FOOD PLAN PREPARED FOR [XX] ON [XX-XX-XX]

Requirements: Wahls Paleo Plus (Level 3) + MDL

Suggested time on therapeutic food plan: [x] weeks

Quick overview of plan: The focus of your food plan should be on high amounts of fats and oils, low
glycemic vegetables, high quality meats and fish, as well as some nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and
low glycemic fruits. The plan eliminates all grains, legumes, soy and white potatoes; it limits starchy
vegetables to two servings per week and fruit to 1 cup of berries daily. Depending on your size and
gender, protein intake will range from 6-12 oz. per day.

Special considerations on this plan: Wahls Paleo Plus is considered a ketogenic diet. On a ketogenic
diet, the majority of your caloric intake will come from fat (50%+, depending on your specific needs).
This plan also requires 6 cups of vegetables daily for nutrient density.

A ketogenic diet allows your body to transition from using glucose as a primary cellular fuel to using
ketones, which are produced from fats. This has been shown to aid in weight loss and also produces an
anti-inflammatory effect in the body. After a few days on this diet, hunger should stabilize and you
should feel satiated, even if you are eating less food. To maintain ketosis, you will need to incorporate at
least 5 tablespoons of healthy, high-quality oils/fats per day (e.g. flaxseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil,
avocado oil, nut/seed oils). Other high-fat foods such as oily fish, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, avocados
and olives are also beneficial. Animal fats can be included, ideally from grass-fed/organic sources.

For the first two weeks, it will be important for you to track calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats
while you get used to following the diet. You should also track how effectively you are achieving ketosis
by monitoring your urinary ketones first thing each morning with urine ketone strips available at most
pharmacies. After the first two weeks, you may be able to rely on just using the urinary ketone test as a
guide to whether you are on the right track, rather than tracking your daily intake.

We have also highlighted sources of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) which we would like you to focus on
incorporating into your plan while you are on a ketogenic diet. B5 is essential for your body to properly
use ketones for fuel, and we have found emphasizing it to be helpful.

Disclaimer: The following plan has been curated to fit specifically with your dietary requirements. We’ve done our
best to ensure it does not contain any food allergies or sensitivities. If we inadvertently included a food that you
cannot have, please bring it to our attention for correction.
Carnitine is important on the ketogenic diet for metabolizing/utilizing fats. Animal products like meat,
fish, poultry, and milk are the best sources. A variety of protein (including red meat, organ meats, and
game) will help optimize carnitine levels.

Daily goals:

- Aim to drink half your body weight (lbs.) in fluid ounces of water each day.
- Aim for 6+ cups of varied and colorful, non-starchy vegetables per day:
o 2-3 cups of dark leafy greens
o 2-3 cups of colorful, non-starchy or raw starchy vegetables (1 cup can be berries)
o 2-3 cups of sulfur rich vegetables
- Choose organic produce whenever possible.
- Choose grass-fed, free range, antibiotic / hormone free animal products whenever possible.
- Include non-dairy foods that are high in calcium, including almonds, bok choy, broccoli, dark
leafy greens, fish (with bones) and sesame seeds/tahini. Choose calcium-fortified non-dairy
milks.
- When opting for packaged foods, choose the least processed options available (e.g., short
ingredient list, natural / recognizable ingredients, minimal preservatives / additives / flavorings /
colorings).

This table specifies what you can include and exclude as part of your Food Plan. Foods in bold are high
in one or more of the Methylation Diet and Lifestyle (MDL) nutrients and adaptogens. Methylation is a
foundational metabolic process necessary for healthy cellular function, detoxification, hormone balance.
Read more about methylation here.

Food Include Exclude

Vegetables Choose organic produce whenever possible. Serve raw, Wahls: Cassava / tapioca /
steamed, sautéed, blended, or lightly-roasted. yucca, green beans, peas,
potatoes (blue/purple,
Dark leafy greens (2 cups/day): Arugula, beet greens, fingerling, red, Russet,
Bok choy, cilantro, collard greens, dandelion greens, white, yellow), snow peas,
kale, mustard greens, parsley, purslane, rainbow / Swiss sugar snap peas, sweet corn.
chard, spinach, turnip greens, watercress.

Colored vegetables (at least 3 colors/day):

Green: Artichokes, asparagus, bamboo sprouts, broccoli,
broccoli rabe, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, celery,
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 chives, cucumbers (with skin1), escarole, green bell
peppers, green cabbage, green cauliflower, green olives,
kohlrabi, lettuce (Bibb, endive, green leaf, red leaf,
romaine), okra, scallions, tomatillo, zucchini (with skin1).

Red: Beets (up to 2 servings per week), radicchio, radish,

red bell peppers, red onion, rhubarb, tomatoes.

Blue/Purple/Black: Black olives, eggplant, purple

cabbage, purple carrots (up to 2 servings per week),
purple cauliflower, purple kale.

Orange: Orange bell peppers.

Yellow: Summer squash (up to 2 servings per week),

yellow bell peppers.

White/Tan/Brown: Cauliflower, celeriac, daikon radish,

garlic, jicama, leeks, mushrooms (shitake and
portabella), onions(limit to ¼ cup per day), rutabaga,
shallots, sprouts, turnips, water chestnuts.

Sulfur-rich vegetables (2 cups/day): Asparagus, bok

choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chives,
collard greens, daikon radish, garlic, green cabbage, kale,
leeks, mushrooms, onions, radish, rutabaga, scallion,
shallots, turnips, turnip greens.

Starchy vegetables2 (up to 2 servings/week after ketosis

is achieved): Carrots, parsnips, pumpkin, sunchoke,
sweet potatoes, winter squash (acorn, butternut,
delicata, kabocha), yams.

Sea vegetables: Seaweed (dulse, kelp, nori, wakame),

algae (blue green, chlorella, spirulina).
1
Cucumber (without skin) and zucchini (without skin) may be added after reaching the 6 cup/day goal.
2
These do not count toward your 6 cups of vegetables/day. Ok to eat in moderation after you have had your 6
cups as described above. Can be eaten raw as part of your 6 cups of vegetables.
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 Fermented vegetables: Kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut.
Animal Choose organic/free-range/grass-fed/wild/hormone- Processed meats: Canned
protein free/antibiotic-free/lean products whenever possible. meats (except for fish or
Grass-fed/wild animal products are leaner and have seafood), cold cuts,
higher omega-3 content. Fish in italics are good low- frankfurters, sausage.
mercury, high omega-3 choices. Choose eggs that are
omega-3 enriched whenever possible. Highest mercury fish:
Mackerel (King), marlin,
Wahl’s Paleo Plus includes 12 ounces of organ orange roughy, shark,
meat/week, 16 ounces of fish/week, and 6-12 ounces of swordfish, tilefish, tuna (Ahi,
other meats/day. Bigeye).

Animals protein is a great source of carnitine.

Fish:
Low mercury: Anchovies, catfish, flounder, haddock,
herring, mackerel (Atlantic), salmon, sardines, sole,
tilapia, trout, whitefish.
Moderate mercury: Bass (black, striped), carp, cod,
halibut (Atlantic, Pacific), mahi mahi, monkfish, sablefish,
skate, snapper, tuna (canned chunk light, Skipjack).
High mercury (in very limited quantities, 1x per month):
Bluefish, Chilean sea bass, grouper, mackerel (Gulf,
Spanish), tuna (canned albacore, yellowfin).

Shellfish: Crustacea (crab, crawfish, lobster, shrimp) and

mollusks (clams, mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops,
squid).
Red meat: Beef, bison / buffalo, elk, goat, lamb, veal,
venison.

Pork

Poultry: Chicken, Cornish hen, duck, pheasant, quail,

turkey.

Organ meats: Liver, marrow, sweetbread, tongue.

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 Eggs3 including chicken, duck and goose.
Vegetable Protein powders: Chia, hemp, pumpkin seed. Wahls: All soy products
protein including fermented soy
(miso, natto, tamari,
tempeh) and non-
fermented soy (soybean oil
including in processed
foods, soy milk, soy sauce,
textured vegetable protein,
tofu); all legumes including
beans (adzuki, black, butter,
cannellini, garbanzo /
chickpeas, lima beans,
mung, navy, pinto, red
kidney, refried), hummus,
lentils, peas. Pea and rice
protein powder.
Nuts & seeds Choose raw nuts and seeds whenever possible. Choose Wahls: Peanuts, peanut
unsweetened nut and seed butters whenever possible. butter, peanut flour.

Nuts (in moderation): Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, Highly processed nut / seed
coconut (unsweetened), hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, products: Nut or seed
pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts. butters made with
hydrogenated oils or added
Nut butters (in moderation): Almond, cashew, coconut, sweeteners.
hazelnut.

Nut flours (in moderation): Almond, Brazil nut, cashew,

chestnut, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia nut, pecan,
pistachio.

Seeds (in moderation): Chia, flax, hemp, poppy,

pumpkin, sesame, sunflower.

Seed butters (in moderation): Hemp, pumpkin,

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Eggs are excluded on the official Wahls Protocol because Dr Wahls had an egg allergy. We include eggs here,
unless problematic, because they’re a nutrient dense food.
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 sunflower, tahini (sesame paste).
Oils Choose cold-pressed, organic, unfiltered oils whenever Wahls: Butter, ghee4,
possible. peanut oil.

Low heat (<225 °F, for finishing): Extra virgin olive oil, Highly processed fat
flax, hazelnut, macadamia nut, MCT, walnut. products: Hydrogenated
fats (in many condiments,
Medium heat (~250-350 °F, for sautéing): Coconut, packaged goods and fast
hazelnut, macadamia nut, pastured animal fats (duck, foods), processed vegetable
lard, tallow), olive, sesame. fats (margarine, shortening),
processed vegetable oils
Medium–high heat (~350-425 °F, for roasting, baking (canola, corn, cottonseed,
and pan / stir frying): Almond, avocado, coconut, olive, soybean).
palm, sunflower.

High heat (>425 °F, for broiling and grilling): Avocado,

safflower.
Fruits Choose organic produce whenever possible. Choose Wahls6: Green (green apple,
unsweetened whole fruits, either fresh or frozen. green grapes, green kiwi,
green pear, honeydew,
With the exception of avocado, berries, lemons, limes and melon), red (blood orange,
olives, all fruit should be avoided for the first two weeks. cherries, cranberries, guava,
After that, slowly incorporate up to 2 servings of fruit per pink / red grapefruit, plum,
day, closely monitoring its effect on ketosis.
pomegranate, red apple, red
Be mindful of your total amount of net carbs coming from currants, red grapes,
this category. watermelon), blue / purple /
black (black currants,
High Fat Fruits: Avocado, Coconut meat, olives Concord grapes, plums,
purple grapes), orange
Use in moderation (1/4 cup, 2 servings per day total)1: (apricots, cantaloupe,
Aronia berries, blackberries, black raspberries,
clementine, mandarin,
blueberries, cranberries, currants (red/black),
elderberries, lemon, lime, raspberries, strawberries mango, nectarine, orange,
papaya, peach, persimmon,
Use sparingly only once keto adapted ( 1 serving per tangerine), yellow (Asian
4
The milk proteins in ghee have been removed and while many can tolerate it better than other dairy products we
have removed ghee during the elimination phase of this diet. There are some casein-free options that could be
okay for certain individuals but speak with the nutrition team before adding in ghee.

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 day)5: Cherries (5 whole), green kiwi (1/4 cup), guava (1 pear, passionfruit,
whole), mango (1/4 cup cut pieces), plum (1/2 cup cut pineapple, starfruit, yellow
pieces), papaya (1/4 cup cut pieces), pomegranate (1/4 apple, yellow watermelon),
cup). Superfruits (Acai berries (1 cup) , camu camu, Goji white / tan / brown
berries (2 Tbsp), goldenberries (1 Tbsp), mulberries). (dragonfruit, lychee, pear,
white peaches, white
nectarines). Higher glycemic
fruit including banana, dried
fruit (dates, dried currants,
figs, prunes, raisins),
plantain. Fruit juice.

Highly processed fruit

products: Fruit juice, fruit
snacks.
Grains None. Wahls: All gluten-free
grains, including amaranth,
Flours: Arrowroot, kuzu, nut flours (listed above), tapioca. buckwheat, corn, millet,
oats (must specify gluten-
free), quinoa, rice (basmati,
black, brown, red, wild),
sorghum, teff; all gluten-
containing grains including
barley, oats, rye, triticale,
wheat (durum, farro, kamut,
spelt), wheat products
(bulgur, couscous,
semolina).

Highly refined grains (often

in packaged foods): Cakes,
cereals, cookies, crackers,
dough, instant oatmeal /
rice, mixes (desserts,
pancakes, waffles, etc.),
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Small amounts of certain fruits and vegetables may be OK after you have achieved stable ketosis; you can
assess their effect with the ketone strips.
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Other fruits can be added back in small amounts after ketosis is established, monitoring their effect on ketosis.
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 muffins, packaged snacks,
pastries, white bread, white
pasta, white rice.
Dairy & Dairy Non-dairy alternatives: Coconut milk kefir, non-dairy Wahls: All dairy products
substitutes unsweetened milk (almond, cashew, coconut, hemp), including butter, buttermilk,
non-dairy yogurt (almond, cashew, coconut). cheese, condensed milk,
cream, cream cheese,
cultured dairy (cottage
cheese, cow’s milk kefir,
sour cream, yogurt),
evaporated milk, flavored
creamer, frozen desserts
(bars, cakes, ice cream,
yogurt), half & half, milk
(cow, goat, sheep),
powdered milk, whey,
whipped cream.

Ghee7
Drinks Coconut water, non-caffeinated herbal teas (chamomile, Wahls: Fruit juice, vegetable
ginger, hibiscus, mint, peppermint, rooibos; hot or cold), juice.
water (mineral, filtered or distilled; still or carbonated).
Highly caloric, high glycemic
Limit (max amount): Alcohol (1 for women or 2 for men x or caffeinated drinks:
5-oz glasses of wine or 12 oz gluten-free beer or 1.5 oz Caffeinated tea, coffee
spirits, for special occasions), club soda / seltzer (1 cup drinks, energy drinks, juice
per day), green/oolong tea or coffee8 (1-2 cups per day). drinks, soft drinks, sports
drinks.
Condiments All spices and herbs (ensure no gluten-containing fillers Wahls: Dairy-based sauces,
are added): Allspice, anise, basil, black pepper, soy products.
cardamom, carob, cayenne, celery seed, chili powder,
cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, Highly processed sauces:
fennel, garlic, ginger (dried and fresh), marjoram, mint, Barbecue sauce, chutney,

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The milk proteins in ghee have been removed and while many can tolerate it better than other dairy products we have
removed ghee during the elimination phase of this diet. There are some casein-free options that could be okay for
certain individuals but speak with the nutrition team before adding in ghee.
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If you are a coffee drinker, reduce your intake gradually; you may wish to maintain a low-to-moderate intake
during the elimination period to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Limit to the morning.
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 mustard seed, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, fruit sauces, horseradish,
rosemary, sage, salt (preferably Celtic sea salt or jam/jelly, ketchup,
Himalayan pink salt), spearmint, tarragon, thyme, mayonnaise, pesto, relish,
turmeric. salad dressing, soy sauce,
steak sauce, tartar, teriyaki,
Sauces9: Apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, guacamole, and other condiments with
mustard, pico de gallo / salsa (sugar-free) undesirable additives10.

Sweeteners In moderation: Monk fruit/luo han, stevia. Wahls: Blackstrap molasses,

coconut sugar, dried fruit,
Erythritol, Lakanto (monk fruit & erythritol) if tolerated. erythritol / xylitol, honey,
maple syrup.
Cocoa powder (75% dark, not Dutch Processed).
Highly processed
sweeteners: Agave, artificial
sweeteners (acesulfame-K,
aspartame, saccharin,
sucralose), brown rice syrup,
candy, fruit juice
concentrate, high fructose
corn syrup, sugar.

For Further Resources on Wahls Paleo Plus

 The Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls, MD

 The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic
Autoimmune Conditions by Terry Wahls, MD

What to Expect

Dietary changes can be a difficult and sometimes confusing process. We’re here to guide you through
the changes and give you the support you need to be successful. Some tips and tricks from others who
have done this before are:

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Other sauces may be acceptable as long as they have a short ingredient list and are minimally processed.
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Some ‘clean’ brands may be okay.
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  You may use leftovers for the next day’s meal or part of a meal (e.g., leftover cooked salmon and
broccoli from dinner) as part of a large salad for lunch the next day.

 It may be helpful to cook extra protein (e.g., chicken, beef) and vegetables (e.g., sautéed greens,
roasted mushrooms, etc.) that can be reheated for snacking or another meal.

 Many foods freeze well and can be frozen in individual portions for easy combining and taking
“on the go.”

 Try to plan ahead so that you are not caught out in situations where the only food available does
not fit your food plan. Keep suitable snacks on hand and bring meals with you if needed.

 You may find it useful to invest in portable food containers that keep food cold/hot; choose
stainless steel or glass if possible.

 If eating out, call restaurants ahead of time to discuss suitable menu choices. You’ll likely find
that restaurants that cook from scratch with fresh/local ingredients are most able to meet your
needs.

In our experience, we have found the process of dietary change to be overwhelmingly well tolerated and
extremely beneficial. We hope that you will find it useful too. There is really no “typical” or “normal”
response. Different responses to dietary change can be attributed to biochemical differences among
individuals as well as lifestyle factors. Most often, individuals report increased energy, mental alertness,
decreased pain, improved skin conditions, improved metabolic markers (such as fasting glucose, insulin,
cholesterol), and a general sense of improved well-being. However, some people report some initial
reactions to dietary change, especially in the first week, as their bodies adjust to a different dietary
program. Symptoms you may experience in the first week or so can include changes in sleep patterns,
fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches, joint or muscle stiffness, and changes in gastrointestinal function.
Such symptoms rarely last for more than a few days, so persevere! Always let Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Litwin or
the nutrition team know if you experience any negative symptoms.

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