The 90-Day Diet That Drastically Improved My Sleep, Energy & Anxiety

It's usually easier to give advice than to take it. But over the last year, I've made an increased effort to incorporate into my own life the health advice I give my patients. After all, life and work stress can get to the best of us.

That's why, when I started showing symptoms of fatigue, trouble sleeping, and other symptoms of adrenal problems, I wanted to find out if adrenal fatigue was to blame. So I ran an adrenal fatigue lab that I've run on countless of patients over the years, but never on myself.

Turns out it was adrenal fatigue, as I expected, and I realized I needed to start dealing with my brain-adrenal stress issues. Because I saw great success with my 60-day reset diet to find out what food intolerances I had, I wanted to then use diet to work on my adrenal fatigue and support my MTHFR methylation gene changes.

So I embarked on a three-month diet to rehab my hormones. Why 90 days? It takes time to recover from hormonal problems. It's not a magic cure-all number, but I knew 90 days was the minimum amount of time I would need.

While my particular hormonal issue was adrenal fatigue, I'd also recommend this plan to anyone dealing with common hormone problems, including thyroid issues, sex hormone imbalances (such as low testosterone), and leptin and insulin resistance.

I wanted to be intentional about filling my plate with some of the most nutrient-dense vegetables for hormone production and methylation, which is essential for brain and hormone health. For example, many of the vegetables I focused on are good sources of iodine, needed for thyroid hormone production, as well as sulfur and B vitamins necessary for healthy hormone production and detox pathways.

In my patients, I often see a lack of healthy carbs, in the form of safe starches, as a missing piece of the equation when it comes to balancing hormones, boosting energy levels, and supporting the thyroid.

I wanted to focus on low-fructose fruits, since sugar can contribute to hormonal problems.

I chose clean fats and proteins with über amounts of nutrients needed for thyroid hormone synthesis.

Selenium and magnesium are essential for thyroid hormone conversion and optimal hormone health.

I wanted to focus on calming teas that promoted healthy brain-hormone communication.

The right dosages depend on the individual. The list below is what I found works best for me, but please discuss what supplements might be right for you with your health care provider.

Breakfast: Eggs with sweet potatoes, onions, and spinach in coconut oil

Lunch: Kale salad with wild-caught albacore tuna and olive oil dressing and avocados

Dinner: Grass-fed liver and onions with asparagus and sweet potatoes

Snack: Two Brazil nuts, seaweed snacks, or plantain chips

Intermittent fasting doesn't work for many people struggling with hormonal problems like adrenal fatigue.