Overview
- The Wall Street Journal’s report on Thursday said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Vice President J.D. Vance, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have adopted the diet after referrals and visible results.
- The regimen centers on daily servings of fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi plus regular grass‑fed steak, and its promoter, Dr. Sean O’Mara, asserts it reduces visceral fat and improves the gut microbiome.
- Kennedy has publicly claimed rapid results, saying he lost 20 pounds in 30 days, a pace that Harvard and CDC experts quoted in coverage say is faster than standard medical guidance of about 1–2 pounds per week.
- Officials and family members report practical downsides: frequent fermented‑food intake can cause temporary gas and sulfurous odors that have led to domestic friction and workplace comments.
- O’Mara’s practice charges high fees—direct consultations reportedly run about $18,000 and optimization plans start near $8,000—highlighting the diet’s expensive, private‑market delivery while the president’s participation remains unconfirmed.