Feed your brain and your mitochondria. That’s the premise of the Wahls Protocol, a diet and lifestyle-change regimen developed by a doctor who used it to dramatically improve her own multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Terry Wahls, MD, was diagnosed with the chronic condition 10 years after experiencing initial symptoms. Despite the standard medical treatment, she quickly declined, and within three years she needed to use a wheelchair.

What is The Wahls Protocol?

The Wahls Protocol is a combination of a modified Paleo diet, wellness routines, and exercise. The diet is intended to target brain and mitochondrial functions.

What's the Difference Between Wahls Protocol and Paleo?

The Wahls Protocol diet includes considerably more plant-based foods and protein from a range of sources including wild salmon and trout and grass-fed meats—bison, lamb, pork, and beef.

How Was The Wahls Protocol Developed?

An athlete in college, Dr. Wahls began to research nutrition, focusing on cells and the mitochondria within cells that break down nutrients into energy. As she writes in The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles, “the root of optimal health begins with taking away the things that harm and confuse our cells while providing the body with the right environment in which to thrive.”

A long-time vegetarian, she began by adopting the paleo diet. But with her disease still progressing, she modified the paleo plan. The protocol, which also features therapies like stress management, relaxation, and exercise, got Dr. Wahls off four wheels and onto two: She now rides her bicycle to work every day at the University of Iowa.

What's In The Wahls Protocol Diet?

The Wahls Protocol features meat and fish, lots of vegetables (with an emphasis on the green, leafy variety), brightly colored fruit, and animal and plant fats, particularly omega 3s. Skip the dairy products, eggs, grains like wheat, rice, and oatmeal, beans and lentils, sugar, and nightshade vegetables—tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, pepper, and others.

Foods in The Wahls Diet

Here are some basics to plan your meals and snacks around:

• Dark, Leafy Greens

  Think three cups a day of spinach, kale, beet greens, radish greens, and bok choy. Your brain and your cell function will appreciate all the B vitamins you’re getting, and you’ll get vitamins A, C, and K as well.

• Vegetables Rich in Sulfur

  Both brain and mitochondria need sulfur to flourish. You can get it in broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies, and also in mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and in garlic, which is a superstar when it comes to sulfur content.

• Colorful Fruits and Veggies

  Antioxidants are essential in protecting brain and mitochondria growth, and they’re anti-inflammatory, meaning they can help prevent or reduce the symptoms of autoimmune disorders. In the fruit and vegetable category, the richer the color, the more antioxidants. Carrots, beets, spinach, red, green, and yellow bell peppers, kale, purple cabbage, and broccoli fill the bill for veggies. Antioxidant-rich (and colorful) fruits include blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, peaches, and blackberries.

• Grass-Fed Meats and Fatty Fish

  When it comes to getting the right balance of omega fatty acids, the key, for most people, is to up the omega 3s and reduce the omega 6s. That means cutting way back on omega 6–heavy processed foods, and increasing the amount of omega-3–rich wild salmon, grass-fed beef, sardines, walnuts, and flaxseeds in your diet.

• Iodine

  It’s essential to the growth of brain cells, but up to 75 percent of adults don’t get enough iodine. Worse yet, iodine deficiency is connected to obesity, heart disease, cancer, and cognitive impairment. To be sure you get enough, include in your diet sea vegetables (seaweed, kelp, arame, kombu), iodized salt, meats, and cranberries.

Following the Diet

To be sure you get sufficient nutrients and calories, check in with your healthcare practitioner before you embark on the Wahls Protocol diet. You may want to consider working with a dietitian to come up with a plan that meets your particular needs.

For specific guidelines, check out Dr. Wahls’s books and her website at TerryWahls.com.

Does The Wahls Protocol Work?

There is anecdotal evidence, including Dr. Wahls’s own story, showing that the Wahls Protocol, including the diet and other therapies, can be helpful in alleviating symptoms of MS and other chronic diseases. A 2014 pilot study found “significant improvement in fatigue” in participants, and recommended further study, which is currently under way by Dr. Wahls and others.

Humans who lived during the Paleolithic era were hunters and gatherers with a diet of meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts. This ancient way of eating comprises today’s Paleo diet. Grass-fed varieties of meat, wild rather than farm-raised fish, eggs, and monounsaturated and polyunsatured fats like avocado and olive oils are encouraged. Cereal grains (including whole grains), dairy products, legumes, white potatoes, refined sugars and oils, and processed foods are avoided.

Dispelling Paleo Diet Myths 

One misconception of the Paleo diet is that you can eat as much meat as you want. Ancient Paleolithic diets would have differed significantly depending on where the hunter-gatherer tribes lived. In modern times, those eating Paleo can benefit from individualizing the diet to their own needs. Eating large quantities of animal protein is not in most people’s best interest.

The Paleo diet is actually plant centered. Those who switch to the plan will most likely see an increase in their fiber and vegetable intakes. This benefits overall inflammation levels and gastrointestinal health.

Lower Cholesterol Levels with a Paleo Diet

Preliminary studies show positive results on cholesterol levels with the Paleo diet. Twenty study volunteers with hypercholesterolemia followed four months of a traditionally heart-healthy diet followed by four months of a Paleolithic diet. The volunteers, aged 40 to 62, significantly lowered their mean total cholesterol and LDL (bad) levels. The study suggests that Paleolithic nutrition offers promising potential for nutritional management of hyperlipidemia in adults whose lipid profiles did not improve after following more traditional heart-healthy dietary recommendations.

The Paleo Diet & Diabetes

The Paleo diet also shows promise in positively affecting blood glucose levels. Study participants with Type 2 diabetes followed a Paleolithic diet and either standard care exercise recommendations or supervised exercise sessions three times a week. After 12 weeks, their fat mass and metabolic balances (insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and leptin) improved. It was noted that the supervised exercise training may not have enhanced the outcomes, but it did preserve lean mass and increased cardiovascular fitness.

Nutritional Balance & The Paleo Diet

Since the Paleo diet contains no sugar and no flour, eating Paleo can help control obesity. Some experts, however, feel a strictly followed Paleo diet lacks nutritional balance. Nutrients like calcium and vitamin D can be missing, as some food groups are eliminated.

Those following the Paleo diet may find it hard to stick to for long periods of time, and the diet’s restrictions can feel daunting. Since legumes are an important source of protein for vegans and vegetarians, these people may find the Paleo eating plan nearly impossible to follow. Discuss with your doctor if the Paleo diet is right for you.

Diet trends come and go with some best left in the past (remember the grapefruit diet?). Today low-carb eating plans are soaring in popularity for those looking to lose weight. The Whole30, South Beach, Atkins, keto, and paleo are just a few on the scene.

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates (fruit, grains, and starchy vegetables). The amount and type of carbs allowed depends on the diet.

Healthy Low-Carb Diets

In a healthy low-carb meal, three-quarters of the plate is filled with low-carbohydrate vegetables and the rest with 3 to 4 ounces of protein, according to David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan ($28, Little, Brown and Company, 2016).

Low-carb vegetables include Swiss chard, bok choy, asparagus, lettuce, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, kale, and mushrooms. Fats are obtained from natural sources such as butter, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. High-starch veggies are avoided (beets, peas, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams) as are all forms of processed carbs, sugar, and starch.

Healthy Low-Carb Diets for Weight Loss

Eating carbs stimulates the production of insulin. This leads to fat production and retention and a reduced ability to burn fat.

When a person greatly reduces their carbohydrate intake and consumes more calories from fat, their body begins to burn stored fat as a source of energy—instead of using carbohydrates as its main fuel source.

Eventually this results in weight loss. Certain studies indicate that weight reduction also occurs because the additional protein and fat being consumed keep a person feeling fuller longer, so overeating is less common.

Other Benefits of a Healthy Low-Carb Diet 

Beyond weight loss, low-carb diets are heralded for improving health conditions such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.

Control Type 1 Diabetes with a Low-Carb Diet

Through a reduced intake of carbs, the body’s insulin levels are lowered. In an online survey of an international social media group for those with Type 1 diabetes, it was found that children and adults who followed a very low-carbohydrate diet had exceptional glycemic control of their diabetes without high rates of acute complications. If confirmed by clinical trials, the results suggest that chronic complications of this disease might be prevented through diet.

Low-Carb for a Healthy Heart

Those with cardiovascular risk may also benefit from low-carb eating plans. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels may improve slightly with low-carb diets versus moderate-carb diets. Large randomized controlled trials, which  monitored individuals for at least six months, showed that restricting carbs improved lipid markers better than when low-fat diets were followed.

Drawbacks of Low-Carb Diet Plans

Any diet can cause changes within the body, including low-carb plans. Some people find that constipation is common when reducing carbohydrates. Since most people get their dietary fiber from breads, pastas, and starchy vegetables, when these foods are reduced or eliminated, a person’s fiber intake can drop drastically and constipation results.

A sudden and drastic cut of carbs may also cause bad breath, muscle cramps, skin rash, fatigue, and headaches. Some low-carb diets restrict carbohydrates in such great amounts that nutrient deficiencies, gastrointestinal difficulties, and bone loss may occur in the long term.

Low-carb eating plans are not recommended for children, preteens, and teens as their developing bodies need the nutrition found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Trendy diets come and go. Dietary staples tend to stay with us. Of the many innovations certain to emerge or expand in 2019, here are a few that are worth watching (and trying).

Plant-Based Diets

In snack foods, main courses, and entire dietary plans, plant-based nutrition continues to shine. Look for familiar foods with added plant-based protein, such as shakes, power bars, legume pastas, nondairy milks, and breads. Plants are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Veggie burgers continue to evolve, and that market is quickly expanding into bacon and other meatless alternatives. Mushrooms are big players in this sector.

Sea vegetables—in snacks, salads, and jerkies—are more available than ever. And the ice cream market has moved forward in interesting ways, too, with avocado, hummus, and coconut among the ingredients finding a place in the frozen-snack aisle.

Upcoming Diet Trends

Several trend watchers expect to see a continuation of the tasty fusion experiences we’ve seen in recent years. Influences from the Middle East are rapidly arriving, which means more use of spices and herbs like cardamom and mint. Indian cuisine will also continue to grow in popularity.

Locally sourced foods will be highly sought, extending the welcome leaning in that direction.

And the lowly potato? Writing for the Food Network, nutritionist Dana Angelo White praised the simple spud for its nutrient-rich carbohydrates and easy digestibility. She said to watch for it in burritos, rice bowls, and muffins “to help fire up muscles for exercise and aid in recovery activity.”

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet has been widely touted, with its emphasis on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, modest servings of fish, and the occasional glass of red wine, if desired. People who adhere to this style of eating have been found to have lower-than-average risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. It’s stood the test of time so far. In fact, US News & World Report rated it at the top of its list of diets for healthy eating, tied with the similar DASH diet. The flexitarian, TLC, Mayo Clinic, and MIND diets also scored high.

An Indigenous Diet

An indigenous population in the Bolivian Amazon has been found to have “the healthiest hearts ever studied,” according to the authors of a new study. So the obvious question is, What are they eating?

About two-thirds of the Tsimane people’s diet comes from complex carbohydrates, particularly plantains and rice. They eat more than 40 species of fish as well, and a small amount of wild game. Their diet is high in fiber and low in fat. Very little of their food comes from markets.

Their intake of key minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and selenium is much higher than typical Western diets. Hypertension and obesity are rare in the Tsimane, who are known to be very physically active.

Are you thinking of trying the popular paleo diet? Inspired by the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors, the paleo diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed, high-quality meats and vegetables while excluding grains, legumes, sugar, most dairy, and refined vegetable oils.

Many people believe it helps them with health challenges ranging from digestive issues to hormonal imbalances.

With the Paleo Diet, Simplicity is Key

When eating paleo, it’s best to keep it simple if you want to increase your chance of success. While a Google search for “paleo recipes” will turn up countless “paleo-ified” versions of everything from bagels to brownies, these recipes can contain expensive, hard-to-find ingredients that aren’t as nutritious as simpler whole foods.

Simple foods that you likely already know how to cook can make a delicious paleo menu: fried eggs with a side of fresh berries for breakfast; a big salad topped with salmon and avocado for lunch; a bunless burger with a baked sweet potato and roasted broccoli for dinner; almonds and an apple for a snack.

As an added bonus, keeping your paleo diet simple will help you stick to a budget. Focus on the basics: meat, fish, eggs, loads of colorful veggies, some fruits, and fats such as coconut, avocado, and butter. If you have extra room in your budget, you can opt for grass-fed meats and packaged paleo snack bars and protein powders.

Be Prepared with Paleo Meal Prep

Another way to spare your wallet (and your sanity) when going paleo is to focus on meal prep. Consider cooking grass-fed ground beef with lots of veggies (think carrots, broccoli, kale, onion, mushrooms, and the like) on the weekend so you can have meals ready to go during the week. Other paleo staples that can be prepared in advance include hard-boiled eggs, baked sweet potatoes, trail mix, and hearty soups. Having your fridge and freezer stocked with premade, healthy options makes sticking to a paleo diet easier during busy weeks.

Finally, as you make the transition to this ancestral way of eating, listen to your body. Rather than seeing a non-paleo indulgence as a slip-up, see it as a chance to observe how your body feels when you eat different foods. At the end of the day, the best determinant of your ideal diet is how it makes you feel.

Further Reading

• The New Primal Blueprint: Reprogram Your Genes for Effortless Weight Loss, Vibrant Health, and Boundless Energy by Mark Sisson ($34.95, Primal Nutrition, 2016)
• The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet by Robb Wolf ($24.95, Victory Belt Publishing, 2010)
• Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle by Diane Sanfilippo ($25.67, Victory Belt Publishing, 2016)

According to Google’s annual Zeitgeist List—a compilation of social trends based on what people are searching for on the Internet—the most researched diet online in 2014 was the Paleo diet, beating out the juice cleanse diet and the Mediterranean diet.

Also known as the Caveman diet, Stone Age diet, and hunter-gatherer diet, Paleo is short for the Paleolithic Era, the time period that anthropologists define as starting 2.5 million years ago and ending 10,000 years ago, when early humans sustained themselves on wild plants and meat, before the development of agriculture. Paleofantasy by Marlene Zuk

What is The Paleo Diet?

It is primarily a low-carb diet, advocating the avoidance of grain. The recommended daily intake mostly consists of grass-fed meat, fish, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds as well as an elimination of dairy, wheat, corn, rice, sugar, alcohol, potatoes, legumes, and processed oils.

The noticeable increase in mouse clicks and Paleo-friendly restaurants aside, does this diet actually result in weight loss?

Does the Paleo Diet Work?

In general, yes—if adherents strictly follow the low-carb formula. In a 2013 study conducted at Umea University in Sweden, 10 obese postmenopausal women were switched to a strict Paleo diet for five weeks. At the end of the period, the average weight loss was nearly 10 pounds with an average of 3.1 inches lost in waist circumference. Moreover, there was an average reduction of 49 percent in liver fat, a significant risk factor for metabolic disease. A longer two-year trial of the Paleo diet with the same demographic group provided similar results.

Other limited-scope Paleo studies show similar findings. A 2009 randomized cross-over study at Sweden’s Lund University split up 13 patients with Type 2 diabetes to try either a Paleo diet or their recommended low-glycemic diabetes diet for three months. The Paleo group lost an average of 6.6 pounds more than the diabetes diet group and reduced their waistlines by an average of 1.6 inches more. The Paleo followers also had slightly lower blood sugar levels.

While many nutritionists embrace the Paleo avoidance of processed foods and sugary snacks, the romantic notion that all our hunter-gatherer ancestors had six-pack abs has come under attack. In her book Paleofantasy, evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk challenges the idea that replicating the eating habits of cavemen is even possible.

“Trying to emulate what people ate 10,000 or 100,000 years ago is really difficult. Our foods have changed so much that virtually every item in a supermarket is drastically genetically different from its prehistoric equivalent,” she recently told New Scientist Magazine. “This is what humans do: We modify foods so that they become more palatable and digestible.”

Zuk’s skepticism is reinforced by a 2013 University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine study that looked at whole-body CT scans of 137 mummies from Egypt, Peru, American Pueblo Indians, and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Researchers found evidence of calcified plaque in the artery walls of ancient hunter-gatherers. Their conclusion: Atherosclerosis is not a modern scourge; it’s been impacting human longevity for at least 4,000 years.

Is the Paleo Diet Right for Everyone?

Regardless of how effective it is for weight loss, the Paleo lifestyle isn’t a realistic—or desirable—solution for everyone.

Cost Concerns

Animal protein, especially grass-fed beef and poultry, can be among the most expensive items at the market. The Bloomberg Protein Index, which tracks a dozen animal and plant protein commodity prices, has increased by 28 percent over the last five years.

Cost aside, there are inevitably ethical concerns that arise from a meat-centric diet.

Environmental Concerns

“From an environmental and animal welfare concern, it’s narcissistic to advocate eating pounds of animal protein per day at the expense of so many animal lives when we can certainly meet much of our protein needs from plant sources,” asserts Elizabeth Brown, a registered dietician and personal trainer based in California.



“Even when I do recommend animal protein, I am adamant about advocating for grass-fed, free-range, and wild sources,” she says. “Not only for their more humane treatment of the animals, but also because these animals are fed their natural diets and therefore accumulate fewer harmful substances which we are all trying to avoid.”

If you are looking for a new diet without the rigid constraints of a vegan or Paleo diet, the up-and-coming Pegan diet, also known as the paleo-vegan diet, may be right for you. 

What is The Pegan Diet?

The Pegan diet, featured on The Dr. Oz Show, and noted as one of the “hottest new diets” in Redbook magazine, combines qualities of the vegan diet and the Paleo diet.

The diet, created by Dr. Mark Hyman—a doctor, blogger, and author—allows a more flexible, affordable meal plan, which may ease inflammation and aid weight loss.

While the traditional vegan diet is plant-based and eschews all animal products, the Paleo diet follows a strict “stone-age” meal plan and avoids modern, processed foods. The Pegan diet combines the two, allowing dieters to eat nutritious, unprocessed, sustainably made meals that may contain fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of meat.

However, the diet avoids sugar, chemicals, dairy, gluten, and large amounts of animal products that could cause inflammation.

Dr. Hyman notes that each Pegan dieter’s approach should be personalized to fit her or his lifestyle and medical needs.

Can You Eat Meat on The Pegan Diet?

Pegan dieters may eat limited amounts of meat in a sauce, or as a side dish or condiment. Fish or sustainably farmed meats, like grass-fed beef, are encouraged as they provide protein and omega 3s.

Dieters may eat up to two eggs with breakfast.

Restrictions in The Pegan Diet

• Beans should be limited since they may cause bloating and other digestive discomfort.
• Eating dairy and gluten is discouraged.
• Whole grains that do not contain gluten or affect blood sugar can be eaten sparingly in Pegan meals.