MyeatTHISdietTimothy S. Harlan, M.D.

If you want to lose weight, lower your cholesterol or just learn how to eat healthy, you've found the right place. My free, interactive diet planner, My eatTHISdiet, will help you create weekly meal plans - complete with recipes and shopping lists - to make eating better easy for you and your entire family.

My eatTHISdiet is perfect for those with food allergies or health issues like GERD / acid reflux, lactose intolerance, and those who use Coumadin® (warfarin).

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Why Should I Use My eatTHISdiet? »

About eatTHISdiet

You know what it's like to need to lose weight. There's an enormous amount of information on the Internet and in books about how to lose weight, but none of it really makes it easy.

My patients would come to see me and when I would talk to them about how to eat healthy and lose weight, they would say, “Tell me what to eat.”

And like most doctors (I'm a board-certified internist), I would say something like, “Well, cut down on fats and saturated fat and reduce the amount of calories that you eat.”

Because I grew up in the restaurant business and am a chef, I have an extensive knowledge of cooking and nutrition. I'd tell my patients about books and websites where they could get information about eating healthy, and occasionally I'd help them create meal plans. We would discuss fad diets and their pros and cons. I'd overwhelm my patients with information.

But it was only after a patient said to me, "Don’t tell me about all that! Just tell me what to eat!" that I finally got it.

That's when I created eatTHISdiet. Using my low fat, low calorie, healthy recipes, I created a six-week eating plan to help that first patient lose weight by eating healthy. It worked so well for her that soon other patients were asking me for their own eatTHISdiet meal plan! Dozens of my patients helped me refine the diet so that it'll fit into your busy lifestyle. It's flexible, easy to use, and best of all, no more cooking one meal for yourself and one for the rest of the family.

Everything you need is here on this website. Weekly menus, recipes, even shopping lists! Even if you don't need to lose weight, but just want to eat healthy, you can do that with eatTHISdiet.

Try My eatTHISdiet today and see how easy it can be to cook and eat healthy.

Timothy S. Harlan, M. D.
Dr. Gourmet

Top Diet Resources

Coumadin® (warfarin)
SpinachIf you’re taking Coumadin, you need to watch your intake of Vitamin K. This guide will help you manage your diet successfully. Food lists, recipe guides, and more! Coumadin Food and Diet Information

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) / Acid Reflux
Shrimp ScampiFight GERD with Dr. Gourmet's healthy recipes, with easy “tummy tips” to help you manage your reflux. GERD / Acid Reflux Guide

Lactose Intolerant?
Glass of MilkIt’s not unusual to have difficulty digesting lactose and needing to avoid foods containing cheese or milk. This index will help guide you to Dr. Gourmet recipes you’ll safely enjoy. Lactose Intolerant Recipe Guide and More Information

Eating Healthier At Fast Food Restaurants
Burger and FriesI have to admit that I seldom eat at fast food joints: I much prefer to eat great food. That said, sometimes you don't have any choice. I've created a listing of items from various fast food restaurants that will help you make healthier choices. Fast Food Guide

Low-Cholesterol / Low-Fat Diet
OatmealHas your doctor told you that you have a problem with your cholesterol? You've come to the right place. The recipes and meal plans on the Dr. Gourmet website are low-fat and low cholesterol. Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Guide

Salt and Pepper ShakersLow Sodium Recipe Index
Many people need to limit their sodium (salt) intake. Consult this recipe list to find those Dr. Gourmet recipes that will fit into a low sodium diet. Low Sodium Recipe Guide

Healthy Eating for Kids
Grilled Cheese SandwichA healthy diet gives kids a great start on a healthy life. Here are some great snack ideas and guidance for the children in your life. Healthy Eating for Kids and Young Adults

The Mediterranean Diet
Bread and OlivesResearch on the Mediterranean Diet forms the basis for all Dr. Gourmet recipes and eatTHISdiet meal plans, whether it is The Comfort Food Diet, plans for Coumadin® users or diabetics. Find out more about this style of eating and its proven benefits for your health.


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Choose one or all of the daily newsletters from Dr. Gourmet. Click on the name to read a sample, or sign up now!

Monday: Weekly Newsletter
Tuesday: Ask Dr. Gourmet: Dr. Harlan answers your questions about food and health.
Wednesday: Health and Nutrition Bites: Get the scoop on the latest health research and what it means for you!
Thursday: New Recipes: A list of recipes newly added to the website.
Friday: Eat - Don't Eat / Food Reviews Dr. Gourmet tells you what's good - and what's not.


Looking for the Six-Week eatTHISdiet?

Step One is to determine your target weight. Select your gender: I am Female | I am Male


Tools and Resources

What's Your Body Mass Index?
A lower Body Mass Index means you live a longer, healthier life. Do you need to reduce your BMI? Find out now.

Waist-Hip Ratio
This easy-to-calculate measurement is a good indicator of your risk of health problems like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. What's your WHR?

The Health of It All...
Have a question about the health qualities of a particular food? Perhaps you want tips on safe food handling? This index will guide you to a wealth of health information about the foods you eat.

Ask Dr. Gourmet
Have a question about food or health? Dr. Harlan fires up his computer to answer readers' questions, from the appearance of plaque to healthy school lunches. Ask Dr. Gourmet.

Dr. Gourmet Reviews
When you can't make the time to cook, Dr. Gourmet has reviewed common convenience foods so you know what's eating well and eating healthy.

Ingredients
Specific information about hundreds of ingredients in the Dr. Gourmet kitchen. Read all about them!

Equipment
Which equipment is essential to a well-stocked kitchen? What is a mandoline? What they are, and where to find them.

Hand on Heart

Hand on Heart

Dr. Harlan's latest cookbook, Hand on Heart, includes several of the recipes from drgourmet.com, plus a few that were developed specifically for the book, like Banoffee Pie! More on what's inside.

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Chef Tim Says...

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.I want you to know how much I appreciate all of your support in making Dr. Gourmet so successful. Over the last few years we have worked hard at creating a website to help you eat better. All along I have wanted to make sure that everything we do is based on reliable, sound research.

At the same time I’ve wanted to create recipes that you can use and that are able to satisfy a wide variety of tastes. You can find simple comfort food recipes and dishes that might help you expand your culinary horizons as well as more complicated “gourmet” meals. I get so much positive feedback from you along with great ideas and suggestions.

One area that we get the most positive comments on is the recipes that are a little easier to cook and take less time. Making Great, Healthy Food Easier Than Ever

Dr. Tim Says...

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.I have written before about the interaction with certain medications and grapefruit. It wasn't until about 2 years ago that scientists identified the exact substance in grapefruit that causes the problem. We now know that furanocoumarins (naturally-occurring substances found in grapefruit's juice) are the culprit.

The issue is how those furanocoumarins interact with the CYP3A4 enzyme made in the liver. The problem arises because of the way this enzyme acts on certain medications. Drinking grapefruit juice affects this enzyme and interferes with how they are broken down. We don't know exactly how long after eating grapefruit or drinking the juice the effect wears off, however. Consequently the ongoing presence of the grapefruit in the body continues to have an effect on the system.

Interestingly, there are also CYP3A4 enzyme produced in the intestine that can interfere with the availability of drugs being absorbed into the bloodstream. As a result you should be aware that there may not be a safe time to take some medications when eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice.

One of the questions that I have received after writing on this topic is just which drugs can be a problem. Grapefruit Interactions