
Thanks for pointing out that the link wasn’t working properly – it looks like the whole website was overhauled. I’ve updated the links. Have a look at http://drhyman.com/programs/10-day-detox.
Hi Penny,
I just bought the book and I am doing some research on how I should proceed and start the detox. Are avocados allowed on the 10 day detox?
Hi Nia,
Yes, avocados are allowed on the 10 day detox – they’re listed as a fat.
Good luck!
What would recommend replacing the majority of the nuts with ie: snacks and smoothies? I have a history of shingles and can not have the nuts.
You’re right, there are a lot of nuts here!
For smoothies, you can substitute avocado or unsweetened plant-based protein powder.
For snacks, you could eat more of the “midafternoon snacks” – one of the dips or spreads in the recipe section, eaten with raw veggies such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers, or celery.
In Dr. Hymans video on YouTube, he uses a banana in his morning detox shake. I was under the impression bananas weren’t part of the 10 day detox. Or are they? Thanks
If we’re looking at the same video, it’s for Dr. Hyman’s earlier book “The Blood Sugar Solution” (not the 10-Day Detox Diet) – there’s more fruit allowed in that diet than this one.
Hi Penny. Thanks for your helpful overview. After watching “Fed Up” I was motivated to do a sugar detox and am on day six. After the 10 days, how long is the transition period? Thank you.
I don’t see any lengths of time mentioned. Dr Hyman says that “after transition, the Blood Sugar Solution for Life is your template for staying slim and healthy forever”
“The final transition option is the one I recommend choosing after you have cycled through a six-week period or more on any of the above three plans” (p. 224).
My assumption is that you stay on the transition period until you’ve reached your goal weight and feel healthy.
Thank you so much for your response Penny. Much appreciated. I’m considering buying the blood sugar for life book so I get the recipes for continued success.
I have diverticulitis and I am on day 2 and feel great. I am not consuming the detox smoothie because I cannot have seeds, nuts or berries. I love the plan though. Do you think if I use a VitaMIx and it is blended it would be okay? I do eat nut butters with celery for the snack. I also start my day with an egg and avocado.
The advice to avoid nuts and seeds if you have diverticulitis is out of date – nowadays you’re advised to eat a high-fiber diet (which may include nuts and seeds) to help reduce your risks. For example see http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/diverticulitis-diet/faq-20058333.
If you’re uncomfortable with the new advice, using a high-speed blender would dramatically reduce particle size.
I’m only about 10 pounds over my goal weight and am mainly doing this to get better eating habits and to support my husband. It seems like a lot of food to eat. Do I have to eat all 3 meals if I am not hungry to maintain my metabolism and will that allow me to lose the extra 10 pounds?
The author says that you should eat until you are gently satisfied – 80% full. Alter the portion sizes in the book to suit your needs. This implies that you should still have the 3 meals and 2 snacks, but could have smaller portion sizes as long as you’re having the same proportions of ingredients/foods.
Why if the diet is so healthy do we have to keep taking these expensive suplements?? It also makes me nervous that the good docter sells them.
I focus on the food side of diets, not supplements, but here’s what I found looking through the book:
Dr. Hyman says “There is much confusion about nutritional supplements and conflicting reports about their benefits, effectiveness, and even safety. This is unfortunate, because I believe that for the vast majority of us, they are fundamental and essential for human survival and optimal health… When we eat real food, which contains many nutrients, we are more satisfied and eat less. But still, we need a foundational amount of high-quality nutrients to help run our engines. Getting adequate vitamins and minerals helps you burn calories more efficiently, helps regulate appetite, lowers inflammation, boosts detoxification, aids digestion, regulates stress hormones, and helps your cells become more insulin sensitive. The supplement program for the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet is designed to be simple and easy to follow, and works specifically to address insulin resistance and enhance the detox process.” pp. 89-90)
He doesn’t necessarily say you have to use his own supplements – there’s a list of recommended supplements in Chapter 6 “Getting Started”
I found the 10 day detox plan off of a Google search and through Dr. Oz. It’s a basic plan found on the link below. It doesn’t really list out all of the amounts of veggies I should eat for dinner or lunch (i.e. 1 Cup greens, one whole red pepper, etc.) Also, it says to take fiber. How do I just take fiber? In your blog, you mention actual meals and soups, etc. Is this plan along the same guidelines? Thank you
http://www.doctoroz.com/article/10-day-detox-diet-one-sheet
Thanks for the link! It gives you a very simplified version of the diet. As you can see this Chewfo page is much longer – it gives more detail about the full diet, and for all the details you should get the book, which contains meal plans and recipes and much more.
I can’t find anything on the page you sent that tells you to take fiber – the book is asking you to eat veggies and fruits, which contain fiber.
Hi, I have type II diabetes and recently started taking glipizide which is a fast acting blood sugar lowerer. Im experiencing low blood sugar that needs some sugar fairly quickly so Ive started drinking 6-8 ounces of pure carrot juice. I see in the book that carrots are fine in salads and for snacks but I know that even though carrots are good for the liver they contain a lot of sugar. Is this a good idea for a snack or is there something else to do that I have missed?
Thanks
The book tells you to avoid fruit juices, and that green juices are okay, but doesn’t mention carrot juice.
Would grated carrots, instead of carrot juice, give you enough sugar to counteract your low blood sugar episodes in time?
Several of the recipes contain raw or lightly cooked carrots, so they’re encouraged in the diet, and I can’t see any limits.
Maybe carrot juice is a good solution in the short term while you still need fast acting blood sugar lowerers, but as your health improves you may not need them any more and can move away from the pills and the carrot juice and move to unjuiced/whole veggies.
Are bananas ever permitted on this food plan? In the “for life” phase, reintroduction of dairy and gluten is discussed, however, not fruits. Are bananas “no forever”?
Bananas are a pretty high-sugar fruit, so probably worth considering it a treat – eat in moderation and as an occasional pleasure, not a staple of everyday life. If you notice that cravings get triggered, it’s a sign to scale back on the treats.