How To Save Your Kidneys With Diet Therapy with Dr. John McDougall

Introduction

Chef AJ introduces Dr. John McDougall to talk about Kidney Health.

• Dr. McDougall is grateful for the opportunity to present on Kidney Health.

• He emphasizes the importance of understanding kidney issues and how diet affects them.

• The economic impact of kidney dialysis is huge, and there is a lot of misinformation out there.

Distortion of Literature

Dr. McDougall talks about how literature on kidney health has been distorted.

• The effect of diet on kidney health is profound, but many people are unaware of this.

• Spin doctors distort the literature, causing harm to patients by preventing them from keeping their kidneys healthy or getting themselves out of trouble.

• Patients with kidney problems can do a lot to change their health by changing their diet.

Low Protein Diet

Dr. McDougall discusses the importance of a low protein diet for preserving kidney function.

• Doctors involved with transplants are supposed to tell both recipients and donors that they need to be on a low protein diet.

• Basic research has been distorted so people wouldn't think of preserving their kidney function.

• A low protein diet can help prevent patients from needing dialysis.

Changing Your Diet

Dr. McDougall explains how changing your diet can improve your kidney health.

• Changing your diet can have an immediate impact on the health of your kidneys.

• Many doctors don't know how to take care of patients when it comes to dietary therapy and kidney disease.

• If you attend the 12-day living program at Dr. McDougall's clinic and have kidney disease, he will make sure you get taken care of properly.

Diet and Kidney Disease

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses the importance of a low protein diet in preserving kidney health. He emphasizes that diet therapy should be offered first before drugs and machines.

The Importance of a Low Protein Diet

• A very low protein diet can help preserve kidney health.

• Most people have compromised kidney function without feeling any abnormality.

• Diet therapy should be offered first to cure problems before resorting to drugs and machines.

• Dr. McDougall challenges viewers to give him 12 days to improve their health through a low protein diet.

The Role of Kidneys in the Body

• The kidneys are located at the back, below the rib cage on each side of the spine.

• They filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing waste from the body such as environmental chemicals and protein waste.

• They balance fluids in the body and release hormones that regulate blood pressure and red blood cells.

• Vitamin D metabolism starts in the skin with sunlight converting plant sterols into precursor vitamin D, which goes through conversion in the liver before reaching its final form in the kidneys.

Common Kidney Diseases

• Atherosclerosis is common when it comes to kidneys due to lack of plant foods causing blockages in blood vessels leading to deterioration of kidney mass.

• Chemical poisons can damage kidneys, as well as infections such as autoimmune disease or excess dietary protein intake.

• Shock resulting from low blood pressure can cause permanent kidney damage if not treated promptly.

Understanding Kidney Function

In this section, the speaker discusses how kidney function is assessed through blood tests and creatinine clearance.

Blood Tests for Kidney Function

• Blood tests are used to assess kidney function.

• Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measures the amount of urea in the blood, which is a product of protein breakdown in the liver.

• Creatinine comes from muscles and is derived from another amino acid-like substance called creatine.

• Creatinine clearance reflects how efficiently the kidneys clear creatinine from the body and reflects glomerular filtration rate.

Stages of Kidney Disease

• Based on creatinine clearance or glomerification rate, there are four stages of kidney disease.

• Stage 1: Normal or good kidney function with a clearance rate of 90 milliliters per minute.

• Stage 2: Mild disease with a clearance rate of 60 to 89 milliliters per minute.

• Stage 3: Moderate kidney disease with a clearance rate that is about half of what it should be. Creatinine levels start to increase significantly at this stage.

• Stage 4: Severe kidney disease with a very low clearance rate. Dialysis may be required at this stage.

Autoimmune Diseases and Kidney Function

• Autoimmune diseases can cause the body to attack itself, including the kidneys.

• Lupus nephritis and Goodpasture syndrome are examples of autoimmune diseases that affect kidney function.

Autoimmune Diseases of the Kidneys

In this section, Dr. McDougall explains how autoimmune diseases of the kidneys occur due to consumption of animal products and a leaky gut.

Causes of Autoimmune Diseases

• Autoimmune diseases occur when the body makes antibodies that attack the kidneys.

• Molecular mimicry occurs when foreign food proteins enter the bloodstream and confuse the immune system, causing it to attack not only foreign proteins but also our own body tissues.

• A leaky gut can be caused by eating an unhealthy diet or having celiac disease, which is due to gluten from wheat, barley, and rye.

• Foreign proteins from slaughterhouses (e.g., pig and cow kidneys) are ground up into sausages and hot dogs. When consumed, these foreign proteins enter our bloodstream through a leaky gut.

Effects on Kidneys

• Cow protein (primarily milk protein) gets into the intestinal tract through the gut wall into the bloodstream. The body makes antibodies against this cow protein which attack the glomeruli of the kidneys.

• Autoimmune diseases cause the body to attack proteins and make complexes that stick together in our kidneys.

Note that this summary covers only a small part of Dr. McDougall's talk on autoimmune diseases.

Understanding Autoimmune Diseases and the Role of Animal Proteins in Causing Them

In this section, the speaker discusses how animal proteins can cause autoimmune diseases and shares a study that shows how removing cow's milk from the diet can lead to remission.

The Role of Immunofluorescence Technology in Identifying Autoimmune Diseases

• Immunofluorescence technology is used to tag antibodies and look for cow protein.

• Antibodies attack glomeruli, which are represented by green color in images obtained through immunofluorescence technology.

Study on Cow's Milk and Autoimmune Diseases

• A study found that four children who had biopsies showing antibodies attacking Nico American eye were consuming cow's milk.

• Removing cow's milk from their diet led to partial or complete remission in all four children.

Common Autoimmune Diseases Caused by Animal Proteins

• Consuming animal proteins leads to the production of antibodies that attack similar tissues in your body, causing autoimmune diseases.

• Addison's disease, alopecia, various types of arthritis, myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, colitis, Crohn's disease, and vitiligo are some examples of autoimmune diseases caused by animal proteins.

The Impact of Protein on Kidney Disease

In this section, the speaker talks about how reducing protein intake can slow down or stop the progression of kidney disease.

Thomas' Research on Protein Intake and Kidney Disease

• Thomas discovered that reducing dietary protein intake could minimize further loss of kidneys in patients with chronic kidney insufficiency.

• Reducing protein intake could reduce the progression of kidney disease to death by 33 to 50 percent.

Misinformation About Protein Intake

• Spin doctors hired by the food and drug industry have spun the basic research on protein being toxic to the kidneys into a message that most people believe is untrue.

• Restricting protein intake can slow down or stop the progression of kidney disease, as hundreds of researchers have discovered.

The Impact of High Protein Diet on Kidney Function

In this section, the speaker discusses how a high protein diet can damage kidney function and lead to chronic kidney disease.

High Protein Diet and Kidney Damage

• A high protein diet can cause normal wear and tear that damages the kidneys.

• By the time people reach their seventh or eighth decade of life, they may have lost a third to half of their kidney function due to a high protein diet.

• The kidneys are forgiving, so you only need 25% of your kidney function to clear waste from the body.

• When someone has an elevated creatinine level, it indicates that they have already lost about 75% of their kidney function.

Kidney Disease Progression

• Creatinine levels do not start to rise until someone has lost 75% of their kidney mass.

• If someone has already lost some kidney mass, such as through donating a kidney, then a high protein diet can increase flows and pressures in the remaining kidneys and accelerate damage.

• A high protein diet causes excess workload on the glomeruli unit of the kidneys. This increases flows and pressures in the tubules of the kidneys, leading to real hypertension and destroying more kidney tissue.

The Influence of Diet on Kidney Disease Progression

In this section, the speaker discusses how little attention is paid to dietary influence on chronic kidney disease progression despite its importance.

Neglect of Diet in Kidney Disease Progression

• Despite the increasing availability of dialysis and transplantation, little attention has been paid to the influence of diet on kidney disease progression.

• Professionals have actively campaigned against educating people about how to preserve their kidneys and reverse some kidney disease because of the multi-billion dollar business in drugs and surgeries for cancer and heart disease.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker introduces himself and his background as a cardiologist.

Speaker Introduction

• The speaker is a cardiologist with over 40 years of experience.

• He has published numerous articles on heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and other health topics.

Identifying Detrimental Foods

Dr. McDougall discusses how he identified foods that could be detrimental to one's health and the importance of being cautious when choosing recipes.

Identifying Detrimental Foods

• Dr. McDougall's intention was to take care of really sick people, not the general population.

• Almost everybody is sick, with 80% of people in the US being obese or overweight, and many having diabetes, high blood pressure, and autoimmune diseases.

• High protein foods like isolated soy protein supplements, whey powder supplements, fake burgers and hot dogs should be avoided.

• The dialysis industry is a $33 billion business that costs $90k per year for one patient. A low protein diet can keep people away from dialysis.

Dialysis Ward: Hell on Earth

Dr. McDougall describes the horrors of the dialysis ward and how a healthy diet can mitigate some of its effects.

Dialysis Ward: Hell on Earth

• Patients spend four hours a session three times a week attached to a machine that filters their blood but doesn't remove cholesterol or fat.

• A low protein diet can keep people away from dialysis as it mitigates some effects of chronic kidney disease.

• The dialysis ward is hell on earth with patients having a very high rate of dying due to severe chronic kidney disease and especially when they're on dialysis.

• Doctors are not trained in diet therapy nor are renal dietitians by obligation when you go to see kidney specialists and their dietitians.

Brainwashing in the Dialysis Industry

Dr. McDougall discusses how doctors and dietitians are brainwashed by the dialysis industry to not emphasize the importance of a low protein diet.

Brainwashing in the Dialysis Industry

• Doctors and dietitians are brainwashed by the dialysis industry to not emphasize the importance of a low protein diet.

• The dialysis industry is a $34 billion business that profits from patients' lack of knowledge about how to avoid dialysis.

• The Kepner diet is an alternative to the dialysis ward for people with severe kidney disease, which can help with weight loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.

Cow Protein and the Kempner Diet

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses how cow protein can cause kidney disease and introduces the Kempner diet as a potential solution.

Cow Protein and Kidney Disease

• Cow protein from milk can cause kidney disease.

• The Kempner diet is a low-protein, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet consisting of white rice, fruit, fruit juice, and table sugar.

• The Kempner diet has been successful in curing kidney disease by removing poisons (primarily protein and fat) from the body while providing energy calories in the form of simple sugar.

• A study on the Kempner diet was conducted in December 2013 that showed promising results.

Dialysis vs. Delaying Kidney Disease

• Dr. McDougall argues that it is worth trying extreme measures like the Kempner diet to delay or avoid dialysis altogether.

• Patients should be given a choice between spending $90k per year on dialysis or trying alternative treatments like the Kempner diet.

Results of Changing Basic Diet

• Dr. McDougall presents a study of 1615 patients who spent seven days at his residential program following a starch, vegetable, and fruit-based diet.

• Blood urea nitrogen levels dropped by 10 points (cutting BUN levels in half), representing eating less protein and better function of kidneys.

• Improvement was also seen in creatine levels due to getting patients off most of their drugs which decrease blood flow to kidneys.

Managing Kidney Disease

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses how to manage kidney disease through diet and medication.

Diet for Severe Kidney Disease

• For individuals with severe kidney disease, a diet based on starches is recommended.

• Grains such as corn, rice, and wheat are low in potassium relative to root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

• Animal products such as dairy, poultry, fish, and beef should be avoided due to their high protein content.

• Vegetable proteins are better tolerated by the kidneys than animal proteins.

• Legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils should be avoided or limited to half a cup every other day.

Monitoring Potassium Levels

• When an individual has lost around 25% of their kidney function, they need to start paying attention to their potassium levels.

• High potassium foods can cause trouble for individuals who have lost 90% - 95% of their kidneys.

• A study done on patients with stage three kidney disease showed no problems with potassium levels when following the DASH diet.

Phosphorus Absorption from Plants

• There is concern that plants contain a lot of phosphorus which can build up in kidney patients.

• However, phosphorus is not efficiently absorbed from plants but is from animal foods.

Nutrients and Kidney Disease

In this section, the speaker discusses the nutrients that are important for kidney disease patients.

Plant Foods and Protein, Potassium, and Phosphorus

• Plant foods do not provide a problem when it comes to protein, potassium, and phosphorus until you get really sick.

Nuts and Seeds

• Nuts and seeds are high in fat but also high in protein. They have little carbohydrates.

• The nuts and seeds have too much protein for kidney failure patients to include many of them on a diet.

• Extra sugar can be added to the diet because it has no protein, potassium or phosphorus.

Vitamin D

• Kidneys make the most potent form of vitamin D which is 125 dioxide dihydroxy vitamin D.

• Research shows that Vitamin D supplements show no reduction in fractures even when you have kidney disease.

• It is recommended to get enough sunshine or take 400 international units of Vitamin D daily.

Kidney Stones

In this section, the speaker talks about kidney stones.

Calcium Oxalate Stones

• Most stones are calcium oxalate stones.

• Green yellow vegetables should be avoided because they're high in oxalates.

Uric Acid Stones

• A few stones are based on uric acid due to eating too much animal food.

Diet and Incidence of Stones

• People who live in populations with a rich diet have a high incidence of stones.

• People living in Africa or Asia or India who live on a starch-based diet have very few stones.

Treatment

• Kidney stones are very painful and can be treated with narcotics to help with the pain.

Vegetarian Diet and Calcium Oxalate Stones

The speaker discusses how a vegetarian diet can lead to calcium oxalate stones, despite the fact that vegetarians are unlikely to get these stones. The speaker explains how high levels of oxalates and calcium in the urine combine to form these stones.

Animal Protein and Calcium Oxalate Stones

• A high animal protein diet leads to high levels of calcium excretion into the urine.

• High levels of oxalate excretion also occur in the urine due to animal protein consumption.

• Meat is deficient in both calcium and oxalate, so it's unclear how animal protein results in high levels of these substances.

How Calcium Gets into Urine

• Eating a high protein diet causes bones to dissolve, leading to hypercalceria from the protein.

• Hypercalceria causes high levels of calcium in the urine.

• High fat diets cause saponification, which frees up oxalates from foods like chard or celery.

Bladder Infections

• Women have an increased risk of bladder infections due to their short urethra.

• Sexual intercourse can push bacteria from outside into the bladder, causing bladder infections.

• Urinating after sexual intercourse can help prevent bladder infections.

• Drinking cranberry juice or blackberry juice can prevent adherence of bacteria to the bladder wall and cure bladder infections.

Treating Blood in the Urine

Dr. McDougall recommends single-dose antibiotic therapy to treat blood in the urine. This treatment has been successful for his patients and scientific research supports this method.

Antibiotic Therapy for Blood in the Urine

• Single-dose antibiotic therapy is recommended by Dr. McDougall to treat blood in the urine.

• The usual dose needs to be doubled for effective treatment.

• Scientific research supports this method as being just as effective as taking pills four times a day for 10 days.

Kidney Health and Diet

Dr. McDougall discusses how diet can impact kidney health, including recommendations for a healthy diet that includes more sugar.

Healthy Diet Recommendations

• A healthy diet, such as the McDougal diet, can improve kidney health.

• Avoid high-fat foods but eat more sugar (starches and fruits).

• Adding calories without protein cuts down on wear and tear on kidneys.

• In special circumstances where phosphorus and potassium need to be limited, adding calories without these nutrients is helpful.

Trace Amounts of Blood in Urine

Dr. McDougall addresses concerns about trace amounts of blood in urine and explains that it is not unusual or necessarily indicative of kidney disease.

Causes of Trace Amounts of Blood in Urine

• Microscopic hematuria (blood in urine) is normal finding.

• Subtle inflammation may cause bleeding but not enough damage to result in kidney failure.

• Check for infections and make sure BUN and creatinine levels are okay.

Water Fasting and Kidney Health

Dr. McDougall discusses the potential benefits of water fasting for kidney health and overall body detoxification.

Water Fasting and Kidney Health

• Water fasting is a low protein diet that can be helpful for kidney health.

• Unless dehydration occurs, water fasting is unlikely to be unhelpful.

• Water fasting may also be beneficial for autoimmune conditions that do not respond to basic diet changes.

The Elimination Diet

Dr. McDougall describes the Elimination Diet, which involves living on rice, sweet potatoes, green and yellow vegetables, non-citrus fruits, and water for 4-7 days. After this period, foods are added back one at a time to test for intolerances or allergies.

How to do the Elimination Diet

• Live on rice, sweet potatoes, green and yellow vegetables, non-citrus fruits, and water for 4-7 days.

• Add foods back one at a time after the initial period.

• Eat a large amount of the food being tested over two days.

• If doing well after testing a food substance, leave it in your diet; if not doing well, eliminate it.

Why is the Elimination Diet Not Popular?

Dr. McDougall explains why the Elimination Diet is not popular among doctors: it requires patients to do extra work and there is no profit in it for doctors.

Reasons Why the Elimination Diet is Not Popular

• It requires patients to do extra work.

• There is no profit in it for doctors.

Citrus Fruits on an Elimination Diet

Dr. McDougall explains that citrus fruits are often eliminated from an elimination diet because they can cause trouble for some people.

Why Citrus Fruits are Often Eliminated from an Elimination Diet

• Citrus fruits can cause trouble for some people.

• Some people get canker sores when they consume citrus fruits.

McDougall Diet and Kidney Stones

Dr. McDougall discusses the likelihood of passing kidney stones while on the McDougall diet and how a healthy vegetarian diet can prevent kidney stones.

Likelihood of Passing Kidney Stones on the McDougall Diet

• If you are stone-free, the chance of having another stone is like zero.

• A study published in 1979 found that recurrent calcium oxalate stone formers should become vegetarians to prevent kidney stones.

Orthostatic Hypotension

Dr. McDougall briefly discusses orthostatic hypotension and offers advice for those who experience fainting episodes.

Advice for Orthostatic Hypotension

• Be careful when standing up to avoid fainting episodes.

Starting to Hear the Message

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of starting to hear and understand the message about kidney disease.

Understanding Kidney Disease

• The speaker prefers patients to come to him before they get on dialysis.

• Dialysis is a tough job for both the patient and medical professionals.

• Following a healthy diet can delay or avoid the need for dialysis.

• Heart attacks and strokes are the number one cause of death in people with end-stage kidney disease or on dialysis.

• A healthy diet can improve overall health, clear up sores, and decrease time spent in dialysis.

Calcium Score Test

In this section, the speaker discusses calcium score tests and their relationship with heart scans.

Reversing Stage 2 CKD

• A calcium score test has to do with heart scans that look at arteries through an ultra-fast CT scan.

• A score of 30 is not too high but represents old disease that occurred years ago due to inflammation of arteries.

• Inflammation occurs all over the body, not just in arteries in the heart or any place in the body.

End Stage Inflammation and Reversal of Calcium Scars

Dr. Greger discusses the end stage of inflammation from tuberculin bacteria and how it relates to calcification in milk ducts. He also talks about studies on using statins to reverse calcium scars, as well as the possibility of reversing stage two CKD with diet.

Calcification in Milk Ducts

• Calcification in milk ducts is the end stage of inflammation due to the Western diet.

• Studies have been done on using statins to reverse calcium scars, but most have not shown benefits.

• If you have calcification in your milk ducts or other areas, it is likely a sign of old disease that cannot be reversed.

Reversing Stage Two CKD

• Stage two CKD refers to losing about 50-60% of kidney tissue, but still having enough left for a lifetime.

• Preserving remaining kidney mass can stop progression and lead to a long life.

• Reducing flows and pressures in glomeruli and tubules through a healthy diet can preserve remaining kidney mass.

• However, if you've already lost half your kidney mass or more, even a little bit of extra protein can easily cause problems.

Accessing Scientific Literature for Free

Dr. Greger discusses SCI Hub, an organization that makes scientific literature available for free online.

SCI Hub

• SCI Hub provides access to scientific literature for free online.

• Half of research is under copyright and requires payment, but SCI Hub makes it available for free.

• Accessing scientific literature is important for evaluating health information and making informed decisions.

Following a Low Protein Diet for People with One Kidney

In this section, Dr. Patrick discusses the importance of following a low protein diet for people who have one kidney, such as those who have donated a kidney.

Standard Recommendation for Donors

• Nephrology groups recommend that donors follow a low protein diet.

• This recommendation is often not communicated to patients.

• It is considered standard medical care and failure to provide this information may result in criticism.

Understanding Low Kidney Function Test Results

In this section, Dr. Patrick explains what it means when someone has low kidney function test results and at what point they should be concerned.

Causes of Low Kidney Function Test Results

• A low kidney function test result indicates poor kidney function.

• A specialist is typically consulted to determine the cause of the poor function.

• Elevated creatinine levels are an indicator that half or more of the kidneys' mass may be gone.

Importance of Diet

• When creatinine levels are elevated, it is important to talk to your doctor about a low protein diet.

• Protein causes renal hypertension and overworks the kidneys.

• The body only needs 3% of calories from protein for basic functions like repairing hair and skin.

The Dangers of Consuming Too Much Protein

In this section, Dr. Patrick explains why consuming too much protein can be dangerous for overall health.

Excess Protein Elimination

• Excess protein is eliminated through the liver and kidneys.

• This process overworks the kidneys, causing renal hypertension.

• Consuming too much protein can lead to serious health problems.

Recommended Protein Intake

• The body only needs 3% of calories from protein for basic functions like repairing hair and skin.

• Consuming more than this amount can be harmful to overall health.

Access to Knowledge and the Importance of Diet

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses the importance of access to knowledge and how it has been made possible through technology. He also talks about the importance of diet and how people are too disinterested to make changes.

The Three Stages of an Idea

• Dr. McDougall explains that ideas go through three stages: discovery, acceptance, and claiming it's not new.

• He notes that many organizations are currently in the third stage with regards to a whole food plant-based diet.

• Dr. McDougall expresses his frustration with organizations not giving credit to pioneers who paved the way for this understanding.

The Starch-Based Diet

• Dr. McDougall emphasizes that human beings have lived on a starch-based diet for thousands of years.

• He argues that a starch-based diet should be about 90% of one's plate, with fruits and vegetables making up the rest.

• Dr. McDougall believes that calling it a "whole food plant-based" diet is too generic and doesn't provide enough guidance.

People's Disinterest in Diet

• While discussing people's disinterest in changing their diets, Dr. McDougall initially refers to them as "stupid."

• However, he later concedes that addiction may be a more accurate explanation for why people struggle to change their eating habits.

Conclusion

Dr. McDougall stresses the importance of access to knowledge through technology while also emphasizing the significance of following a starch-based diet for optimal health.

Addiction vs. Habituation

Dr. Lisle and Chef AJ discuss the difference between addiction and habituation, specifically in relation to food.

Addiction or Habituation?

• Dr. Lisle challenges Chef AJ's use of the word "addiction" when referring to certain foods.

• Dr. Lisle questions whether food can truly be classified as an addiction compared to substances like tobacco or drugs.

• Chef AJ argues that it is harder to avoid certain foods than other addictive substances.

• Dr. Lisle suggests that people may simply lack knowledge about healthy eating habits rather than being addicted to unhealthy foods.

The Benefits of Grapefruit for Kidneys

Bill asks if grapefruits are good for the kidneys, prompting a discussion on the potential benefits of grapefruit consumption.

Grapefruit and Kidney Health

• Chef AJ speculates that grapefruits may be beneficial for kidney health due to their citric acid content.

• Chef AJ mentions her show where she and Mary research topics on air using their devices, highlighting how easy it is to look up information nowadays.

Kidney Disease and Protein Intake

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses the relationship between kidney disease and fruit intake, provides advice for a viewer whose mother has stage five kidney failure, and talks about protein intake.

Fruit Intake and Kidney Disease

• Fruits should be avoided at the end stage of kidney disease when there is only 25% of kidney function left.

• When creatinine levels are around two, dialysis may be necessary in a few months or years.

Advice for Viewer with Stage Five Kidney Failure

• The viewer's mother should join Dr. McDougall's program to receive personalized care.

• The program starts in five days from the time of recording.

• To register for the program, call 800 number 941-7111 or visit Dr. McDougall's website.

Protein Intake

• People in New Guinea consume between three to five percent protein in their diet consisting mainly of sweet potatoes roots and leaves.

• It is impossible to design a diet too low in protein that would lead to protein deficiency.

• Excess fat and cholesterol are more common health problems than protein or calcium deficiencies.

The Economics of Health

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses how selling solutions for deficiencies is more profitable than addressing excesses and how eating starch instead of animal products could have significant economic impacts.

Selling Solutions for Deficiencies vs. Addressing Excesses

• Correcting deficiencies is more profitable than addressing excesses because it requires expensive solutions such as drugs.

• Overweight and sickness are often caused by excess consumption of animal products rather than deficiencies.

Economic Impacts of Eating Starch Instead of Animal Products

• If people were told to eat starch instead of animals, it would have significant economic impacts on the animal food industry, pharmacies, drug manufacturers, hospitals, health insurance companies, doctors, and nurses.

• The only person who cares about your health is probably you.

Creatinine Levels

In this section, Dr. McDougall answers a viewer's question about whether low creatinine levels are problematic.

Low Creatinine Levels

• There is no problem with having low creatinine levels.

• Lab test ranges for creatinine levels are established based on what is common rather than what is optimal.

• Some patients in Dr. McDougall's program may be declared abnormal because their creatinine levels are too low according to lab test ranges.

Understanding Soaponification

In this section, the speaker explains soaponification and how it relates to calcium oxalate stones.

Soaponification and Calcium Oxalate Stones

• Soft water causes soap to stick to skin due to lack of minerals.

• Fat combines with calcium in the body, leading to soaponification.

• Most stones are calcium oxalate due to saponification.

• Consuming high calcium oxalate vegetables is okay because the oxalate is compounded with calcium.

Soy Protein Foods and Leaky Gut

In this section, the speaker discusses isolated soy protein foods and their potential impact on gut health.

Isolated Soy Protein Foods

• Isolated soy protein foods contain a lot of protein that kidneys have trouble dealing with.

• These foods are made in factories by washing away fiber, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats from soybeans until only protein remains.

• The isolated soy protein is then mixed with other proteins and ingredients before being turned into a burger-like substance using high pressures and temperatures.

Leaky Gut

• Animal proteins can cause leaky gut when they cross-react with human animal proteins.

• An unhealthy diet or improper feeding of bacteria in the colon can also lead to leaky gut.

Gluten and Leaky Gut

Dr. McDougall explains how gluten, a protein present in high concentrations in wheat, barley, and rye, can cause leaky gut syndrome. This leads to animal proteins entering the bloodstream and triggering an immune response that attacks the body's own tissues.

Gluten and Leaky Gut

• When gluten causes leaky gut syndrome, intact animal proteins enter the bloodstream.

• The immune system recognizes these foreign proteins as bacteria or viruses and produces antibodies against them.

• However, these antibodies are not specific to the animal part they are attacking (e.g., thyroid gland or joint), leading to autoimmune diseases.

• Eating a diet not intended for humans causes damage and overtaxes the immune system, leading to autoimmune diseases.

Polycystic Kidney Disease

Dr. McDougall discusses how a low-protein diet can benefit people with polycystic kidney disease by preserving their remaining functional kidney mass.

Low-Protein Diet for Polycystic Kidney Disease

• People with polycystic kidney disease have cysts that replace normal kidneys but still have some real kidney mass left.

• A low-protein diet is important for people with polycystic kidney disease because it helps preserve what's left of their real kidneys.

• Cysts occupying half or more of the kidney mass create high pressures and flows that lead to renal hypertension.

Kidney Stones

Dr. McDougall explains that eating an animal-based diet for years can cause kidney stones, and it takes decades to develop them. For someone just starting a plant-based diet, it is unlikely that they would develop kidney stones.

Causes of Kidney Stones

• Eating an animal-based diet for years can cause kidney stones.

• It takes decades to develop kidney stones.

• For someone just starting a plant-based diet, it is unlikely that they would develop kidney stones.

Kidney Stones and Ureter Pain

In this section, Dr. McDougall talks about kidney stones and ureter pain. He shares a personal experience of his neighbor who had kidney stones and explains the medical interventions for treating them.

Kidney Stones and Medical Interventions

• Kidney stones can cause terrible pain, and medical intervention is necessary to treat them.

• Modern medicine offers treatments such as narcotics, lithotripsy, and urological interventions to help with the pain caused by kidney stones.

• Dehydration is a primary issue that can lead to the formation of kidney stones.

• Drinking enough water is essential in preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of developing kidney stones.

Saponification and Calcium Oxalate

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses saponification and its relationship with calcium oxalate. He also answers a question about whether wearing girdles or spandex can be harmful.

Saponification and Calcium Oxalate

• Eating any fat causes calcium oxalate in vegetables to saponify, which releases oxalates into the body.

• The diet for people with end-stage kidney disease should include low protein, high carbohydrate lower potassium starches such as grains (corn, wheat, rice), green/yellow vegetables, fruits, simple sugars while avoiding legumes (beans/peas/lentils), potatoes/sweet potatoes/turnips/bulbs/corns due to their high potassium content.

Harmful Effects of Wearing Girdles or Spandex

• Wearing girdles, belts, or spandex that compress the midsection can potentially harm the liver.

Diet for People on Dialysis

In this section, Dr. McDougall talks about the diet for people who are already on dialysis and answers a question about healthy vegetables.

Diet for People on Dialysis

• The diet for people on dialysis should include low protein, high carbohydrate lower potassium starches such as grains (corn, wheat, rice), green/yellow vegetables, fruits, simple sugars while avoiding legumes (beans/peas/lentils), potatoes/sweet potatoes/turnips/bulbs/corns due to their high potassium content.

• A plant-based diet is safe for kidney patients with severe kidney failure.

Healthy Vegetables

• Green and yellow vegetables are healthy options for people with end-stage kidney disease.

Potassium and Diet Therapy

Dr. McDougall discusses the importance of potassium in the diet, especially for those with reduced kidney function.

Importance of Potassium

• Potassium becomes a real issue when you're down to only five to seven percent of your kidney mass left.

• Effort must be made to stay away from fruits and high potassium vegetables.

• Dr. McDougall wishes to convey this understanding to other physicians through his lectures on diet therapy.

Teaching Diet Therapy

• Dr. McDougall is putting together a series of lectures that will be CME credited for doctors.

• He believes that someday, patients will want to know how to treat heart disease, breast cancer, and diabetes without relying on drugs and procedures.

• Dr. McDougall has gained knowledge on diet therapy over the last 50 years and wants to share it with fellow doctors.

Updating Lectures

• Dr. McDougall has put together about 20 hours of lecture which represent a book he wrote back in 1984 called "McDougall's Medicine: A Challenging Second Opinion."

• He updates these basic lectures chapters that he wrote about in "McDougall's Medicine" through his current lectures.

• The reference in the bottom left corner allows interested individuals to look up literature and learn more about the topic.

The Care You Want

Dr. McDougall answers questions about his program and how it can help people with diabetes.

Program Fit for Diabetic with Kidney Disease

• Dr. McDougall assures Beverly that the program is a good fit for her, given her condition.

• The program aims to get patients in the best health possible, with a success rate of essentially 100% for type 2 diabetes.

• Patients are put on minimal medication and fed a diet that is good for weight loss and type 2 diabetes.

Ideal Patient

• Dr. McDougall says that Beverly is an ideal patient, covering at least half of the chapters in McDougall's Medicine.

• He notes that most people suffer from similar conditions as Beverly, such as being overweight or obese, pre-diabetic, and feeling terrible.

Program Suitability

Dr. McDougall answers Cheryl's question about whether the program is suitable for people who cannot eat grains and only a small amount of potatoes and starches.

Starches in Diet

• Dr. McDougall explains that there are many different types of starches available worldwide, so there should be options even if someone cannot eat certain types of starches like potatoes or grains.

• However, he notes that it would be difficult to get enough calories from non-starchy vegetables alone and fruitarian diets are not satisfying enough to sustain long-term adherence to them.

The Truth About High Protein Diets

In this section, Dr. McDougall discusses the truth about high protein diets and their impact on health.

High Protein Diets and Heart Disease

• There are tribes in Africa who live on all meat diets, but they are exceptions.

• George Mann was sent by the beef industry to study a tribe of sheep herders in Africa who lived off beef, milk, and blood after puberty. They had no clinical heart disease but had tremendous heart disease upon autopsy.

• Manipulating insulin doses is a common way for adolescent females with type 1 diabetes to keep their weight trimmed. Almost all people with type 1 diabetes are underweight because they're not taking enough insulin.

• If someone is still too thin after taking an adequate amount of insulin and eating enough food, adding extra fat in the form of nuts, seeds, and avocados can help them gain weight.

Nutritional Recommendations for Type 1 Diabetes

• Nuts and seeds are plant foods designed by nature to get ready for the famine that occurs in fall and winter. They pack calories and fat.

• If you don't feel like you need to gain extra weight getting ready for a winter that never causes you to expend energy, then don't eat those things.

Chronic UTIs in Elderly Patients

• A urologist recommended estrace as a treatment option for chronic UTIs in elderly patients.

Kidney Function and Diet

Dr. McDougall discusses the importance of diet in maintaining kidney function, specifically a diet that is low in protein and high in carbohydrates.

The Kempner Diet

• Dr. McDougall recommends looking at Kempner's work on the rice diet as an example of a successful diet for kidney disease.

• He notes that while he doesn't feed patients this way, he uses it as an ideal to strive towards.

• Dr. McDougall cites 108 cases where the Kempner diet cured kidney disease.

Why Did Duke Stop Using the Kempner Diet?

• Dr. McDougall explains that Duke University stopped using the Kempner diet because they wanted to create their own cardiac rehab program.

• He notes that if people followed the Kempner diet, it would put heart surgeons and other businesses out of business.

Following a Healthy Diet Long-Term

• While following a strict diet like the Kempner diet may be difficult long-term, Dr. McDougall notes that many people have successfully followed his recommended plant-based diets for decades.

• He cites his own experience working with patients over 34 years and thousands of success stories from those who have followed his recommendations.

The Importance of Sharing Information

Dr. McDougall emphasizes the importance of sharing information about healthy diets, even if it means facing ridicule or skepticism from others.

Spreading Awareness About Healthy Diets

• Dr. McDougall encourages people to share information about healthy diets with others, even if they face ridicule or skepticism.

• He notes that even if only one person is reached, it's worth the effort to share information about healthy diets.

Encouraging Others to Help

In this section, the speaker encourages others to help people and shares his experience of helping others.

Helping Others

• The speaker encourages people to help others and tells them to tell 10 people about it.

• He emphasizes that even if only one person listens, it is still worth it.

• The speaker describes himself as the luckiest doctor in the world because his patients get well.

The 12-Day Program

In this section, the speaker talks about a 12-day program that he runs and how it helps people.

The Program

• The program is called "12 Days to Dynamic Health" and can be found in a book called McDonald's.

• Initially, they tried running a 5-day program but found that it was not enough time for people to fully understand the changes they needed to make.

• They changed the program to a 10 or 12-day program which takes an extra five to seven days for things to become comfortable.

• By Tuesday of the first week, participants will have understood everything and will be comfortable with their new routine.

Telemedicine Program

• The telemedicine program allows people from all over the world to enroll in the program without inconvenience.

• There is support staff available every day who check on participants' blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and ensure they are eating properly.

• After completing the 12-day program, there is continued support for one year, with weekly meetings for the first few months and then every other week.

Commitment to Support

In this section, the speaker talks about his commitment to supporting people even after they complete the program.

Continued Support

• The program is committed to supporting participants for a lifetime.

• After completing the one-year program, participants can sign up for another year of supportive care at a much smaller price.

• The support staff is available to answer questions and help with any problems that arise.

The McDougall Program and Starch-Based Diets

Dr. McDougall talks about his experience as a sugar plantation doctor in Hawaii and how it led him to discover the benefits of a starch-based diet.

Discovering the Benefits of a Starch-Based Diet

• Dr. McDougall worked as a sugar plantation doctor in Hawaii and discovered that his patients with chronic diseases never got better despite being given pills.

• He observed that people from different generations and ethnicities had different diets, with first-generation patients who lived on rice and vegetables being healthier than those exposed to the Western diet.

• Exposing people to the Western diet made them sicker in the second generation, leading Dr. McDougall to conclude that a starch-based diet is ideal for human health.

Personal Experience with Starch-Based Diets

• Dr. McDougall shares that he discovered the McDougall program while living in Hawaii with his family.

• He notes that he has been following a starch-based diet for years and believes it is the best way to stay healthy.

Closing Remarks

Chef AJ thanks Dr. McDougall for appearing on her show and wishes him well.

• Chef AJ thanks Dr. McDougall for appearing on her show.

• She announces that tomorrow's episode will feature discussions about a new book written by The Forks Over Knives doctor, Dr. Matt Letterman, and Dr. Alona Pulde, with Dr. Doug Lyle as a guest.

• Chef AJ wishes Dr. McDougall and his family well.