The gluten-free revolution is sweeping the country, but what if gluten wasn’t the ultimate enemy? What if gluten were just one of thousands of toxins—and not even the worst of them—that people unwittingly put into their bodies? What if these poisons were actually the root of numerous illnesses, chronic conditions, and weight problems?

There’s been a war on between plants and animals since insects arrived on the scene almost 100 million years ago. For 350 million years before that, plants enjoyed a blissful existence, free from predators. When animals came on the scene, they evolved and developed defenses to ensure that their genetic material could be successfully passed along to another generation.

Some plants have developed resin and sap to prevent insects from infiltrating a tree’s trunk. Others close their leaves and flowers during the times of day when their predators are most active. Others develop hard casings around their seed so that the seeds can emerge from a predator’s GI tract unscathed.

Another key weapon (and the subject of this book) is plant proteins called lectins. Some plants also develop toxins that wreak havoc on the digestive systems of animals. Many of the seeds and rinds that people consume on a regular basis (in hopes of achieving better health) are actually veritable poisons.

It turns out that plants are not defenseless organisms content to produce fruit for any herbivore or omnivore who happens to be passing by. They have developed defense mechanisms just like any other organism. We have not been paying attention to them and we are paying the price in weight problems and disease. Herein lies the Plant Paradox: we are reliant on plants for food, but many of them don’t go down without a fight. We need a better grasp of what’s going on inside us when we eat “healthy" plants.

Think of your gut’s bacteria as border patrol. The intestinal tract is lined with a single mucosal layer that monitors what gets absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream, and what gets sent along as rejected waste. Your bacteria also communicate to your immune system, pointing out which organisms and molecules are acceptable and which need to be destroyed. The immune system is about 80 million years old—older than human beings. Within a relatively brief period of time, the gut and immune system have encountered diet changes to which they have not had adequate time to adjust.

Among the most jarring shocks to the system have been the Agricultural Revolution about 10,000 years ago, genetic mutations in cows a couple millennia ago, recent exposure to New World plants like quinoa, beans, peanuts, cashews, chia, and squashes since the colonial era, and the introduction of GMOs within the last half century.

Gluten is not the ultimate enemy—it is only one of thousands of toxic chemicals that plants produce to dissuade would-be predators. The gluten craze has largely been a distraction from the deeper lectin problem.

The good news is that this need not be the end of the story.  By eliminating certain foods and incorporating others, thousands of people have been cured from all sorts of diseases and conditions—everything from joint inflammation to acne, allergies, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, bone loss, brain fog, cancer, colon polyps, dementia, depression, fibromyalgia, heart disease, IBS, low testosterone, memory loss, and Parkinson’s—to name a few! Lectins are at the root of our current health crises. With proper awareness of how they operate and a proactive response, the body heals itself and sicknesses can be reversed.

A healthy life is impossible without a healthy gut. There are more neurons in your colon than there are in your spinal cord. They are central headquarters for immune responses and the happiness hormone serotonin. There are trillions of tiny microbes inhabiting you. It’s best to get used to that fact, and realize that your gut buddies are for you. As mentioned above, they perform important tasks of breaking down and sending nutrients to the rest of the body via the bloodstream. Without these microbes, there’d be no way to get nutrients from the food that we consume. This job requires the ability to distinguish friendly substance from foe: allowing the nutrients through the intestinal lining while also stopping invaders. What lectins do is tear open the mucosal intestinal barrier, so that instead of allowing tiny molecules of vital nutrients through into the bloodstream and stopping harmful microbes and substances, invaders are breaking through and nutrients are no longer absorbed because the immune system is handling a crisis. Because of the changes in how food is processed, the types of food that are now staples, and exposure to chemicals in hygiene and cosmetic products, the protective intestinal wall is regularly broken through. This triggers the body’s immune response, including inflammation and storage of fat. The immune system then interprets anything passing across the intestinal membrane as a foe, so it attempts to stop invaders, but also prevents the absorption of vital nutrients and minerals.

This leaky gut phenomenon affects countless millions, and it is responsible for not just some, but all of our diseases. Hippocrates said as much over 2000 years ago, and modern science is vindicating his assertions.

In the United States, we live longer, but our quality of life is not as high. Heavily contributing to the problem are a slew of small changes that are imperceptibly altering our body chemistry so that we need more drugs, more regimens, more doctors visits, more procedures. It’s added strain on an already strapped system, and people are paying for it, financially and in vitality. We are like frogs that don’t realize that they are getting boiled because the heat is being turned up slowly. But we are exposed to toxins and lights and compounds that we haven’t had to adapt to before. It’s having a slow, but pernicious effect on health.

There are a number of disruptors that are destroying your health that you should be aware of. As in warfare, it’s important to know your enemy.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics have saved countless millions of lives, but, as with other medical discoveries, these advances can be doubled edged swords. In the case of penicillin and its more recent iterations, these medications kill microbes indiscriminately, eliminating not only nefarious invader strands of bacteria (for now), but also the naturally-occurring gut flora critical to digestion and health.

NSAIDS are also bad news. Taking them is like ingesting grenades. They blow up in your gut, wreck your microbiome, and allow for the invasion of foreign entities. The body responds with a pain response, which makes you want to take more NSAIDS, which further decimates your gut flora, and makes you increasingly vulnerable to attack.

Artificial sweeteners are another common additive that silently destroys your gut, leaving it susceptible to invasion. A recent Duke study revealed that just one packet of Splenda cuts the gut bacteria count in half. What is more, artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame actually lead to weight gain. The brain feels cheated when there’s a hit of sweetness on the tongue and doesn’t translate into a uptake of glucose into the bloodstream, prompting a heightened drive to seek out sweets. In moderation, alternative natural sweeteners live Stevia and monk fruit are good substitutes.

There are also numerous endocrine disruptors that people unknowingly use on a regular basis. Chemicals that are found in everything from preservatives to sunscreens, plastics, cosmetic products, and store receipts have been shown to lead to hormonal imbalances and problems related to diabetes, reproductive issues for men and women, cancer, and prostate troubles. For a list of everyday items that might be exposing you to harmful endocrine-wreckers and for healthy alternatives, visit the Environmental Working Group website.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are also extremely damaging to the human body. They’ve been altered to increase resistance to insects, which means they are loaded with toxic lectins. And non-GMO produce is usually sprayed with Roundup, a Monsanto-developed pesticide that paralyzes key digestive enzymes, triggers the body’s inflammatory response, and hampers the body’s ability to repair itself. Organic produce is the only safe bet. When products say things like all vegetarian feed, free-range, gluten-free, all natural, partially hydrogenated, no artificial ingredients, or heart healthy, you are not out of the woods nor on the path to health. Each of these slogans has a more nefarious subtext.

Nonstop exposure to blue light is also harming us. Throughout human history, blue wavelengths of light exposure ebbed and flowed with the seasons. Summer was the season of peak blue light exposure, because of the extra sunlight. This signals to the body that it is time to stock up on sweets and gain weight for winter. With the advent of television and smartphones, our exposure to blue spectrum light is virtually non-stop, which messes up our hunger and sleep signals.   

Before beginning the Plant Paradox Program, there are several rules of thumb to help you properly jumpstart your habits.

Most importantly, what you cut out of your diet is more important than what you add to your diet. So more important than adding quality, lectin-free foods is eliminating lectin-loaded staples.

It’s also helpful to remember that the goal is the restoration of a mutually symbiotic relationship with your flora. Your GI tract is a veritable ecosystem, containing several pounds worth of fungi, protozoa, and bacteria. Your gut bacteria depend on you to feed them well. If you take good care of them, they will reciprocate. They have a vested interest in your health because you are their home.

It’s time to abandon the wishful thinking that fruit is healthy. It’s not. You might as well replace your fruit salad with a bowl of gummies. It’s the same toxins. It’s important to remember that anything with seeds is a fruit. So cucumbers, bell-peppers, and eggplants all qualify as such. They send the same message to your brain and genes as a pear or strawberries would. Store food to gain weight in order to prepare for a winter of hibernation. Fructose wrecks your kidneys. This is one of numerous adverse effects. Underripe tropical fruits like mangos, papayas, and bananas are fine because they have far less fructose and contain resistant starches that friendly gut buddies love. Seasonal berries are okay in moderation, but when out of season, they contain more lectins. The endless summer phenomenon has us eating fruit all year round, and we pay for it in leaky gut and excess weight.

Pay close attention to where and how your meat was prepared. You are what your food eats.

If the animals that you eat are fed corn, then you’re eating corn. If they’re fed soybeans, you’re consuming soybeans. Even though the link is indirect, your meat will still be full of lectins, so it matters a great deal what your food was feeding on. Small quantities of meat are acceptable, but look for fish that’s wild-caught and the meat of grass-fed animals.

There are three phases to the Plant Paradox Program. The first phase is a three-day fast to cleanse the gut. It is the time before planting that the farmer gets the soil ready, tilling and weeding. A short fast like this completely alters the microbiome in your large and small intestines. During this time, you eat absolutely no grains, dairy products, fruit, sugar, seeds, soy, eggs, nightshades, or roots. No soy, corn, or canola oils and no animal meats.

What you will eat are dishes stacked with vegetables and modest two to four-ounce helpings of fish or pastured chicken. Most people have five or six vegetables that they commonly get, but there’s an absolute smorgasbord of vegetables available: anything from the cabbage family, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and mustard greens. Other leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and Swiss chard are also good options. Asparagus, celery, fennel, radishes, and just about any fresh herb are on the table. Garlic and any type of onion, leek, or scallion are okay. Sea vegetables like kelp and seaweed are also great choices.

For protein sources, no more than eight ounces of wild-caught fish per day. Hemp tofu and tempeh are also good options. For oils, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are among the acceptable options. Try to eat a whole Hass avocado daily.

On top of this, engage in moderate exercise, and get at least eight hours of sleep. Make sure that your produce is GMO-free and all-organic. As part of the "weeding" process, you could also consider beginning the fast with a Swiss Kriss herbal laxative. There are also supplements that kill bad bacteria, like grapefruit seed extract, mushrooms, as well as spices like black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon.

Phase Two should begin promptly on day four after the three day cleanse is over. This phase is meant to last at least six weeks. The body now cleansed, it will begin the process of restoring itself. Not much will change as far as diet. The first two weeks might be hellish for some, as the bad bacteria in your gut that have hijacked your body’s communication system will scream for sugars and carbs and wonder why they are being deprived. It’s not uncommon for people to experience withdrawal symptoms: low energy, headaches, muscle cramps, and moodiness. But as you continue to say no to the foods that wreak havoc and yes to the foods that are restoring your body, you will find your energy levels surge to new heights and the stress of new habits will subside as you hit your stride with meal prep.

Phase Three is where the program changes from diet to lifestyle. Some people are content to stay in Phase Two, and there’s really no good reason to move beyond it, but Phase Three is where you can begin to experiment with certain lectin-containing foods, gradually reintroducing them into your diet to see how your body responds. Those who do make it a lifestyle tend to decrease the amount of meat they consume from little to very little, and get their protein instead from nuts, mushrooms, leafy greens, and extra vegetables. Take an occasional fast to give your gut and mitochondria a break from digesting and generating energy. Keep blue light exposure to a minimum at night. Add consistent exercise and regular, sufficient sleep, and you have the makings of not just a diet but a lifestyle that will set you up for high energy, fitness, and health.