Nice Tedx talk by Joel Fuhrman

[Katydid]

Well, let's look at Dr. Fuhrman's minimum recommendations:

1. Eat a large raw salad every day.
2. Eat at least 1/2 cup of beans or other legumes every day.
3. Eat two large servings of steamed green vegetables every day (one should be cruciferous).
4. Eat 1 oz. of nuts and seeds a day. Don't use nuts as snacks; only in recipes and salad dressings. Half of the nuts and seed allowance should be in the form of high omega-3/high lignin seeds like flax, chia or hemp. Oil is not allowed.
5. Use plenty of onions, mushrooms and tomatoes in cooking.
6. Eat at least three servings of fruit a day. Make one serving (1 cup) berries.

If IN ADDITION to the above you want to add additional starches, Dr. Fuhrman prefers you choose those with the highest phytochemical content and avoid excessively processed grains: sweet potatoes over white potatoes, forbidden black rice over white rice, whole grain sprouted breads over white bread, and so on. My own opinion is that this is probably overkill, given the above instructions.
Kate

Kate - are these recommendations in Dr. F's new book? His recommendations are slightly different in Eat to Live. For example, he says a minimum of 1 cup of beans a day and 4 fruits but you can eat more of both. He also says 1 cup of starches a day like potato, oatmeal.

I'm learning that everyone is different so I don't think one diet fits all. I tried more starches and no beans for about a week and didn't feel good at all. I felt bloated and gained a bit of weight. As soon as I went back to my beans I felt a lot better. I need a tremendous amount of fiber in my diet and that's where the beans come in. Eating this way has reversed my IBS and keeps me regular. Others can't handle so much fiber and a starchy diet is better for them.

Yes, these recommendations are from The End of Dieting. He seems to have loosened up a bit since Eat to Live. There are no recommendations for "pounds" of green vegetables and there is more emphasis on seeds over nuts. The requirement for beans has been dropped to 1/2 cup and there is no limit to only one starch as in the Eat to Live Six Week plan. The values listed are minimums, so you are free to eat as much beans, vegetables and fruit as you want. His focus seems to be more on adding lots of "good things in" in order to push "bad things out" rather than out-an-out restrictions. You don't even have to be vegan to follow the plan.

Kate

[Mely]

Do I understand correctly that the 1 oz of nuts/seeds includes Flax seeds? In Eat 2 Live the 1 Tbsp of flax was in addition to the 1 oz of nuts/seeds. That's at least how I understood it.

[colonyofcells]

1 lb of raw greens takes me a long time to chew through and I usually just watch youtube while eating so much greens. Should be easier to eat 1 lb of cooked greens. Dr Esselstyn also likes people to eat as much greens as possible. The Mcdougall diet does not seem to require any minimum weight of greens as long as you eat some vegetables in addition to the cheap starch staples. I also like to eat some cooked mushrooms every day if possible but so far, I am not able to eat them every day yet.

[openmind]

Well, let's look at Dr. Fuhrman's minimum recommendations:
You don't even have to be vegan to follow the plan.

Kate

Technically, you don't have to be a vegan to follow the McDougall plan either. Animal products can be used for special occasions/feasts. I

[Katydid]

Do I understand correctly that the 1 oz of nuts/seeds includes Flax seeds? In Eat 2 Live the 1 Tbsp of flax was in addition to the 1 oz of nuts/seeds. That's at least how I understood it.

The instructions in End of Dieting are for minimum 1 oz. of nuts and seeds for women, 1.5 oz. for men, half of which should be in the form of seeds high in Omega-3 (hemp, flax, chia) and high in lignins (sesame, flax).
Kate

[Katydid]

What I am feeling about all these references to different philosophies is confused. I've got in a real dither about what and how much to eat, especially after a discussion about some who eat 2 lbs of greens every day. Do you weigh it on a scale? I thought about buying a kitchen scale to weigh my greens and just got crazy behind it. Do you weigh them dry or cooked. She said to eat them before your meal. I can't eat them much! I've tried to figure out what the MWL really is...I can't do it. How much is half greens? Is it weight? Is it measured? Cooked? I just want to go do something that's easier. Now I've got this 2lbs a day of greens in my head and someone saying, "if you don't do it, you won't lose weight." I lost 70 lbs. but suddenly I've started gaining. I'm so uptight about this that even when I made my morning bowl, I just couldn't relax and enjoy it. I just know I'm not doing it right. This kind of thing puts me into a place of worry that I'll never get the weight off.

My washing machine died day before yesterday, so among other things, I need to find a washing machine. I'll go to the laundromat today. I need to get the stuff downstairs and maybe bring it home wet. I looked at one yesterday, in the rain and was near to tears trying to do this now when I can't even figure out how to feed myself. I just want to give up, sometimes. I like the food, so probably won't, but I did go for a comfort food yesterday. This is not good for me and I know it. Today is good, so far.

Yesterday, I spent a lot of time looking at what Jeff Novick says about it and the placemat. I don't see anything there about 2 lbs of greens. I was crying and the anxiety started to come back with a fury. Sometimes, I just feel hopeless, but It will get better. I have to stay away from the "diet mentality." Don't know why I let myself get caught up in a discussion with someone about this, yet again. I can find my truth again, but it'll take a little time.

CU all ltr. Lynn

I eat a couple of pounds of cooked greens a day, because I am a compulsive overeater and I want to keep my weight down. That they are good for me or necessary for my health is a bonus. I have allergies and a wild immune system. There are whole categories of food that I can't touch. But I can eat greens and cruciferous vegetables so I do. Love, love, love 'em. Eat whatever appeals to you among Dr. McDougall's large list of whole starches and "green and yellow" vegetables and don't worry about it (unless you have a specific allergy). Want a big comfortable bowl of mashed potatoes and nutritional yeast gravy? Have it for supper. Want a "nutritarian-style" salad with beans as your starch? Eat a great big one. Your choice. Let your body and mood speak to you. "It's the Food" but its also "Just Food". Relax.
Kate

[colonyofcells]

The dr mcdougall diet seems one of the simpler diets and very easy to follow. Just eat those cheap starch staples to get in enough calories to support the body organs and exercise levels, plus some vegetables. Eating mostly cheap starch staples is pretty much what most of the countries in the world eat, and many countries are poor and eat mainly the cheap starch staples. Most countries won't be able to afford to eat the unhealthy american diet, or dr fuhrman diet or 20 bananas a day, and I prefer to eat like a poor person and I believe it is a good idea to practice being poor.

[zumacraig]

Everybody wants more money for the children and grandchildren and I see nothing wrong with the way Dr McDougall and Dr Fuhrman are trying to make more money. It is harder to find vegan doctors with the personality of Jesus Christ. I definitely don't agree with eating legumes 3x a day without the other cheap starch staples like nixtamal corn tortillas, rice, potato, etc.

The think I love about McDougall is that his program is free as is this website. Not so much with the others and their fee based forums ect. That and McD does not sell supplements.

[Acura]

Joel Fuhrman is very passionate and delivers powerful speeches. Barring few people, I would think it will be hard to keep up with his diet for long term. You will be lean on his diet, the only problem is can you stay on his diet for long term and answer is NO.

You can stay on Mcdougall diet for ages.