Research shows that discussing the material in a nutrition book as a series of classes – covering a portion of the book together each module – is one of the best ways to understand and integrate the material into your life.

In this first module, you’ll learn why America is the second fattest nation on Earth, and why we are 51st in life expectancy compared to 191 other nations worldwide. You will learn which tests to ask your doctor for so that you can assess your progress, plus learn how you can track progress yourself at home.

In this session, you’ll:

• Receive an opening meditation that sets you on the course to success
• Understand why the Standard American Diet (SAD) is creating an epidemic of chronic disease
• Learn how to assess your health and wellbeing before changing your diet
• Understand the best ways to track your progress
• Begin with instructions to quick-start your diet today, with PlantPlus Lite
• Enter into a small group discussion with your own learning pod
• Begin the journey of group coaching

In this session, Joan will cover the practical material needed to streamline your new PlantPlus kitchen and begin the Reboot – a 4-week jumpstart to better health. You will learn what to eliminate from your diet, what to add, and why.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• How to prepare your kitchen for easy PlantPlus cooking
• What’s on and off the 4-week Reboot menu
• Which foods to buy organic and which you can buy conventionally
• How to save money while eating well

The research is clear. It’s hard to change your diet – whether it’s for general health or weight loss. Ninety-five percent of people who lose weight regain it within a year, often with rebound pounds, and 99% regain it within 5 years. So what’s a body to do?

In this module, Joan puts on her health psychologist hat and explains how we can capitalize on the science of neuroplasticity to change our brain, outwit cravings and succeed in making healthful changes through mindfulness training and operant conditioning.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• How to apply the science of neuroplasticity to your own diet habits
• The most effective ways to reduce cravings
• The foundations of an effective mindfulness practice and how important it can be to your health
• The keys to applying the power of mindfulness to your nutrition program

Joan believes that if you have the right information – the real science behind diet – you will be empowered to make better choices. Why is it so important to eat a pound of vegetables (and some fruits) daily? Answer: to avert what Joan calls “the 5 pillars of dietary doom”. You will learn how the Standard American Diet creates these health-destroying conditions in your body. You’ll also learn how the three macronutrients: fats, carbs and protein figure into health and weight loss.

In this session, you’ll learn:

• To understand and apply the science behind oxidative stress, inflammation, glycation, micronutrient insufficiency and dysbiosis (problems with your community of gut microbes) to elevate your health
• How to avoid the above problems through a PlantPlus Diet
• Why protein is a skinny food and why fat won’t make you fat
• About why it is vitally important to eat as organic as you can

For the past 60 years, we’ve been taught that fat is a mortal enemy. The result of that campaign has been obesity and chronic illness ranging from diabetes to cancer, from neurological problems to autoimmune disease. Why is that? And, which fats are good for you and which fats are bad? We’ll take a look inside the fat and cholesterol wars and bring lipid science into the 21st century.

In this session, you’ll:

• Get the real “skinny” on fat and discover that it’s not all bad
• Learn how to recognize and use mainly beneficial fats
• Understand what makes bad fats bad and how to avoid them
• Dispel myths around cholesterol and develop a healthy relationship with it

Some people can hardly pass a bakery without gaining weight, while others can eat all the carbs in the world and stay slim and healthy. Determining your own carb-tolerance is the first step in customizing your diet for your unique metabolism. You’ll learn how to do that, along with taking a look at gluten tolerance (and intolerance); insulin sensitivity and resistance; and how to deal with hunger if you’re already overweight.

In this session you’ll:

• Learn how to go beyond the extremes of limiting diets and eat a “carb-reasonable” diet tailored to your body
• Learn how to contrast the carbs in the Standard American Diet versus PlantPlus to create a balance that works for you
• Understand the relationship between leaky gut and gluten and how to maintain a diet that deters this symptom
• See how to prevent and treat metabolic syndrome, and learn what the repercussions are if you don’t!

Is eating an egg yolk really as bad as smoking a cigarette? Can meat or soy, dairy or grain kill you off? What we read in the media about diet is often hype. Most physicians can’t make heads or tails of which studies to believe either. So in this module, we’ll get smart and also learn about an important piece of research – The A to Z Study out of Stanford. It investigated diets differing in fat and carb content ranging from Atkins to Zone. And the biggest loser is….?

In this session you’ll:

• Develop a deeper understanding of the many types of scientific studies and how to approach them to get the truth
• Receive key principles for how to vet a scientific study for what you need to know
• Learn how to find resources on the Internet to aid your understanding of nutrition and diet as they pertain to your unique needs
• Receive the highlights of the findings of the A-to-Z diet personalization study and follow-up and learn how to apply them to your life

When the human genome was sequenced a decade ago, we didn’t realize that there were two additional genomes. The first of these is the epigenome (epi means above), which accounts for how environmental factors can either silence or activate the genes you inherit from mom and dad. Those factors range from hormones released by emotions to pesticides to micronutrients in the food we eat. The second additional genome (a whopping 99% of our genetic material) belongs to our gut microbes, which outnumber mammalian cells in our body 10 to 1. Learning more about this revolutionary material will give you a whole new outlook on diet.

In this session you’ll:

• Get deeper insight into your genetic code and how it clues you in to your best food choices
• Learn about whether genetic testing is necessary for diet personalization
• Better understand how to optimize your “epigenome” for a healthier, happier you
• Receive tips for feeding your gut microbes with what they need

Food guru Michael Pollan reminds us that “we eat whatever what we eat eats.” So, let’s optimize the foods we choose – from vegetables to meat and eggs to fruits, because, our choices can actually affect the way that food is raised. Are you choosing foods that promote sustainability for the Earth, our kids and our kids’ kids?

Another topic we’ll cover is Dr. Joan’s superfoods. Why are they good for you and how can you incorporate them into your easy-to-make PlantPlus meals?

In this session you’ll:

• Gain wisdom on how your food choices not only affect you but also how they affect environment
• Learn the ins and outs of shopping for organic foods and what you can trust
• Understand the science behind GMOs, the many health risks they pose for us and generations to come, and how to shop non-GMO
• Learn how to cook with Joan’s superfoods to create meals just right for your metabolism and body type

In this final module, we’ll share our favorite PlantPlus recipes and what we’ve learned in our 10 modules together. We’ll review tips for staying on track with our individualized diets, and celebrate our big experiment in eating a diet personalized for our own metabolism.

In this session you’ll:

• Receive many of Joan’s favorite recipes and share your experience and learnings with other participants
• Celebrate successes and address difficulties in making shifts in your diet and lifestyle
• Receive helpful tips for continuing support in keeping on track with your new personalized diet
• Create honorable closure and a game plan for moving forward and continuing to support yourself and your health with your new optimal diet