Dr. Jeff McCombs’ Plan: FAQ’s Currently on the Plan

Questions that we receive from those who are following the world-renowned McCombs Plan

If you don’t find your answer here, we welcome your e-mail or you can call our staff at (888) 236-7780.

Can you remind me which supplements to take when?
Can you remind me what foods are in the Yes and No groups?
I’m experiencing some lethargy, headaches. Is this part of the Plan’s effect?
I want to add a Colon Cleanse while I am on the Plan, is this OK?
Will the sweating affect my blood pressure?
What is the best way to do the sweating?
I’m sweating by exercising. That’s just as good as using a sauna, hot bath, etc., right?
Can I sweat too much?
What do I do if I am feeling faint in the bath?
What can you recommend in lieu of sugar-containing breath mints or gum while on the plan?
I like eating frozen fruit to keep cool and refreshed. Is this ok on the plan?
What should I do if I am experiencing allergies?
Can I have orange tea?
Can I eat nuts, seeds, and/or popcorn during the plan?
When the Plan begins re-introducing foods, is there a best way to do this?
I’m experiencing Rosacea during/after the sweating. Any suggestions?
How come pork is the only meat I am not allowed to eat on the plan?
How often should I be having a bowel movement?
How much water ought I to drink while on the plan. Do you recommend a particular type?
Is it possible that a gallon of water per day could be dangerous?
I haven’t yet experienced the shift in energy and/or my Candida that I anticipated. What can I do?
Why aren’t I losing weight?
Since being on the Plan when I run I fatigue much faster. I am in good physical shape. What can I eat more of on this diet to help get me through my run?
I’m experiencing headaches since starting the plan. Is that normal?
Shortly after starting the diet, my menstrual cycle was heavy. Why has this change occurred?
I’m pregnant and have lost a few pounds (about 2-3) on the McCombs plan so far. I have always heard that while pregnant it is not a good idea to lose weight. Have other pregnant women had this experience?
I’m pregnant and worried that toxins floating around in my body from the weight loss and yeast die off would effect my baby. Need I be concerned?
I’ve heard one of the ingredients, red clover, is contraindicated for pregnancy?

Can you remind me which supplements to take when?

Certainly.

Candida Force: 5 capsules, 3x/day (First 8 weeks)
Detox Essentials 4 capsules, 2x/day (Entire Plan)
Flora Prime 5 capsules, 2x/day (Wks 7-16)

Additional Guidelines

Candida Force: Take at least 20 minutes away from food and Flora Prime
Detox Essentials: Take anytime.
Flora Prime: 20-30 minutes before meals.

Children
At age 9, kids start taking adult dosage of Candida Force, other dosages as below.

For children ages 4-8, the dosages are adjusted as follows:

Candida Force: 5 capsules 2x/day
Detox Essentials 4 capsules 2x/day
Flora Prime 5 capsules 2x/day

For children under four, work with you health care practitioner.
Dr. McCombs has had some patients start at the age of 3 with good results.

Can you remind me what foods are in the Yes and No groups?

YES FOODS
All meats (except pork)
Vegetables
Fruits (except oranges)
Eggs
Brown rice (short or long grain)
Brown rice cakes (plain)
Brown rice cereal (hot)
Tea, Coffee.

For cooking or salad dressing: we recommend using extra-virgin olive oil, cold-pressed coconut, apricot or almond oils (most other oils are toxic to the body).

Seasonings include: Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids, salt, pepper, etc. (as long as there are no sugars, yeast, or anything not allowed on the Plan.)

We recommend naturally raised and organic foods.

NO FOODS
Anything not listed in the “YES” group is not on the Plan.

“No” foods include:
All sugars (malts, honey, syrups, alcohol, etc.)
Yeast
Dairy
All grains (except brown rice)
Dried fruit
Fruit juices
Sweet vegetable juices
Nuts
Legumes
Popcorn
Soy sauce
Vinegar
Alcohol
Breads
Pastas, Pastas Substitutes
Chips (any kind)
Milk substitutes
Seeds, etc.
Chewing Gum. (Click here for alternate options for breath fresheners.) Sugar substitutes

For your convenience, download our recommended Shopping List.

I’m experiencing some lethargy, headaches. Is this part of the Plan’s effect?

This is sometimes also called "die-off" in reference to any detoxification process that pushes out toxins. If your body is already toxic, the body gets overloaded and you may experience symptoms such as lethargy, headaches, etc. People detoxify at different rates, so symptoms, if any, vary greatly.

Two essential elements limit or eradicate this:

Water intake
Recommended: 1 quart of purified water per 50 lbs. of body weight per day (e.g., 3 quarts of water per day if you weigh 150 lbs).

Sweating
This is one of the four essential elements of the plan. Avoiding it will significantly undermine your experience and increase your likelihood of experiencing unnecessary, uncomfortable die-off symptoms.

Additional Options During the Plan
To support the liver (a major detoxifying organ), you can take milk thistle, artichoke, turmeric, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C. Specifically for die-off symptoms, you can also increase your intake of Detox Essentials to 4 capsules, 3 or 4 times a day.

I want to add a Colon Cleanse while I am on the Plan, is this OK?

An herbal colon cleanser is fine to take while on the McCombs Plan. If you are experiencing slow bowel movements, it will be helpful. Initial recommended dose is two (2) at night and one (1) in the morning. Then adjust, depending on the results. Dr. McCombs recommends taking concentrated trace minerals as another way to keep the bowels moving and replace minerals that may be lost during sweating.

Will the sweating affect my blood pressure?

Overall, we consistently see high blood pressure lowered to normal ranges when people do the Plan. Some people have reported that when beginning the sweating in a hot bath, their blood pressure initially increased a little and then lowered as they accustomed themselves to sweating in the hot bath.

What is the best way to do the sweating?

Sweating can be done via saunas, hot baths, hot tubs, steam rooms, and even Bikram Yoga. Exercise sweating doesn't count. Once you start sweating from your forehead, sweat for at least 10-15 minutes. If you feel faint, place a cool washcloth on the back of your neck and drink water. Drinking water while sweating can be beneficial.

I’m sweating by exercising. That’s just as good as using a sauna, hot bath, etc., right?

Many people believe that sweating is sweating. During the almost two decades of developing and refining the Plan, I can tell you that not all forms of sweating are the same, especially where the diet is concerned.

In 15 years, exercise sweating has never worked effectively for anyone doing the Plan, including professional, competitive athletes who exercise at peak levels.

Exercise sweating doesn’t create enough deep core heating of the body. Also, during exercise, the muscular contraction causes a back-flushing of toxins, so you don’t get an efficient detoxification.

The plan states that you should sweat 6 times per week, through either a sauna, hot bath, steam room, or hot tub. Bikram Yoga has also been found to work due to the heat of the room during this practice.

Those who have tried to accomplish this sweating through exercise, wind up with the symptoms that are typical of a “die-off”reaction. This generally can look like a cold or flu, with symptoms of lung and sinus congestion, sore throat, fatigue, etc. A particular symptom or condition that you are dealing with, that is a result of the over toxic state of the body, may become worse.

An example of this may be chronic headaches that were getting better, start getting worse again. Exercise is a process that primarily involves the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and there are sweat glands that are under the control of the SNS. Sitting and resting is a process that primarily involves the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) and there are sweat glands that are under the control of the PNS.

The bottom line is that sweating through exercise will not accomplish the same result as sweating through a hot bath or sauna.

Can I sweat too much?

You cannot sweat too much as long as you drink plenty of water and replace any minerals you may have lost during sweating. Although sweating in a hot bath or a dry sauna is the form of sweating most recommended on the Plan. It is much more important to sweat any way you can—hot bath, steam room, Jacuzzi, etc.—than to worry about whether or not the water you are sweating in is toxic.

What do I do if I am feeling faint in the bath?

Put a cold rag across the back of your neck. Drink cool water. Don’t overdo it.

What can you recommend in lieu of sugar-containing breath mints or gum while on the plan?

Chlorophyll drops are good. You can also try adding a mint extract into your water or Breath Tonic by Herb Pharm..

I like eating frozen fruit to keep cool and refreshed. Is this OK on the plan?

Make sure it has no sugar added. Mangos, strawberries, raspberries are generally okay. Blueberries are not.

What should I do if I am experiencing allergies?

Take out any new foods from your diet for 3 days and then add them back one at a time every 3 days to see if they are causing a reaction.

Can I have orange tea?

As long as it’s not orange peel, it’s okay.

Can I eat nuts, seeds, and/or popcorn during the plan?

These can irritate the intestine walls, producing mucous and inflammation. They should be avoided until week 9 of the diet and only added if they work for your body. Click here to view our "Yes" & "No" Foods.

When the Plan begins re-introducing foods, is there a best way to do this?

Yes. Eat a small amount of the food on the week you are supposed to add it. Wait for 3 days to see if you have any reaction. This is most effective when done by adding one food at a time. This way you can be clear if it is creating a reaction or not.

I’m experiencing Rosacea during/after the sweating. Any suggestions?

If you are finding that the sweating makes it worse, place a wet cool cloth over the face while sweating. This can help.

How come pork is the only meat I am not allowed to eat on the plan?

Every pork cell contains a virus called Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus. Pork also produces other unhealthy effects in the body. Ingesting this while your body is undergoing the cleansing process would undermine the effectiveness of the plan. Remember, all other meats (beef, chicken, fish, turkey, buffalo, ostrich, etc.) are allowed!

How often should I be having a bowel movement?

Normal bowel movements should occur 3-4 times per day. If yours are slower, meaning less than 2 times per day, then you are placing additional stress on your body. To address this, try an herbal colon cleanse, or liquid concentrated trace minerals in amounts of 40-80 drops a day. See what dosage is effective for you. Adding Psyllium Husks to your diet while on the Plan can be effective for some people.

How much water ought I to drink while on the plan. Do you recommend a particular type?

Remember to drink one quart of water per every 50 pounds that you weigh each day. Any good filtered water is allowed on the Plan. Reputable bottle water companies are Fiji, Volvic, Arrowhead, and Trinity. Reverse osmosis water is also good. The most important note here is to make sure it is filtered and that you are not drinking tap water..

Is it possible that a gallon of water per day could be dangerous?

The Plan’s founder and designer, Dr. Jeff McCombs has been drinking 3-4 liters a day for 15 years and have never had a problem. We've had heavier people drinking 4-6 quarts a day without ever having heard of a problem. For most people, there is a period of adapting and working their way up to that amount.

I haven’t yet experienced the shift in energy and/or my Candida that I anticipated. What can I do?

Make sure that you are supporting yourself by completing all the essential aspects of the plan. Are you:

Taking all the supplements as directed?
Drinking plenty of water—at least one quart of water per every 50 pounds that you weigh each day?
Sweating 6 times a week?
Having two or more bowel movements daily? If less, read the above guidelines on supporting regularity.
Eating only the foods on the YES list?
Experiencing other health issues that may be coming into play?

Why aren’t I losing weight?

The Plan is not designed as a weight loss Plan—though many, many patients (perhaps the majority) lose significant weight as a result of their intestines and body functioning at more healthy levels.

During the more than 15 years the Plan has been available, people who focus primarily on weight loss, lose less weight. DON’T under eat as this can slow metabolism down and cause less weight loss, as well as under-fueling the body during the detoxification process. Those who focus first and foremost on getting healthy tend to lose all the weight that they want—and more. Also, men generally lose more weight than women due to having faster metabolism.

Since being on the Plan when I run I fatigue a little faster. I am in good physical shape. What can I eat more of on this diet to help get me through my run?

Protein, especially red meat, helps to balance blood sugar more effectively. Eating more protein and starting the day with protein is one approach. Taking a good pharmaceutical amino acid supplement like Super Sports could also help. Eating a lot of carbs, like fruits and vegetables, can create blood sugar imbalances that may only show up under stressful situations. Protein powders tend to cause bloating, so I don't recommend these. Amino acid supplements are better choices.

I’m experiencing headaches since starting the plan. Is that normal?

Headaches aren't a normal part of doing the plan, and may represent your body's process of balancing itself out initially. This depends on the type of toxins being eliminated, your overall state of health, etc. Check and see if you are completing all the essential aspects of the plan. Are you:

Taking all the supplements as directed?
Drinking plenty of water—at least one quart of water per every 50 pounds that you weigh each day?
Sweating 6 times a week?
Having two or more bowel movements daily? If less, read the above guidelines on supporting regularity.
Eating only the foods on the "YES" list?
Experiencing other health issues that may be coming into play?
Making wise snack choices (on the “YES" list)?

Shortly after starting the diet, my menstrual cycle was heavy. Why has this change occurred?

The menstrual cycle may have some changes because the body is flushing out toxins. In some cases, old dead tissue that is bound to the uterine wall is sloughed off. Women may be surprised when this happens, but it is just a natural part of the body’s detoxification process.

I’m pregnant and have lost a few pounds (about 2-3) on the plan so far. I have always heard that while pregnant it is not a good idea to lose weight. Have other pregnant women had this experience?

Pregnant women have had great success with the Plan, and a few pounds of weight loss is not uncommon. Losing necessary body weight/fat does not happen on the Plan. Following the Plan as written is important, which means doing the sweating.

Losing excess water, which weighs quite a bit, can be beneficial. The body holds water to buffer toxins. That water becomes excess weight that the body has to carry around. As you detoxify the body, the body will release the excess water, thus the toxins will be eliminated.

I’m pregnant and worried that toxins floating around in my body from the weight loss and yeast die off would effect my baby. Need I be concerned?

The toxins won't be circulating around and effecting the body. The baby has a protective filtration membrane called the placenta that can filter these out, if they exist within the blood. Most of the time, these are eliminated through the lymphatics.

I’ve heard one of the ingredients, red clover, is contraindicated for pregnancy?

I've never seen a problem with the amounts of red clover in the Detox Essentials. By itself and in large quantities, it may affect some people sometimes. Overall, you have to be comfortable with any approach that you use during your pregnancy. Working with a healthcare provider is always recommended.