Professional Endorsements

As a psychiatrist, I wholeheartedly recommend the Whole30 program, and I use it frequently as a tool in my practice. There is substantial medical research demonstrating that inflammation and micronutrient deficiencies can play a role in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and bipolar disorder, and the Whole30 supports people in correcting both of these states of imbalance. In my clinical experience, the Whole30 program is not only therapeutic but also diagnostic. It helps my patients identify which foods seem to be their most potent dietary sensitivities. I’ve prescribed the program to hundreds of patients over more than 10 years in practice, and many have experienced improved health markers and mood. I will continue to use Whole30 in my practice, and I endorse it as an excellent foundation for habit change for anyone evaluating whether food and nutrition can help improve their wellbeing.

We know that Whole30 has real cultural resonance, and a basic internet search will show that participants report significant changes in their lives. As a medical professional, quantitative data to support those qualitative results is very important to me. I’m Board-certified in advanced diabetes management, and I’m also the founder and executive director of a hospital and community wellness center. Around 2015, I began to wonder if my patients’ lab results would reflect what I already observed in them—that Whole30 was helping them reclaim their optimal health and experience both physical and emotional benefits. And, you know what? They did. In a preliminary (unpublished) 2018 study of 62 participants, our data showed statistically significant reductions in LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, weight, and waist circumference. Participants’ mean overall LDL cholesterol decreased by 6.33 mg/DL in just 30 days, along with a decrease in triglycerides of 24.57 mg/DL. The vast majority of patients in the study (70%) experienced lower blood sugar, and an estimated 2/3 had lower blood pressure. I believe too many of us are suffering unnecessarily and experiencing an array of negative emotional and physical health outcomes, and I also believe that Whole30 is a powerful tool for creating long-lasting change and multidimensional wellness. I enthusiastically endorse it and will continue to recommend it to and use with my patients. It truly is one of my favorite and go-to tools in my practitioner toolbox.

As the founder of one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers and a specialist in the underlying factors of chronic disease, I approach patient care with the idea that “food is first.” My patients come to me with autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, and digestive disorders, and though my treatment plans are always customized for the patient’s individual needs, I’ve come to rely on the Whole30 elimination protocol as a first-line option for many of them. I’ve been recommending the Whole30 since 2018, because their elimination and reintroduction protocol provides deeply personal data and gives me valuable insights about how commonly-inflammatory foods may affect each patient. Whole30 is one of the ways I help my patients learn to love food that loves them back, and I endorse it wholeheartedly after observing the Whole30 help them discover invaluable self-knowledge that empowers them–and me, as a physician–to identify their most functional, healthy lifestyle.

I’ve been using the Whole30 in my clinical practice for over a decade to support patients with digestive concerns, skin irritations, headaches, low mood, and fatigue. In my experience, there’s a probable link between what my clients are consuming in their diet and the severity of their symptoms. The Whole30 is a simple, effective, and accessible protocol to help people connect their food choices to negative health symptoms and trouble with energy, sleep, and mood. The Whole30 is especially helpful when the protocol they’ve been given from their other providers doesn’t seem to be resolving the issue. I’ve witnessed hundreds of clients’ success on the Whole30 program.

As a clinical psychologist, I have used the Whole30 with clients who want to investigate the link between what they eat and their mental health. Many clients experience reduced anxiety, improved mood, greater energy, less brain fog, and reduced inflammation and pain while on the Whole30 and use the reintroduction phase to identify potential food sensitivities. In addition, during the Whole30, many clients recognize that they may be using food as their primary emotional coping strategy. We can then build and strengthen alternative skills, such as coping strategies, boundary setting, identifying their own needs, and living a life aligned with their values. Although the Whole30 may not be right for everyone (for example, individuals with a history of disordered eating), it has helped my clients make behavior changes and evaluate how nutrition can impact their physical and mental wellbeing.

I have done the Whole30 and prescribe it to my patients. In my clinical practice, I have had patients lose weight, lower the amount of insulin they need to take by up to 80%, lower their hemoglobin A1c by three full points in three months, improve or completely resolve symptoms of brain fog, fatigue, and chronic pain. More importantly, patients feel better when they eat this way.