Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution Review

Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution is a popular diet supplement on the market, but what are its claims? How does it work and why should you care? Let’s take a closer look at this product to see if it really lives up to the hype.

Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution is a diet that has been used by many people to lose weight and maintain their weight loss. The diet is based on the principles of evolution, which means it’s not just about what you eat but how much you eat as well. The book also includes information on why Dr. Gundry’s theory behind his diet works so well.

In this article, we review the Gundry Diet as conceived, written, and published by Dr. Steven R. Gundry in his 2008 work, “The Diet Evolution, Turn Off the Genes That Are Killing You and Your Waistline.” Since publishing this book, Dr. Gundry has become one of the preeminent experts on the microbiome and digestive health in the supplement industry. He is widely quoted in research papers, industry forums, and YouTube interviews for his work with pre, pro, and postbiotics and their impact on gut health and immune function.

The résumé, education, and qualifications of Dr. Gundry are remarkable. He is a Yale University School of Medicine graduate with honors, a Medical College of Georgia Alpha Omega Alpha graduate, and a former Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. They did more newborn and pediatric heart transplants than anybody else in the world, together with his colleague Leonard Bailey. He is the inventor of one of the most extensively used devices for keeping the heart muscle alive during open-heart surgery, as well as a number of other medical inventions. 

Dr. Gundry left Loma Linda University in 2002 to create The International Heart and Lung Institute, which includes The Center for Restorative Medicine, in Palm Springs, California. With his Gundry MD brand, Dr. Gundry has gone on to create a number of well-known supplements, including Vital Reds, Bio Complete 3, Total Restore, and many more. Dr. Gundry has been refining his Diet Evolution since then, demonstrating its influence on patients’ weight and other positive health outcomes while concentrating on the microbiota. The beginning of the doctor’s “No More Mr. Knife-Guy” phase, to quote him.

Is Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution, his well-known book, worth reading? In this Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution review, we’ll take a deeper look at Dr. Gundry’s roadmap to a happier and healthier life.

Diet Evolution of Dr. Gundry — Before “Holobiotics” and Lectins

Those who have encountered any of the doctor’s more recent publications, visited his website, or used his supplements, will notice we don’t discuss “Holobiotics” or lectins in this article. These terms and concepts were introduced in Dr. Gundry’s second book, “The Plant Paradox, The Hidden Danger in Healthy Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain.” Many scientists, dieticians, and researchers have classified Gundry’s position relative to lectins as pseudoscience. We reserve judgment on lectins for another day and focus on the principles and methods of Diet Evolution. 

Diet Evolution by Dr. Gundry – Tricking the Genes That Kill You

Dr. Gundry’s diet is effective. It will not only assist you in losing weight, but it will also help you improve critical health indicators like blood pressure and cholesterol. The diet may help you live longer and better by addressing illnesses like hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis, and, perhaps most significantly, it may help you live longer and healthier. The diet’s concepts are reasonable, science-based, and backed up by clinical investigations. We go through the techniques for the three stages of the diet: Teardown, Restoration, and Longevity, as well as what to anticipate. Much of what the doctor says about diet, supplements, and some of the more sophisticated strategies in the Longevity phase, such Intermittent Fasting and calorie restriction, is supported by current research. However, his opinions on exercise and his reasoning for this viewpoint are a little unusual, and we’ll talk about that in the Exercise section. 

Dr. Gundry’s remarks on “tricking our genes – which are attempting to kill us” were the most challenging element of the diet for this reader. We can’t tell whether “Save for Winter” and “Winter is Now” are brilliant analogies designed to be accepted at face value or to assist show the body’s response to particular stimuli. 

Diet Evolution by Dr. Gundry: A Three-Phase Approach

Dr. Gundry’s method is divided into three stages to assist patients change their eating habits, behaviors, and dietary choices. The Teardown Phase is used to start the program and get immediate benefits, followed by the Restoration Phase for stability and maintenance, and the Longevity Phase for a life-long strategy to living a longer, healthier life. Throughout the program, participants progressively improve their food and lifestyle in order to lose weight and improve their health. 

Foods That Are Friendly and Those That Aren’t     

It would be impossible to start the Evolution Diet without first learning about the many food types that the doctor mentions throughout the book. As a result, we’ve included an appendix at the end of this article that lists the individual foods in each category:

• Foods that are good for you
  • Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and soy are all sources of protein.
  • Vegetables — you may eat as much as you want of them.
  • Oils
  • Condiments
  • Seeds and Nuts
  • Meal Replacement Bars & Protein Powders
  • Beverages
• Unfavorable Products
  • Vegetables with a lot of starch
  • Foods that are white
  • Foods in a Beige Color
  • Fruits That Kill
• Other Things to Stay Away From
• Brown Foods to Completely Avoid

Finally, after the first two weeks of the Teardown Phase, the doctor authorizes another set of Fruits that are good for you, but only in moderation (specified serving sizes) and with the disclaimer that eating these Fruits that are good for you will impair weight loss progress. 

Getting Started with the Teardown Phase

Designed to kick-start your weight loss program, the Teardown Phase is minimally a six-week program that can be extended for those with more significant weight loss issues. This period represents the start of dramatically altering your food choices, focusing on lean proteins (as you’ll see in the Addendum, you have an ample assortment of protein sources), leafy greens, and other Vegetables, with snacks of Seeds and Nuts. Sugars, processed foods, and refined grains are banished. 

The diet allows for three meals with protein and Vegetables and two snacks per day. Protein portions are the size of your palm, greens, and Vegetables are as much as you wish, and Seeds and Nuts are small snacks (1/4 cup) twice per day. After the first two weeks of abstaining from all fruit, Fruits that are good for you are added back into the mix, albeit in moderation – no more than two servings per day. Simple. Healthy. Sustainable. 

According to Dr. Gundry, the diet may be followed for up to a year with no side effects. We respectfully disagree, feeling that the Teardown Phase may be continued indefinitely if the protein sources are pure and of good quality, as the doctor recommends:

• grass-fed beef slices that are lean
• fowl that has been let to roam freely
• Seafood and non-farm-raised fish
• Cheese should be consumed in moderation.
• Plain yogurt, eggs, and almond milk

You may also increase your protein consumption by eating more veggies, nuts, seeds, and protein bars and powders. 

The three meals and two snacks each day are another topic of contention. We believe that eating three meals and two snacks at set times throughout the day is one of the most unnatural things you can do. If you want to stick to the Teardown Phase’s rules for a long time, we suggest missing one of those meals every now and again or adopting an Intermittent Fasting method into your routine. As these tactics occur in the Longevity Phase, the doctor seems to agree. 

The doctor suggests drinking eight to ten glasses of water every day throughout the diet’s stages.

The Restorative Phase – The Same Foods, But in Different Ratios

The goal of the second phase is to consolidate your gains (or, more precisely, weight reduction) and normalize your eating habits and behaviors. Phase two involves eating the same items as phase one, but in different amounts. Dr. Gundry reminds us that true behavior change takes three months of consistent effort. The Restoration Phase lasts another six weeks to help you maintain your new behaviors.

The doctor suggests you gradually wean back your protein portions throughout the Teardown Phase. As you enter Restoration, you should now be consuming a portion half or one-third the size of your palm. At the same time, you should be dramatically increasing the leafy greens and other Vegetables in your diet. Seeds and Nuts are still allowed twice per day, and Fruits that are good for you continue in moderation.

For the Rest of Your Life: The Longevity Phase

Most of Dr. Gundry’s patients lost enough weight to meet or surpass their goals after three months on the Evolution Diet, and their blood tests indicated significant improvement. Many people’s diseases had been alleviated. “I enjoy heart surgery,” the doctor adds. Giving them the means to cure themselves, on the other hand, goes beyond anything I could achieve with a knife, needle, and thread.”

The Longevity Phase is meant to be followed throughout the rest of one’s life, and it includes “calorie optimization,” or consuming foods that are high in micronutrient density but low in calories. During this period, your diet is dominated by Vegetables, especially salads and other raw Vegetables. Foods that were banned in previous periods are still banned.

The goal of this phase is to become a “vegiphile,” a word invented by Gundry to describe someone who enjoys eating Vegetables. You decrease or eliminate foods that are high in calories, such as animal proteins, dairy (cheese), and notably grains and legumes, during Longevity. Another advantage of the dietary choices in Longevity is a decrease in total fat consumption. As previously noted, fresh veggies are preferable in Longevity because they keep more micronutrients. 

You drastically cut your calorie intake as you progressed through the program. The doctor introduces the notion of “hormesis” in Longevity, which is the body’s typically beneficial reaction to tiny doses of poisons or other stresses that might be dangerous in higher levels. The Calorie Restriction Diet is perhaps the most fitting example of a hormetic stressor in this context (CR). In laboratory settings, clinical investigations have demonstrated that a severe calorie restriction regimen (approximately one-third less calories) may lengthen life. The doctor advises his patients to include intermittent fasting in their plans to mimic the benefits of CR.

Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution Supplementation

The doctor advocates supplementing as a type of health insurance since we ingest less plant micronutrients than our forefathers. We totally agree, and have often compared a good MVM (Multi-Vitamin and Mineral) to an insurance policy against dietary deficiencies. While on the Evolution diet, the doctor prescribes the following in addition to an MVM supplement:

• Selenium (200–400 mcg), chromium (400–1000 mcg), and cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon twice per day) will help you lower glucose and insulin levels throughout the Teardown Phase. 
• Beneficial bacteria in the form of probiotics (4 billion per day) and prebiotics to promote their development (500–1000 mg twice per day) are required for gut health and immunological function.
• Vitamin E (400–2,000 IU), Vitamin C (500–1000 mg twice a day), Magnesium (500–1000 mg), Folic Acid (800–5,000 mcg), and B Vitamins (50–100 mcg) constitute the Fab Five, according to the doctor.
• Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) for stamina and strength (150–200 mg) and L-carnitine to transfer energy into muscle cells (250–500 mg twice per day) are recommended for persons who exercise. 

We obviously agree with the doctor’s suggestions; nevertheless, we couldn’t help but note the lack of other dietary supplements that might assist with weight reduction and lean muscle development:

• Caffeine, Yohimbe, green tea extract, capsaicin, and CLA are all proven weight reduction aids.
• Creatine, beta-alanine, nitric oxide boosters, and BCAAs are all clinically proven supplements for lean muscle growth. 

Dr. Gundry accurately points out that muscle burns more calories than fat and that exercise expends energy in the form of calories when it comes to weight reduction and lean muscle. To paraphrase the doctor, “To Earn It, You Have to Burn It” when it comes to intake.

Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution’s Fitness Component

“Research on effective long-term weight reduction suggests that some kind of fitness regimen is vital to maintaining decreased weight,” the doctor says. According to the doctor, choosing an exercise routine that you love makes it simpler to stick to it and make it a habit. One of our favorite workout beliefs is that if you love your chosen activity, you are more likely to adhere to your objectives. Exercising only for the purpose of exercising in a discipline you like will not continue long.

Diet Evolution’s activity component is limited and may be summarized as lengthy walks; if you run, it should be for brief sprints; and some strength training, heavier weights with fewer repetitions, is essential. The notion is based on how our genes read our behaviors as well as how our forefathers lived – our forefathers lifted, pulled, wrestled, and ran after objects, as well as walking vast distances. Your genes will recognize your behavior as that of a successful animal the more you repeat these behaviours.

The doctor is not a fan of cardio, comparing it to “low-ranking apes frantically trying to make the grade, and the effort delivers nothing in the way of outcomes.”

To say the least, this is a source of worry for us. Regular exercise boosts the immune system, enhances the cardiovascular system, and stimulates the lymphatic system. It boosts blood flow, allowing more oxygen to reach our cells and brain. Exercise aids in the maintenance of a healthy and robust physique.

Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution in Summary

What do we like most about Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution? First, it’s effectiveness in weight management, improving health markers, and addressing certain medical conditions. It’s simplicity, no counting calories or macros, and very limited measuring beyond the palm of your hand and a ¼ cup of Seeds and Nuts. It’s ease of compliance in Teardown and Restoration. Okay, going predominately raw Vegetables in Longevity for the rest of your life seems quite the stretch. 

Your diet evolves backward in time as you follow the Evolution Diet. You eat as our forefathers did a century ago in Teardown. In Restoration, you eat as our forefathers did 10,000 years ago. In Longevity, you go back to our oldest ancestors’ habits.

Yes, we live longer than our forefathers and mothers; yet, far too many individuals are going to experience additional years of poor health. The Evolution Diet is all about flourishing, not just surviving, and achieving your weight and lifespan objectives while doing so. 

Addendum – Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution Foods

Foods that are good for you

Meat (ideally grass-fed) is a good source of protein.  

• • • Lamb, pork tenderloin, ham, Canadian bacon, prosciutto (but no slab bacon) / Wild game, venison

Poultry, especially from a free-range flock

• • • Wild poultry / Cornish game hen / Duck / Goose / Turkey / Turkey “bacon” / Turkey and chicken cold cuts, ideally sliced and not processed sections / Turkey and chicken “bacon”

Pescado (preferably wild, not farm-raised)

• • • Freshwater bass / Anchovies / Alaskan halibut Mackerel / Salmon, especially Alaskan / Hawaiian fish, such as ono, mahimahi, opakapaka / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mackerel / Mack Crab, lobster, squid, calamari, shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels are examples of shellfish. Whitefish and perch (ideally from Lake Superior) / Trout / Whitefish / Perch / Albacore and yellowtail

Products derived from milk

• • • Fresh Cheeses – Farmer cheese (1 cup) / Feta cheese (½ cup) / Low-fat cottage cheese (1 cup) / Mozzarella cheese, water packed (½ cup) / Ricotta (1 cup)
    • Aged Cheeses – Asiago / Bleu cheese / Cheddar / Goat cheese (any kind) / Gruyère / Pecorino Romano / Parmigiano-Reggiano / Swiss
    • Other Dairy – Almond milk (plain or flavored, unsweetened only) / Eggs (preferably omega-3, free-range preferred) / Kefir / Soymilk (plain or flavored, unsweetened only) / Yogurt (plain)
    • Soybeans and their derivatives
      • Edamame / Seitan (warning: this contains wheat gluten) / Black soybeans Tempeh / Tofu shirataki noodles / Tempeh / Tofu (firm only)

Vegetables

• • • Lettuce, including romaine, Boston, and all red and green lettuces / Arugula / Beet greens / Chard / Collards / Dandelion / Endive / Escarole / Kale / Lettuce, including romaine, Boston, and all red and green lettuces / Purslane, radicchio, spinach, turnip greens, and watercress are examples of mustard greens.
    • Carrots (raw only) / Cauliflower / Celery / Chayote (vegetable pear) / Chicory / Cucumbers (including pickles) / Fennel / Garlic / Ginger root / Herbs Artichokes / Bamboo shoots / Beans (string, green, yellow) / Bean sprouts / Beets (raw only) / Bok choy / Broccoli and broccoli (cilantro, basil, mint, sage, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc.) Kohlrabi / Jcama / Jcama / Jcama / Jcama / Jcama / Jcama Onions / Shallots / Scallions / Chives / Peppers (hot, such as jalapeo) / Mushrooms / Olives / Onions / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olives / Olive Sugar snap peas, snow peas (but not shelled peas) / Pumpkin (up to 1 cup per day) / Radishes (including daikon) / Sugar snap peas, snow peas (but not shelled peas) / Sugar snap peas, snow peas (but not shelled peas) / Water chestnuts / Summer squash (patty pan, yellow crookneck, zucchini)

Oils

• • • Canola oil / Flaxseed oil / Grapeseed oil / Hempseed oil / Macadamia nut oil / Olive oil (extra-virgin only, ideally unfiltered and cold-pressed) / Sesame oil (both plain and Asian roasted) / Tahini (sesame seed paste), in small quantities only / Walnut oil (do not heat)

Condiments

• • • A.1: Steak sauce / Fish sauce / Lemon and lime juice / Mustard (no honey or sugars) / Salsa (preferably fresh) / Salt and pepper / Spices and herbs / Tabasco and other hot sauces / Tamari or soy sauce / Tomato sauce or paste / Vinegar (apple cider preferred, but any type will do) / Worcestershire sauce

Seeds and Nuts (raw, unsalted)

• • • Almonds, Brazil nuts, cocoa beans (cocoa nibs), or chocolate containing more than 70% cocoa / Coconut, dried or fresh, unsweetened only (rich in calories) / Flaxseeds (ground) / Hazelnuts / Hemp seeds (or powder) / Macadamias / Peanut butter and other nut butters / Pecans / Pepitas / Pine nuts (pignolia) / Pistachios / Pumpkin seeds / Sesame seeds / Walnuts
•  

Meal Replacement Powders and Bars

• • • Most low-carb protein smoothies, such as Atkins Advantage and Pure Protein. / Whey protein powder / Hemp protein powder (unsweetened) / Rice protein powder (unsweetened) / Soy protein powder (unsweetened) (unsweetened) 

 Beverages

• • • Coffee / Consommé, bouillon, clear broth / Unadulterated spirits / Tea / Red wine (black, green)

 

Fruits that are good for you

• • • 1 medium apple / Apricots (4 fresh) – Avocado (12) / Banana (1 cup) / Blackberries (1 cup) / Blueberries (1 cup) / Boysenberries (1 cup) / Cherries (1 cup, about 10) / Citrus—oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos (one full or half a grapefruit) / Cranberries (1 cup) / Currants (1 cup fresh) / Grapes—but not seedless varieties (1 cup) / Guava—no guava juice (3 small) / Huckleberries (1 cup) / Kiwi (1) / Kumquats (2) / Lychees (1 cup, around 5) / Mulberries (1 cup) / Nectarine (1) / Papaya (1) / Papaya—green only, in salads (1) / Passion fruit (1) / Peach (1 medium) / Pear—firm, not mature (1 medium) / Plums (2 small or 1 medium) / Pomegranate (12 cup seeds) / (1 medium)

UnFoods that are good for you

Vegetables

• • • Peas (shelled) / Root vegetables (parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, celery root) / Beets (cooked) / Carrots (cooked) / Corn (cooked) / Peas (shelled) Winter squash (Hubbard, acorn, butternut, and other varieties) / Yams

Avoid “white” foods at all costs.

• • • Artificial sweeteners (such as Equal, Sweet ‘n Low, and Splenda) / Flour / Frozen yogurt / Ice cream / Mayonnaise / Milk (skim, or fat-free) / “No-added-sugar” items / Pasta / Potatoes / Ranch dressing / Rice (including white basmati and most brown rice) / Rice milk / Saltines / Soymilk (normal or “light”) / Sugar / White bread

Foods that are “beige” are not on the menu.

• • • Bread (including flat bread, pita, and whole wheat, whole-grain, and sprouted-grain goods) / Bagels / Blended coffee drinks / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels / Bagels Food that has been fried (of any type) / Buns / Cereals (hot and cold) / Chips / Cookies / Crackers / Deep-fried food / French fries / Low-fat processed foods / Muffins / Pastry / Pizza / Pretzels / Rolls / Tortillas (flour or corn)

Fruits That Kill

• • • Dates / Any dried fruit (currants, prunes, blueberries, cranberries, and so on) / Raisins / Ripe bananas / Ripe papayas / Ripe pears / Seedless grapes / Fruit leather/strips / Mangos / Pineapple / Plantains / Raisins / Ripe bananas / Ripe papayas / Ripe pears / Seedless grapes

Other Things to Stay Away From

• • • Fruit juice (all sorts) / Honey / Molasses / Maple Syrup / Corn Syrup / Jam, jellies, preserves, condiments prepared with sugar / Jell-O (including sugar-free Jell-O) / Soft drinks, including sugar-free and diet brands / Vegetable juice (all kinds)

Foods to Avoid at First – Brown Foods

• • • Brown basmati rice (from India) / Buckwheat (kasha) / Bulgur / Corn kernels (fresh and uncooked only) / Farro / Legumes (beans such as lentils, lima, garbanzo, navy, pinto, kidney, etc.) / Quinoa / Rye, Soy/spelt/garbanzo bean flour (for coating only) / Spelt / Whole wheat berries / Wild rice

The “dr gundry reviews dark spot” is a review of Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution, which is a diet plan that helps you lose weight and fight the signs of aging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the one food Dr. Gundry says to eat?

A: For a long list of Dr. Gundrys dietary recommendations, visit this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybYF-_RXH6I

Does Dr. Gundrys plan work?

A: Dr. Gundrys plan does not work as planned and he was immediately apprehended by the police for attempted murder, which lead to a sentence of five years in prison.

What vegetable does Dr. Gundry say to avoid?

A: Dr. Gundry says to avoid any raw vegetable because they can harbor bacteria and other dangerous pathogens that could cause illness or even death.

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