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30-Day Starter Protocol

For those overwhelmed by the full content, here's where to start. Four weeks of progressive implementation—one manageable step at a time.

The 80/20 Rule

80% of results come from 20% of actions. This protocol focuses on the highest-impact interventions first. Master these before adding complexity.

Week 1: Foundation

Priority: Environmental safety + Basic nutrition

Environment

  • Walk through your home. Note any musty smells or visible water damage.
  • If you see mold or smell must, don't wait—schedule a professional inspection.
  • Check obvious problem areas: bathroom, under sinks, basement, around windows.

Diet (Elimination)

  • Eliminate: Processed foods, added sugar, fast food
  • Add: Vegetables at every meal
  • Hydrate: Half your body weight in ounces of water daily (200 lb = 100 oz)1

Movement (Just Two Stretches)

That's it. Ten minutes total per day.

Tracking

Start a simple journal:

Metric How to Track
Pain level Rate 0-10 each morning
Morning stiffness Duration in minutes
Sleep Hours + quality (1-5)
Energy Rate 1-5 at end of day

Week 2: Expand Slightly

Continue everything from Week 1, plus:

Diet (Addition)

  • Add fatty fish 2-3x this week (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
  • Add turmeric + black pepper to one meal daily
  • Add ginger (fresh or powdered) to one meal daily

Movement (Add Two More Stretches)

Total stretching time: ~15 minutes per day

Supplements (Start Core)

  • Omega-3 fish oil: 2-3g daily with food
  • That's the only supplement this week

Week 3: Build Momentum

Continue everything from Weeks 1-2, plus:

Diet (Trial Elimination)

  • Eliminate gluten completely for 2 weeks (trial)
  • Eliminate dairy completely for 2 weeks (trial)
  • Note any changes in symptoms

Movement (Add Two More Stretches)

Total stretching time: ~20 minutes per day

Supplements (Add Core)

  • Continue: Omega-3
  • Add: Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU with breakfast)
  • Add: Magnesium glycinate (400mg before bed)

Work Integration

Week 4: Full Foundation

Continue everything from Weeks 1-3, plus:

Diet (Systematize)

  • Sunday meal prep: 2-3 hours preparing week's food
  • Make bone broth (slow cooker, 24 hours)
  • Grill/roast proteins for the week
  • Prep vegetables for easy cooking

Movement (Complete Daily 8)

  • Morning: Abbreviated routine (15 min)
  • Evening: Full Daily 8 routine (20 min)

Supplements (Complete Core Four)

  • Continue: Omega-3, Vitamin D, Magnesium
  • Add: Curcumin (1,000mg twice daily with food)

Work Integration (Build the Habit)

Optional Additions

If going well and budget allows:

  • CBD oil: 25mg morning, 25mg evening (for inflammation)
  • Reishi tincture: 2ml before bed (for sleep/immune support)

Day 30 Assessment

At the end of 30 days, assess these markers:

Objective Measures

Metric Week 1 Baseline Day 30
Average pain (0-10) _____ _____
Morning stiffness (min) _____ _____
Sleep hours _____ _____
Sleep quality (1-5) _____ _____
Energy (1-5) _____ _____

Subjective Assessment

  • Do I have more good days than bad days?
  • Is my pain trending down?
  • Am I sleeping better?
  • Do I have more energy?
  • Are my joints less stiff?

Decision Points

If improving: Continue protocol, slowly add more elements from full protocols.

If no change:

  • Reassess environmental factors (mold, air quality)
  • Consider functional medicine consultation
  • Check supplement quality (are you using good brands?)
  • Evaluate compliance (are you actually doing the protocol consistently?)

If worse:

  • Stop any new supplements and reintroduce one at a time
  • Rule out environmental exposure you may have missed
  • Seek professional evaluation

Common Week-by-Week Challenges

Week 1 Challenges

The Sugar/Processed Food Withdrawal

Days 3-5 are often the hardest. You may feel irritable, tired, headachy. This is withdrawal—your body adjusting to stable blood sugar instead of the spike-crash cycle.

Push through. It typically passes by day 7-10.

Week 2 Challenges

The 'I Don't Have Time' Trap

Fifteen minutes of stretching feels impossible when you haven't built the habit. But you spend 15 minutes on your phone without noticing.

Solution: Link stretching to existing habits. Stretch while coffee brews. Stretch before TV. Stretch right after waking, before checking phone.

Week 3 Challenges

Gluten/Dairy Elimination Feels Restrictive

The first week without gluten and dairy is the hardest. You'll realize how much you relied on bread, pasta, cheese.

It's temporary. You're doing a 2-week trial to see if these are triggers. If they're not, you can reintroduce. If they are, you'll feel so much better without them that the restriction becomes worthwhile.

Week 4 Challenges

Meal Prep Seems Like Too Much Work

Sunday meal prep is a 2-3 hour investment. But it saves time and willpower all week. Without prep, you'll default to easy (often unhealthy) options.

Start simple. Your first few prep sessions don't need to be elaborate. Grill some chicken, roast some vegetables, boil eggs. Add complexity later.

After 30 Days: What's Next?

Continue Building

Go Deeper

Track Long-Term

  • Weekly symptom tracking
  • Monthly progress photos (posture)
  • Quarterly bloodwork (CRP, vitamin D, omega-3 index)

Printable Checklist

Week 1 

Environment:
□ Walk-through for mold/moisture
□ Schedule inspection if needed

Diet:
□ Eliminate processed foods
□ Eliminate added sugar  
□ Vegetables every meal
□ Hydration goal: ___ oz/day

Movement:
□ Morning: Cat-Cow + Legs Up Wall
□ Evening: Cat-Cow + Legs Up Wall

Tracking:
□ Daily journal started

Week 2 

Continue Week 1, plus:

Diet:
□ Fatty fish 2-3x
□ Turmeric + pepper daily
□ Ginger daily

Movement:
□ Add Hip Flexor Stretch
□ Add Doorway Pec Stretch

Supplements:
□ Omega-3 fish oil (2-3g)

Week 3 

Continue Weeks 1-2, plus:

Diet:
□ Eliminate gluten (trial)
□ Eliminate dairy (trial)

Movement:
□ Add 90/90 Hip Stretch
□ Add Supine Spinal Twist

Supplements:
□ Add Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU)
□ Add Magnesium (400mg)

Work:
□ Glute squeezes every hour

Week 4 

Continue Weeks 1-3, plus:

Diet:
□ Sunday meal prep routine
□ Bone broth making

Movement:
□ Full Daily 8 (morning + evening)

Supplements:
□ Add Curcumin (1,000mg 2x)

Work:
□ 90-minute timer
□ Rotate Invisible Exercises

Continue to Tracking Templates or return to Resources

  1. The "half your body weight in ounces" formula is a general guideline that works for most people under moderate conditions. Actual hydration needs vary based on activity level, climate, medication use, and individual physiology. Athletes, those in hot climates, or those taking diuretic medications may need significantly more. Signs of adequate hydration: pale yellow urine, regular urination (every 2-4 hours), and no persistent thirst. See: Popkin BM, et al. "Water, hydration, and health." Nutr Rev 2010;68(8):439-458. ↩