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Coach Evan reverses ankylosing spondylitis on a carnivore diet

November 30, 2022 No Comments

Ever since Evan was young, he had an insatiable hunger that caused him binge eat, in addition to his other daily struggles of ADHD, OCD, brain fog and fatigue. When he turned eleven—embarrassed by his heavy frame—he decided to go on a diet. Following the conventional wisdom at the time, he started eating a low-calorie/low-fat diet, full of lots of “healthy” whole grains, seed oils and tofu. He lost 30 pounds, but describes his body composition as “skinny fat ” at the time. He also couldn’t help noticing that he was a lot weaker than his fellow classmates. Using sheer willpower alone, Evan struggled with yo-yo dieting and calorie counting throughout high school, but it wasn’t until he entered college that the real trouble began.

“Out of nowhere,” Evan says, “I became incredibly depressed, anxious and suicidal.” He tried exercising daily to combat his negative feelings, but saw zero improvement. Exasperated, he turned his focus to his diet, and in his research experienced the cognitive dissonance that goes along with learning that animal fat is an important part of the human diet, while also simultaneously being the main driver of heart attacks and cancer. In the end, the “experts” won out, and Evan persisted in following their low-fat/high carb recommendations—to no avail. “I just felt worse and worse—I wasn’t getting better at all.”

After years of declining health, a defeated Evan began binge drinking and eating candy to deal with his frustrations. He eventually was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis—an autoimmune condition that runs in his family that affects the spine. He would go on to gain 40 pounds, and when hospitalized with bruises all over his body, nausea, diarrhea and night sweats, his doctors told him that his symptoms were most likely psychosomatic.

Finally, in 2020, one of his friends—who happened to be on the carnivore diet—invited him over for a steak. After eating it, Evan was surprised by how satiated he felt, and ended up not eating for the rest of the day. He woke up the next morning still feeling full, so he decided to give the carnivore diet a try. After the first week, Evan had lost ten pounds, and while he didn’t feel great—he didn’t feel terrible either. “Within the next two weeks, all of a sudden my depression and my anxiety had vanished, my Ankylosing Spondylitis had gotten 90% better, the numbness in my hands was gone, my bruising started going away, my asthma went away, my heartburn went away, my digestive issues went away…my libido came back—pretty much everything you can think of went away within two or three weeks.” He also noticed a remarkable improvement in his ADHD and OCD symptoms. “My whole outlook on life is a lot different: I’m a lot more motivated, a lot more friendly, outgoing, happy. So, pretty much, everything for me has changed.” His friends and family all agree. “I’m not the same beaten down person that I was before.”

Bruno improved blood sugar, triglycerides, joint pain, stiffness on a carnivore diet

February 15, 2022 No Comments

Bruno has been struggling with his weight for most of his life. He describes struggling with a sugar and carbohydrate addiction and says by the time he was a teenager, he was obese. While in his early twenties, he suspected he had hypothyroidism. He took his concerns to his doctor, who responded, “that’s a condition for women.” Still, Bruno kept pressing his doctor to test him. His doctor finally agreed, and just as Bruno suspected, he did have hypothyroidism. He said his doctor had to call him the next day and apologize for not believing him.

Bruno describes yo-yo dieting for many years. However, by the time he was in his mid-thirties, he had reached 450 pounds and was on several medications for gout, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. In his late thirties, Bruno started seeing a doctor who suggested a zero-carbohydrate diet that included eating meager amounts of fat. Bruno followed the diet and, in just six months, lost over 150 pounds.

However, the low amounts of fat put a lot of strain on Bruno’s heart, and he had a heart attack at the age of forty-two. Bruno ended up with three stints in his heart after his heart attack. Three years ago, Bruno discovered the carnivore diet, which was different from his zero-carb diet in that it required Bruno to eat more fat.

Bruno says his experience with the carnivore diet for a few years was like a plane skidding on a runway while trying to take off. He would stick to the diet for a while before he found himself binging on sugar and carbs. The covid pandemic made Bruno feel he needed to control his sugar and carb addictions. He knew individuals with a history of diabetes and heart problems were more likely to have complications or even die from covid, and he didn’t want to become a statistic.

Bruno had a one-on-one meeting with Dr. Shawn Baker in May 2020. Dr. Baker encouraged Bruno to persevere on his journey with the diet– even as he still struggled with gout. Bruno says his motivation helped, but then Bruno found himself falling into emotional eating after having to put his dog down in September 2020. Bruno says he tried to modify his diet but kept falling off and binge eating.

After four months of feeling out of control, Bruno says he finally accepted that modifying his diet was impossible. He needed to abstain from certain foods forever to improve his health. At that point, Bruno says his life turned, and he hasn’t looked back.

Today, Bruno is experimenting with the lion diet, a term coined by carnivore advocate Mikhaila Peterson. Bruno says he eats ruminant animals, salt, and water. Through his experimentation, Bruno has learned that his body doesn’t process pepper, an oxalate. He also says he has learned cheese and bacon are a trigger for him through this process and plans to eliminate those indefinitely.

Bruno has lost 120 pounds in eighteen months. He says his weight loss hasn’t been fast on the carnivore diet, but it is consistent. Bruno no longer struggles with gout, and his blood pressure and blood sugar are under control. He also describes losing inches from his waistline and gaining muscle mass.

Bruno plans to lose another seventy pounds and wants to continue building more muscle. Bruno has had a long health journey, but he is thankful for the awareness gained through his meat-based diet. He knows what foods work for him and says, “I am no longer controlled by food.”

Volodymir eliminated acid reflux, IBS, pyelonephritis, and Alzheimer’s on carnivore diet

March 30, 2021 1 Comment

According to Volodymir, the carnivore diet “saved my life.” Volodymir lives in Ukraine and says before the carnivore way of eating, his health was vastly declining. Volodymir struggled with intense indigestion issues and insomnia. He also struggled with pain in his teeth and sinuses. However, the most significant health crisis for Volodymir was his cognitive health.

Before finding the carnivore lifestyle, Volodymir says he ate what he thought was “healthy” or healthier than most people eat. However, since 2012 he has been struggling with poor memory. Volodymir’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and Volodymir says he knew he was heading down the same path as his father.

Like many carnivore diet followers, Volodymir began his health journey by following the ketogenic diet. At the time, he was following Jordan Peterson, who is now an advocate of the carnivore diet, but at that point, he had been following the keto diet. Volodymir says as a keto diet follower, he ate a lot of poultry, vegetables, and butter. Volodymir says he saw some improvements in his health, but his memory continued to be a problem.

However, he then discovered the carnivore diet. Volodymir says for him, the transition from the keto to the carnivore diet wasn’t dramatic. He naturally began to eat fewer vegetables, even as a keto follower. His focus on fatty and red meats made the most significant impact.

Today, Volodymir eats mostly pork (it’s abundant in Ukraine) and beef. He says he loves ribeyes, although they are hard to come by in his country, and he eats a lot of roast beef and porchetta. He also says he used to eat liver; however, it is hard to find quality liver in Ukraine, and he finds his body doesn’t necessarily need it or misses it. He also speaks of eating hamburger patties from Mcdonald’s while at work– a testament to how convenient the diet is to implement.

Since becoming a carnivore diet follower, Volodymir has been able to get off all his pain medications and reduce the number of drugs he takes for his indigestion. The only health issue he deals with now is high blood pressure, which he attributes to drinking coffee. Volodymir plans to eliminate coffee and suspects his blood pressure will no longer be an issue once he no longer drinks daily espressos.

Volodymir also spoke about the improvement in his memory, something he never thought possible. He feels the carnivore diet has shifted the trajectory of his life. Volodymir no longer believes Alzheimer’s disease will be a given, and he can at least prolong his memory for as long as possible.

Volodymir says another surprising thing he has found from following the carnivore diet is that he no longer needs to exercise intensely every week. Volodymir says before the diet, he felt he needed to do hard workouts at least two times a week to function; now, he does several short and light exercise movements daily.

Volodymir is grateful for finding the carnivore diet. He says one of his doctors tried to convince him to stop eating red meat, but he says he knows that the doctor doesn’t understand. He speaks of looking forward to improving his health and is excited to see where the carnivore diet takes him.

 

Zack lowered blood pressure and inflammation on a carnivore lifestyle

March 3, 2021 No Comments

As a military member, Zack reaps the benefits of living a carnivore lifestyle daily. Zack describes his eating before the carnivore way of life as the Standard American Diet. Zack says he was a bit on the bigger side, even as a child. He lost weight in his teens to join the military, but his old habits followed him well into his 30s.

Zack says he used to live a bodybuilding lifestyle. He spent many hours at the gym lifting weights and trying to build muscle. And though he tried to eat “healthy,” he often got bored eating rice and broccoli. He describes going out and eating junk food like pizza and beer regularly with his friends.

Despite working out and lifting weights regularly, Zack struggled with high blood pressure and inflammation. He says at the time, he accepted both as his fate. His mom and other family members have high blood pressure. And the pain and inflammation he was experiencing in his body, particularly in his knees, are common for military members. It wasn’t until he had a dear friend pass away from cancer at age 35 that Zack began to take his health more seriously.

While on a military bus on a long road trip, Zack listened to the book “Fat for Fuel” by Dr. Joseph Mercola on Audible. He felt convicted by the book and began to understand how eating a high-carb diet is linked to many ailments like cancer and dementia and can cause inflammation in the body. At that point, Zack began a ketogenic diet. He describes his experience with keto as successful but not sustainable. His blood pressure and inflammation decreased, but he still found himself craving foods and struggling to stay in a ketogenic state.

While listening to a podcast one day in November of 2018, Zack learned about the carnivore diet from Dr. Shawn Baker. Zack was deployed at the time and decided to try the diet. Within just a few months, he lost 30 pounds, and any issues he had with blood pressure and inflammation were gone. Zack has since maintained this lifestyle and says his bloodwork is stellar. He jokes that his doctor doesn’t ask him about his blood pressure anymore since it has been at such an astounding number.

Zack feels the carnivore diet has been much more sustainable than the keto diet and treats it as “preventative maintenance.” He finds that he is rarely hungry and even unintentionally fasts. He typically skips breakfast and enjoys two meals a day. He says his diet primarily consists of black coffee, eggs, and beef. He finds that he has enough energy to keep up with his military life and work out daily. Zack says if he feels he could use more energy, he focuses on fueling his body with fat, not carbs.

His advice for those looking to start the carnivore way of eating is, “life is too short… And you are what you eat.” He also says, “short-term pleasures aren’t worth it in the long run.”

Fernanda healed cystic acne and asthma problem and came off medication on a carnivore diet

February 20, 2021 No Comments

Fernanda is a doctor in her thirties who lives in Brazil with her husband. She explains that she “always had acne.” She recalls how her mom took her to see many doctors and was always prescribed a pill for it.

In her twenties, she continued to struggle with acne and even though she had asthma and used an inhaler to manage it, she was more concerned about her skin. Over 15 years she had a lot of pills and treatment for her acne—none of which ever completely cleared up her skin.

Nine Years a Vegetarian

When Fernanda started medical school she became a vegetarian. The first 2 years was a “honeymoon” period because she did pretty well. But after 2 years she started having low energy, and her asthma and acne got worse. She recalls that she was “kind of depressed.”

She desperately wanted to heal herself and firmly believed that vegetarianism was good for her, so she went “more extreme” with her diet and became vegan.

“I only could handle being a vegan for a year,” Fernanda says. She asked herself how she could still have acne, no energy, and suffer from depression when she was eating the best for her body.

After 9 years as a vegetarian she recalls, “I was 28 when I realized I am really sick.” “I was taking pills for depression. I was too skinny. I wasn’t feeling good. I had low self-esteem,” Fernanda continues. And to top it off, her acne and asthma were worse.

Fernanda knew she had to do something different. After she quit vegetarianism, Fernanda did a low-carb diet for a year and a half, and a keto diet for six months before transitioning to a carnivore diet.

The Great Carnivore Journey

At first, Fernanda found that eating meat was difficult because her teeth and jaw didn’t “have the power.” She noticed her jawline had become very narrow as a vegetarian because she didn’t need to use her jaw muscles to chew. For the first 2 weeks eating carnivore, her teeth hurt a lot.

After the first month of carnivore, her skin was much better. Fernanda explains that she had acne on her neck and shoulders and spent years covering it up, but now that her skin is clear, she wears sleeveless shirts without shame. She thought she would have to deal with acne her entire life.

Fernanda says she feels stronger, has more muscle mass, more energy, and “I feel happy.” Her mood and self-esteem have improved and, “I can’t remember the last time I had to use my inhaler.”

Fernanda and her husband are “happy carnivores.” They like to eat nose to tail—heart, kidney, and liver. “I eat ribeye and like the fattier cuts,” Fernanda admits.

Fernanda says that the carnivore diet is the best thing for her and she wishes she knew about it when she was 15.

David resolved his sleep apnea on a carnivore diet

December 16, 2020 No Comments

David struggled with alcohol addiction for many years, but six years ago, he decided to reclaim his health and became sober. This decision gave David the discipline to follow a meat-based diet and heal from back pain, acid reflux, obesity, and sleep apnea.

In his early sixties, David noticed his cognitive functions were in decline. He attributes the change to a statin drug his doctor prescribed to lower his blood pressure. “I wondered if I should see a neurologist because my cognition was so impaired,” David recalls. “I heard a podcast that described how statin drugs can block cholesterol to the brain and cause cognitive issues. I immediately told my doctor that I didn’t care if I died of a heart attack; I don’t want to live with dementia for any bit of my life if I don’t have to!”

While listening to various podcasts and searching for alternative ways to lower his cholesterol without drugs, David learned about the carnivore diet. For him, it was an easy decision! “I always said if I could find a diet that allows me to eat steak, bacon, and deviled eggs, that’s a diet I can stay on!” Hearing more about the healing effects of meat from Dr. Shawn Baker and Michaela and Jordan Peterson, David says he knew he was ready to dive in.

In addition to losing 47 pounds, David was thrilled to heal from obstructive sleep apnea. Before a meat-based diet, David had to use a CPAP machine to keep his airway open at night. When he was first tested, he stopped breathing 30 times per hour, preventing him from deep sleep. “I couldn’t go anywhere without that machine for 16 years,” he shares with Revero coach Nathan. David no longer needs his CPAP machine, as his doctor found no signs of sleep apnea at his last check-up! “She said that I look as clear as I can be! I haven’t needed to use the machine for months now, and I sleep like a baby.”

Just over a year and a half into his carnivore journey, David is thrilled to play golf again now that his back has improved. “I’ve had lower back pain and bulging discs for years. I had to receive steroid injections for the pain. But right away, my back felt better on a carnivore diet, and I have much less pain from day to day.”

David had always been skeptical about the relationship between diet and health issues. It wasn’t until he started to heal on a carnivore diet that he realized the connection between them. In the beginning, David had a tough time convincing his family and friends that a meat-based diet could have so many health benefits, but over time, he’s been able to help many people discover their unique healing journey.

David’s approach to a carnivore lifestyle may not be as strict as others, and he admits he has started and stopped several times. His acid reflux returns with a vengeance when he veers off track and consumes too many carbs. He says, “It helps to remember that the next thing I eat can be the right thing.” Sticking to beef and pork helps him feel his best, and incorporating intermittent fasting has helped with his sugar cravings. His advice for newcomers? “Come for the diet; stay for the health benefits!”

Katherine’s lupus flares have subsided since starting the carnivore diet

November 19, 2020 No Comments

Six months ago, Katherine was riddled with debilitating symptoms from lupus, GERD, PCOS, bipolar disorder, asthma, and hypothyroidism. She was taking 15 medications and grew concerned as her weight increased. “I was miserable!” she shares with Revero coach Nate.

Feeling hopeless and ready to give up, Katherine learned that a close friend eliminated many food allergies and other health issues on a carnivore diet. Katherine decided to try it for herself, especially after learning about the effects of oxalates in plant foods. “It was getting harder to figure out how to get full, and I was gaining weight from being on antidepressants and as a result of PCOS,” she recalls. “My friend sent me links and introduced me to groups to help me get started. Within the first week, I lost 10 pounds!” Initial weight loss on a carnivore diet is typically due to lowering inflammation and eliminating water weight, but it was enough to keep Katherine motivated to continue.

Almost immediately, Katherine noticed relief from lupus flare-ups that had previously caused constant joint pain and fatigue. “I’ve noticed a decrease in my aches and pains, and my GERD symptoms are completely gone now without any medication. My anxiety has subsided as well!”

Katherine has a great tip on how to stay full and combat cravings on a carnivore diet. Her top recommendation? Get an air fryer! “If I’m craving carbs, I take some pork or beef fat and throw it in the air fryer and cook it until crispy,” she explains. “That kills off any cravings I have for carbs or sweets.” She keeps her meals simple, often with steak or rotisserie chicken as the main course. Once a week, she prepares a delicious breakfast casserole featuring sausage, feta cheese, and eggs. “I used to be a habitual eater and ate my feelings,” she shares. “But I find that protein keeps me full, and I practice intermittent fasting.”

Katherine was surprised at how prioritizing fat in her diet has helped her lose weight. She’s lost 122 pounds in her first six months on carnivore, going from 312 pounds to 190 pounds. She says she no longer needs the validation of numbers on the scale. “I feel great going from size 3X and 4X clothing to sizes medium and large!”

Other non-scale victories include keeping up with her energetic five and six-year-olds. “I had days before carnivore when I couldn’t even get out of bed,” she recalls. “Now, I’m up at 5 AM and go non-stop all day. I’ve got so much energy now that I run my kids down! They tell me, ‘Mommy, you need to slow down!’”

Katherine is delighted to find that the painful lesions she used to have from lupus flare-ups have entirely disappeared, and some of the open wounds she had from older lesions are healing well on a carnivore diet. “I thought I’d be stuck with hypothyroidism forever, but I’m off all my medication now. Also, I haven’t had any cysts from PCOS.”

Her journey is far from complete, but Katherine is so happy to share her story in hopes that others may find relief as she has. “Jump in head first!” she cheers. “Don’t just stick your toe in!”

Bobby’s enjoying relief from Hidradenitis Suppurativa on a carnivore diet

October 20, 2020 No Comments

After many years of “yo-yo” dieting on low-fat and calorie restricted diets, Bobby has regained his health, lost over 150 pounds, and healed from painful skin conditions that affected his quality of life.
Bobby was overweight for much of his adult life. Over the years, he would have some success losing weight with low-fat foods like chicken breast, rice, and vegetables, but he found he was never truly satiated. He realized that this was happening because he wasn’t feeling satisfied and often would keep going back to the refrigerator looking to fill that nutritional gap. “I had this mindset where I would lose weight, and then ‘treat myself’,” Bobby shares with Revero coach Tracy, “But then it would get out of control again. I was miserable, and I didn’t realize to what degree until after I lost the weight.” At 5’7”, Bobby’s heaviest weight was 370 pounds.

In addition to being overweight, Bobby suffered from asthma, high blood pressure, athlete’s foot, and hidradenitis suppurativa, a painful skin condition that results in abscesses and scarring in areas where sweat glands are present.“I knew if I didn’t do something, I’m going to get up to 400 pounds,” Bobby recalls thinking. “I can’t do this, this has got to stop!” Bobby knew he had to make a change, and turned to several resources on intermittent fasting to help jumpstart his weight loss.

Switching to OMAD fasting (one meal a day) did help initially, but it wasn’t until Bobby started adding more meat-based meals that he was able to lose weight and keep it off. After finding information from Dr. Shawn Baker on fasting with a carnivore diet, Bobby made the switch. “I learned that the more I could incorporate animal-based products and the more I could cut down on vegetables, the better off I would be.” Since he and his wife share the cooking responsibilities, Bobby still includes a small number of vegetables in his diet. “We’ve reached a compromise,” Bobby explains. “I just confine my vegetable intake to a few certain ones like riced cauliflower.” For the other 90% of his diet, Bobby enjoys beef, pork eggs,and occasionally chicken. When eating out at a restaurant, he’ll enjoy bunless burgers.

Bobby’s success on a carnivore diet has been astounding, and his doctor is “delighted” with his results! He’s pleased to report a total weight loss of 150 pounds, and a total of 10 inches around his waist. He no longer is limited to “Big and Tall” retail stores, and is thrilled to trade in his size 5X shirts for XL. “I feel better than I’ve felt in 30 years!” he shares. “The only downside is that I have to buy a lot of clothes now, but it’s a good problem to have.”

Thankfully, Bobby’s skin issues are 90% resolved on a carnivore diet, and no longer cause him discomfort throughout the day. His doctor also is weaning him off or has already removed his blood pressure, allergy, and asthma medications since his symptoms have significantly improved.

Bobby is now a Certified Carnivore.Diet.com Coach and is enjoying helping others bring back their health. “You have to want to make the change,” he tells his clients. “Become friends with the food that is going to help you!”

Listen to Coach Bobby tell his story of healing on the Carnivore.Diet.com podcast.

Tracy improved her mental health, eczema, and asthma on a carnivore diet

September 22, 2020 1 Comment

Tracy, 49, began her health journey four years ago when she and her husband adopted a ketogenic diet after he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and wanted to explore managing his condition with diet instead of a handful of medications. “I went along for the ride as the supportive wife,” she says. “I suspected I was pre-diabetic, and at 230 pounds, I was depressed and anxious, asthmatic, and suffered from terrible eczema. I was literally dragging myself up the stairs each day.” Having been athletic her whole life, Tracy was riddled with joint pain that she just attributed to being part of the natural aging process.

“Two weeks into the keto diet, I felt better than I had in decades!” Tracy recalls. She delved into as much information as she could find, and “stumbled” through the keto diet for two years, losing 30 pounds and resolving most of her depression and asthma. However, Tracy was still suffering from severe eczema, and her symptoms had grown more serious, at times requiring emergency treatment. “I was still on prednisone and several steroid creams, none of which resolved the issue.”

“I felt my best when I ate meat,” Tracy shares with Revero coach Amber. “I found the carnivore way and I read about people who were curing their skin issues. So we began eliminating vegetables.” Soon after removing vegetables and incorporating fasting into her diet, Tracy finally saw her skin start to clear up. “My eczema was cleared within ten days, and has not returned!”

“There’s something special about the carnivore diet. The low-carb approach was different than any other of the many diets I had tried in the past,” Tracy shares. On a typical day, Tracy practices intermittent fasting, and has a meat-based meal along with some dairy and coffee. She no longer struggles with food addiction or out-of-control hunger, and finds she is able to enjoy daily exercise.

Tracy and her husband are amazed at what a meat-based diet has done for their health. “To date, I’ve lost an additional 60 pounds, for a total of 90 pounds lost,” Tracy reports. “My asthma is non-existent, and my skin is clear and glowing.”

Up until this point in her life, Tracy says she had believed social anxiety and depression was just a part of who she was. “Mentally, this has been a game-changer for me. I have no issues with my mental health any more. I wake up every morning with a zest for life, and I am able to be active with zero pain!”

Tracy’s blood pressure and resting heart rate measurements have both improved, and her husband continues to manage his type 2 diabetes without medication. “We’ve been in this together from day one, we are so grateful,” Tracy shares. “I wouldn’t be where I am without him.” She continues to share her story with her family and friends through social media so that others may find a better way to reclaim their own health. “I’ve never been this well in my entire life! Meat has healed me.”

Listen to Tracy’s success story on the Carnivore.Diet.com podcast below:

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