HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

With humility, I have learned during my career as a gastroenterologist that no two people are created the same. We all have unique qualities, and a biology that is distinctly ours. We also have a distinct gut microbiome. On a planet with eight billion souls, no two of us have the same gut microbes. With our individuality in mind, I expect you to make this book your own. You can think of it as a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure for gut health.

If you’re looking for delicious recipes and are plant-based or freshly plant curious and exploring, I’m glad you’re here. This book is definitely for you. If you have no digestive issues, then you can jump right in and enjoy the recipes from all sections of this book (look for the “FF Unleashed” boxes in the recipes in the food sensitivity protocol chapters, Chapters 4 and 5). Keep track of your Plant Points as a fun way to challenge yourself (for more on Plant Points and becoming a “plant-based rock star,” see Chapter 9). Or, challenge your friends!

If you’re here with gut issues and food sensitivities and your goal is to feel better, I’m glad you’re here, too. This book is also a practical guide that will lead you to better health. If you follow these strategies, you will be on a healing path to restore function to your gut. Over time, you’ll be able to enjoy foods you didn’t think you could eat, have more flavor and variety in your life, amp up your nutrition, and get back to feeling like yourself again—alive, optimistic, and thriving. It’s all possible, and we will get there.

This book offers a step-by-step program to support your journey to better digestive function. If that’s the goal you have in mind, start from the beginning. Every chapter builds upon the one before it, so I’d encourage you to read all of the chapters before you step into the kitchen. There are two protocols included in this book—low FODMAP and low histamine. They are intended to help you understand your personal gut function and your own strengths and weaknesses. By reading each chapter before starting the protocols, you will have all the tools you need for an optimal experience and success.

If you are suffering from complex chronic health issues, getting to the root of the problem and getting it fixed can feel like trying to untie a complex knot. It requires patience and persistence to make progress. I want you to know that you are not alone. I am here to support you, and our online community is here to help you, too (visit theplantfedgut.com and my social media—@theguthealthmd). I also suggest reaching out to a qualified health professional who lives in your community for added support.

No matter who you are and what goals you have in mind, I hope you feel at home in this book and that you make it your own, refer to it often, and share it with a friend. I encourage you to try something new and push yourself to a higher level. Don’t forget to tag me in your food pictures and message me with your progress!