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Dawn reversed her osteoarthritis and menopause symptoms on a carnivore diet

June 22, 2020 9 Comments

I have always struggled with my weight. At aged nine I was put on a 1000 calories a day diet; the first of many attempts to be a healthy weight. In my twenties I was told I had a binge eating disorder and that I should never try to restrict what I ate as this would lead to more bingeing. Apart from a brief period when I was about 30 years old I had weighed between 210lbs and 270lbs.

In 2013, at the age of 42, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both my feet. Six months later it had also started in both hands. I questioned how ‘wear and tear’ could start simultaneously in both hands and both feet, but I saw three consultants who all confirmed that I had osteoarthritis and not rheumatoid arthritis. Over the next few months I was given cortisol injections and an increasing number of pain killers.

By October 2014 I was on 8 Paracetamol, 8 Tramadol and 6 Naproxen a day and Amitriptyline at night to help me sleep. I had to stop taking the Naproxen after two years as it caused a stomach ulcer so they changed me onto Gabapentin instead (9 a day). Despite all of these pain killers I could barely walk a hundred metres with a stick and I needed special cutlery as I couldn’t grip.

The first step on my journey to health came in September 2017 when my partner decided to go ‘gluten free’ to help his stomach problems. For convenience I did the same, not expecting any difference in my own health. Within a couple of weeks I noticed that the food cravings, which I had always had, seemed to have ceased. I was amazed as I had always believed that it was part of me.

At the beginning of 2018 we saw Jordan Peterson being interviewed. I bought his book for my partner’s birthday and we read about Mikhaila’s health conditions and how they had been helped by an elimination diet. Then I saw both Jordan and Mikhaila on Joe Rogan’s podcast.

The before and after pictures of Mikhaila were staggering. I also found other carnivores on YouTube such as Amber O’Hearn and Dr Shawn Baker. Their videos showed me that this diet was sustainable long term and that I would not be alone on my journey. I had nothing to lose so I decided to give it a go, not expecting any change in my own health as mine was not the same type of arthritis as Mikhaila’s.

At first I started on meat, eggs and green veg before dropping the veg and just having meat and eggs. I went fully carnivore on 12 th June 2018. On 1 st July my mother in law had a party for her 80 th birthday and, for the first time in five years, I left my stick at home. A few days later we had a day out in Whitby and I walked much farther than I could have done before. By the middle of July I was walking several miles without any pain.

I bought a pair of hiking boots at the beginning of August and we were able to return to our old hobby of hiking on the coast near where we live. We have a route of about six miles which we started doing almost every morning. The first week in September we had a walking holiday in the Lake District in northwest England. I was able to hike all day just like I did before I got the arthritis. It felt like an absolute miracle.

During that summer, I started to wean myself off the pain killers. This was awful!! I had been taking the Tramadol for almost five years and coming off them was not a pleasant experience. I couldn’t sleep and my whole body twitched terribly. I probably weaned myself off too quickly, but they were capsules so I could cut them in half. Not too bad when you go from 8 a day to 7, but when you go from 3 to 2 it’s a big jump. I took it a little more slowly coming off the Gabapentin (and I hadn’t been on them so long) so that was a little easier.

Finally I came off the Paracetamol and by the end of September I was finally on no medication. When I told my doctor that I no longer needed my repeat prescription because I was no longer in pain she was astounded; saying that she had “never heard of such a thing”. Strangely she didn’t really seem very interested in how I had done this nor did she think I should return to see the consultant who had diagnosed the arthritis.

One of the most striking side effects of the diet was my weight loss. Between May 2018 when I started the elimination diet and December 2018 I lost 70lbs. I am a mature student and started the diet while on my summer vacation from university. When I went back in September, people I knew literally walked past me without recognising me. The two photographs I have included were taken in July and December 2018 (just 5 months apart!).

Before starting on the carnivore diet I had also been suffering from menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes and tinnitus. These started around the same time as my arthritis and I do believe that there may be some link between the menopause and osteoarthritis.

I have found books from the 1950s which refer to menopausal arthritis and Dr Blake Donaldson’s book Strong Medicine describes how he used a low card/carnivore diet to treat menopausal arthritis. I had tried several different hormone replacement therapies but to no avail. Since going carnivore I have had no menopausal symptoms at all; the hot flushes disappeared and after a few weeks I noticed that I didn’t have tinnitus any more.

I have had one or two ‘flare ups’ of pain and inflammation over the past two years. These have been when I’ve eaten something other than eggs, meat, cheese or heavy whipping cream. For instance, on Christmas Day I had some Christmas Pudding and Brandy sauce which left me in pain for a couple of days.

Recently I used a spray weed killer and that too seemed to cause inflammation despite me wearing gloves when I used it. Other than that I have been pain free for almost two years and I never intend to go back to my previous life.

More recently I have been experimenting with fasting. When you eat a meat only diet you don’t need to eat as often so fasting became easy. I have always had a large appetite, but after a concerted period of fasting (2 or 3 40 hour fasts per week over 6 weeks) I have noticed that I have started to feel full on less food. I had never really had that ‘full’ feeling before so it felt very strange!

I hope that my experiences will encourage others to change their lives. I will be 50 this week and I have never felt fitter or healthier in my life. I hike, swim and exercise regularly and am looking forward to a more energetic, pain free future.

Trudy lost weight, and came off medications on a carnivore diet

March 9, 2020 6 Comments

Shortly after we were married, my husband and I found out we were already expecting our first baby. I wasn’t really “overweight”, but I wasn’t thin either. I weighed about 140. I’m 5’ 5”.

I gained nearly 90 lbs during my pregnancy. Don’t know why, I just did.

I lost a little after she was born, but not much. Then my weight started to climb!
By the time our daughter was 5, I already weighed 300 lbs.

A few years later, I was 400 lbs, wearing 5X clothes that were rapidly getting tight.

This last photo was taken Christmas 2010.

July 2011 I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and spent 2 days in ICU, then 2 more days in a regular room.

I immediately quit sugar. It was a shock to my “southern girl” system to give up sweet tea, biscuits, and all the wonderful carb-y goodnesses I grew up on. But I did it!

In 18-24 months, I lost 100 lbs!

I was able to maintain that for a few years. Then I started having difficulty walking. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both knees. I had arthritis in my knee joints and under both my kneecaps. For almost 4 years, I walked with a cane. I was only in my mid-30’s.

I gained back about 80 lbs in 2 years. I was miserable! I tried Atkins/low carb. I just couldn’t lose!

August 2018 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. I had no idea that obesity could cause cancer!!!

September 24, 2018 I had a complete hysterectomy. They removed my uterus, ovaries, and Fallopian tubes. My gynecological oncologist said that my ovaries probably hadn’t worked correctly in years.

I recovered from surgery, but still could not lose weight.

My primary care doctor and I talked about me having weight loss surgery, but we found out my insurance didn’t cover it so we started trying to raise the money. We asked my doctor if we should try to get on disability. She said that could take years, and I “didn’t have years”. We knew that meant I’d die if something didn’t change soon!

Even my oncologist worked to try and help me get bariatric surgery, but I couldn’t find help due to insurance problems.

I contacted a hospital in Mexico where several of my family members and friends had gone for bariatric surgery. Even though it was considerably less expensive, I still couldn’t come up with the money.

In faith, I started the pre-op diet they sent me. 3 of my siblings had to have bariatric surgery to lose weight so I just assumed I was next.

I followed that pre-op diet. It was very strict, but I followed it to the letter. After 3 months on that diet, I had lost only 5 lbs!

I was beyond frustrated, and very close to giving up, and just going back to eating whatever I wanted since I wasn’t losing anyway.

I prayed! I asked God to show me what to do.

One week after my 39th birthday, I woke up and said “I’m starting keto!” (I had come across Thomas DeLauer on YouTube, and I started doing tons of research on it, reading/watching testimonials about people getting off all kinds of meds, dropping weight, and so much other wonderful side affects of keto. I also started watching Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Eric Berg.)

Within 3 weeks of going strict Keto, I was off my diabetes meds, thyroid meds, and I no longer needed my cane!!! (I haven’t used it since! That was August 2019!”)

Within 6 months, I’d lost 60 lbs! That wasn’t a lot for most keto people, but that was a LOT for me!

I felt great, better than I had in years, but I still had high blood pressure, severe anxiety, and some joint pain.

I had heard about Carnivore/Zero Carb, and I had been doing research. I’ve always loved vegetables, and it had been drilled into me all my life, and on Keto, “EAT YOUR VEGGIES!” So I was struggling with the “only animal products” way of eating.

I came across Judy Cho, Laura Spath, Kelly Hogan, Dr. Shawn Baker, Charles Washington, and a few others in my YouTube searches.

After LOTS of research, I decided to go without veggies one evening for dinner. Then I didn’t have veggies the next day. Then I realized I hadn’t eaten veggies in a week or so, and I was feeling great!

In that first week, I lost 10 lbs that I’d gained after stalling on Keto.

I’ve lost 2 lbs since this last pic was taken. I’ve lost a total of 99 lbs from my highest weight!

Since going ZC, I’m now off my blood pressure meds (Lisinopril 30mg) and nearly off my anxiety meds (Lexapro 20mg). When I do feel I need something, I take only half a Lexapro, and only once a week or so. I also only need my acid reflux meds (omeprazole 49mg) every few days instead of every single day!

I continue to watch and read everything I can to learn more about why we thrive on this WOE. I’ve had hundreds of people contact me since I started losing weight. They all want to know what I’m doing, and can I guide them. As I learn, I share my new-found knowledge and wisdom!

My husband and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. I came across a photo from our 10th anniversary. I weighed 400 lbs, could barely walk, on TONS of meds, and I was wearing 5X clothes from Catherine’s (which is 6X most places), and they were almost too small.

My husband has lost about 40 lbs, even though he’s not 100% ZC.

I am so thankful to have found this WOE, and I share this with anyone who will listen!!! We can hardly wait to see where we’ll be down the road!

The Miller’s 20th Wedding Anniversary 03/04/2020
Joseph, size 58 suit (and it’s way too big).
Trudy, size 24 dress (and it’s too big).


7.5 weeks ZC/Carnivore so far, and life/health gets better and better and better!

Listen to Trudy’s interview on the Revero podcast here:

Bechelli improves arthritis on a carnivore diet

February 25, 2020 No Comments

For Bechelli, a severe and sudden attack of pain and swelling in her right hand rudely awakened her one morning. She could hardly move her hand. Perhaps all the arthritis in her body had moved into her hand, she thought. “It felt like somebody had smashed it with a brick”, she said. She used her left hand to manually move the right hand fingers so they wouldn’t become stiff. The pain was so bad, she thought that bones in her hand had become broken.

She had a doctor’s appointment regular checkup scheduled for a few days later so she decided to take all inflammatory foods out of her diet: eat only meat and salad until then. Certainly the doctor would want to X-ray her hand. She kept up the meat and salad regimen and was feeling a little better each day.

Her doctor’s appointment that was only a few days away was postponed for another week. Then after a week, was postponed another month! She kept up the meat and salad routine and felt her hand getting better and better by the day. She came to the realization that what she was doing was something close to a Keto diet in which she became very interested because it kept the inflammation away. “I only take one pill and that is a thyroid pill. I’m thinking that my thyroid may have been hampered sometime in my life by dental X-rays” but she can’t be 100% sure of that.

Meanwhile, she attended a free seminar on autophagy presented by a lady at a local health food store. The speaker explained how the healing process had begun in her own body, noticing improvements each day. The benefits of intermittent fasting, eating only twice per day and cutting out snacking were emphasized. Bechelli thought that would be easy to do so both she and her husband decided to give it a try. She also realized that on a Keto plan, she could eat a lot more than just meat and salad.

It reached a point where she wanted to take the next step and move up to a carnivore diet, at least to try it for a week. Himalayan salt became her friend as it helped her to stave off hunger and it also helped with the relief of muscle cramps in her feet and calves.

So, it seems that both the Keto and carnivore eating plans have helped her alleviate a number of health issues. Bechelli hopes her story will help others.

Kajta improves bipolar, ADHD, Aspergers, arthritis on carnivore diet

February 25, 2020 2 Comments

Katja started the carnivore diet in December of 2018 and believes that it saved her life.

Her depression and anxiety levels had reached a severe level. She feared losing her job due to repeated long-term absences. She became a recluse and wasn’t able to leave her home. She disliked being around people or getting anything done. She spent a year talking to her doctors trying to get an assessment for ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome among her other conditions.

She started becoming depressed about age 12. Friendships, family relationships and school became really difficult for her. To complicate matters further, Katja is dislexic which went unrecognized in her school system until the 80’s and 90’s. Her depression was undiagnosed until age 23. Her doctors cycled her through different drugs and drug combinations trying to find answers which none of them provided. So, by age 26 she had tried a multitude of drugs and therapies with no real results.

Finally, she developed a headache lasing 3 months which once again drove her to doctors who said they couldn’t help her. Eventually, she had to figure it out all on her own.

As an experiment, she stopped eating gluten and found that the headache had left her. This was the first time that she fixed a health problem by adjusting her food intake. Even so, she remained naive about what she had discovered. In an effort to overcome her conditions, she tried eating organic vegetables only to find that her hands would not function properly. This was devastating news to Katja who is an artist. She then discovered Mikhaila Peterson.

“I’ve already read about her in her dad’s book 12 rules for life which made me understand and trust what this girl was saying instantly” said Katja. She also came across Amber O’Hearn whom she felt was full of amazing information about diet and wellness. A colleague who had also switched on to the carnivore lifestyle impressed Katja so much that she thought she’d give it a try.

“I jumped right in … I started carnivore straight away. I had keto flu symptoms for about six weeks and they were pretty hard for me.” She started to feel great and is still getting better over a year later. She now advocates this diet on her instagram account. She tells stories from the background of her life to make people understand that depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and other immune illnesses are not life sentences. There is actually a way out.

Katja is now a certified Carnivore.Diet carnivore coach and encourages others to contact her so she can help them change their lives and health stories too.

Rebekah improved autoimmune issues, sleep, gained muscle on carnivore diet

February 8, 2020 7 Comments

Hello!

I wanted to share my success story thus far. My life has changed and improved drastically- and I wasn’t sure I was going to be alive less than a year ago.  

My name is Rebekah. I’ve always had a passion for health, nature, Fitness, and holistic nutrition / medicine. 

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 6th grade. In seventh grade, I ran into chronic pain. I was rushed to the emergency room with severe chest pains, and left with a diagnosis of costochondritis and degenerative disc. I was then diagnosed with OCD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, Narcolepsy, and a myriad of digestive issues such as gastroparesis, IBS, IBD, slow transit colon, Celiac and diverticulitis.

I started regular Chiropractic treatments to address scoliosis and chronic pain. I went through multiple rounds of physical therapy, but symptoms continued to worsen. Shortly after graduating high school, I ran into chronic adrenal fatigue, crippling anxiety and pain so bad that I was bed bound. I had difficulty breathing, with frequent episodes of near- suffocation.

Desperate and afraid, I knew that I needed to dig deeper. I ventured to uncover the root of my issues, working with multiple functional medicine doctors, and embarked on a more strict/ personalized version of the ketogenic diet. I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, colitis, Addisons, Hashimotos hypothyroid, CREST scleroderma, and a central nervous system disorder called Central Sensitization Syndrome (see youtube video by Dr. Sletten of Mayo Clinic).

With Keto, various supplements, and support I was able to get off of Adderal, Clonazepam, and Ambien after being dependent on them for 13 years. I gained energy and focus, and reversed Hashimotos! My cystic acne also cleared completely.

I was only just beginning to break free from the cage that I became burrowed into after years of quick “fixes” and excessive rounds of antibiotics ordered by traditional med doctors. I have continued to strip off the band-aids to uncover the sources and contributors to systemic disease that almost took my life, and more importantly my hope and joy.

After losing a severe amount of weight, I was diagnosed with chronic chlostridium difficule (C-Diff). I am resistant to all of the antibiotics, and have now had 3 fecal transplants. I was told that I should consider removing my colon, and that I needed a feeding tube. I refused and instead decided to commit to the one thing that I avoided trying for so long… Nothing brought relief or nourishment back into my body until I started the carnivore way of eating.

I have gained back 30 healthy pounds of mostly muscle, and have overcome almost all of my autoimmune issues. I have broken up deep layers of scar tissue that was taking over my body and limiting mobility; now there is new, strong, healthy muscle. My mood has never been more stable, and I am mentally resilient. No more swollen ankles or strange skin rashes/ hives.

My energy is steady and dependable, and I’m sleeping the best I have in my entire life. I have gained so much freedom in this journey thus far and I am passionate and thrilled to help others overcome their battles, and reach their goals -beyond expectation!

I’m so grateful for all that you are doing. You are such a refreshing voice amongst the sea of noise out there. Thank you! 

Sincerely,

Rebekah 

Listen to Rebekah’s interview on the Revero podcast here:

Marion improved arthritis on carnivore diet

February 4, 2020 1 Comment

Hello, my name is Marion. My partner ( he is 67)  and myself ( 63)  began the meat diet last March.  If we hadn’t  did this way of eating we would not have believed it. 

 

Eating like our ancestors

 

I am of indigenous heritage and did believe we should eat as our people did, but somewhere along the line we are convinced this is wrong.  Luckily we didn’t totally buy into it and still ate meat everyday and enjoyed the fat but when we went strictly meat, eggs and dairy the results were unexpected.

 

All the benefits…

 

We noticed right off the hop how much energy we had (almost ADHD..lol) Sex drive way up.  As continued it was amazing, NO MORE BLOAT OR GAS.(  I had taken up eating one particular salad with brussel sprouts and broccoli and the bloat was unreal). Going on:

 

  • sugar cravings went away, 
  • sleeping better,
  • no snacking & eating twice a day usually, sometimes once, 
  • different kind of hunger, the rumbling/shakes didn’t happen, just felt hungry, 
  • skin tags gone,
  • no more hang nails, 
  • hemorrhoids gone ( I had for years),
  • our arthritis went away,
  • backpain decreased significantly,
  • we both have more muscle definition, the muscle is harder/tighter & we are definitely stronger,  (we don’t go to gym, our work over the years & daily living has given us good muscle) 
  • our eyesight has improved.

I apply beef/pork grease on my skin and people have commented on how amazing my skin looks.  They thought I was wearing face makeup and one commented did I have surgery! Incredible. Not only that but my eyebrows are growing back in after going years with only half brows.

I apply beef/pork grease on my skin and people have commented on how amazing my skin looks.  They thought I was wearing face makeup and one commented did I have surgery!

 

My partner is growing just not thicker hair, but brown hair & on places there wasn’t any, the white hair is turning brown on his head and chest.  He was also taking high blood pressure and gout pills after appx. 3 months he discontinued use. ( I did not take any pills) Our attitude was happier ( not so cranky) and his depression decreased and eventually disappeared.  My anxiety disappeared as well. When we have fallen off the wagon we notice the arthritis, hand nails, gas etc. return.   Hence it is motivational for us to continue with the meat.

 

Other people’s opinions

 

Overall,  we have found the majority of  people think we are killing ourselves with “ so much fat /meat/butter etc.”

 

My brother was doing keto previous to our diet change and we thought wow, that’s a little too much meat and ignored the diet.  Once again goes to show how manipulated we were even though we knew better.  

 

My daughter decided to give it a go and she has had amazing results as well.  She is 43 and when she went to her doctor for check up she stated her test results were “ off the chart” and what was she doing.  When she said the Carnivore diet,  the doctor didn’t say a word!  Interesting eh?  

 

Dr. Baker, thank you for all the info you provide. It is much appreciated.

 

Marion and Roy from Ontario, Canada

 

We did forget to mention , although we were not hugely overweight and that was not our reason for doing the meat, I lost 20 lbs. and Roy lost 26 lbs.

Andrew healed from severe knee pain on a carnivore diet

December 22, 2019 1 Comment

Basically, my full story is this: In 2006 I tore my ACL & medial meniscus in my right knee. The next dayI first saw my PCP, in hopes that he’d immediately refer me to an orthopedist before I could get in on my own. He diagnosed it as a dislocated kneecap, even after I questioned it multiple times.

In 2011, less than a month after turning 30, I began having significant swelling and pain in my knee. I scheduled an appointment with an Orthopedic Dr, thinking that I had a slight tear from my previous injury. After reviewing my XRAY, he said that he had to double check my DOB because my knee looked 80+ because of how arthritic it was. He said that I needed a replacement, but I couldn’t at age 30. He wanted to put me on Celebrex, which would require me to also have my kidney function checked annually. I told him that I’m no mechanic, but I know that you don’t fix a flat tire by tearing out the exhaust.

I went to orthopedic Dr number 2, who offered either an osteotomy (very invasive surgery with a limited lifespan) or an OA brace with de-rotation. I opted for the brace. While my pain & swelling reduced, I still struggled to be active. I couldn’t walk my dogs more than a half mile. I made it through work, but had too much pain to be active after work.

I was roughly 240 lbs when I initially injured my knee, close to 10 years of inactivity had me ballooning up to 360. I also had old shoulder injuries that were painful. In late 2017 I began having strong pain & heavy swelling in my left knee, probably from over compensation for my injured right knee.

In the spring of 2018, shortly before turning 37, I was practically begging my orthopedic doctor for a double knee replacement. He still wouldn’t do it. November 26, 2018 I began carnivore. After 4 days I had dropped 14 lbs. a weight loss of that much that quickly is primarily water weight, AKA inflammation and bloating. A week before beginning carnivore I had very limited mobility with my shoulders, mostly of which was very painful. By day 4 I had pain free full ROM with both shoulders.

I steadily lost weight. By July 2019 I was able to take 2-3 mile walks without my knee brace. I still wore it at work because I have a very physically demanding job. I continued to lose weight and change body composition. As of February 2020 I had lost 85 lbs. I had controlled the pain & swelling in my knees to the point that I stopped wearing my knee brace to work, and haven’t worn it since. I still occasionally have a tougher day. Some days my knees hurt quite a bit after 8 hectic hours on my feet, but those days are few & far between.

In March 2020, I vacationed in CO, and hiked a snow & ice packed mountain trail without my knee brace. My biggest struggle with that was the elevation, not my knees.

My weight loss has slowed down, hanging in the 95-100 lbs range, but I haven’t worn that brace in almost a year. I feel better as I’m about to turn 40 than I did as I was about to turn 30. I’m energetic, mostly pain free, with the libido of a 20 yr old. I can feel a difference in my muscle density despite no weight training.

I’ve been able to comfortably eat once per day, roughly 1.5 lbs of beef, 1/3 lb of bacon & 4 eggs. I usually add a little of cheese. I have one cup of coffee 3 or 4 days per week, otherwise I drink approximately one gallon of water per day. I occasionally mix in some salmon or shrimp or pork or chicken, but primarily eat beef & bacon & eggs & cheese.

Michael improved mood, mental health, skin, vision on carnivore diet

November 1, 2019 No Comments

Michael’s journey to better health on a carnivore diet began at a pivotal moment standing in line at the Walmart checkout. At age 55 and 6’2” tall, Michael had steadily been gaining weight each year since his mid-thirties, topping out at 284 pounds. He was about to go from a 2XL size shirt to a 3XL size shirt, and he decided at that moment he needed to reclaim his health.

Michael spoke with Revero coach Brooke about what life was like before the carnivore diet, and the changes he’s seen since implementing it a year ago. “I drive a semi truck long distances for a living,” Michael shares. “It’s like running the gauntlet.” Michael found it difficult to avoid diners, fast food restaurants, and gas station convenience foods while on the road with his two dogs. He has a strong sensitivity to wheat and corn, which causes painful bouts of indigestion and GERD. “Throughout the years I’ve struggled with acid reflux. It was just horrendous. I got to a point where I was taking two Prilosec antacids a day.” The nature of long-distance truck driving made it difficult to deal with several trips to the bathroom each day, and painful bowel movements.

As a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for 27 years, Michael believes that he has an addictive personality which translates over to food. “I’m an addict. I know what it’s like to obsess over things and then I know what it’s like to feel hopeless and just just give in to it, and just say, ‘Hey man, whatever so I’m just fat that’s just the way it is.’” He had some success with a low-carb diet in the past, but struggled with calorie counting and being hungry. He found it easy to binge on nuts which made weight loss difficult.

The idea of a meat-based diet was appealing to Michael, so he decided to give it a try. His depression had gotten worse, and the severe bloating and arthritis in his hands made his job very uncomfortable. However, within three days of switching to a meat-only diet, the bloating and GERD went away. The only time his arthritis symptoms return is if he adds sugar back into his diet.

After implementing a ketogenic diet with large salads, Michael decided to remove all vegetables and see if it helped with his digestive issues. “I quit eating the spinach and my stomach pain totally went away. One day, I had only steaks in my truck and no vegetables, so I had extra meat. After that, I just never bought vegetables again.” Michael enjoys cooking ribeye steak and hamburger meat on a portable grill he has on his truck, and typically eats one meal a day in the evenings. Coach Brooke points out the key was Michael listening to his body’s inclinations about what and when to eat being the key to his success on carnivore.

Overall, Michael has had great success on a carnivore diet, but says he still has room for improvement. He is cutting out bacon and cheese temporarily to see if he can break through a weight loss stall as he aims to lose his last 15 pounds. He’s also going to be taking a local job and live with family members who follow the standard American diet. “One thing is for sure,” Michael states, “I could never go back to carbs and control it. I just know that about myself.”

Hiking in September 2018 at 286 pounds – before starting the Carnivore Diet
264 pounds – January 2019
June 2019 – 228 Pounds – Still want to get down to 209
Michael weighed 199 back in 2001.

Listen to Michael’s interview on the Revero podcast here:

Charlene improves sleep, cardiovascular health, digestion on carnivore diet

October 5, 2019 3 Comments
Charlene, Age 44

As per interest and requests I thought I would sit down and talk about my story of approaching and reaching my carnivore diet. Even though I like to never look back or put any focus on my previous ill health, I know that by doing so it may help others. Warning… I’m a number of things, but not a writer. So, read on at your own risk!🤪

I was born March 22, 1973 to an engineer and a physical therapist. My mom’s dad was an M.D. with an emphasis on OB/GYN. He was a great man, but followed the norm of doctoring. He suggested the healthy diet of “cereal and low-fat milk” to snack on in between the standard low fat meals.

I was born quickly without any complications. Things went the way they typically do with hospital births. She nursed me, weaning me off breastmilk completely by the 3 month mark. I reacted to every formula and every food they gave me. They ended with the least reactive combination for me.

Growing up, I always had rashes, asthma and allergies. I was allergy tested at 4 after having a scary breathing situation at nursery school. I was sensitive to almost everything. But my diet was never looked at as an option to cure it all. Instead, I got shots for years. I hated every single one. Never got used it. It always seemed wrong to me.

Because I was an only child, my parents wanted me to have opportunities to do things with other kids as much as possible. So, I went to a lot of camps – which I absolutely loved. However, one of the many camp trips is most likely when I was bitten by a deer tick. I remember tick checks every night and removing them with tweezers when found. I don’t remember having a specific rash or period of flu-like symptoms. I had my share of colds, strep and flu every year and would always catch whatever was “going around”, so nothing stood out when I contracted Lyme.

In the meantime, my health kept deteriorating. Beginning at age 8 I developed trichotillomania. Sores on my eyelids and eyebrow lines made me want to rub/pull at the lashes. I had times when I had no eyelashes or eyebrows. This lasted all the way through grade school, middle school, high school, college and my first couple years working.

Whenever I went over to my friends’ houses (everyone had pets), it wasn’t long before my parents would get a call to come and get me because I was wheezing or developing hives.

Once I started to mature around age 13, the acne I developed was cyst-like and extremely ugly and painful. They would look like craters. I had them all over my face, neck, inside my ears, shoulders, back, chest and arms. Between hardly having eyelashes/eyebrows and having this acne, I was very self-conscious. I was not obese as a kid, but I was always heavier than the norm and carried my weight in a weird sort of way in my hips and butt. I remember having cellulite at age 12.

By age 16 my periods slowed and stopped completely. None of the OB/GYN doctors had any answers. My diet was the typical low fat, high complex carbs, high vegetation and low sugar. So, OBVIOUSLY my diet wasn’t causing it.

College days were fun, but continued my downward health spiral. The extreme fatigue really set in at this point. I started out having a double major of Mathematics and Studio Art. What kept me from successfully majoring in Mathematics is I could not stay awake in class. I would fall asleep after a couple minutes of class starting and wake up when it was over. I needed naps throughout the day and I would always be the first one to sleep in the dorm by hours. Depression and darkness started overcoming me. I pushed friends away more and more due to my fatigue and depression.

I started working out hoping that would make me feel better about myself (and my floppy physique), but it just made me more tired and angry. I didn’t give up working out until years later. (I even became a PT on the side of my professional job.)

I ended up graduating cum laude with math and psychology minors, and studio art major.

After graduating college, I got a job working in the Industrial Design department at Navistar, which was a dream as an Art major, loving automotive design and working at the same company as my dad, cousin and uncles.

The most dramatic downturn in my health happened next. The stress of working and being around clay modeling, paint spraying and all sorts of chemicals quickly sent me downhill fast. Honestly, at this point life is a blur to me still.

My lifesaver was Joe. Wonderful, talented, funny, interesting, 100% compatible with me, Joe!❤ It’s almost as if I was waiting to meet him before my life which was heading downhill fast would make a turn for the better. But it was going to get worse before getting better.

My list of health conditions grew:

  • eczema all over my hands (to the point of second degree burns),
  • tinnitus,
  • worsening depression,
  • worsening fatigue (fell asleep at work all the time, at meetings, at church, and driving a car),
  • lower back/pelvic and sciatic nerve pain (couldn’t sit at all, worked standing up, constant pain with occasional howling-pain spasms; MRI revealed degenerative disc disease in 3 areas),
  • systemic edema,
  • blurry vision (eyeglasses were worn beginning in high school, worsening every year),
  • paralyzation at times in hands and feet working its way into my torso (Joe had to be called to carry me out of work several times), 
  • allergies/sensitivities to all things (food, pollens, chemicals),
  • continued amenhorrea,
  • weight gain (at my heaviest 50 pounds overweight),
  • inability to concentrate (couldn’t understand a sentence spoken to me in time to hear the next in a conversation),
  • diagnosed with cervical dysplasia (treated with cryotherapy),
  • migraines,
  • heart pains,
  • indigestion/reflux,
  • bingeing (and at the end, vomiting – luckily only a few times),
  • muscle twitching (over 100 twitches in 1-minute’s time),
  • lumps in my breasts I was too afraid to have checked out,
  • irritation and rage (a complete reversal of my laid back and sweet nature everyone knew me to have growing up).

I literally could go on, but I don’t want to waste any more time or bleed my heart out anymore than I have.

I went the conventional doctor route, with absolutely NO success. Each one made me sicker, weaker and with more symptoms. Most concluded it was all in my head and I was crazy!

Joe was always interested in body building and happened on Vince Gironda. His way of eating to be as strong and sharp as possible intrigued Joe. Almost as soon as he researched this and similar diets (many authors delving into the low/carb free approach to health long, long ago) he started eating low carb/high fat. Instantly it appealed to me and I tried experimenting with low carb foods and recipes (I loved to cook and bake).

It was not an immediate win for me, but certain things instantly started to turn around (allergies and asthma in particular as soon as I removed grains). I also started unmasking the low carb foods (vegetation especially), which would send me into terrible fatigue spells.

When Joe and I married August 8, 1998 (this is part of my love of the number 8), it was one of the best days of my life (other than the days of giving birth to my two sons). It was bittersweet though. I felt bad despite the adrenaline. We were the first ones to leave our own reception, not because we couldn’t wait to be together, but because I was so wiped out from the whole thing.

On with the positive turn!

Soon after I was diagnosed with Lyme disease by an alternative M.D. At least that gave us something to focus on and be able to look at as reasons behind some of my issues. I decided to quit my job to focus on getting well and reducing my stress level (I was working, taking MBA classes, finished my PT and nutritionist licenses).

More research quickly led us from looking at low carb to virtually no carbs. We experimented so much in such little amount of time that we realized we’d better start journals of everything we ate, how we felt, what worked and what didn’t. All we wanted was consistency.

The fish and oil diet was the first diet I can remember being the first try at a zero carb diet. It relieved a lot of my symptoms, but not all (still had amenhorrea, edema, trichotillomania, acne, eczema and excess weight). We probably spent about a year experimenting beginning with the fish and oil diet, quickly switching to free range eggs and poultry, and occasional lamb and beef.

Charlene’s journals tracking every reaction to every meal

As SOON as I switched to animal fat as my fat source instead of “healthy” oils, I ovulated and had a period two weeks later. I couldn’t believe it!!! Why in the WORLD didn’t someone tell me years ago about the importance of animal fat?!?😤 I’ve been more regular since then than I ever was as a young teenager. I’ve had two healthy boys (no complications for me; home births too; mid-wife with Charlie and unassisted with George)! ❤😀

We experimented with pork only to find that it activated symptoms. Ground meats, no matter what type also did.

We continued researching and looked at our wins and fails. It led us to Blake Donaldson who suggested a steak and water diet for his patients. That made a lot of sense to Joe and I. We started with pemmican only for some time, introducing steak eventually. Sure enough, as soon as I decided to go all beef, EVERY SINGLE ONE of my symptoms vanished!!! I couldn’t believe it. Whenever I tried to share my success and happiness about this, it was met with more questionable stares, anger, fear, and rolled eyes than you would ever imagine. So, it was our little secret. And that’s how we kept it until we found others with our point of view.

Also, I quickly found the more I ate meat only, my face shape changed and especially my body. I went from needing to work out religiously and strenuously when eating poorly to giving up exercise completely in order to not become too muscular or masculine-looking.

Even when others put our interview out a few years ago, it was met (by some) with so much anger, that we pulled it. It was slated to be run in National Examiner magazine. Boy, would that have been a disaster in many respects.

Charlene’s favorite food, the glorious ribeye

These days we eat ribeye steak, since it’s the fattiest. And we drink spring water. That’s what we do. We don’t think about it. We don’t really even talk about it. To us it’s like talking about why the sky is blue. Yes, there is scientific reasoning behind it. It’s nice to understand, but it’s beauty is really all it comes down to appreciating!


There is life after illness!! That I KNOW!!


Charlene

Jason improves Chronic Fatigue on carnivore diet

November 1, 2018 1 Comment

Hi, I’m Jason. I was perfectly healthy until 32, then my immune system went off the rails.

 

Stabilizing my conditions

I have found that eating only meat or fasting stabilize my condition, and remove the immune cytokines that cause flares. I was told I had Lyme’s, I have POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and other autonomic damage due to inflammation. I had brain damage and memory loss, and was disabled for years. I use doxycycline as an anti-inflammatory and nicotine gum to suppress my immune response and those help a lot, but if I eat anything other than meat I have edema all over my body.

 

Elimination diet

I’m not entirely sure Lyme’s is the answer to CFS and the all meat improvement, but I do know my immune system is overreactive. My fasting experiments prove that. All the symptoms are from inflammation, long term. Going back to the 1970s you’ve got people with auto immune diseases who go into remission when put on an elemental diet, meaning pure glucose, amino acids, fats, but no proteins that could flare them. No fibre.

 

Meat, freedom

We’re all on this spectrum, and unless people go through it, or their spouse goes through it, they will never understand the freedom eating only meat gives. It saves our lives. I need to be more consistent, I’m tired of being tired and nauseated all the damn time.

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