The Seignalet Hypotoxic Diet was developed by biologist and immunologist Dr Jean Seignalet.

This diet consists of a return to an ancient diet in order to regenerate the intestinal wall and thus regulate pathological processes in the body.

The aim is not to lose weight, but to alleviate the symptoms of so-called incurable diseases.

Characteristics of the Seignalet diet

• Ancestral or original food
• Dairy products and modern grains forbidden
• Diet rich in plant and animal products
• Food eaten raw or undercooked
• Would be effective in the treatment of 91 diseases

The main principles of the diet

The creator of this diet, Dr Jean Seignalet, is also the author of Food or the Third Medicine.

As a biologist and doctor specialising in immunity, Dr Seignalet observed the impact of diet, and in particular certain foods, on the development of many diseases.

Over time, he developed a diet that he believed would benefit people with certain diseases.

How does Dr Seignalet's diet work?

To qualify the diet he recommends, Dr Seignalet uses three terms: hypotoxic (i.e. little or no toxicity), ancestral or original.

According to him, his diet would be beneficial against three categories of diseases:

• Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, etc.)
• Diseases linked to "cellular blockage" (cancer, acne, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, migraine, manic-depressive psychosis, nervous breakdown, type 2 diabetes, spasmophilia, etc.)
• Eliminatory diseases (psoriasis, urticaria, chronic bronchitis, asthma, colitis, etc.).

He recommends that you follow these guidelines:

• Excludes milk of animal origin (cow, goat, sheep) and its derivatives (butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt, ice cream), as well as all products containing, among other ingredients, milk powder.
• Modern" cereals are excluded: wheat, maize, rye, barley, oats, kamut and spelt. These are cereals that contain gluten (except maize) and whose current forms have been obtained by selection, transplantation, hybridisation or genetic modification.
• Exclude products cooked at temperatures above 110°C and microwave cooking: he recommends eating raw foods at most.
• Exclude heat-extracted or cooked oils. Replace butter, margarine and refined oils with organic virgin olive oil, rapeseed oil, walnut oil and hazelnut oil.
• Eat organic food. Dr Seignalet recommends favouring certified organic foods to take advantage of their nutritional quality and limit the potential risks associated with pesticides.
• Take a vitamin and mineral supplement. The nutritional needs of a sick person are greater than those of a healthy person and cannot be met by the diet. Vitamin, mineral and trace element supplements are an integral part of Dr Seignalet's nutritional programme. He also recommends the daily consumption of lactic ferments, bacteria that have a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora.

How does the Seignalet hypotoxic diet relieve pain (osteoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, fibromyalgia, etc.)?

Dr Seignalet believes that the poor condition of the small intestine plays a role in many diseases.

He believes that when the intestinal lining becomes too permeable, it allows macromolecules from ingested food to enter the bloodstream.

Macromolecules that end up in the bloodstream disrupt the body.

Alarmed, the immune system launches an inflammatory response that can cause autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc.).

It is believed that a hypotoxic diet can regenerate the intestinal mucosa and thus prevent the onset of various pathologies.

Does the Seignalet diet help you lose weight?

The main objective of Dr Seignalet's diet is not to lose weight, but to return to an ancient diet in order to alleviate certain pathologies.

On the other hand, it is a diet very rich in vegetables, raw products and low in sweet and processed products.

Weight loss is therefore very likely during the first few weeks of the diet.

How long does the diet last?

Dr Seignalet's diet is not time-limited.

Its hypoxic and beneficial effect on the body can be observed if the principles of this diet are followed.

It is rather a way of life that must be followed throughout life if good long-term results are to be expected.