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Chana heals from NAFLD, skin issues, digestive issues, and pre-diabetes on a carnivore diet

January 10, 2023 No Comments

Chana is located in Israel and has been on a carnivore diet for nine months. Her career was in music education, and she had been teaching as an orchestra director in New York and Pennsylvania since 1973. She also taught string instruments privately and in groups.

She always thought of herself as “into health,” and in 1982, “I decided to become a vegetarian, thinking that was a great way to go with my health because I gained a little weight after my first child, and then a year later I became a vegan and, um, way too restrictive! I actually felt okay for a while, then in the 90’s…couldn’t pinpoint it but I wasn’t feeling as well. When I get into these things, I’m very strict. Very little protein, and even less fat. You’d spread a little oil on the pan to saute some kind of vegetable and that’s about the amount of fat you got.”

Every time some health problem would arise, Chana would try to further tweak her diet. She now knows that she should have tweaked it by “getting rid of the diet, adding some protein and fat, get rid of the carbs.”

Chana started eating more raw foods, believing that they were healthy for her to eat, and “then I really wasn’t feeling so good,” and she realized this diet tweak didn’t help at all.

Chana tried Paleo “which helped a little bit but not enough to be ketogenic.” She found out about carnivore from a friend who was doing it. She thought about it for several months, but her friend wasn’t doing it anymore.

She was then diagnosed with fatty liver disease and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Chana also had reflux problems for a long time.

Chana started the carnivore diet on her birthday last year. She had problems with her adrenals and hypothyroid, “along with some yo-yo dieting things from the past where I was eating too many carbs.”

She has been able to minimize the level of bioidentical hormones she takes, and after six weeks on the diet, her liver enzymes began to normalize. Chana experienced other changes in her blood work, with “cholesterol has gone up to 322, my HDL is 114, LDL is 197. Triglycerides are 53.” These values reflect some very healthy ratios, such as a triglyceride to HDL ratio well below 1.0. Her reflux completely vanished after six weeks on the diet.

Chana has also seen a big improvement in her energy levels: “I get much more accomplished. Before carnivore I was in bed a lot; I was exhausted.” Her weight also went from 154 down to 125 in about six weeks!

As far as Revero goes, Chana feels “it has been a major source of help and camaraderie and community, and it’s really a wonderful platform to be part of because there’s so much support.” She is now a coach on the platform!

Ray’s Scale No Longer Dies Beneath Him

June 21, 2022 No Comments

Age: 65

Very Low Carb , meat heavy “Ketovore” for 2 1/2 years.

Was formerly athletic, became morbidly obese, peaking at least 365 pounds I actually don’t know HOW HIGH my final weight went because my scale DIED beneath me one morning. Within half a year of this dietary change (heavy meat ketovore) , I was down to 332 pounds and feeling great.

My food before Ketovore was primarily ‘rice and something’. Lots of veggies, peppers, onions ginger/garlic and often a few slices of meat, but always half a plate or more of Indian Basmati rice or Japanese ‘sticky’ rice. If I ate a pound of meat per WEEK it was unusal. Using Indian spices, the food smelled and tasted terrific. However, my sweet tooth was strong. SWEET coffee, a “healthy” muffin or other snack with more sweet coffee at intervals less than 2 hours. My endurnce was very poor: having to refuel at two hour intervals during the work day or my energy and concentration would decay badly. Being an engineer, concentration and endurance are critically important. My eyes were rapidly decaying (posterior uvitis/”bird shot” Rx = predinisone 60mG/Day) to delay my eventual DIAGNOSED impending blindness!!! Rapidly increasing obesity and blood pressure.

My food before Ketovore was primarily ‘rice and something’. Lots of veggies, peppers, onions ginger/garlic and often a few slices of meat, but always half a plate or more of Indian Basmati rice or Japanese ‘sticky’ rice. If I ate a pound of meat per WEEK it was unusal. Using Indian spices, the food smelled and tasted terrific. However, my sweet tooth was strong. SWEET coffee, a “healthy” muffin or other snack with more sweet coffee at intervals less than 2 hours. My endurnce was very poor: having to refuel at two hour intervals during the work day or my energy and concentration would decay badly. Being an engineer, concentration and endurance are critically important. My eyes were rapidly decaying (posterior uvitis/”bird shot” Rx = predinisone 60mG/Day) to delay my eventual DIAGNOSED impending blindness!!! Rapidly increasing obesity and blood pressure.

My good friend Al suggested that I might consider “Keto” helpful (I was morbidly obese) for him, he took off 20-25 pounds his first month and felt GREAT. I am a “why guy” I need to know WHY something works, before I will even consider it valid to test. I studied all I could find online about the theory of why Low Carb WORKs. Internet and books by Drs. Jason Fung, Ken Berry, I began to understand the HORMONAL response to my high carb, refined sugar and “vegetable oils” diet. Nina Teichulz was a wealth of information on fake oils and real meat. Your channel was in there BUT I can tell you that – at that time- I thought that I would never go full carnivore because I was so conditioned to believe that it was unhealthy. Now, here I am.


Initially my dietary rules were simple: zero surgars, absolutely 20gm of carbohydrates or less per day, no fake oils. I measured my morning/fasting blood sugars, blood pressure and more, my Wife (a very good nurse) assumned that if this worked, I would eventurally need to reduce or eliminate some medications: that was indeed a correct assumption. We were both VERY concerned about my eventual ‘need’ for insulin injections looming in my future as a T2 diabetic; we both knew that we could not afford it with my greatly reduced retirement income.

I noticed the loss of fat and was amazed, to be satisfied. If I became ‘snacky’ I’d make bacon and eggs or a burger patty and the problem was solved. I began eating more meat and above ground veggies in rich butter/heavy cream sauces with caramelized red wine for flavor (Remember the “French paradox”? They eat full fat everything and are generally slim. 🙂 I was still doing breakfast, so 3 – 4 egg, butter omelets with some chives and garlic, with cheese started the day with coffee. Red meats at meals were rapidly introduced in increasingly larger amounts. 1 – 2 pounds becoming normal.

 

  1. Ribeyes = I finally understood what being ‘sated’ at mealtime meant!
  2. My energy between meals was excellent – no slumps as when I was carb fueled. It was like having a huge fuel tank once I was ‘fat adapted’. My Wife noticed that my energy level was ‘through the roof’: house projects and more were getting done.
  3. My morning fasting blood sugars dropped from the 200’s to below 100 for the first time since I began monitoring them a year earlier.
  4. Due to light-headedness, I went off Metformin – which required a few tries before I stabilized.
  5. BP was far too low 117/70’ish and I worked with my Doc to get a ‘baby dose’ of Losartan, which I still seem to require. (I’ve been hypertensive since my thirties – high stress jobs…)

 


Before diet change – my diagnosed ‘conditions’ and symptoms were:

  • Severe Sleep Apnea
  • Dangerously high blood pressure
  • Posterior uvitis (“birdshot”) retinal flashes, and bleeding inside my eyes!
  • Retina Doc mentions: “Where is ALL this inflammation coming from?”
  • CPAP required for sleep
  • GERD
  • Constant tooth decay and very red and swollen gums. My dentist hated what he saw.
  • Constant and increasing 2+ pitting edema on shins
  • Fatty liver. Doctor: “Sooo, tell me about your drinking?” and I wondered did where THIS came from?
  • Slow or no healing – example: a hole on my shin remained unhealed for many months. Even routine scratches remained for many weeks or more.
  • Peripheral neuropathy on outside three toes on both feet.
  • Infections in odd places, wound edges, skin folds. (Glycated body was probably TASTY for pathogens?)
  • 6x daily meds – before diet change:
  • Losartan 125 mG w
  • HCTZ 25 ?
  • T2D
  • Metformin 500 mG to increase if needed later – never needed 🙂
  • Anti-inflammatory Rx: Tramadol and more as their effectiveness diminished.
  • Pain meds PRN for knee injury.
  • Couldn’t slide into some restaurant booths, would have to squeeeze behind the car’s driving wheel.
  • Very sore joints and chronic body aches (was told that this is “normal” aging)

Tia gave up her love affair with carbs on a carnivore diet

May 5, 2022 No Comments

I was heading down a bad road with lots of health problems my cousin and dear friend pushed me to change my life. To look at my illness as a carb addiction. He found Dr. Cywes to help me.

It has been a lifestyle change that has been the hardest thing I have ever done. My main goal was to reverse my type 2 diabetes and adrenal insufficiency, hypertension, and uric acid levels.

I am off about 20 medications including 160 units of Humalog by insulin pump and 50 units of Lantus each night. 200 mg metoprolol tartrate and 40 mg of lisinopril for blood pressure, triglyceride medications 145mg tricor, 300mg allopurinol, lovaza and 40mg previstatin. Predisone to make cortisol for my adrenal insufficiency or I could die I was told. CPAP for sleep apnea. Non Alcoholic Fatty liver disease that I was told I really could not do anything about.

Through the years I have had numerous tumors removed, including a radical hysterectomy and the removal of the right adrenal gland with a tumor. I went septic from a large kidney stone stuck in my ureter because of high levels of uric acid. Acute pancreatitis from taking 20 lipase pills a day.

 

I am currently under the care of a bariatric surgeon through telemedicine (Dr. Robert Cywes). He has gotten me to look at carbs as an addiction like you would alcohol or drugs. I know if I go back it could kill me so I take it seriously and am very passionate about this journey to wellness.

I have been eating LCHF Lowcarb High fat for 4 years now. If I would introduce carbs back in without my insulin it would be very harmful so it helps me to stay on the path because I have fear of carbs now. It has changed my life. I do cry sometimes about not being able to eat certain things but have a big support system. Like people here at home yell, “NO you can’t have that!” Then I want to pout and feel sorry for myself.

I eat mostly all animal products. Dr. Cywes suggestion to fast 16/8 was a game changer. Eating 2 meals a day. No snacks as it would be an emotional event for me to snack. I have gone from a size 22 to an 8 and I try to walk at least 30 minutes each day to keep my blood glucose number good. My A1c was an 8.1 when I started and it is now a 5.1. My triglycerides were at 300 and now they are at 59. My blood pressure is great now with no medications. My uric acid levels were as high as a 9 at one point but down to a 4.6 and have eliminated the allopurinol.

It is a struggle every day and it has not been easy but well worth it. ♥️ If it works for me I know it can work for many more. I no longer take any of those medications, have no more fatty liver and no diabetes and my uric acid levels are in the normal range. LCHF Keto/ Carnivore lifestyle has healed my body.

I was told I would be on all those medications for life. Life changing! We need to spread to word far and wide. 

 

Thanks for listening and hope this will touch someone’s life.

Eric healed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, migraines, arthritis on carnivore lifestyle

December 29, 2021 No Comments

Eric has struggled with food allergies and sensitivities for most of his life. Eric tried to follow the vegetarian diet for almost ten years, but the diet wreaked havoc on his body. Over time, Eric learned he has an allergy to eggs and sensitivities to many vegetables and grains.

Eric is a farmer and does a lot of lifting and moving throughout the day. He calls his workout “farm fit.” Over the years, Eric started to develop arthritis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, affecting his ability to do his job. Eric also developed high blood pressure and wanted to change his life.

Eric’s first introduction to a meat-based diet occurred in 2010 when he read the book “Primal Health by Michael Odent. Eric says he began understanding the benefits of eating meat and what his body needed but wasn’t ready to commit fully. He went on and off the diet for several years until this past year, he fully committed to the meat-based carnivore diet alongside his family.

Eric says he did have some transitional issues when he began the carnivore diet, mainly diarrhea. He jokes, “it took a couple of weeks to feel safe to leave my home.” Eric also noticed some changes in his sleep patterns. However, his bowels and his sleep seemed to correct themselves within two or so weeks, and he is now reaping the benefits of his meat-based lifestyle.

Eric says, for him, “the weight loss was quick.” Eric also noticed he could put on more muscle once he fully committed to the carnivore lifestyle, and his moods became more stable. His fatty liver disease and arthritis also disappeared; his blood pressure when he went to the doctor two weeks ago was 120/70. Eric’s doctor asked what he was doing to get his blood pressure down. Eric told him, “eating meat and salt.” His doctor responded with a quick, “don’t quit.”

Eric says he appreciates having support from his doctor. Eric also says a surprising side effect has been he no longer has an achy knee or back. He describes struggling to climb the stairs some days before committing to a carnivore lifestyle. Now aches and pains aren’t an issue at all.

Eric also seems to recover more quickly now that he is a carnivore diet follower. At forty-seven years old, Eric says he still enjoys skateboarding. A couple of months ago, Eric fell while skateboarding and injured his back. He says an injury like that usually takes him over a month to bounce back. However, his body was back to normal after only a week.

Eric says the carnivore diet is easy for him because he eats what he farms: beef and pork. He doesn’t have to shop for his meat; it’s right in front of him on his farm. After ten years as a vegetarian, Eric says he has no plans to return. He knows his body wants and needs meat. Eric plans to eat this way for the rest of his life. He says, “it just works.”

 

Chandler reversed non-alcoholic fatty liver, GI issues, and inflammation on carnivore diet

March 22, 2021 No Comments

Chandler describes himself as relatively healthy during his childhood and teen years, despite his terrible diet. He found himself snacking all day, eating a lot of candy and other non-nutritious foods, drinking five to ten diet or regular sugary sodas daily, and drinking up to five cups of coffee. Chandler even had a habit of utilizing nicotine. However, it wasn’t until he was twenty-one years old that his health spiraled.

Chandler was diagnosed with lime disease and contracted both Babesia and Bartonella– bacterial infections. Chandler was also diagnosed with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) during this time. All of his ailments combined debilitated Chandler and forced him to not only be bedridden for over a year but also to drop out of college.

For several more years, Chandler’s conditions continued to worsen. He experienced intense gastrointestinal issues and back pain. His doctors found his liver enzymes were abnormally high, which means his body had liver damage. Through an abdominal ultrasound, Chandler’s doctors found fatty deposits on Chandler’s liver, which meant that his liver was struggling to function. His symptoms weren’t just internal. Chandler also says his face was red and quite swollen during this time.

Chandler’s dad discovered the Carnivore.Diet community, lost seventy pounds, and eliminated his health ailments through his carnivore diet journey. His dad spent many months trying to convince Chandler to adopt the carnivore way of eating, but Chandler didn’t want to listen. Finally, when he was twenty-six years old, he decided something had to give. So he began to try “dirty keto.”

For Chandler, the dirty keto lifestyle felt very hard as his body adjusted. After three months, he transitioned to a more “strict keto” diet. During this time, Chandler saw the most significant difference in his health. He lost twenty-five pounds, and the redness in his face disappeared. He also experimented with fasting and used it to lose additional weight.

After a year of eating strict keto, Chandler says his skin completely cleared, and he experienced greater mental clarity. At this point, his diet was 85-90% meat-based. Chandler finally followed his father’s lead and jumped into the carnivore lifestyle. He says the carnivore way of life has healed not only his liver. It also has cured his carb addiction, reduced his stomach and back pain, and given him energy.

Chandler has now been following the carnivore lifestyle for eight months. He says he eats primarily ground beef and prefers the taste of grass-fed. He also enjoys filets on occasion and has found he can tolerate dairy. A surprising side effect of the carnivore diet has been the six to eight cavities in his teeth that have healed thanks to Chandler’s diet.

Chandler says the most significant benefit of the carnivore diet is that he doesn’t think about food, and grocery shopping is effortless. He often wonders, “why didn’t I do this sooner?” Chandler loves advocating for the carnivore way of life and became a health coach. He says he feels “everyone can get healthy,” and it’s “amazing how great your life can be when health issues don’t tie you down.”

Kelly improved her kidney disease on a carnivore diet

December 13, 2019 16 Comments

Hello, my name is Kelly. I am a 54 year old female. I have been doing the carnivore diet for 3.75 years.

Losing my liver and colon
I had to have a liver transplant due to autoimmune disease in 2013 and then lost my colon to ulcerative colitis in 2015.  I wish I had known about the carnivore diet back when it may have been possible to save my colon, but that’s water under the bridge.
 

Damaged kidneys

I have to take an anti-rejection medication every day for the rest of my life, and that med is nephrotoxic. When my UC was at it’s worst, I suffered an acute kidney injury from dehydration, and adding a daily dose of nephrotoxicity didn’t help. The end result of all of that was a eGFR as low as 20 and a creatinine of 2.54 back in March of 2015.
 

Still having colon issues

Fast forward to April of 2016. I had been eating low-carb paleo for a year, with the modification of no leafy greens. But I was still eating root vegetables and some of the other veggies they recommend. But even though I had gotten rid of the inflamed, non-functioning colon that was said to be the cause of my problems, most importantly of which was anemia, I was still anemic. I never could tolerate oral iron supps and the I.V. infusions I had in the past never had a lasting effect.
 

Dropping the plants

In April of 2016 I dropped all plant matter from my diet. This was quite a scary leap of faith for me because, while I knew that meat wasn’t bad for me, I had read that people with chronic kidney disease should greatly limit their protein to help slow the progression of the disease.  Was I about to hasten my route to dialysis and a kidney transplant? 
 

Iron levels normal

Turns out that “too much” protein does not kill your kidneys and some vegetables can block your absorption of iron (among other things). 3 months after dropping all plant matter from my diet, all my iron markers came into normal range and have stayed there. My last eGFR in September of 2019 was 49 and my creatinine was normal at 1.16.   And while 49 is still below normal for eGFR, I have been as high as 52 over the last few years eating carnivore, and was as low as 20 before carnivore.  And this has all happened while eating 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of meat a day for almost 4 years now.
 

Resisting negative effects

The immunosuppresant I take every day also tends to cause high blood pressure, high blood sugar and anemia, among many other things. But I have not had any of these issues and though I cannot prove it because I don’t have a clone of myself to use as a control, I feel that my diet has a lot to do with my “resistance” to those effects.
 

Smooth digestion

One more benefit of this diet I’d like to mention— my digestion is smooth and quiet, and never gives me any trouble. And if you’ve ever had an IBD flare, you know how huge this benefit is! My GI tract has been sliced, diced and re-plumbed significantly and doesn’t look anything like what most people have.  I have had a Roux-en-Y Choledochojejunostomy and an open proctocolectomy with APR. I don’t expect anyone to care about those details, but suffice it say that fiber is my enemy because of how altered my plumbing is.
 

Bioavailability

I have no plans to change the way I eat. Meat is easy to digest and is packed with all the nutrients we need in a highly bioavailable package. That bioavailability is key, especially for people like me.
 
Kelly

Larry reversed diabetes on carnivore diet

December 2, 2019 5 Comments

Hello, my name is Larry. I am a U. S. Army Veteran Sgt., GI Bill College graduate, and a retired aerospace engineer.

 

I died, for real

 

I had a heart attack and died while riding my bicycle 10 miles from my home. A truck drive broke several of my ribs reviving me. Two weeks later, I woke up in a commercial hospital staring at a blue wall. I was then transferred to the VA hospital where I got a triple bypass heart surgery done. My VA primary care doctor failed to notice any symptoms previous to my heart attack. My type 2 diabetes got worse. I got a fatty liver, fatty pancreas, and stage 3 kidney disease. He had me on 14 drugs many which were statins, and he told me to eat a high carbohydrate, low fat diet, with lots of vegetables, and very little salt. I decided to eliminate salt completely from my diet, because it was so bad for my health. This resulted in muscle spasms and vomiting. Then I got congestive heart failure. My neighbors took me to their hospital emergency. The hospital removed 20 pounds of water from my legs.   My VA primary care continued the medications. I had brain fog so bad that someone thought I had alzheimer’s disease and took advantage of me. That is when I decided to take charge of my own health.

 

I had brain fog so bad that someone thought I had alzheimer’s disease and took advantage of me. That is when I decided to take charge of my own health.

 

My own research

 

I started searching the internet for answers. I found an 1863 weight loss diet by William Banting (LCHF). I finally put together a low carbohydrate/high fat diet of my own. I have since then transitioned to a ketogenic diet that resulted in me going through Sugar Addiction Withdrawal which gave me an itchy rash for 2 weeks. I am finally on a carnivore diet that I patterned after neurobiologist and clinical researcher, Dr. Zsófia Clemens recommendations. I am 4 pounds away from my high school football weight. I am walking, and lifting weights again. In a recent appointment, Cardiology could not find anything wrong with me. This resulted in me giving 3 extemporaneous lectures. The last one included a professor from UCLA. I sent her a pdf file of my experiences and research. Meanwhile, I was able to convince my Primary Care to include a fasting insulin in my lab test. My Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) is 0.50!

 

I am 4 pounds away from my high school football weight. I am walking, and lifting weights again

 

By the way, I am 81.

 

Best of regards, Larry

Cobus improved liver and weight loss, and treated NAFLD on carnivore diet

November 1, 2019 2 Comments

My name is Cobus and I am 45, and I’ve been a carnivore for 5 months.

5 years ago I was experiencing pain on my liver. I was drinking 5 litres of Coke a day. I tried to cut back but was not successful. My doctor at the time sent me for a sonar scan. He told me he is not so sure its the Coke that cause my illness and said he would like to do further tests. The scans indeed showed an enlarged liver and spleen.

 

I never went for a follow-up with my doctor. I was fearing the worst. I tried a vegan diet but could not make it past six months before going back to pizza or whatever was on the menu.

 

I discovered the Carnivore Diet on YouTube (Joe Rogan/Dr Shawn Baker interview) and decided to give the Carnivore Diet a go.

 

After just two weeks the change was starting to happen.

 

#MeatHeals

  • I lost 12 kg (26 pounds) mostly in the first two months
  • I am now at 77kgs (169 pounds), my ideal weight – I’m 187cm(6’2″) tall.
  • I do 300 push-ups every morning.
  • I have some muscles now which I did not have before.
  • All pain on my liver disappeared within the first two months. I believe it was non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and that the organ fat burned away and thus the inflammation and organ enlargement disappeared.
  • I also have no sugar cravings.
  • I only drink water.

I share my carnivore diet story every day and point people to this website, YouTube videos and The Big Fat Surprise book by Nina Teicholz. I believe this information can help people make informed decisions to improve their health. I look forward to read Dr Baker’s book on the carnivore diet.

Thank you Dr Baker for the great work you do. If nobody reaches, nobody get touched. If we found what helped us we should unselfishly share it with people. We pray for miracles but sometimes the miracle comes in a form you might not suspect.

 

Hippocrates said: “Before you heal someone ask if he or she is willing to give up what made them sick in the first place.”

Danny improved digestion, liver health and sleep apnea on carnivore diet

November 1, 2019 No Comments
  • 10+ Year Suicidal Chronic Depression = Cured
  • Anxiety = Significantly Improved
  • Prediabetes = Gone
  • Elevated Liver Enzymes = Normalized
  • Hormonal Imbalance = Balanced
  • Triglycerides = nearly halved
  • IBS = Gone
  • Heart burn = Gone
  • Sleep Apnea = Gone (after just 1 week)
  • Postural Hypotension = Gone
  • Bloating = Gone
  • Exercise Recovery = Dramatically Improved
  • Cravings = Vanished
  • Mornings = Cured (lol)
  • Body Fat 22.4% down to 14.4%
  • Weight 211 lbs down to 174 lbs


All this with no cardio exercises, and only 3-4 hours of weight training per week. For the first time ever I feel like I’m really in control of my life.

Just another weight loss story? Maybe, maybe not. That’s the quick summary of my experience with the carnivore diet so far. I know people scrolling through social media don’t usually want to exercise their attention span and read long ass posts/stories, so I created that list for them, lol. Here is my story in detail:

Many people suffering with depression develop a public facade that render everyone around them completely clueless to the pain, despair, and suffering they experience every day. Therefore, you often hear about friends and family being blindsided by the suicide of someone they interact with on a regular basis. Sometimes it’s easy to detect, sometimes it’s not.

People who have never experienced real chronic depression might think it’s just laziness or lack of discipline. I can’t blame them. Must be nearly impossible for those people to imagine being tormented mentally and emotionally to such an extreme that the thought of ending it all by way of suicide actually brings a bit of relief. Wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

There were signs from a young age, but nothing too severe until I had to deal with adulthood and the stresses that come with it. I had no idea how long the next decade would be. Until recently, I had concluded I was just born cursed with this mental illness. I figured I just had to deal with it and see how long I could last.

I’ve quit so many things in my life, but one of the few things I never gave up on was the search for a cure. I’ve tried psych meds (Paxil, Abilify, Lexapro, Seroquel), all of which submerged me into an altered reality. At times I became very hostile, very emotionally numb, very accelerated, or very slow. Insert here all the side effects you hear the narrator rattle off toward the end of those drug commercials. These meds help some people, not me.

Next phase was CD’s. I had some CD’s I would listen to that were supposed to help me train my mind to relieve depression and anxiety. This didn’t last long.

Next attempt: counseling. The counselor was cool, but it just didn’t help much at all.

Next attempt: hypnotist. Complete BS. I was very irritated by this. Wasted a few hundred bucks on this.

Next attempt: jiu jitsu and nutrition. This was by far the most effective treatment up to that point. One thing I’ve always noticed is that when I develop an obsession, my depressive symptoms take a back seat for a while. My jiu jitsu obsession lasted about a year and a half. I’ve continued on since then, but just not with the same commitment or motivation.

During this time I learned a little bit about nutrition. I began making smoothies with almond milk, blueberries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, strawberry, banana, coconut oil, almond butter, kale, ginger, turmeric, etc. I cut out a lot of junk food. I ate a lot of lean chicken breast dinners with sides or potatoes, legumes, and rice. I definitely felt better, but once my jiu jitsu obsession came to an end, it was very difficult for me to stick to this way of eating. It took a lot of effort. I still had tons of craving for junk, and eventually gave up.

Next attempt: psilocybin mushrooms. My first trip was a spiritual journey unlike I’ve ever experienced. Just from this one trip, I received quite a bit of relief from my depression for a few months. Over a year later my depression was back full force. I tried another trip and didn’t receive much relief at all. Then I tried micro dosing which helped for a few months as well but not much more after that.

Next attempt: supplements. I tried many veggie powder type supplements as well as other pills. From Onnit brand, to Amway, to GNC, to generic Costco brands. I’m sure they’re all full of nurtients, but I just didn’t feel much difference at all.

Next attempt: nutrition (the same way of eating I tried during my jiu jitsu obsession) and gym + sauna. Did this for 3 months, 4-7 times a week. Lots of cardio. Lost about 4 lbs only, was constantly tired and constantly craving junk, and was not improving my work out times much. Couldn’t work out too hard otherwise I’d be very sore and fatigued for the next 2-4 days. Still had many suicidal depressed days. Then after 3 months, I hear Jordan Peterson on the Joe Rogan podcast say he significantly improved his depression eating a carnivore diet.

The carnivore diet was not a new concept to me. I had previously heard this crazy doctor named Shawn Baker talk about it on Joe Rogan’s podcast as well. I listened to the entire podcast and dismissed him completely. I didn’t even give it a second thought. Maybe he didn’t mention the diet relieving depressive symptoms, or maybe I didn’t catch it.

When Jordan Peterson described the success him and his daughter Mikhaila had relieving depression, I knew I had to try this diet. I figured even if it were to shave years off my life by clogging my arteries, I’d 100% make that trade in order to live a life free of depression. So I began.

My ride or die chick, Dalia, dove straight in and joined me. She has stuck by me throughout this entire depression filled adulthood. Couldn’t ask for a more supportive wife. I decided to keep it a secret to prevent anyone from discouraging me. I knew what I was about to do was ridiculous. My first two weeks eating only beef, eggs, bacon, and cheese were absolute hell. Easily one of the top 3 worst experiences in my life.

The cravings for sugar and carbs were out of this world. Sugar is not a drug, right? Well, my body definitely acted like it was. My depression worsened. Fatigue was as bad as ever. Had a few days of extreme light headedness. Had nausea for a few days as well. Exercise was not possible. My business partners had to have a meeting with me to discuss my recent lack of communication and effectiveness.

I didn’t realize my body was adapting to ketosis and pretty much detoxing from all the crap I’ve put in my body my entire life. For some people this transition is easy, for others it’s rough. It was damn near unbearable for me. Then on the 13th day, something happened. I had a normal day. This was not unusual for me. I often had a few normal, non-depressed days per week. The unusual thing was that it was followed by another normal day, then another, then another until I reached an entire week of normal days.

This was my first depression-free week since I was obsessed with jiu jitsu about 6 years prior. Three months later I had yet to experience even one single suicidal depressed day. I did have some down days, but nothing like before. I was down 24.4 lbs despite having reduced my workouts to 3-4 total hours per week and eliminating cardio completely. I continued with this for another 3 months. January 27th ,2019 I reached my 6 month mark.

I am now down 37 lbs. Down 8% bodyfat. Besides depression, I have also completely cured or dramatically improved anxiety, prediabetes, elevated liver enzymes, low testosterone, high estrogen, all stomach/IBS issues, heart burn, sleep apnea, postural hypotension (self diagnosed), bloating, exercise recovery time, cravings, lack of energy in the morning, and I’m sure I’m skipping a few other things.

I’ll keep an eye out for any long term deficiencies I may develop, but from researching others who have done this for decades, it doesn’t seem to merit much concern. My blood work has improved in pretty much every area. My testosterone jumped 231 points, my estrogen lowered to normal levels, my minerals/electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium) stayed consistent and didn’t change at all, vitamin D improved even with less supplementation than usual, triglycerides went from 133 to 73 (not sure of the significance of this if any), and hdl went up 10 points to 53.

Ldl did increase a lot from 99 to 154 but I’ll take that trade off anyday to experience all these other improvements. I will keep an eye on that by doing coronary artery calcium scans of my heart every 3 years or so and if the scans show plaque build up over time, I’ll make whatever adjustments I need to.

I won’t wait until I’m 60 years old to scan my heart like most people do lol. At that point it’s too late. I will continue to get bloodwork every 6 months to a year. This is something I never used to care to monitor at all even though I was very unhealthy. I think everyone should get checked routinely. I’m open to supplementation if I see a need for it.

I did have some concerns as to the longevity of this depression cure because all other “solutions” to my depression have never lasted. I was very anxious to see how I’d feel a few months down the line. Now, having passed my 6 month mark, I have no fear of my depression returning.

This has changed my entire life unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I am now controlling my life for, what seems like, the first time ever. Each month I feel better mentally and physically. The difference between this nutritional attempt to cure my depression and the one from years prior is the absence of an obsession like jiu jitsu as the driving force. Also, the complete lack of cravings for sugar and carbs makes it very easy to keep away from junk.

My average day I eat about 1 to 1.5 lbs beef, 6 eggs, 8 slices of bacon, cheese, pork rinds, and water. The beef is usually ground beef from the store or 8-10 meat patties from In N Out accompanied by 4-6 slices of cheese. No buns, no ketchup, no dressing, no soda. How crazy is that, right?

Eventually I will experiment adding in some other foods like sweet potato or berries or even supplements. I’ll do this slowly to be able to isolate any negative effects I may experience. Overall, I can’t ever see myself being less than 85% carnivore. This diet is a great way to figure out which foods affect you negatively as you experiment adding them back in one at a time.

I’m in control of my life now. I look forward to life. Zero carb/Carnivore has given me the solid foundation to keep depression away (permanently IMO) so that I can now further my mental well-being by consistently implementing things like meditation, sauna, resistance training, jiu jitsu, occasional psilocybin micro dosing, etc., that the pull of depression never let me to stick to before. I’m very grateful for that.

In conclusion, this works for me. I urge anyone dealing with depression/anxiety to be open minded enough to try every option possible to find a cure, no matter how crazy it might sound. You may or may not see the same results as I and many others have on the zerocarb/carnivore diet, but you have to keep searching for an answer. At some point, anything is worth a try before suicide.

Some might not believe in a higher power, but that’s the only thing that kept me from ending it all and departing this world. I thank God my prayers have been answered. I guess I wasn’t born cursed after all.

David remedies IBS and insomnia, improves mental clarity on carnivore diet

October 31, 2019 No Comments

At 34 years of age, David calls Malaysia home. He was suffering from fatty liver disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and insomnia.

3 ½ years ago, he began eating a ketogenic diet, later switching over to his current carnivore lifestyle for the last two years. David has seen his health dramatically take a turn for the better.

David says that his irritable bowel syndrome has healed and that “my bowel movements are great now.”

David’s visceral fat score improved as well, saying, “I’ve dropped from a two digit visceral fat score to a single, very very low single digit.” This single improvement can transform a person’s health! Visceral fat promotes metabolic disease, as well as making your belly larger.

David found fitness to be a challenge, as “I’ve got three kids so I seldom; I don’t have time to go to the gym. I try, maybe once or twice a week. Despite this limitation, his fitness has improved. “I used to weigh almost 80 kilograms; right now I’m down to about 63, 64 and I’m still losing a little bit more fat, but I’m still retaining or gaining lean mass.”

He is noting brain-based improvements as well, saying, “Since I’ve switched to a carnivore diet and removed pretty much all plants, even now, I’m trying removing coffee as well, (it’s day 10) I realize that my mental clarity is far better. My energy is great; I’ve also realized that I sleep much, even better, than before, although I only sleep four to six hours a day. I wake up fresh and can power through the day, and I rarely take naps in between.”

David’s energy has improved as a result of eliminating caffeine too: “I’ve also realized that my energy level is much much better after I’ve removed the caffeine as well, and definitely removing all plants.”

He has seen his skin improve as well, saying “most of the acne on my body and a bit on my face has cleared up. I’d say about 99% is gone.” He finds that his skin is much healthier: “I find that I have much better skin. I am glowing, I’m radiant. I used to sunburn easily, and not tan…I don’t get sunburned anymore.”

David says that overall, “I feel stronger, and I have not been sick for the past three and a half years, except for two years ago when I contracted mild case pneumonia from my son.”

David has also experienced significant mental benefits from his carnivore diet, saying “my mind is very clear, my mental clarity is amazing. My cognitive responses are great.”

He has also seen improvements in other areas: “I realize that my nails and teeth are stronger as well. I don’t have any more cold or aching feelings in my teeth. I seldom have ulcers in my mouth, and the libido part is pretty good, vastly increased I have to say!”

David says, “try it, you’ll never regret it!”

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