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 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.”
