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Gina manages IBS, anemia, joint pain, migraines, anxiety, and mood on the carnivore diet

March 24, 2023 No Comments

I’m Gina. I’m a 52 year old wife, mom and dental hygienist. I had my two oldest when I was in my early 20s and became very physically active when they were little to stay in shape. I lifted weights and even worked at a gym as a trainer. In my 30s I was involved in karate, and in my 40s and 50s I was running. In the 90s, the “fat makes you fat” idea was in full swing. You could eat all the Snack Well cookies you wanted, just stay away from butter. I followed that but eventually transitioned into more of a mainstream diet most of my life. I also figured I had wiggle room due to being active so I never turned down chips, cookies, cake, etc.

In 2019 I was 49 and had been running several years doing everything from 5ks all the way to ultramarathons. I was looking ahead to 2020 when I would be turning 50 and decided to celebrate by signing up for a 50 mile race. It was a good training year until end of summer, early fall. I started to experience trouble running. I would get very winded and unable to continue. I’d go for a 6 mile run and quit in the first mile or two. My legs felt like they were stuck in wet cement. Severe fatigue, numbness and tingling followed. MS was suspected so I had MRIs, tests and a spinal tap. All came back fine, and I had no diagnosis for the illness.

I quit running for six months, but was desperate to feel better. I began to think about my diet. My best friend and running partner is vegan. Everywhere you turn, vegan is promoted as the healthiest diet. I decided to give it a try. I watched all the documentaries. I liked Game Changers because it was about athletes. I was whole food, plant based for 18 months. At first things went well. I began running again, and it felt good to have such a “healthy” diet. I even got my certification in plant based nutrition. I was gearing up for possibly health coaching.

As time went by, my health began to decline. But I had no idea it was diet related. I had gallbladder pain and an ultrasound revealed a polyp. I had my gallbladder removed. I had IBS for about 10 years, it was mostly manageable but suddenly was becoming really bad. It was interfering with my work. It got so bad at one point it I almost had to quit my job. My cycle became extremely heavy and painful. I had a hysterectomy. Then one night I woke with my heart pounding and I was panting. A trip to the ER revealed severe anemia. They wanted to give me a transfusion, but I managed to hold them off and got 4 weekly iron infusions. My bones and joints began to ache really badly. I was Googling bone cancer. Brain fog and some cognitive issues began to arise. I was sure I was dying from something.

I quit veganism in early 2022, not because I thought the diet was the problem, but because I figured, what’s the point in eating well if I’m just going to feel like garbage anyway. I spent about 6 months alternating between a terrible diet and trying to get back to veganism, but I just was over it. I gained 20 pounds. I felt like my health was in freefall.

Then I read a blog post by The Peasant’s Daughter called “Why I Am No Longer Vegan”. It was the first time the idea that the diet may have been behind my health troubles. Down the rabbit hole I went, consuming everything I could and eventually landed on the countless stories of carnivores.

I transitioned slowly because I wasn’t completely sure it was a good idea. I took things out of my diet like vegetables, kept things like oatmeal, and increased meat. For 2 months I worked toward carnivore, which I think helped me transition because I never got the keto flu. Mid December I was pretty much full carnivore.

I lost the 20 pounds I gained. My joint and bone pain disappeared. My migraines were about 90% gone. Brain fog gone. Energy soared. But the biggest, most wonderful thing has been that my IBS is gone. To live life like a normal person and not have a brain completely consumed with going to the bathroom or holding in gas. Just a feeling of nothing going on in my gut. It is unreal.

I want to learn and devour everything I can about this way of life. I no longer think about food all day. I know that this way of eating could stave off Alzheimer’s which I am at great risk of developing. I’m lifting again and feel better, stronger, more energetic than I have in years. I’m even beginning to talk with my dental patients about this diet. Everyday I see patients trapped in bad metabolic health. My hope is more people can heal like I did.

James recovers from veganism on the carnivore diet

March 22, 2023 No Comments

James is from Bermuda and is recovering from a vegan diet. He grew up eating the SAD diet and says, “I was a pretty chunky kid.”

James gained a lot more weight at university “from drinking and eating the wrong things.” He became a vegetarian after contracting a Salmonella infection from eating chicken at a restaurant.

When James graduated and moved back home to Bermuda in 2014, he met the woman who is now his wife. She suggested they follow a vegan diet, which they did. They both saw their health improve initially, which James now believes was because “I got off all the processed garbage that I had been eating.” That was a good start, but he wanted a specific plan.

James and his wife watched all the vegan propaganda movies, and “bought into the whole agenda… we were very strict.” But, the good times would end soon: “It was about the fifth year my health went off the cliff.” James began experiencing brain fog and body pain; a lot of fibromyalgia, and his gums were bleeding profusely. He developed severe anxiety and depression and found his memory getting worse.

He says he was “Was losing weight rapidly, and got down to 127 pounds, at 6’ 2” which is severely emaciated…My condition deteriorated. I started to notice my skin was cracking, my nails were cracking, and my hair was falling out. I got severe constipation and ended up with blood in my stools right before the pandemic.”

James lost his job because the company knew he couldn’t work any longer. “So, I had no job, no insurance, I was bleeding every time I went to the bathroom, I was severely depressed and anxious, and… had no idea how to get out.” His diet was failing, but he didn’t realize it yet.

James doubled down on his vegan diet, making smoothies with chia seeds, kale, spinach, and fruit three times a day. He started passing out, had more blood in his stool and ended up in the ER. He began finally questioning if plants were harming him and then found Joe Rogan’s podcast with Dr. Baker. He says, “We as humans evolved eating meat, and I’ve got to put this behind me and realize that I had been duped.”

James “began to go the keto route,” lowering his oxalate consumption and slowly working his way toward being a carnivore. “My brain fog started to lift after a couple of days… It wasn’t until I went fully carnivore…that I saw the full benefits.” All of his symptoms, except some of his tinnitus, cleared up on the carnivore diet. He is regaining weight and rebuilding muscle.

“Now with this diet, my stools have never been better; I’m satiated; I don’t feel like I need to snack at all; the food I’m eating is sustaining me, and I can fast if I need to. Unbelievable difference!”

James urges, “If you’re vegan, please realize that it will catch up with you.”

Rory improved Joint Pain, Skin problems, Gut Health, and aches On The Carnivore Diet

March 22, 2023 No Comments

Rory is from Brisbane, Australia, and says, “I’ve had health problems my whole life; diagnosed at four as an asthmatic. I had tonsils taken out… From that point I’ve had a lot of health issues; mainly asthma, gut related stuff, food intolerances, and then acne as I became a teenager. As an adult, I was a vegetarian when I was 19, to impress this chick on MySpace. Then I was like, hey, this sounds pretty good and I kept going.”

Rory decided to take it further, saying, “I found out about veganism, and it aligned with my values at the time. I think everyone who goes into it has good intentions.” Rory was originally plant-based, out of “a desire to improve my health.”

“I found that within six months, I had low energy, fatigue, and joint pain, and I started seeing doctors who had no idea how to help me.” Rory was also having heart palpitations and “heavy left arm pain” and was worried because he has a strong family history of heart disease.

Rory slowly started adding some animal products to his diet, and “It helped a little bit, having meat, but I was still on a whole foods diet. I still had low energy, fatigue, candida, brain fog, but the main thing was low energy and joint pain.”

He once again took it a step further, but toward meat this time: “One day last year, after seeing all this stuff online about carnivore, I decided to give it a crack because I’m like, I was sick and tired of feeling like crap. I felt like I could eat basically anything, without having a reaction. My skin breaking out and joint pain. I’d eat a bowl of rice, and immediately be inflamed and have joint pain.”

“I found that the only thing I could eat was basically meat, and yeah, it made sense to just go into carnivore.” Rory didn’t have too many problems adjusting to a carnivore diet: “There were moments within the first 30 days where I was like, man I’m really sick of this.” “Week three or week four into it and the cravings…I just adjusted…I started adding in lamb and meat stock for the gut, which was really helpful for me.”

Rory found that his bowel movements reduced to one every two or three days, which he found “weird when I was used to big ones, once a day.” He also had some “keto flu” around day 18 and was bedridden for three days, with four days of diarrhea, but then felt much better afterward.

He reports that his gut and digestion are normal now, without any of his old issues. About brain fog, Rory says “it’s helped tremendously, 100%.” He says that “eating this way has given me more mental focus and clarity… I’m able to work longer, harder.” Rory says the changes have also helped with his son, saying, “I’m a better father, because I’ve got myself sorted in this way, and I can really be there for him.”

Denise improves digestion and mental health and loses weight on the carnivore diet

February 27, 2023 No Comments

I am a Covid ventilator survivor and started the carnivore diet a few months after release from the hospital in January 2022. Prior to my illness, I was at least 50 pounds over weight.

In early November 2021, I unfortunately contracted Covid and was not getting better after 10 days. Under a doctors supervision, I took Ivermectin and Z-pac, but I could not get Hydroxyclorequin in pill form at that time. It must have been too late to take those protocols as Covid had already done it’s damage and I only got worse. My oxygen started dropping daily, I became very incoherent and on Nov. 24, I had a friend take me to the ER when my oxygen dropped to 67. I had no idea how sick I really was, why it hit me so hard and what terrible things were about to transpire.

At the ER, I was hypoxic and had a pulmonary embolism in my right lung. I was admitted into the hospital and from that day forward my nightmare began. After 10 days of quarantine, on Dec. 4, I was awakened in the early am and was told that I needed to be put on a ventilator. I felt ok and thought I was getting better and was going to be released after my quarantine period so I was shocked to hear that. I was very much against that and was petrified of being put on a vent but was told that I would die if I did not go on one. It all happened so fast and was chaotic that you really do not have a chance to even think about it. Faced with death, you just say ok. By some miracle, I was taken off the vent after 15 days and survived. I had no recollection of any of it and only realized I had been through all of that when told a few days after I got off the vent. Even then I had a difficult time understanding it all and my brain could not comprehend what had taken place.

I had to learn to breathe on my own again, learn to stand, learn to walk and had a difficult time doing simple, normal tasks, like going to the bathroom. By the grace of God I improved and after 37 days in the hospital, I was released on Jan 1, 2022. I had lost approximately 50 pounds while in the hospital and came home at 164 pounds. I also lost most of my hair and had trouble talking and swallowing due to vocal chord damage that thankfully healed. I recuperated a few months with family and at the beginning of March, I started to eat Carnivore to help with my recuperation and healing and to not gain any of the prior weight back.

Prior to my illness, I was at least 50 pounds overweight, at 214 pounds give or take. I am 5’6 ½ inches tall so I carried that much weight pretty well, or so I thought. All blood tests always came back great, except my Cholesterol was a little high from 250-280 and Triglycerides from 256-270. I am 60 years old and I have never been on prescription drugs most of my life except for currently on Eliquis due to my blood clot from Covid. As of my last scan in September my lungs were clear and no more blood clot thank God. I will be getting off of the meds soon. I have never smoked and I never took statin drugs as I wanted to cure myself naturally by losing weight. I exercised and for the most part ate very clean, organic food but ate a lot of fruits, veggies and huge salads, thinking those were so healthy for me. I sometimes ate pasta, pizza and I loved bread but never felt good afterwards. I took good supplements and drank a little wine or a margarita here and there.

I did not feel good after drinking alcohol, had bad brain fog and could not lose any weight no matter what I tried. I started having stomach issues, bloating and felt sick after eating even the smallest of meals. I had days of depression and mood swings. After eating I always felt a vibrating feeling between my belly button and my breast bone and that scared me. I had some joint pain in my shoulder, right wrist, and foot pain. I just felt off and not good and wanted to get to the bottom of why I felt so bad so I went to see a rheumatologist. I thought I must have an auto-immune disease. All tests came back fine and I was told there was nothing wrong with me other than needing to lose some weight.

My friend Al told me about your videos and Dr. Berry and I had been watching them all for a while and was very excited to start the diet. The only apprehension I had was if the diet was safe while being on blood thinners and after all I had been through. I found no evidence that it would not be safe. I have been taking Eliquis since I left the hospital. I could not ask my GP if it was ok to start the diet while on blood thinners because she was always trying to get me to take a Statin drug for my cholesterol. She would tell me I was crazy to do such a diet as she had always recommended the SAD diet. I would like to know your thoughts on taking blood thinners while on the diet as I have not seen any Carnivore podcasts on that subject yet.

I have been on the diet now for 11 months and have kept off any weight gain since I came home from the hospital. All of my brain fog is gone and I have never felt so clear and alert. Definitely improved mood and mental clarity. I have more energy and no more issues with my stomach or bloating. My skin looks great and my hair is growing back nicely. My A1C test in August 2022 was 5.2. My last A1C test before that one was in 2017 and was 5.8 so I was very happy with that result.

I have not had any alcohol and surprisingly that was the easiest thing to give up. Prior to my illness, I loved my wine and margaritas but I do not miss drinking at all. The hardest thing for me when starting the diet was not having any sweets or breads. I never had a real bad sweet tooth but I did enjoy some sweet snacks here and there. I had some really bad cravings for pizza, bread and chocolate cake for whatever reason. I even had dreams about chocolate cake, lol!! Those were tough and lasted for weeks but I fought through it. I soon lost all cravings for the junk food and started craving a steak, my ground beef, bacon and eggs. My appetite shrank so much and most days I only do OMAD, one meal a day. My hunger is manageable and I only eat when I start to feel hungry. I primarily drink water and sparkling waters and occasional home brewed unsweetened iced tea. The only thing I could not give up was my morning coffee. Hey, we have to at least have one vice!! I drink 2 cups a day with a little coconut oil or a low carb 4g non GMO coconut creamer.

The only negative thing so far that I experienced with this diet early on and still occasionally has been some constipation. Not sure why that is, could it be the coffee or creamer? I mostly have very regular bowel movements once a day.

Unfortunately, losing the weight I did so traumatically, I also lost most of my muscle mass which has been really hard to see. I had great leg, calf and arm muscles which is now all gone. I am going to be starting a workout routine with weights to slowly gain back that muscle that was lost. I know that being on the carnivore diet will help my body/muscles to get back to where they were before. I am feeling stronger every day and look forward to my healthier, better life going forward. I would love to hear your advice on the best ways to regain lost muscle mass. I know that muscle has memory as my leg function came back pretty quickly thank God. What a rollercoaster this all has been.

Thank you, Dr. Baker, for all you do and for your never ending inspiration.

Tracy improved SIBO/IBS, menopausal symptoms, A1C, brain fog, and energy on carnivore diet

January 19, 2023 No Comments

Tracy is a fitness and nutrition coach, who lives in Frisco, Texas. She is a cancer survivor that has overcome a number of health problems with the help of a meat-based elimination diet.

 

History of Issues

She grew up eating the standard American diet, and contracted mononucleosis at age 17. This resulted in a number of chronic immune issues. Tracy ate a “whole food plant-based diet” for 15 years, which resulted in gut problems that her doctor said were irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Tracy says this diagnosis wasn’t helpful, because it “was a code word for ‘we have no idea what the hell is wrong with you!”

She became a fitness trainer and nutrition coach, and “did cleanses” but still experienced lots of bloating, constipation, and fatigue.

Tracy’s symptoms were so severe that she went to ER several times, “looking eight months pregnant and they would say, ‘oh you know, drink some Metamucil, eat more fiber, eat low fat.” She would later realize that fiber was causing her to bloat and damaging her intestines.

Cancer Diagnosis

“10 years after I had some of those digestive problems I had my appendix out, and then 10 years later I ended up being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and I was the poster child of health and fitness.”

“I did all the ‘right’ things and I still got cancer.”

She endured 28 chemo and radiation sessions, and had to wait to heal because she was irradiated so badly. “I ended up having to have a permanent colostomy bag, so that was devastating.”

Still Problems; SIBO

Tracy still experienced symptoms and discomfort after her cancer treatment. She did get some improvement from fasting but found her gut health never really improved completely.

“So I was diagnosed then with SIBO, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, which they say about 80% of ‘IBS’ sufferers have SIBO, right?”

Health at Last

Tracy found a protocol that included the first two weeks being on a carnivore diet. She found that she didn’t know how to cook a steak, but started following the protocol. The results happened quickly: “I’ll tell you what, I felt amazing…I have never felt so clear-minded. I think it was so many years that I didn’t even know I was suffering with brain fog, but all of a sudden it was like the veil came down and I felt like I could see things so much clearer. A lot of my inflammation was gone, I felt leaner, my stomach felt better, and that was 2019.”

Since her body is now burning ketones for fuel, she has found that her energy is much more stable. Tracy practices intermittent fasting, and eats eggs, avocado, raw cheese, steak or burgers at night. “I really love a ribeye!”

“I just feel better when I stick to an animal-based diet…my energy is better and…when I’m eating that way I’m able to function at a higher level.”

Daniel and Ed thrive on a carnivore diet

January 19, 2023 No Comments

Ed started a keto diet as a way to improve his focus and productivity, and noticed that it provided more consistent energy. His father had been working on losing weight, and had lost weight and found productivity and mood improved on a carnivore diet.

Ed wanted these gains for himself, so he started the diet also. “I was like, damn this is crazy so let me hop on this carnivore thing and try it out. I tried it out and that’s exactly what I saw for myself as well.”

Dan Needed Help

Dan was working with a different set of circumstances, and needed more than optimization-he needed help!

Ed and Dan followed the “Typical bodybuilding advice; eat high carb, take protein powders, all that and yeah it worked really well for building muscle but my skin got absolutely terrible” reports Dan. That wasn’t the only problem this diet caused, however.

Dan said “I have a bit of a history with depression, and I just felt like garbage all the time, and then my skin got to the point where I had these massive cysts on my skin, like huge volcanoes, and even have a scar where I had to have surgery on one of them. It was awful!”

Prescription Drugs Didn’t Work

“I went to the doctors…they chucked me on this pill called Accutane…man, that pill is evil, dangerous. Although it did make my acne go away, it literally destroyed my whole body. I got shin splints on it the entire time, tore both my labrums in my shoulders, and then was in bed for six months with debilitating pain before starting carnivore. The doctors said it was all in my head and the drug didn’t cause it. I got ADHD and depression; they said there’s no cure for ADHD. They chucked me on Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, all this stuff and I was on so many drugs and I’ve seen all my friends play sports, and I’m just like, ‘this isn’t really the life I want to live. I feel pretty hopeless.”

Dan gained weight, and had to drop out of university because of his pain. His doctors told him that he would be this way for the rest of his life, which drove him to research more, looking for answers. He found the diet, and “life wasn’t even worth living at that point, so I went all in.”

Carnivore Diet Wins

Dan lost 30 kilos in five months (66 pounds), cured his depression, and reduced his chronic pain to the point that now he’s working on rebuilding strength. He eats mostly meat, and finds that he has to avoid fruit or he feels worse and develops cravings. “I fully got my life back!”

Ed also benefited, optimizing his sleep, improving his sprint speed, and finding more energy and focus. He does eat a little fruit and has no problems with portion control.

These two young men have both optimized their health through a carnivore diet!

Trevor heals from depersonalization, body pain, and being bed-ridden on a carnivore diet

January 10, 2023 No Comments

Born and raised in the small town of Lancaster, Ohio, Trevor was always active and athletic. He grew up eating the Standard American Diet, filled with the usual culprits of fried food and sugar, but still had plenty of energy to keep up with his fellow athletes on the field.

After serving in the Marine Corp for four years, he opened up a gym in his hometown and started eating what he calls the “Bro Diet,” one that is beloved by bodybuilders the world over. Full of lean chicken and rice, he adhered to it strictly as he was doing some modeling at the time, however, even though Trevor looked good on the outside, he was far from feeling well on the inside. “My fat [intake] remained extremely low. I believe that’s what led to me getting really sick…that was the diet that ultimately plunged me into a spiral of sickness.”

When Trevor turned 30, he started to experience bizarre and upsetting symptoms. The very worst would go on to include being bedridden for 3 months, paralysis on half of his body, brain fog, loss of balance, exhaustion, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. “I forgot who my wife and family were…I had episodes of like, passing out—[but] not hitting the ground. You couldn’t have a conversation with me. It was like I was a statue.”

This was the beginning of a cavalcade of doctors entering Trevor’s life. He visited neurologists, cardiologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, and optometrists. “I saw everyone under the sun—I mean, they cut, prodded, poked me—they did everything.”

The eventual diagnosis turned out to be even more confusing, with the medical professionals deciding that it was most likely all psychosomatic. Stunned and running out of options, Trevor and his wife kept searching for answers, spending their life savings trying to find a solution to his health nightmare.

“I remember going downstairs to my wife and…the disassociation was the scariest. I remember asking her, ‘Am I alive or am I dead?’ I just couldn’t comprehend…my brain had a hard time just wrapping around the normal ideals of life.”

After trying varying vegetarian diets to no success, Trevor came across Dr. Shawn Baker and the carnivore diet, and decided to give it a go. After about two to three weeks, he says his brain started to turn back on. “That’s kind of a weird thing to say, but it was the truth. I could remember people’s names that I was struggling with…I could read a book and I could remember what I just read.”

Seven months after going carnivore, and Trevor is now totally free from the symptoms that haunted him for the better part of two years. He eats two meals a day full of red meat, eggs and bacon, and is experiencing stellar results in and out of the gym. His mental clarity is sharp, his libido is great, and he even has plenty of energy to remodel his home after a long day at work. In addition to his gym business, he does health coaching online, and is happy to share his powerful testimony with his clients. “It was life-changing. It was life-saving.”

Claire overcame anorexia nervosa and depression on a low-carb diet

January 6, 2023 No Comments

Growing up in France, Claire ate the typical French diet rich in saturated fat and protein. A dancer, she was naturally thin like her fellow ballerinas-in-training. Constant comparisons as to who was the slimmest, however, led Claire to develop body-image issues, and as she entered her teenage years, she started to restrict her eating. Her parents were in the dark concerning her struggles, and after experiencing a traumatic incident at the age of 16, her eating disorder got worse and developed into full-blown Anorexia Nervosa.

As the years passed by, Claire became a prisoner to her tyrannical eating disorder. At 5’ 7”, her weight would go on to drop to a life-threatening 69 pounds. She became so frail she had to use a wheelchair, and at one point, even lost the fat from her optical nerves and went blind for months. Her hair fell out, her teeth fell out, and her heart rate was always hovering below 40. In 2017, she got the flu and died on the table for several minutes. At 33 years old, Claire was desperate beyond measure, and started looking for alternative ways to try and conquer Anorexia.

When she came across the carnivore diet, she was intrigued by its simplicity. She started with a low-fat option, but still didn’t feel very well. Then, in July of 2021, Claire was unable to go swimming with her family when on vacation because she was freezing cold—even though it was the middle of the summertime. In her sadness, she became resolved to give the carnivore diet a real try, and booked a coaching session with one of the Revero coaches online. They encouraged Claire to think about eating meat and fat like taking medicine, and if she committed to it fully, her body would heal—fast.

“I was so scared, but from one day to another I only ate fatty meat…it was a life changer.” Claire started off with easy-to-digest ground beef. She also drank raw egg yolks and snacked on butter—sometimes up to several sticks a day! “I was eating fat all the time, and my body handled it fantastically…It was like body happiness…I couldn’t stop! Since the moment I started eating this way, I was not able to restrict anymore…I have to eat when I’m hungry—my body is so happy with it!”

Within three months, Claire was able to gain 20 pounds and come off all of her anti-depression medication—in close collaboration with her doctor, of course! Now, 39 years old and with a full head of hair, Claire is up to 110 pounds. Instead of being wheelchair-bound and blind, she is able to jump on the trampoline with her son, and work all day in her job as an engineer. All of her blood markers are excellent as well, leaving her doctors amazed.

Any lingering concerns about her weight have vanished, and Claire is miraculously unbothered by the scale.“The carnivore diet is not about weight loss, it’s about weight optimization. So, if it brings me to gain twenty more pounds or thirty more pounds—it’s possible—I don’t have any trouble with it. I want to feel satiated all the time and I want to be able to think clearly and I don’t want to restrict…I’m eating amazing food, I’m doing some movement, I’m sleeping well, so the weight will be what it has to be.”

Dave improves stroke symptoms on carnivore diet

January 6, 2023 1 Comment

Born in Scotland and raised in Australia, Dave’s family relocated to the city of Melbourne when he was just a wee lad of six years old. One morning, in his last year of high school, he woke up feeling strangely. “I thought, ‘What’s wrong with me? Have I got a virus? I feel kind of odd.’” Dave shrugged it off and went about his day, but two hours later, he realized something was seriously wrong. He went to the hospital, and was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Shockingly, at only 17 years old, Dave had suffered a stroke.

He was able to receive life-saving surgery that corrected the problem, but Dave’s lucky escape came along with the common side effects people experience after suffering a stroke. He had palsy on one side of his face, as well as a significant limp in his leg that would worsen as he tired throughout the day. Some of the symptoms got better with time, but his trouble with walking stayed, as well as persistent brain fog and anxiety-ridden indecisiveness.

Seventeen years ago, Dave decided to change locales once again, and he moved from Australia to the city of Osaka, Japan. He continued to struggle physically, but had become accustomed to his “new normal.” When he went for an annual checkup in June of last year, his doctor informed him that he was most likely pre-diabetic. It was a wake-up call, and Dave decided to make a change. He started eating a ketogenic diet, and after experiencing moderate success, learned about the carnivore way of eating. In Japan, meat isn’t vilified like it is in western countries abroad, so he decided to jump right in and try it. That’s when Dave’s health really started to kick into high gear.

Miraculously, he began to see major improvements in his stroke symptoms—nearly thirty years after the incident. Dave’s walking had gotten even worse due to arthritis emerging in his left knee. Now, six months into the carnivore diet, his arthritis was gone, and Dave was no longer hobbling on his walk to the train station. While he acknowledges that some stroke symptoms will never completely go away, they are now a shadow of their former selves. Other unexpected benefits include weight loss, better balance, and clearer skin. His gum disease is also gone, and he no longer has flatulence—a huge bonus as Dave does quite a bit of public speaking. The brain fog and indecisiveness have also disappeared, and have beenreplaced with a greater sense of peace and self-control.

Dave recently started a Youtube channel in the hopes that sharing his story can help others who are searching for similar health breakthroughs. “Honestly, with my Youtube channel, I’m just hoping to kind of spread the word, because we’ve had the wool pulled over our eyes for our entire lives…we’ve been told, you know, ‘Eat bread, eat whole grains, eat pasta…have a balanced diet,’ and we’re sicker than ever. And if I can get, you know, one or two more people to give it a try, then it’s worth it.”

Michelle ran her first half-marathon at 61 on a low-carb diet

December 20, 2022 1 Comment

Michelle – 61 year old female, soon to be 62 in January

12/2021 Started carnivore – At that time, I was using a type of macro tracker which, based upon my metrics and goals, had me at adequate protein, low fat, and low carb. Since the end of 2018, I had been dealing with chronic forearm tendonitis and both lateral and medial elbow pain in my left arm. Also, I have always dealt with constipation, bloating, and lower energy. Since my early 40s, I’ve had a small eczema patch, which I affectionately began to call my barometer. Since I had a sense of how much protein to eat and my carbs were quite low, I decided to give carnivore a try to see if I could mitigate my arm pain, and address constipation, bloating, and eczema.

What I learned during my first year as a carnivore:

  • I call meat, with its requisite fat, my gate keeper. As long as I have adequate protein, with the fat it contains, my energy is stable and I have no cravings.
  • I hydrate throughout the day (water), and use electrolytes during endurance activities.
  • Constipation and bloating resolved immediately, as if I never had them. Eczema resolved, but it does present a bit when I eat eggs.
  • Arm pain is much better, but not completely resolved. Most of the time I am not in pain (prior to carnivore, I was always in pain). While I do love to lift (compound movements), they don’t always love me back (sometimes my arm hurts and sometimes not). The pain doesn’t necessarily present in real time, so I am never sure of what’s going to hurt and what won’t until after I’m done with a workout. There’s something about stepping up to a bar (regardless of the grip) or dumbbells that doesn’t always agree with my arm, regardless of the weight. However, during this year, I discovered that lifting really heavy things (sand bags, tire flips, hay bales, grain bags), close to my body, generates great blood flow, without any pain in my arm. This type of activity makes me so happy. I can work hard and I never experience pain.
  • I realized that I had forgotten to take my supplements for thyroid and adrenals, which I dutifully had taken for years, after starting carnivore. Once I realized this, I no longer felt that I needed them.
  • Initially, I didn’t take off weight, but I could tell that my body was changing because my clothes fit differently. I ditched the scales. Eventually, I took off about 8 lbs, but my clothes fit the same.
  • I no longer feel compelled to chase errant bio-markers (mostly thyroid). If I feel fine, I’m going to assume I’m fine, and as long as I stay carnivore.
  • My sleep is solid.
  • I eat when I’m hungry.
  • Favorite steak cut: chuck-eye
  • Favorite braise cut: cross-cut shank
  • When I go on longer runs (5-6 miles), my body is fine. Before carnivore, I felt like I had done work after a long run day, and I would give my body a break the next day. Now I don’t even notice the longer distance and feel that I could do it again the next day.
  • Highlight during my first year as a carnivore:
    In June, I ran a half-marathon at altitude (about 4800 feet elevation, near Glacier National Park). I neither train that distance, nor run at altitude. My energy and expenditure was fine throughout the run. Afterward, I felt like I had worked, but my recovery was rather seamless. I took the next day off, except for some light walking. The following day I was fine. No carbohydrates required!

Further background about me
I have always been very active, but struggled with weight (either over or under eating). I was constantly on the go, yet fatigued. I always assumed that I was low thyroid, based upon my symptoms. The doctor would check one thyroid marker, which would be in normal range, and tell me I was fine. I love to cook and love to eat. I’ve always been bloated and constipated. I like to do deep dives into information and many N=1 experiments.

In the early 2000s, we embraced Weston Price and Nourishing Traditions. We sourced local grass-fed meat, always tried to source organic produce, and adopted food and lifestyle as our medicine.

Between 2008 and 2018 we farmed in Oregon, raising/selling pastured/grass-fed meat. I started paleo in 2012 and Crossfit in 2013 (5 days per week). I was also active in physically-demanding equine sport and ran 3-4 days per week. I was perimenopausal/menopausal. By 2014, I was in post-menopause and in the pre-diabetic range (A1C of 5.7).

Between 2014 and 2019, I began keto paleo and intermittent fasting, often interchanging days of each. I tried low-fodmap for bloating. Sleep was not great. Adrenals were tapped. I had some low thyroid markers (mostly T3). No autoimmunity. I probably had a cortisol response from much underfeeding, intermittent fasting, and much activity. I tracked blood glucose throughout the day for several years. My A1C didn’t really lower significantly but glucose ranges were so narrow that it was assumed that I wasn’t headed for diabetes, given my food choices and activity level.

By the end of 2018, I had developed chronic forearm tendonitis and both lateral and medial elbow pain from overuse. In 2019, I began using the RP app, which gave me a breakdown of macros that were right for me. I stopped intermittent fasting and started fueling, especially on protein! Had more carbs than I previously had. Great results! Lowered weight and body fat.

In 2020 I got out of the pre-diabetic range (A1C 5.4). I assumed it was because I added back in some carbs. I now know that it was more so that I wasn’t underfueling and stressing my body out.

At the end of 2021, I started carnivore. I love vegetables but don’t miss them, as long as I eat enough protein and fat. In 2022, a few months into my carnivore journey (March), I tried the fruit/honey (small amounts) route for a few weeks. My energy wasn’t great during this time and especially with the honey, it was a slippery slope having it in the house. My lower energy resolved when I ended the short fruit/honey stint. I didn’t miss either. After the brief fruit/honey experiment, I added in some electrolytes, which my body seemed to crave. Was it the electrolytes or was it the hydration that my body was craving? Now, I use electrolytes during endurance activities or if I feel tired, but I endeavor to stay well-hydrated. Recently, I tried adding in more butter. I like the idea of it, but if I add it on top of adequate daily protein, it is just too much fuel for me. Even with increasing activity, my clothes were just getting tighter. I’d need to decrease protein, if I am going to add more fat. Right now my activities include: Functional Range Conditioning, strength training (not always with a bar), rowing, running, rucking, hiking. While I am interested in getting stronger, I no longer want to work against a clock in HIIT activities on a daily basis. It’s great fun and comradery, but too much wear and tear for me.

 

For 2023, I have plans for two more half-marathons: one near Grand Tetons and one near Yellowstone. Hope to get to more runs in other beautiful locations, as I am able.

#Carnivoreforthewin!

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