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Nick improved his hearing, and lost weight on a carnivore diet

April 5, 2020 1 Comment

Hi Sean and Team,

Please consider this version of my success story, it probably easier to read and in better English than what I sent Yesterday.

I am a 50 year old male living in South Africa. My name is Nick Tatalias. I started a journey of weight gain as a weight lifter and competitive powerlifter where I steadily put on more and more weight, initially competing at Powerlifting at 110kg (as it was then) and in weightlifting at 105kg. But as time went on I moved up the 120kg weight category because I was “getting stronger”.  In reality I was just getting fatter.

I Started on a low carb diet in 2014 reducing from 123kg to 103kg over the course of a year.  Initially I kept my weight constant but over time my weight had started to creep up.  I told people I was 105kg but was closer to 108kg.  Then I told people I was 108kg when that was the bottom of my range, probably more like 110kg. 

Snacking on cheese and never getting that satiated signal, I would often eat to much at meals.  I did reduce my blood pressure medication but never came off that. Despite the weight loss I still had ankle and knee joint pain.  I still had Tinnitus (a symptom of metabolic syndrome) which effected my aviation medicals (I am a private pilot).  

After watching a video of Mikhaila Peterson presenting at a carnivore conference in 2019 and because of knee and ankle pains, I thought I would give carnivore a go.  I steadily reduced vegetables but still suffered a bit from constipation, then I went pure carnivore for a week and see how it went.  I was eating eggs and dairy and meat.  It went well so I committed for the whole month in August 2019. 

In September I stopped dairy and went ruminant only (after re watching Mihaila’s presentation) with liver and kidney.  But mostly only Steak.  I started to feel much better and lose weight to the point that I was getting comments at work at how well I was looking.  I started doing some limited body weight exercises, for the first time in 3 years (since I started my new business) because I had the mental energy again and the physical energy.  The constipation cleared up without the veggies (the opposite was true at first but that settled down).  

My knee issue and ankle pains were almost a thing of the past.  I had a medical for insurance purposes, my LDL (C) was up ( total “cholesterol”of 7.2 mmol/l and the insurance wanted to load the premiums, I repeated the blood (many results to share) and did the Feldman protocol.  I just couldn’t eat 5000kCal for three days on the meat it was simply too much food. 

But Total cholesterol went down to 6.5 so insurance was reduced.  I also did a CAC score which showed a zero on all but one of the coronary arteries and a 1 on the one artery which gave me a score of 1.   This gave me confidence that the cholesterol wasn’t a factor.  My cholesterol has always been high even before the Keto diet I had doctors trying to get me on Statins. 

In early December I was down to 99 to 101kg range. I went on holiday in December to travel to Canada and the US.  During the trip I wasn’t able to stay totally Carnivore but still Keto and only two meals a day.  My weight stabilized but with the reintroduction of veggies and dairy my knees started to hurt again, so I will have to check if diary or veggies are the cause.

Since the start of January and a return to South Africa and  return to the Carnivore I have lost more weight range now from 95kg to 97kg.  I am 1.86m tall about 6’2″ tall and I haven’t weight this little since I was 30.  I am now 50 turning 51 in March 2020.  My knees are getting better again.  I have just completed my annual aviation medical again.

The Doctor loved my weight loss, my hearing had improved which surprised the doctor but I explained that my tinnitus had reduced so I could hear much better. Tinnitus is a symptom of metabolic syndrome – so Carnivore has helped where Keto hadn’t.  My blood pressure was 120/67 also much lower to the point that doctor wants me to see if I can stop the medication for that.  But my total Cholesterol was 8.2 and LDL 7.0.  Triglicerides 0.5, HDL 1.7.  HbAIC 4.8% or 29mmol/mol (lowest I have measured) and insulin fasted 4.1 and fasted glucose 5.5.

The doctor nearly fell off his chair at the Cholesterol but I told him I was on a banting diet (what we call Keto in South Africa – didn’t mention the Carnivore will at my next visit).  I also showed him my CAC score, and that with a healthy ECG he passed me with flying colours because of how well I looked to him and all the good things. 

We are now going to see if I can go off my blood pressure meds which I have been on for 12 years. We both agreed that once I hit my goal weight and the fat in circulation would stabilise and I would return the LDL to normal, although I may be a hyper responder or a lean mass hyper responder (although lean hasn’t described me in years but is starting to again)

My goal weight is to be 90 to 93kg and to start lifting again (weight lifting).  on the whole my thinking is much clearer, my energy better and my mood is definitely much more upbeat even with the pressure of my own business in a very tough economy. 

Added benefits are that I can now fly with around 15kg more fuel in the plane which adds close to 45 minutes more reserve, loving carnivore.  My brother is interested but he is a bus driver in Canada and not wealthy so he is trying to figure out how to do it too, he is on a Keto 2 meal a day regime currently.

My iron levels are all normal except the Ferritin, but this has been high since I started measuring it during my Keto time. I guess I will have to donate more blood.  I had hoped this would come down with a reduction in the chronic inflammation that had been hanging around. CRP was below 1 so no issue with inflammation any longer. 

I am so happy with the carnivore diet and recommend to people to try it for a month seriously commit and see the benefits.  Interestingly I never seem to grow tired of steaks, I never thought it would be such fun.

Regards,

Nick

Listen to Nick’s interview on the Revero podcast below:

Mike C. improved skin, chronic pain, digestion and mood on carnivore diet

February 6, 2020 2 Comments

Hello Dr. Baker and the Carnivore.Diet team!  I wanted to wait until I had a full year of Carnivore under my belt before I did my testimonial.  I kind of accidentally discovered this WOE going from 2 months of Keto and just kind of skipping the plants part.  Then I started researching if Carnivore is something that can be sustained and ran across Jordan Peterson’s story and that led to researching you.  Very happy I did!  So for the most part I have been living with all the things that “go to shit” when you hit certain ages. 

Got issues from being a teen, 20s, 35, 40…etc. (I’ll be 45 in July)  All things I was told by friends/doctors/everyone that is just part of life.  My worst injury was a bulging disc from a few years back, all my other issues were just listed under “natural wear and tear”.  Turns out that NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. 

At the end of this I will be putting a list of all the awesome things that have happened over the past 12 months.  Before that I wanted to say that this lifestyle is an absolute game changer.  Even for just an average person with average problems like myself.  I had no idea how crappy my body was doing until I started making this list.  I almost feel like a low level superhero. I’m at the midlife crisis stage and I feel better than I can even remember.  Thank you so much! 

Mike

The following is a list of everything I could list that significantly improved since I started carnivore:

Skin:

  • Keratosis gone
  • Bad body acne gone
  • Cracked bleeding feet healed
  • Chapped bleeding lips reduced 90%
  • No dry skin on arms/hands
  • Athletes foot gone
  • No lobster sunburn (no suntan needed)
  • No body odor
  • No vinegar smell after workout

Chronic Pain:

  • Tennis Elbow gone (had for 5 years)
  • Shoulder tendonitis gone (had for 10 years)
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome gone (had for 10 years)
  • Radial tunnel syndrome gone (had for 5 years)
  • Finger and thumb tendonitis gone (had for 4 years)
  • Knee pain gone (had for 30 years)
  • Hip pain gone (had for 15 years)
  • Lower back pain gone (had for 25 years)
  • Plantar Fasciitis gone (had for 3 years)

Seasonal Ailments:

  • No colds/flu since Feb 2019
  • No constant level of phlegm
  • Tension/Stress/Sinus Headaches, 3 out of usual 25 per year
  • Seasonal Allergies gone


Digestive:

  • Hemorrhoids gone
  • Diverticulitis symptoms gone
  • Bleeding/receding gums healed
  • No plaque/fuzzy feeling on teeth
  • 95% reduction in farts
  • Heartburn gone
  • No bad breath
  • Food allergies gone

Hair:

  • New hair on knees
  • New eyelashes
  • Small amount of head hair regrowth
  • Some gray hair disappeared
  • Thicker beard
  • Finger/toenails less brittle


Other Neat Stuff:

  • 55 lbs fat lost
  • 7 lbs muscle gained
  • Road Rage almost gone/more chill while driving
  • No more “old man” warm up time in mornings. 
  • More motivated in general
  • No Migraines
  • 2-3 nose bleeds a month down to 1 for the year
  • Grew an inch taller
  • Tinnitus gone
  • Can be around sick slobs that sneeze on me, no fear of getting sick
  • Eye floaties gone
  • 90% reduction in eye crusties
  • Greater range of temperature tolerance.  Jeans and T-shirt weather: 30-80 degrees
  • No other illness of any kind since Feb 2019
  • Injuries heal 50% faster
  • Fell down half flight of wood stairs, got up no problem!
  • Overall strength increase
  • Most food/alcohol cravings gone.  (still some alcohol cravings though…just some)
  • Random chest/internal torso pains gone

Danni improved her frequent infections, sleep, digestion, tinnitus and sinus issues on a carnivore diet

February 6, 2020 1 Comment

Growing up on a ranch I learned early that meat was healthy. I have been on a meat-based diet for my whole life. Probably less so during my college years. I contracted mono during my freshman year. Otherwise I was healthy except for the occasional low iron reading I’d receive at annual checkups. I attributed it to running and heavy periods.

Fast forward to my last pregnancy at age 39, when the doctor told me my blood sugar was too high and that this could lead to compilations. She gave me a blood sugar testing kit. I could monitor my blood sugar throughout the day.  It didn’t take me long to realize how much what I ate affected my BS level. I began sticking with a mostly meat diet through the pregnancy and never had to use insulin shots.

After pregnancy I returned to more normal meat-based diet. In 2013 I struggled through a West Nile “like” virus. The test for West Nile was negative but my doctor thought it was very similar to it and for lack of a better idea we treated it like that. The fatigue was like when I had Mono, in addition it seemed that each week or two a different system would be under attack. For a while it was hard to breathe, headaches and fever came and went. I lost over 20 pounds.

After a few weeks my breathing seemed normal, but my digestive system was challenged. At one point the doctors thought the gallbladder needed to be removed. When that subsided, I was left with constant loud tinnitus 24/7 along with night sweats and chills.


This gradually improved and life became more normal; the tinnitus returned at the end of the day or would return 24/7 when I became fatigued from lack of rest. I caught every flu and cold bug that came around. Allergy symptoms were constant so that I took a pill every day to keep symptoms under control.  

I also couldn’t exercise very hard or my muscles would become very tight and the tinnitus would return. This resulted in regaining more than the 20 pounds I had lost from the illness, and it was not muscle. I became flabby and gained more weight around my waist than I’d ever had. It seemed like any additional stress brought symptoms back and I came down with viruses and infections often. 

In 2016 I met a trainer who helped me stay focused on exercising twice a week. This helped strengthen my body and I gained back much of the muscle I had lost. However, I was still about 20 pounds heavier than what was normal for me in my 20s and 30s.

 

In September of 2017 I began the Carnivore diet. Since then I have lost the tinnitus and the extra body fat, while increasing my energy and strength. My body composition has never been better. I rarely need to take an allergy pill. I have not been knocked down by the flu or cold for days at a time since eating this way either.  

I really didn’t think I’d see a huge difference in my health because I’d eaten a meat -based diet my whole life.  I’ve been amazed and feel blessed to have found what works for me. Many thanks to the Carnivore.Diet team for spreading the good news and helping me and so many others. 

Before (Feb. 2017) and Carnivore Measurements:

Chest:              34.5 to 31 in.

Belly Button:  37 to 30 in.

Thigh:              23 to 21 in.

Hips:                41 to 38 in.

Weight:         160 to 140 pounds


Improvements from eating a Carnivore diet for me:

  • Tinnitus
  • Allergy symptoms
  • Sinus issues
  • Less colds, flu and yeast infections
  • Less aches and pains
  • Less bloating
  • Better digestion less burping and gas
  • Less body fat more muscle
  • Better sleep
  • Stable blood sugar

My experience with going carnivore probably isn’t as dramatic because I grew up on a ranch and have been a life long meat eater. However, I can document the benefits of going all meat compared to meat based.

As of December, 2017 I’ve been carnivore about 5 days a week and just low carb the other two days since September 15, 2017. Weight down 15 pounds. After a month my sister, who is in charge of a dialysis unit, told me I’d lost my visceral fat. She said that’s the mid section fat. I could tell it by clothes fitting looser. 

In the gym I’m lifting heavier than I ever have.

See Coach Danni on the Revero podcast here:

Laney lost weight, improved anemia and fatigue on a carnivore diet

November 25, 2019 4 Comments

It’s New Year’s Eve 2018, and this time last year I was making lists and action plans for how I might once-and-for-all get to the bottom of my digestion problems. “This will be the year,” I would think as I would set out at the top of that willpower mountain only to make a steady trail downwards and backwards. I would tell myself, I will drink more water than ever, I’ll eat kale, collards, and spinach, I’ll cut down on meat to once a week max… I’ll have my plate be mostly vegetables.

I tried soaking my grains, slow cooking my food, juice fasts, bone broth fasts, water fasts, I tried yoga postures for digestion, a regular evening walk, going vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten free, grain free, paleo… I did the Whole Life Challenge three times, the Whole30 several times a year, I tried staying on the Whole30 for 100 days…

I did the GAPs diet, I tried eating only once a day; eating 3 times a day; grazing all day; not eating after 4pm, I tried the Low Fodmap diet, the SCD, I saw doctors and specialists, I had abdominal x-rays, ultrasounds, a colonoscopy… I worked with a nutritionist (for a year!), received regular acupuncture, took Chinese herbs, went to naturopaths, did colon cleanses, saw Mayan Abdominal massage therapists…

At one point I tested positive for SIBO and stuffed myself with supplements like goldenseal, oil of oregano, bitters and all manner of digestive enzymes, Berbercap, 5htp, ABD5, Interphase, Floradix. I did two rounds of Rifaximin and Neomycin but the SIBO kept coming back.

I was “being so good”, doing everything I was supposed to be doing! I’d see slight improvements but eventually all of my symptoms would return. Nothing was actually healing me. And not only was I chronically constipated, I had all kinds of mysterious health issues about which doctors would always shrug and say, “Let’s just watch it and see”. I was always getting “benign tumors” including a lump under my arm, a lipoma on my shoulder blade, an enchondroma in my finger that caused the bone to fracture, a uterine fibroid, fibrocystic breast tissue…

I had mysterious skin rashes, rosacea, vision problems, and constant whooshing (tinnitus) in my left ear. I had problems falling and staying asleep, I had bizarre inflammation flare-ups in my joints including one in my knee that was so debilitating that I could not walk without a cane for several months. I had interstitial cystitis, irregular cycles, headaches (including ocular migraines), and I was also depressed, anxiety-ridden and anemic. There were days when I could manage to go to a barre class only come home and sit parked in the driveway for half an hour or more trying to muster the energy to walk to my front door.

I was miserable. I was red-faced and so bloated that I looked 5 months pregnant. I would wake up with a day planned and by 10 in the morning I would have to start cancelling things because I was so inflamed/in pain/bloated/exhausted and emotionally drained. I was missing out on time with my kids, with my husband, my friends, my life.

I felt I had tried everything and I was miserable. And then I tried going keto. I started seeing a slight shift in regularity, I started having more energy and better moods, I was sleeping better… I started learning everything I could about ketosis and macros! I was tracking and peeing on sticks and trying amazing keto recipes like graham crackers with cream cheese frosting!!

Then I heard about micronutrients and slammed on the breaks. The fear set in and I was worried that I might not be getting what I needed if I wasn’t eating my greens and other “superfoods” so I added collards back in and immediately the tinnitus came back. I added in berries and avocado and I became constipated again, my energy dropped, the moodswings returned.

Then one night I was listening to Anthony Gustin’s podcast and heard Dr. Shawn Baker talking about carnivory. I thought, you know what? I have tried EVERYthing else… What have I got to lose by trying one more thing? So, I threw my hands up and went carnivore.

That was September and now, 4 months later, every single one of those symptoms I mentioned above have disappeared. In six weeks went from 156lbs to 127lbs (and have now stopped weighing myself because I couldn’t care less about the scale). I went from CIC (chronic idiopathic constipation) to having several -at least two- bowel movements every day. I can make plans with confidence because I am no longer a slave to mysterious physical and mental health issues.

Today my diet is simple. There is no guesswork, recipe scouring or fretting over whether this dish is “legal”. I eat mainly beef, pork, elk, and fish. I can have small amounts of cheese but I don’t do well on eggs or yogurt. I do not miss anything that I used to eat. I do not feel left out when others partake in things I cannot eat because I have my health back and that is way more delicious than anything else imaginable! 

Mark treated apnea, diabetes, psoriasis, and tinnitus on carnivore diet

November 1, 2019 1 Comment

You are what you eat

When you live with pain for so long it becomes the norm, you have no idea what a pain-free healthy life is. This is my story.

They say you are what you eat!

One of my first memories, when I was 7 years old, of attending our family doctor was because I had an abscess that was from hip to knee and wrapped almost completely around my thigh. I suffered from these regularly although this was the worst one to date and it was excruciating to say the least.

The memory has faded over the years until recently I remembered something the doc said to my mum at the time, he said “You need to stop him eating sweets”.

As a kid I completely dismissed this, as did my mum…

At 12 years of age I had suffered a life of constant abscesses and ear infections (Otitis externa) that regularly meant I was admitted to hospital for intravenous intervention and surgeries due to sepsis and the need for pus drainage from both ears and abscesses.

I was attending a Haematologist because of my health issues and was diagnosed with a completely unknown Neutrophil disorder and had to accept that I was going to live my life with constant hospital visits because of my health issues and that my immune system would never work.

Life went on and I accepted the cards I’d been dealt because medical professionals had said I had no other choice.

At 20 years old I was rushed into hospital with a fever from sepsis caused by a cold sore on my middle finger of my right hand and it was a true sign of how weak my immune system really was. This became my next frequent symptom of my bad genetics, as I was led to believe.

A year later I suffered a major trauma to my left wrist, with a comminuted fracture to the distal end of my left radius as well as a broken Ulna and Scaphoid. This really took my health on a downward spiral as my body tried it’s best to heal the injury and I couldn’t physically work or use my left hand for 4 years.

This event was the start of my weight issues in life and I rapidly gained pound upon pound of body fat as I went through depression and ate highly processed foods, they were all I could afford whilst living on benefits, for comfort.

Fast forward 20 years and I was almost 40 years old in November 2014. I wasn’t the most pleasant human being alive and hated the world and most people in it. I’m truly surprised my wife put up with me and eternally grateful for her constant love and support.

Strangely, another accident was the turning point in my life.

Due to my health issues I had lost consciousness whilst driving my work vehicle and my driving license was revoked.

I had Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and Mrs H would tell you I had a serious case of ‘Grumpy husband syndrome’

The conditions to regain my driving license were to have a BMI under 30 and be a non-smoker.

My BMI was 43 and I smoked 40 a day.

Using a weight loss program with over 30 years of proven history and evidence based results I lost 9 stone (126lbs or 57.15kg) in 7 months and reversed all of my health issues and quit the smokes!. My wife joined me on the journey and lost an amazing 6 stone 2lbs(86lbs or 39kg).

The weight loss was the easiest thing I’d ever done in my life to improve it in every aspect, but I now had to learn to maintain that health for life.

As we were already following a low carb plan, we decided to try living a low carb lifestyle and never really introduced the carbs back into our life. Against all common beliefs and official health guidelines we were not only maintaining our weight loss, but my health was constantly improving!

We spent over 2 years living a ketogenic lifestyle and I personally noticed that after a while I was slowly gaining weight and suffering from signs of inflammation in the form of psoriasis on my head and face. The Otitis externa, a form of eczema, in my ear canals was still a regular issue although they had reduced in severity. I also lived with Tinnitus due to the ear issues. I also found I was regularly constipated. On top of that I was constantly hungry.

Late 2017 I was reading about the Zero carb/carnivore lifestyle and through reading some amazing stories of people who had cured so many ailments and illnesses by changing their diet I decided to give it a try, what did I have to lose, and set myself to try 30 days of meat and water only.

I’ve never looked back and my health has continued to improve in that time. Here’s a list of my health issues I no longer suffer from in any way due to a complete change in my diet.

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Hypertension
  • Sleep apnea
  • Constant abscesses in groin and under arms
  • Neutrophil disorder
  • Psoriasis
  • Herpes Simplex
  • Otitis externa
  • Tinnitus
  • Depression
  • Aggression
  • Constipation
  • Bloating
  • Lowered libido

I’ve had over 40 surgeries in my lifetime for many different reasons but mostly to drain abscesses or even go so far as removal of my pilonidal sinuses at the base of my spine to prevent further abscesses recurring.

If only my mum had listened to that doctor in 1982 who seemed to realise my ill health was down to my diet and the foods I was eating…

Flexofighter improved Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Symptoms on carnivore diet

October 30, 2019 4 Comments

Taking the Wrong Drug

November 2017 marked the start of a serious decline in health for me through a series of unfortunate events. I experienced a severe adverse reaction to an antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone class. What makes this toxicity different from an allergy is that even when you stop using the medication, your symptoms don’t necessarily stop. This drug can cause serious, long lasting, and even permanent side effects and damage, leading to disability and even death.

Fluoroquinolones have black box warnings by the FDA. These warnings are the highest safety warnings prescription drugs can get by the FDA. Some people react immediately and from only one pill, and others need to take a higher dose or multiple courses of treatment before they react.

Severe reactions to fluoroquinolones reported to the FDA include: pain, tingling, burning, numbness, neuropathy, weakness, extreme fatigue, swelling or rupture in the tendons, symptoms lasting longer than one year, depression or anxiety, and heart palpitations.

Allergies and a Lot of Pain

The reason for reactions to fluoroquinolones by some people is not completely known. It took me only four of these pills to be severely ill. I became a floxie—the name that those who experience debilitating side effects give themselves—but was determined not to be a floxie forever!

Among other things, I developed severe allergies to many foods, histamine intolerance, digestive issues, vision issues, hearing issues, brain fog, heart rhythm issues, my teeth became translucent, my cycle stopped, and I lost a ton of weight—15kg’s in a little more than a month.

A doctor concluded that my mitochondria were not functioning as they should. As a result, I experienced severe oxidative stress and had problems with my thyroid, as well as many nutritional deficiencies. My digestive issues probably prevented me from absorbing nutrients and contributed to my weight loss. Also, I had a lot of pain everywhere, and my joints were popping and cracking like an 80 year old.

Eating More Wonderful Meat

I gradually and naturally progressed from a plant based diet to a more meat and fat based diet and felt better daily. WOW, WOW, WOW! The last 10 months I have been “dirty” carnivore and the gains I have felt and seen during this time are just indescribable. I will forever be grateful that God brought this WOE over my life.

All the symptoms that I mentioned have gone away, and I have not even had a sniffle in the last two years. I have even started Ice skating and just started working out again yesterday. I can not wait to see what great things await!


Health Feels Wonderful

Thanks to Dr. Baker, Dr. Saladino, and all the other Carnivore docs!!! You guys rock!

Floxies sometimes struggle to heal. If you have been floxed and have tried everything else and are still experiencing symptoms, then the carnivore diet is something to consider!

And I make sure that I source antibiotic free meat to avoid complications.

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

Christian improved hearing, gained weight, treated autism on carnivore diet

November 1, 2018 2 Comments

Hey everyone, I’m not really autistic anymore but I was before.

When I was 18 I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, had all the normal issues: sensory overload, trouble communicating, temper problems. All standard autistic behaviour. However at times I had severe impairment. At times I could not speak for sometimes hour at a time, I noticed this was always accompanied by extreme abdominal pain and hunger then I precede by eating food (sugar, and grains) and the symptoms got worse, or loss of speech, hearing to a degree and some movement impairment, and always accompanied by sensory overload. After one episode I finally realised this is happening to me because of food, then I started to trial many different diets, all with relatively no success.

December 2017 I had a problem while paint and decorating with my father, I couldn’t move voluntary at times and would had a case of involuntary blinking and would have tears running down my face without being sad or upset. This left me confused and I was fed up so I stopped working. I always tried hard, I worked out, I thought I was eating healthy. I would eat so much fruit, but it would make my abdominal pain even worse. Nothing worked I tried everything, I even went to nutritionist and tried fasting.

So it was December 2017 and Shawn Baker was on the Joe Rogan podcast, you guys probably already watched it. Shawn Baker was advocating a meat only diet and said it cured a bunch of his ailments and increased his performance. I literally said “fuck it” I will try it, I got nothing to lose, I’m in pain and tried everything and this is depressing. Being autistic sucks because you cannot control what you do, your body does… You try grab the cup you can’t; you fumble, you try let go… but you can’t you are too tense. You are angry when you aren’t, and can’t talk when you talk…

So I tried this meat diet for 30 days and it went really well, best I ever felt in my life. Simple things like sugar crashes and feeling tired just disappeared. However as the time went on I started noticing: I’m not in pain anymore, I don’t have to stop and think when I speak, I’m looking at people in their face, I am calm and not raging when playing video games (I used to rage a lot). I can move how and when I want to, no more insatiable hunger.

Everything autism related just evaporated, it was like it was never there. I also never get nervous now at all.

I’m 25 years old. I’m now 1 year and 3 months carnivore, I mainly eat raw meat nowadays. I gained weight, I was always skinny 5 ft 10 140 lbs, now I am 170lbs and feel a lot better.

I was going to post this a year ago but couldn’t be bothered.

This story doesn’t detail everything but I tried to keep it short and simple.


Thank you for anyone that reads this and most importantly thank you Shawn Baker for changing my life!

Brett improved auditory system, fitness, treated headaches on carnivore diet

November 1, 2018 No Comments

Brett has enjoyed some incredible improvements to his health since he started a carnivore diet three weeks ago. Though he is still early on in his journey, he’s encouraged by his initial results and plans to stick with it longer and see how his body will continue to heal.

Joint Pain and Stiffness

“I’m 52 years old, and until three weeks ago, I suffered from staggering joint pain and stiffness. Along with the joint pain, I would also have incredibly sore muscles after workouts.”

While many people consider joint pain and stiffness to be an inevitable part of aging, more people are finding relief by following a meat-based diet and removing all plant foods. Although fruits and vegetables have long been considered part of a healthy diet, toxins and antinutrients present in many plants can cause inflammation in the human body and lead to chronic joint pain and stiffness.

Relief with a Carnivore Diet

Brett wondered if there was anything he could do to feel better and was intrigued when he heard about how a meat-only diet had helped others heal from similar symptoms. “I decided to try the carnivore diet after seeing Dr. Jordan Peterson talk about his experience with it, and I read the other testimonials on this website.”

That was less than a month ago, and Brett is already seeing results. “I’m on day 20, and I feel great! Whatever I had in my system that was causing the inflammation is almost 100 percent gone.” While individual results vary, most people find relief on a carnivore diet as soon as the first few days. Depending on the severity of symptoms, it can sometimes take up to 90 days to first see results.

Losing Weight and Building Muscle

Brett is surprised at how well his body responds to an all-meat diet, with physical changes he didn’t expect to find in his fifties.

“I’m just starting to rediscover my former athletic self. I played college basketball and some professional basketball.” At 6’6” and 210 pounds when he started a carnivore diet, Brett wasn’t trying to lose weight but has found it’s an added benefit. “Even though I wasn’t looking to lose weight, I’m down to 199 pounds and holding steady.”

Off to a Great Start

“I think I’m already through the tough part,” Brett shares, noting that his desire for carbohydrates has mostly gone away. “I still have the occasional craving for a bowl of cereal or a banana, but I’ve noticed those are less frequent, and after the first five days, I no longer have headaches.”

Brett notes his sleep has improved, and he no longer has pain in his hips, knees, or feet. “Even after a strenuous workout, I no longer have pain in my calves. Even my hearing is better!”

Brett has a solid plan to make adjustments as he continues to heal. “I plan on reintroducing certain low-carb foods after I reach the 30-day mark. I’ll keep a watchful eye to see if any inflammation returns.”

Brett hopes that limiting carbs and sugar will allow him to remain pain-free without limiting himself to only animal products. “If the pain returns, at least I know how to get rid of it!”

Elisabeth improved dental health, digestion, fitness, mood on carnivore diet

November 1, 2018 No Comments

Elisabeth is from Denmark. Prior to adopting a carnivore diet, she had struggled with depression since she was a young child and had survived several suicide attempts.

Lifelong Poor Health

Elisabeth’s entire life was spent in a constant state of inflammation, which also caused her to have stomach and asthma problems. She had very challenging issues with dental health, saying that her gums would always bleed when she would brush her teeth. Her dentists did not offer help with her gum and dental health.

She “couldn’t drink water with ice because it would hurt so much. I couldn’t eat anything cold.”

Keto, Then Zero Carb

Finally, several years ago, Elisabeth found out about the health benefits of zero carbohydrate diets. She says, “I started ZC 15 March 2015. I was on a strict Ketogenic Diet before, which did help with my osteoarthritis. A fat-fast made me pain-free. Adding veggies back made my pain come back. I did research about if I could survive without veggies, and found the group, Zeroing in on Health.”

From Pain and Medications to Freedom

Elisabeth was accustomed to needing medication to get through her days and found herself freed from this with her new diet. She explains, “I came from strong painkillers and severe pain to life without medication and pain-free, most of the time.

No More Asthma or Allergies

The new way of eating Elisabeth had also helped her asthma. She says, “I have had asthma all my life. It is gone. My seasonal allergies are reduced, and I don’t need any medication on ZC. My tinnitus is gone. My gut troubles are gone. My dental health has improved. Hormonal improvement.

“Now I can drink all the ice water I want”

Skin Health, Muscle Growth

She now can grow muscle more easily and finds her skin is healing. “My skin is more healthy than ever. I have a bigger overarm now, than when I was training intensely, with no training.”

Relief from Lifelong Depression

Through a carnivore, zero-carb diet, Elisabeth has discovered a happier way of life: “Best of all, I was fighting a depression which wouldn’t leave. I have had depression since childhood, very often. I haven’t had any, on zc, not even now, when my Company was bankrupt. I do have a mental clarity on ZC that I never had dreamed of. I am really more me, and I dare to live in the moment.”

Elisabeth’s doctor attributes all of her progress on a carnivore diet to coincidence.

Other Benefits Too!

Elisabeth reports that “My libido is better than ever, and I feel younger than I have felt in many years. I am 50 years old.”

Carnivore For Life Now

Having now found her nutritional fountain of youth, Elisabeth isn’t about to return to her old diet and medications. She says, “I love meat, and I love what it does for my body. I was a carboholic, and now I have no cravings, at all. ZC made my life so much better.

Yours sincerely,
Elisabeth,
from Denmark.”

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