It Starts With Food

It Starts With Food Plot Summary

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why some diets work for others but not for you? Or why you can't seem to break free from certain food cravings no matter how hard you try? The truth is that your relationship with food goes far deeper than just calories or willpower. It's about understanding how food affects your body on a cellular level, influencing everything from your hormones to your immune system. Food is not just fuel—it's information. Every bite you take sends biochemical messages throughout your body, affecting your energy, mood, sleep, and long-term health. When you eat foods that your body recognizes and can process efficiently, you create the foundation for optimal health. Conversely, when you consume foods that trigger inflammation or hormonal imbalances, you may experience everything from digestive issues to chronic fatigue, weight gain, and even serious health conditions. By understanding this fundamental connection, you can transform your approach to eating and experience dramatic improvements in how you look, feel, and live.

Chapter 1: Understand How Food Shapes Your Health

Food is not just fuel; it's information that speaks directly to your genes, hormones, and cells. Every bite you take is sending messages throughout your body, influencing everything from your energy levels and mood to your long-term health outcomes. The food choices you make today are literally programming your body's functions tomorrow. Dallas and Melissa Hartwig discovered this truth through personal experience. When Dallas eliminated certain foods to heal his persistent shoulder pain, he was amazed when eighteen months of discomfort disappeared in just six weeks. Similarly, Melissa found that changing her diet completely transformed her energy levels, body composition, and most surprisingly, her emotional relationship with food. These personal revelations led them to develop a comprehensive approach to nutrition that addresses not just what we eat, but how those foods affect our psychology, hormones, gut health, and immune system. The foundation of good health begins with understanding that certain foods promote optimal function while others create dysfunction. Take Sarah, who struggled with Crohn's disease for years and had even undergone surgery to remove part of her intestine. Despite medical intervention, she continued to experience painful digestive issues until she eliminated specific inflammatory foods from her diet. Within days, her intestinal pain, gas, and bloating completely disappeared and did not return. This transformation happens because food affects four critical systems in your body. First, it influences your brain chemistry and psychological responses, either supporting healthy satiety signals or triggering addictive cravings. Second, food directly impacts your hormonal balance, particularly insulin and leptin, which regulate energy, hunger, and metabolism. Third, certain foods either support or damage your gut integrity, which serves as the foundation for your immune system. Finally, your food choices either promote or reduce systemic inflammation, the root cause of most modern diseases. The good news is that you don't need to understand all the science to experience the benefits. By simply eliminating the most problematic foods for a period of time, then systematically reintroducing them, you can discover exactly how different foods affect your unique body. This elimination process allows you to break free from unhealthy cravings, restore hormonal balance, heal your gut, and reduce inflammation. To transform your health, start by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods that humans are designed to eat: quality meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and natural fats. These nutrient-dense foods provide all the building blocks your body needs without the harmful effects of modern processed foods.

Chapter 2: Break Free From Food Psychology Traps

Food is more than just physical nourishment—it's deeply intertwined with our emotions, memories, and psychological responses. Understanding this connection is crucial because many of the foods in our modern environment are specifically designed to hijack our brain's reward systems, creating powerful cravings that override our natural hunger and satisfaction signals. In nature, our brains evolved to seek out sweet, fatty, and salty tastes because these flavors signaled nutritious foods necessary for survival. Sweet fruits provided vital vitamins, fatty animal foods delivered essential nutrients, and salt contained necessary minerals. Our pleasure centers would light up when we found these foods, reinforcing behaviors that supported our health. But there's a critical distinction: in nature, pleasure signals led us to nutrition. Aubrey's story illustrates how powerful these psychological traps can be. Before changing her diet, she described having "severe difficulties dealing with food cravings and knowing when to stop eating." What started as occasional cheat meals would spiral into cheat weekends. She felt powerless against her urges, constantly wondering, "How can I get these urges under control? Why do I feel like I need these bad foods?" This experience is common because modern processed foods have been engineered to provide supernormal stimulation—flavors far more intense than anything found in nature—without the nutrition that would normally accompany them. Food manufacturers have learned to exploit our natural preferences by creating products that deliver concentrated hits of sugar, fat, and salt without the fiber, water, and nutrients that would normally signal satiety. These "foods with no brakes" bypass our body's natural stopping mechanisms. While the first bite of prime rib might be amazing, by the twentieth bite, you're satisfied and ready to stop. But with something like cookies or chips, the twentieth bite is just as appealing as the first, leading to overconsumption. To break free from these traps, you need to understand that willpower isn't the issue—your brain has been rewired by these foods. Each time you satisfy a craving with highly palatable processed foods, you strengthen neural pathways that drive future cravings. Stress makes this even worse, as it impairs your ability to resist these powerful urges. The solution begins with eliminating the foods that create these unhealthy psychological responses. By removing supernormally stimulating foods from your diet completely for a period of time, you allow your taste buds and brain chemistry to reset. After just a few weeks, you'll find that whole, natural foods taste more vibrant and satisfying, while your cravings for processed foods diminish significantly.

Chapter 3: Reset Your Hormonal Balance Through Diet

Your hormones function as an intricate communication system, sending crucial messages throughout your body that regulate everything from hunger and energy to mood and metabolism. When this system works properly, you experience consistent energy, appropriate hunger, and a body that efficiently manages fat and builds muscle. However, the modern diet has thrown this delicate balance into chaos for many people. Alan's story demonstrates the dramatic impact dietary changes can have on hormonal health. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he was dependent on medications to control his blood sugar. After changing his diet, his "blood sugar levels are now normal—completely normal." He was able to cut his diabetes medications in half, his blood pressure normalized, and his chronic pain and inflammation disappeared. Along with these improvements, he lost twenty-five pounds. This transformation occurred because he removed the foods that were disrupting his hormonal balance and replaced them with foods that supported proper hormone function. The hormonal disruption begins with what might be called "overcarbsumption"—the chronic overconsumption of carbohydrate-rich, nutrient-poor processed foods. When you regularly flood your system with these foods, your body becomes primarily dependent on sugar for fuel rather than being able to efficiently use both sugar and fat. This leads to chronically elevated insulin levels, which promotes fat storage and prevents fat burning. Over time, this pattern creates a cascade of hormonal disruptions. First, excess blood sugar and triglycerides lead to leptin resistance, where your brain can no longer properly receive signals about your body fat levels. Remarkably, this makes your brain think you're too lean even if you're overweight, driving increased hunger and decreased metabolism. Leptin resistance then promotes insulin resistance, where your cells become less responsive to insulin's message to store nutrients. This forces your pancreas to produce more and more insulin, creating a vicious cycle that can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. To reset this system, you need to break the cycle by eliminating the foods that trigger these hormonal disruptions. This means removing added sugars, refined grains, and processed foods that cause blood sugar spikes. Instead, focus on protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables that promote stable blood sugar and proper hormone function. The results can be dramatic and quick. Many people report improved energy within days as their bodies begin to shift from sugar-burning to fat-burning. Sleep quality improves, hunger normalizes, and weight loss often follows naturally as the body's regulatory systems begin working properly again.

Chapter 4: Heal Your Gut With Whole Foods

Your digestive tract is far more than just a food processing system—it's the foundation of your health and a critical component of your immune system. The integrity of your gut lining determines what gets absorbed into your bloodstream and what stays out, making it your body's most important barrier between the outside world and your internal environment. Sarah's experience with Crohn's disease illustrates the profound connection between gut health and overall wellbeing. Despite having surgery to remove two and a half feet of intestine, she continued to suffer from intestinal spasms and gut pain after eating. However, after changing her diet to eliminate gut-irritating foods, "the intestinal pain, gas, and bloating completely went away—and did not return." Even more significant was her realization that "the constant underlying fear of Crohn's returning is gone because now I understand its root cause." The gut functions like an exclusive nightclub with bouncers (immune cells) carefully controlling who gets in and who stays out. When working properly, this system allows beneficial nutrients to enter while keeping harmful substances out. However, certain foods can damage this protective barrier, creating what's often called "leaky gut"—a condition where undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins can inappropriately enter the bloodstream. This increased intestinal permeability triggers widespread inflammation as your immune system responds to these foreign invaders. Since approximately 70-80% of your immune system is located in your gut, this disruption can have far-reaching effects throughout your body. The resulting inflammation may manifest as digestive issues, skin problems, autoimmune conditions, joint pain, fatigue, and even mood disorders. Foods that commonly damage gut integrity include grains (especially those containing gluten), legumes, dairy, and processed foods with artificial ingredients. These foods contain proteins and compounds that can directly irritate the gut lining or disrupt the balance of beneficial bacteria that protect it. Healing your gut requires both removing these irritating foods and adding nourishing ones. Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods that support gut repair, such as quality proteins, healthy fats, and a variety of vegetables. Bone broth, rich in collagen and amino acids that help rebuild the gut lining, can be particularly beneficial. Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi provide beneficial bacteria that support a healthy gut environment.

Chapter 5: Build Plates That Nourish and Satisfy

Creating meals that truly nourish your body while satisfying your taste buds and appetite is an art that begins with understanding the building blocks of a healthy plate. When you master this approach, you'll find yourself naturally eating the right amounts without counting calories or measuring portions, all while enjoying delicious food that keeps you energized and satisfied between meals. Heidi's transformation illustrates the power of this approach. Despite being active and health-conscious, she found herself a hundred pounds overweight after experiencing severe exhaustion and two pregnancies. Traditional "healthy eating" wasn't working for her. However, after adopting a new way of building her meals, she lost seventy pounds and over forty inches from her body in just one year. "I am still a work in progress," she says, "but with the Whole30 on my side, I am making it closer to my goal every day!" The foundation of every meal should be a palm-sized portion of quality protein—meat, seafood, or eggs. Protein provides the building blocks your body needs for growth and repair while also being the most satiating macronutrient. This means it helps you feel full longer and reduces cravings between meals. For most women, this means 4-6 ounces of protein per meal, while men may need 6-8 ounces or more depending on their size and activity level. Next, fill your plate with vegetables—lots of them! Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being naturally low in calories. Aim for at least two different vegetables per meal to ensure variety in both nutrients and flavors. Include both non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, and peppers, as well as more carbohydrate-dense options like sweet potatoes, beets, or winter squash to support your energy needs. Add a serving or two of healthy fats to each meal—about a thumb-sized portion of oils like olive or coconut, half to a whole avocado, or a small handful of nuts or olives. Fat is essential for hormone production, nutrient absorption, and providing sustained energy between meals. It also makes food taste delicious and helps you feel satisfied. Finally, include a small amount of fruit if desired, about the size of your closed fist. Fruit provides natural sweetness along with additional vitamins and fiber, but it's best consumed as part of a complete meal rather than on its own to prevent blood sugar spikes.

Chapter 6: Implement Your 30-Day Transformation

The most powerful way to experience the benefits of changing your diet is through a structured 30-day reset. This approach allows you to eliminate potentially problematic foods completely, giving your body time to heal and your habits time to change. It's not just another diet—it's a short-term intervention designed to create lasting change. Beth's story demonstrates the life-changing potential of this approach. Before starting her 30-day reset, she had "almost every diet-related disease—breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol." She was also about seventy pounds overweight and almost completely sedentary. After completing the program, she lost twenty-four pounds and was able to completely eliminate her diabetes and high blood pressure medications. When she visited her oncologist, he was amazed by her transformation and encouraged her to continue eating real food for health, not just weight loss. The 30-day transformation works because it's comprehensive and eliminates half-measures. For a full month, you commit to eating only whole, unprocessed foods: meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and natural fats. You completely eliminate added sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy—foods that commonly cause psychological cravings, hormonal disruption, gut irritation, and inflammation. This "all in" approach is actually easier psychologically than trying to moderate your intake of problematic foods. When you decide in advance that certain foods are simply off the table for 30 days, you eliminate the constant decision fatigue and willpower battles that come with trying to eat "just a little" of your trigger foods. As Tara explains, "The Whole30 is not a diet. It is not a twenty-two-day program with eight cheat days built in. It is life-changing. It is the path to healing your insides." During your 30 days, focus not just on what you're eating but on building new habits around food. Eat three meals a day without snacking between them. Take time to enjoy your food without distractions. Pay attention to how you feel after eating different meals. And perhaps most importantly, don't step on the scale during the entire program—focus on non-scale victories like improved energy, better sleep, clearer skin, and reduced pain. The transformation often happens in stages. In the first week, many people experience some adjustment symptoms as their bodies adapt to burning fat instead of sugar. By the second week, energy levels typically stabilize and cravings begin to diminish. Weeks three and four often bring the most noticeable improvements in mood, sleep, and physical symptoms.

Chapter 7: Discover Your Personal Food Blueprint

After completing your 30-day reset, you'll have a unique opportunity to create your personal food blueprint—a customized approach to eating that works specifically for your body, preferences, and lifestyle. This is where the real magic happens, as you systematically reintroduce foods and observe how they affect you. Nicole's family discovered the power of this personalized approach when they changed their diet to help their seven-year-old son, who had been diagnosed with PDD (similar to autism). He had always struggled with behavior issues, including screaming, tantrums, and aggression. Nicole had tried everything, even taking parenting classes because she thought she was doing something wrong. Within just a few days of changing their diet, her son was "like a brand-new child." He woke up smiling, was compliant, and would even do his homework without whining or crying. This dramatic transformation showed Nicole exactly which foods were affecting her son's behavior and mood. The reintroduction process is methodical and revealing. After your 30 days of elimination, you'll bring back potentially problematic foods one at a time, while keeping the rest of your diet clean. For example, you might reintroduce dairy first by having yogurt or cheese for a day, then return to the elimination diet for two days while you observe how your body responds. Then you'll move on to another food group, like gluten-containing grains, and repeat the process. During reintroduction, pay close attention to how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Do you notice digestive discomfort, skin breakouts, joint pain, headaches, mood swings, or energy crashes? Do your cravings return? Does your sleep quality change? These reactions provide valuable information about how specific foods affect your unique body. Kim's experience with food allergies illustrates how transformative this process can be. Before changing her diet, she had allergies to "more things than anyone I have ever met," including nearly all raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts. When she ate these foods, her mouth, head, and throat would become unbearably itchy, sometimes leading to anaphylactic shock. During her 30-day reset and careful reintroduction, her "selection of safe raw fruits and veggies expanded exponentially." She went from lettuce being the only safe option to being able to eat apples, oranges, berries, carrots, peppers, hazelnuts, spinach, and cabbage without reaction. The goal of reintroduction isn't to label foods as "good" or "bad," but to understand their effects on you specifically. You might discover that some foods cause significant problems and aren't worth including regularly. Others might cause minor issues that you're willing to accept occasionally for special occasions. And some previously eliminated foods might cause no noticeable problems at all, making them fine to include in your regular diet.

Summary

The journey of changing your relationship with food is ultimately about much more than what's on your plate—it's about transforming your entire life. When you discover how profoundly food affects every aspect of your physical and mental wellbeing, you gain the power to create lasting change that extends far beyond diet alone. As Dallas and Melissa Hartwig remind us, "Whatever you are seeking—improvement in energy, mood, focus, sleep, athletic performance, symptoms, medical conditions, body composition, or quality of life... it starts with food." Your next step is simple but profound: commit to discovering how food affects your unique body by completing your own 30-day reset. Eliminate the foods that commonly cause problems, focus on nutrient-dense whole foods, and then systematically reintroduce potential triggers while carefully observing your response. This process will give you personal, experiential knowledge that no book, doctor, or diet guru can provide. Remember that this journey isn't about perfection or deprivation—it's about freedom and empowerment to create the vibrant health you deserve.

About Author

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Dallas Hartwig

Dallas Hartwig, MS, PT, CISSN, RKC earned a BS in Anatomy and Physiology and an MS in Physical Therapy from Andrews University, and has been a licensed physical therapist since 2001. He co-owned and operated a strength and conditioning facility with Melissa until founding Whole9 in November 2009. He is a Certified Sports Nutritionist through the International Society of Sports Nutrition and an RKC-certified kettlebell instructor.Dallas is originally from beautiful British Columbia, Canada. He now lives with his wife Melissa in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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