Free McDougall Program - NEW - Dr. McDougall

John McDougall, with lemons and peas around him

John McDougall, with lemons and peas around him

Free McDougall Program

You can regain your health and take control of your life.

All the beneficial things you associate with health – looking good, optimal weight, positive energy, vitality and a deep sense of well-being – can be yours. What’s more, you can accomplish these goals by the simplest method imaginable: eating fresh, wholesome foods your body was designed to enjoy.

Changing your diet, starting an exercise program and giving up bad habits require effort. We encourage you to take advantage of additional educational opportunities such as our national bestselling books, videos and online 12-Day McDougall Program.

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Course Materials

In this special introduction to the McDougall Program, you’ll learn in detail how to put this powerful healing approach to work for you in just 12 days. This is exactly the same program that's been helping people for over 50 years. Here you will find everything you need to lose weight and regain your lost health! Before you get started, especially if you are on medication, we recommend that you inform your doctor so that they can provide medical consultation and support if necessary.

Understanding the program isn’t difficult. The biggest obstacle is getting started.

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McDougall Program History

More than 50 Years of Restoring People’s Health

This approach has been effective even when all other medical therapies have failed. Patients whose doctors have given up on them – who are told there are no more drugs or operations that might save them – have restored their health using this singular approach.

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Food is Powerful Medicine

Before You Begin the McDougall Program

Diet, however, is powerful medicine – if you’re seriously ill or on medication, don’t make a dramatic dietary change (or start an intense exercise program) without the care of a physician who knows about nutrition and its effects on health. Never change medications without professional advice and, if appropriate, share this message with your doctor.

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The McDougall Program Basics

It’s the Food.™

The McDougall Program is a diet of plant foods, including whole grains and whole-grain products (such as pasta, tortillas and whole-grain bread), and a wide assortment of vegetables and fruit.

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Genetics and Diet

Diet Controls Destiny

Your body is meant to be healthy; it shouldn’t need drugs or surgery except in times of emergency. Why, then, have we become so dependent on these interventions? The answer is this: all too often it's the food we eat that is making us sick.

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Genetics and Health

Not Determined by Genes

When Dr. McDougall looked more closely at his patients, he found that they had a lot in common. They all had physically demanding work and they observed many of the same customs. The single greatest difference between the older and younger generations was their diet.

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Fat & Cholesterol

Primary Poisons

Having said that, the body produces all the cholesterol it needs; and as for fat, plants already contain adequate amounts and only plants make the essential fatty acids your body needs to function. What’s more, plant foods never contain cholesterol.

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When Friends Ask About Protein

All the Protein You Need Without the Meat

Protein is extremely misunderstood. First, you should know that plants contain protein and all of the essential amino acids needed to build it. Second, animal foods are not necessary to get the protein your body needs – indeed, all the protein you need and more can be easily derived from plant foods alone.

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When Friends Ask About Calcium

You Don’t Need Milk For Strong Bones

Plant foods contain generous amounts of calcium. A cup of cooked collard greens contains about 360 mg of calcium, while a cup of milk contains about 300 mg. A cup of cooked kale contains 210 mg. There is NO disorder known as “dietary calcium deficiency” – in other words, there is plenty of calcium in all plant food diets to meet the needs of both children and adults alike.

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Carbohydrates

What We Were Designed to Eat

Carbohydrates are our primary source of energy. They alone provide energy for red blood cells, and certain cells of the kidneys, and they’re the preferred fuel for the central nervous system, including the brain. Fat, on the other hand, is a secondary source of energy that can be used by some tissues, such as muscle, but is more often stored for use in times of famine.

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Getting Started

Setting Yourself Up for Success

The McDougall Program provides you with the most powerful dose of medicine at least three times a day. It deals with the causes of disease, which means it is a true source of both prevention and healing. Give it a try and in 12 days you will start to see what it means to be healthy and fully alive.

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Putting the Program into Practice

Steps to Recovery

The only way to regain your health is to stop consuming the various poisons in your diet and start eating foods that are rich in all the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber your body requires. Only by eating plant foods can you ensure that your body will get all the nutrition it needs.

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Starch-Based Diet Staples

Starches Should Be the Center of Your Plate

Starches should comprise at least 50%, and up to 90%, of your plate. This includes nutrient-rich foods like potatoes, rice, legumes, whole grain pasta and quinoa. These foods play a crucial role in satisfying your hunger, providing lasting energy and supporting overall health.

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Fruits and Vegetables

Balancing Your Plate: Vegetables for Volume, Fruits for Flavor

Vegetables are too low in calories to serve as the centerpiece of your meals, but can be added without restriction. Fruits – because they are high in simple sugars – should generally be limited to 3 servings a day as they’re tasty and easy to over-consume.

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Foods Not Allowed

Restricted Foods on the McDougall Program and How to Replace Them

The following is a list of the foods that are not allowed on the McDougall Program, with ideas for possible substitutions.

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The Importance of Movement

How Daily Movement Complements a Balanced Diet

Although dietary changes will take you a long way to being completely healthy, you’ll need some exercise to improve your fitness and sense of well-being. Something as simple as a daily walk can do wonders.

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Say No to Supplements

Nature’s Foods are Complete

To make a profit, manufacturers isolate out and concentrate nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, and sell them as expensive pills. The consequence is to create serious imbalances within the workings of your cells, and then diseases follow (including cancer, heart disease and earlier death). Don’t risk your life and waste your money on these gimmicks.

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Track Your Progress

The Power of Tracking for Lasting Health Success

We recommend keeping a detailed record – meals, exercise regimen, physical status (including symptoms that have disappeared), mental status, test results and medications – in order to track your progress. Take as many body measurements as you can on the first day of the program, and then take those same measurements again on the last day.

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The Importance of Meal Planning

Center Your Diet Around Starches for Success

The secret of the McDougall Program is to make starches the centerpiece of your diet with various fruits and vegetables added to the mix. To make these meals taste great, just add your favorite sauces and seasonings.

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Wrapping Up: Packaged Foods

Convenience Made Easy

Remember to keep it simple with a few of your favorite dishes and take advantage of the convenience of ready-made foods. Included is a link to our updated list of Canned and Packaged Foods that can be used on the McDougall Program.