12 Day McDougall Program FAQ

In addition to brand new and current content in our live lectures, we are thrilled to offer post-program support. During our 10-Day live-in/in-person programs, you had the chance to meet and interact with our staff on a daily basis and we offered our support during the program, but most of our connection ended there. Now you’ll have more interactions with dedicated Support Specialists and the broader McDougall Team both during and after the program for one year in order to help you succeed.

Yes, as always we offer a special discount for all of our Alumni. Many Alumni have had greater success with our online program. Please email Carol at carol@drmcdougall.com or call 1-800-941-7111.

Yes, once you have booked one of our programs, you are eligible to extend our Friends & Family Offer for up to two additional people. They do not have to reside in the same household and can join the program from anywhere. The price is $1,995 USD per additional friend or family member and includes all program inclusions. Click here to book.

Each morning during the course, Dr. John and Mary McDougall hold a casual fireside chat to answer all of your questions. This is an unprecedented opportunity to connect with Dr. McDougall directly and have him share his insights and resources from his 50 years of experience.

Pacific Time Zone. Our participants join from all over the world.

Some of our guests choose to take time off work and attend the live lectures, while others simply watch the recorded lectures at a convenient time.

Time zones are listed in PT.

5:00 AM – Morning check-in with your Support Specialist (to review blood pressure & general well-being).

6:00 AM – Participant-Only Meet-Up.

8:00 AM – Live chat & optional (virtual) breakfast with Dr. John and Mary McDougall.

9:00 AM – Live lecture followed by Q&A.

Review pre-recorded lectures and cooking demonstrations at your leisure.

3:00 PM – Live chat with members of the McDougall team, past participants and special guests including popular plant-based chefs.

4:00 PM – Live lecture followed by Q&A.

Yes, lectures will be recorded and available for a few days after the course. We’ve added flexibility to view lectures at different times for those who cannot make the live lecture times. We know in order to get the most out of this experience, it’s best to invest the time and attention during the live lecture times if possible.

Yes, many of our participants work full-time jobs during the program and catch up on lectures when they can. This is easily done through our program platform where participants can view missed lectures or rewatch their favorite lectures. We recommend you do your best to immerse yourself into the program and attend each live lecture to get as much value as possible. Another benefit to attending the live lectures is the ability to get answers to your specific questions.

There will be a combination of new lectures, along with updated lectures covering the fundamentals. It’s important to build a solid foundation and thoroughly understand the principles of this information; this is key to your success.

1. You will need to schedule two sets of blood tests: one at the beginning of the program and one 30 days after the end of the program. Method and location of blood draw will be determined based on your location.
2. Participants will be required to report blood pressure, weight and fasting blood glucose (if applicable) every morning with your dedicated Support Specialist.
3. We recommend reading The Starch Solution by John McDougall, MD before beginning the course in order to better understand the material.

There are a number of laboratories in the US where anyone can walk in and have labs drawn without a prescription from a doctor. We recommend you call ahead to the lab of your choice to see if you need an appointment for the following tests: Fasting Lipid Panel (cholesterol screen), CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel), TSH (thyroid) and Hemoglobin A1c (diabetes screen). We can provide you a non-comprehensive list of laboratories; however, you may want to check your local area for additional laboratories and pricing.

All morning check-ins and doctor appointments will be one-on-one through our HIPAA protected telehealth platform which is encrypted for maximum security and confidentiality. You will be given instructions on how to access this before the start of the course. This is a secure way for you to interact with Dr. Lim and your Support Specialists. When you first enter the platform, you’ll be directed into a virtual waiting room until your check-in or appointment. Morning check-ins will be during a specific time period, and your Support Specialist will be with you in the order you enter the waiting room. Doctor appointments will be at scheduled times. Evening group chats will be through an interactive Zoom call.

Every morning during the 12-day course, you will log into your telehealth account and click on your Video Visit link to enter the waiting room where your Support Specialist will see how you are doing and answer any questions you may have. You will be helped in the order you enter the waiting room. Please enter the waiting room within 30 minutes of your morning check-in start time. While waiting for your Support Specialist, we recommend you have your volume turned up on your computer. No need to sit and wait for us, you will hear us when we log in to see how you are doing. However, if you do choose to wait, this would be a great time to reflect on what you have learned, write down any questions you may have or just check in with yourself to see how you are doing.

During the mornings, we monitor certain vitals of our patients.

1. Blood Pressure: We require you to sit quietly for 5 to 10 minutes every morning and take your blood pressure. Report your reading to your Support Specialist. Monitoring blood pressure is important not only if you suffer from hypertension, but is also an indicator of how you are responding to the change in diet. If you do not already own a blood pressure machine, these can easily be purchased. We have used, and recommend Omron; however, there are many brands to choose from. We prefer you use an upper arm cuff and not a wrist cuff in order to get the most accurate reading.
2. Weight: On Days 1, 6 and 12 of the program, we require you to report your morning weight. Since you will be in the comfort of your own home, clothing is optional; whatever you choose, we ask you weigh yourself the exact same way for the three days that you weigh.
3. Blood Glucose: For our diabetic patients who use a glucometer and monitor their blood glucose, we require you to report your fasting blood glucose every morning.

It is very important you comply with our monitoring because it is one of the ways we gauge how you are doing at home. Without this information, we will not be able to provide you with the care you need, particularly if you are taking medications.

Your dedicated Support Specialist will check in with you every morning to make sure all of your questions are answered and to help you with anything along the way. There are also plenty of opportunities to ask questions after each lecture throughout the course.

You will receive an email with a detailed menu before the start of the course. One of our Support Specialists will reach out to answer any questions or suggest modifications to adapt the menu to your liking or the number of people in your household. We’ll also ask if your family will be joining you on your journey and, if not, give you suggestions to help you succeed. We want you to be completely prepared before the start of the course.

We do not accept medical insurance and do not in any way participate with Medicare or other government programs. Program costs are all-inclusive and cannot be separated out for individual reimbursement from any third party. If requested, we will provide a general receipt at the time of service.

Yes, participants have paid with their HSA (Health Savings Account) usually with a credit card. We are happy to provide an invoice, if needed.

Yes, the 12-Day McDougall Program is tax-deductible.

Yes, we offer a multiple payment plan of three installments. The first payment is processed immediately after checkout and the following payments are billed each month (for two months) on the same date following the initial purchase.

Your payment is 100% refundable up until fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the Program start date. To cancel, please email office@drmcdougall.com. If you cancel within fourteen (14) calendar days of the Program start date, you will forfeit $1,000 USD of your total payment. If you transfer to a future Program (pending availability), you will be charged a $250 USD transfer fee. Once your training starts, your payment for the course is non-refundable. McDougall training begins once you have had your initial H & P (History & Physical) with one of our medical doctors and/or start your McDougall meal planning with one of our Support Specialists.