The Food Doctor: The 4 Foods You MUST Avoid If You Want To Be Healthy! - Dr. Will Cole

1. Address Root Causes, Not Symptoms

Functional medicine seeks to identify and address underlying gut problems, chronic infections, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, trauma, and shame, rather than solely matching diseases with medications. This approach aims for sustainable healing by tackling upstream causation.

2. Prioritize Nutrition for Health

Adopt a nutrition-forward approach to healthcare, recognizing that most health problems are lifestyle-driven and many conventional doctors lack basic nutrition training. Focus on foods that support health and avoid those that contribute to inflammation.

3. Recognize Mental Health as Physical

Understand that mental health is intrinsically linked to physical health, with inflammation impacting brain function, anxiety, depression, brain fog, and fatigue. This perspective encourages addressing physiological drivers of mental and emotional well-being.

4. Modulate Chronic Inflammation

Actively work to modulate and support healthy inflammatory pathways, as chronic inflammation is a common underlying factor in nearly all chronic health problems, from autoimmune issues to metabolic and mental health disorders. The goal is to achieve homeostasis, not excess inflammation.

5. Identify Inflammation Symptoms Early

Be aware of subtle signs of chronic inflammation, such as brain fog, fatigue, dysregulated nervous system responses (anxious but exhausted), and persistent digestive problems (constipation, IBS). Recognizing these early allows for proactive intervention before a full diagnosis.

6. Cultivate Self-Compassion

Practice self-compassion, as research shows it can significantly attenuate inflammatory responses and lower stress hormones. This mental practice helps calm the body’s physiological reaction to stressors.

7. Build Stress Resilience

Develop grit and resilience to handle stress through hormetic effects like cold plunges, sauna, high-intensity interval training, or fasting, which can make cells more robust. The aim is to prevent chronic stress from keeping the body in a perpetual fight-or-flight state.

8. Support Parasympathetic Nervous System

Actively engage in practices that support the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, hormone balance) to counteract an overactive sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response. This balance is crucial for overall health and preventing stress-related chronic conditions.

9. Clear Accumulated Stressors

Take agency in managing health by actively working to clear out accumulated stressors from diet, trauma, and environmental toxins. While genetic tolerance for stress varies, individuals can control what they put into their “bucket” to prevent reaching a health tipping point.

10. Engage in Nature (Forest Bathing)

Practice “Shinrin-yoku” or forest bathing by spending time in nature and engaging all senses. This is shown to lower inflammation, reduce stress hormones, balance the immune system, and improve the human microbiome.

11. Set Healthy Boundaries with Technology

Implement healthy boundaries with technology to avoid its detrimental effects on mental and physical well-being. This promotes a more sane, joyous, and meaningful life by fostering self-respect and intentional choices.

12. Prioritize Health Over External Status

Re-evaluate cultural priorities that glorify burnout and external status, understanding that optimal health is fundamental to being a high-performing individual. This shift prevents health erosion caused by unsustainable, status-driven lifestyles.

13. Strengthen Vagal Tone

Improve vagal tone, which is often weak, through practices like breath work and meditation. A strong vagus nerve is essential for supporting the parasympathetic nervous system, the gut-brain axis, and overall microbiome health.

14. Avoid Inflammatory Foods

Significantly reduce consumption of gluten-containing grains (especially conventional wheat), industrial seed oils, conventional dairy (opt for grass-fed organic A2 or fermented), and added sugars (including natural-sounding euphemisms). Also, limit alcohol due to its detrimental effects on gut health, inflammation, and brain volume.

15. Nourish the Gut Microbiome

Actively care for your gut microbiome, which influences neurotransmitter production, immune regulation, digestion, and hormone conversion, by consuming foods that support its health. A healthy microbiome is critical for mental health, inflammation control, weight, and energy.

16. Incorporate Soups and Stews

Regularly consume soups and stews, particularly those made with broths, cooked vegetables, and meats, as a “proverbial siesta” for the gut. This easy-to-digest approach calms gut-centric inflammation and supports overall healing.

17. Eat Fiber-Rich Vegetables

Prioritize fiber-rich vegetables, especially for cooking and blending into meals, to provide essential nourishment for a healthy gut microbiome.

18. Consider Fermented Foods

Gradually introduce fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefirs, starting with small amounts due to their potency, to further support gut health.

19. Practice Intermittent Fasting Mindfully

If appropriate for your health, consider intermittent fasting or time-compressed feeding to train your metabolism for greater flexibility and resilience. This approach helps the body become more efficient at burning fat rather than constantly relying on sugar.

20. Build Meals with Whole Foods

Construct meals around abundant vegetables, clean proteins, and healthy fats (e.g., avocados, extra virgin olive oil), or opt for whole-food smoothies with fruits and greens. This ensures sustained energy, optimal nutrient intake, and supports metabolic health.

21. Say No to Protect Well-being

Develop the ability to decline opportunities or requests that would lead to overcommitment and increased stress. Saying “no” is a crucial act of self-respect that helps manage stress levels and maintain personal boundaries.