I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me

We are excited that you have started your journey toward better health throughThe Daniel Plan. By incorporating the Daniel Plan Essentials: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus and Friends, you will learn to make healthy choices that will transform your health.

The most important benefit of followingTheDaniel Planis that you will develop the energy necessary to fulfill your God-given mission here on Earth. The Bible says God wants us to,“Live full lives,full in the fullness of God”(Ephesians 3:19). In fact, the Bible says God will help you,“far morethan you could ever, imagineor guess or request in yourwildest dreams! He does it notby pushing us around but byworking within us, his Spiritdeeply and gently within us”(Ephesians 3:20).

The Daniel Planis a practical lifestyle program, designed to help you achieve health in every area of your life. It’s a gracious approach, encouraging you to take things one step at a time as you move steadily toward better health. You will quickly discover that small changes equal big results! As you follow the plan you will be focusing onThe Essentials:

FAITH

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13 (WEB)

God is the power and the energy behind all transformational change and that includes making the lifestyle choices necessary for you to become healthy. As you followThe Daniel Plan, you will discover that you have a part to play in getting healthier, but God will energize your efforts.

FOOD

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)

The Daniel Planis about abundance; not deprivation. You will be invited to eat delicious whole foods that bring vitality and energy to your body and mind. Each healthy choice you make fuels your progress and motivates you to stay the course.

FITNESS

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit …

Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19a, 20b (NIV)

AtThe Daniel Plan, we believe the most effective form of exercise you can do to achieve abundant health is the one that you will actually do. We encourage you to discover movement that you will enjoy and repeat. Most importantly, have fun doing it!

FOCUS

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

In a world where so many distractions compete for your attention, it is more important than ever to focus on God’s plan and priorities for your life. Express your gratitude to God and make the choice to dwell in God’s goodness; consistently reflecting on his truth and promises.

FRIENDS

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

When it comes to getting healthy, two are always better than one. The Bible says God created the universe in such a way that we need each other. One of our foundational beliefs is that “every body needs a buddy”. We truly get better together.

The Daniel Plan offers practical solutions to improving your health physically, spiritually, relationally and emotionally. The powerful synergy of The Essentials combined with the support and encouragement of friends offers you exponential growth beyond just one essential alone. Integrating The Essentials can lead to a whole, healthy life that helps you love fully, serve joyfully, and ultimately equip you to live out your calling.

Encouraging you as we take this journey together,

Food glorious food. Eating is simply one of life’s greatest pleasures. Stocking your pantry and refrigerator with healthy choices is a practical first step in your journey to better health. You will notice that some foods you can eat freely while others are still great choices, but you should plan to eat them in moderation.

Produce (eat freely)

·  Artichokes

·  Arugula *

·  Asparagus +

·  Bell peppers (yellow, green, red, orange) +

·  Bok Choy +

·  Broccoli * +

·  Brussels sprouts * +

·  Cabbage

·  Carrots

·  Cauliflower

·  Celery

·  Collard greens

·  Cucumbers

·  Dandelion Greens

·  Eggplant

·  Fennel

·  Green beans

·  Jicama

·  Kale

·  Leeks

·  Lemons * +

·  Lettuce

·  Limes +

·  Mesclun

·  Mushrooms

·  Mustard greens

·  Okra

·  Onions *

·  Radish

·  Sea Vegetables *

·  Shiitake mushrooms *

·  Snap peas

·  Spinach +

·  Swiss chard

·  Tomatoes +

·  Watercress *

·  Zucchini

Produce (eat in moderation)

·  Acorn squash

·  Apples * +

·  Apricots

·  Avocados * +

·  Bananas +

·  Beets * +

·  Blackberries * +

·  Blueberries * +

·  Butternut squash

·  Cantaloupe

·  Cherries +

·  Coconut +

·  Corn

·  Cranberries (raw)

·  Goji berries * +

·  Grapes

·  Grapefruit +

·  Honeydew

·  Kiwi * +

·  Mangoes

·  Nectarines

·  Oranges +

·  Papaya +

·  Parsnips

·  Peaches +

·  Peas

·  Pears +

·  Plums +

·  Pomegranates * +

·  Pumpkin

·  Raspberries * +

·  Red grapes +

·  Spaghetti squash

·  Strawberries +

·  Summer Squash

·  Tangerines

·  Turnips

·  Winter Squash

·  Yams/sweet potatoes * +

Meats & Seafood (Wild or Grass-Fed, Hormone and Antibiotic-Free if possible)

·  Anchovies

·  Beef, lean cuts

·  Chicken, ground white meat

·  Chicken, skinless +

·  Clams

·  Crab

·  Flounder

·  Haddock

·  Herring +

·  Lamb

·  Mackerel

·  Oysters

·  Salmon, wild * +

·  Sardines *

·  Scallops

·  Shrimp

·  Snapper

·  Trout

·  Tuna (low-mercury) +

·  Turkey, ground white meat

·  Turkey, skinless +

Refrigerated Products

·  Cheese (hard cheese: Parmesan-Reggiano or extra-sharp) (1-2 tablespoons)

·  Whole Eggs, preferably omega-3 *

·  Guacamole (1/4 cup)

·  Hummus (ideally homemade, but if store-bought look for a hummus made with extra virgin olive oil and no preservatives. Lemon should be the only preservative!) (1/4 cup)

·  Salsa (1/4 cup)

·  Tzatziki (1/4 cup)

·  Tofu (organic)

·  Greek yogurt (unsweetened) (8 ounces)

·  Vegan or organic mayonnaise (1-2 tablespoons)

Beverages Avoid beverages with artificial sweeteners or flavorings, food dyes or added sugars (6-8 ounces)

·  Almond milk, unsweetened

·  Coconut milk, unsweetened

·  Coffee (decaf)

·  Hemp or Chia milk, unsweetened

·  Rice milk, unsweetened

·  Soy milk, unsweetened (organic)

·  Tea, black (decaf)

·  Tea, green (decaf)

·  Tea, herbal (decaf)

·  Water (64 or more ounces per day)

Beans (eat in moderation) If possible, soak seeds, legumes and grains overnight to improve digestion, absorption and assimilation

·  Adzuki Beans *

·  Black beans * +

·  Black-eyed peas

·  Fava beans

·  Kidney beans

·  Pinto beans +

·  Garbanzo beans +

·  Lentils +

·  Lima beans

·  Navy beans

·  Soybeans (edamame) (organic) +

·  Split peas +

·  White beans +

Seeds (eat in moderation) If possible, soak seeds, legumes and grains overnight to improve digestion, absorption and assimilation

·  Amaranth

·  Buckwheat

·  Chia *

·  Flax *

·  Hemp *

·  Millet

·  Pumpkin *

·  Quinoa

·  Sunflower *

·  Sesame

·  Teff

Breads, Cereals & Grains (eat in moderation)

·  Barley

·  Brown rice

·  Bulgur (cracked wheat)

·  Oats (old fashion or steel cut)

·  Organic cornmeal

·  Organic corn tortillas

·  Polenta

·  Sprouted grain bread

·  Whole grain bread

·  Whole wheat tortillas

Flours (eat sparingly)

·  Almond flour

·  Amaranth flour

·  Arrowroot flour

·  Brown rice flour

·  Buckwheat flour

·  Gluten-free flour

·  Organic sprouted flour

·  Whole wheat flour

Pastas (eat sparingly - except shiritaki noodles which can be eaten freely

·  Brown rice

·  Black rice

·  Buckwheat

·  Shirataki (Look for konjac flour, not yam flour) *

·  Quinoa

Nuts & Oils (eat sparingly-raw and organic if possible)

·  Almond butter

·  Almonds *

·  Almonds, raw

·  Avocado oil

·  Brazil Nuts *

·  Coconut oil (raw, unrefined) *

·  Coconut butter

·  Cashews

·  Flaxseed oil

·  Hazelnuts

·  Extra Virgin Olive oil *

·  Grape seed oil

·  Macadamia nuts

·  Pecans

·  Pine Nuts *

·  Pistachios

·  Sesame oil

·  Walnuts *

Spices, Seasonings & Dressings (eat freely and rotate new spices into your diet often)

·  Balsamic vinegar

·  Balsamic vinaigrette

·  Basil

·  Chilies *

·  Cinnamon

·  Cilantro *

·  Clove

·  Coriander

·  Cumin

·  Curry

·  Dill

·  Garlic *

·  Ginger *

·  Kimchi

·  Marinara sauce (organic, low-sugar)

·  Marjoram

·  Miso *

·  Mustard

·  Nutmeg

·  Oregano

·  Parsley *

·  Raw Cacao *

·  Rosemary

·  Saffron

·  Sage

·  Thyme

·  Turmeric *

Healthy Treats & Natural Sweeteners (eat sparingly)

·  Applesauce, unsweetened (1/2 cup)

·  Dark chocolate (70% cacao) (10 – 20 grams, equivalent to 1 -2 squares)

·  Dried Fruits (currants, dates, figs, prunes, raisins) (sulfite-free) (1 - 2 small pieces)

·  Raw honey (1 teaspoon)

·  Pure Maple Syrup (1 teaspoon)

·  Whole leaf stevia extract (n/a)

Foods to avoid with The Daniel Plan

§  Processed carbohydrates

§  Cut out sugar and white flour. Go cold turkey

§  White flour, white rice, white pasta

§  Flour-containing foods such as waffles, muffins, donuts, pretzels, and crackers

§  Sugars and sweeteners

§  Sugars and sweeteners including agave, barley malt, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, dextrose, dextrin, disaccharides, evaporated cane juice, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup HFCS, honey, hydrogenated starch, juice concentrate, lactose, maltodextrin, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, mono saccharides, palm sugar, sorghum, sucrose, sugar, xylose

§  Don’t drink liquid sugar calories – soda, sport drinks, flavored coffees or teas, energy drinks, and fruit juices

§  Artificial sweeteners

§  Fruits

§  Avoid fruit juices

§  Proteins

§  Pork is the least healthy meat

§  Avoid charred or blackened meat, which causes cancer because over grilling creates carcinogens

§  Avoid nuts fried or cooked in oils

§  Avoid processed soy products, such as those found in deli-meat replacements, soy cheese, or meal-replacement bars

§  Fats

§  Trans fat, hydrogenated fat

§  Processed and refined vegetable oils – e.g. canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, vegetable oil

§  Food sensitivities

§  Avoid foods you’re sensitive to. Common food sensitivities include gluten and dairy. If you have any chronic illness, are overweight, or just want to see how good you can feel, try a gluten-free and dairy-free diet for 10-40 days and then reintroduce foods to see your reactions

§  Fake food substances

§  MSG / monosodium glutamate and foods that may contain it – any “flavors” or “flavoring”; anything containing “enzymes”; anything “enzyme modified”; anything “hydrolyzed”; anything with the word “glutamate” in it; autolyzed plant protein; autolyzed yeast; barley malt; bouillon and broth; carrageenan; gelatin; glutamate; glutamic acid sodium; hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP); hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP); malt extract; maltodextrin; ; natural seasonings; protease; stock; textured protein; umami; vegetable protein extract; yeast extract; yeast food or nutrient

§  Other common additives and chemicals in food – soy protein isolate, sodium and calcium caseinate, phosphoric acid (dipotassium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate) artificial flavors (often containing MSG), carrageenan, colors and dyes (yellow dye #5 or tartrazine and others) sulfites, nitrites and nitrates (in processed and deli meats and causes cancer)

Daniel Plan Detox diet – what to eat and foods to avoid

You don’t have to do this, but the authors recommend doing it to feel your best.

Start by following the guidelines above (what to eat,foods to limit,foods to avoid), and also eliminating a few foods for 10-40 days to see if your general health improves. There’s a separate meal plan in the book for the detox diet.

§  Avoid stimulants and sedatives – alcohol, coffee, etc.

§  Avoid processed or fast food, to get rid of any additives or chemicals

§  Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds

§  See list in “foods to avoid” above

§  Avoid sugar in any form

§  See list in “foods to avoid” above

§  Avoid foods containing gluten – not even a crumb

§  Anything containing wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, and other ingredients with gluten

§  Avoid dairy foods – not even a drop

§  Milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, etc.

The 10-Day Detox Diet Meal Plan Allowances

Unlimited Non-Starchy Vegetables Allowed:

Arugula, artichoke, mushrooms, Swiss chard, asparagus, dandelion greens, mustard greens, tomatoes, bean sprouts, eggplant, onions, turnip greens, beet greens, endive, parsley, watercress, bell peppers (yellow, red or green), fennel, radishes, celery, broccoli, garlic, radicchio, chives, Brussels sprouts, gingerroot, snap beans, collard greens, cabbage, green beans, snow peas, jalapeno peppers, cauliflower, hearts of palm, shallots, kale, summer squash, zucchini, spinach and lettuce.

Approved to cook season meals with:

Coconut oil, olive oil, nut butters, nuts & seeds (hemp, chia, flax, pumpkin & sesame), coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, balsamic vinegar & apple cider vinegar, low-sodium vegetable broth, Dijon mustard, sea salt & black pepper, turmeric, cayenne, thyme, rosemary, chili powder, cumin, sage, oregano, onion powder, cinnamon, coriander, cilantro, paprika and parsley.