Being a mother places a tremendous strain on a woman’s physical physiology, as well as being a big mental challenge. Sleep is difficult, and maintaining that happy demeanor can become impossible. Claire found that “With baby number three came my third round of post-natal depression. Ugh.”
Sometimes the bad news is good news because it’s nothing new-just gaining a deeper understanding of what’s actually happening. Claire says “I suffered far too long before I was finally properly diagnosed. Post-natal depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Wowsers, a slap in the face, but a relief to get the diagnosis.”
Claire didn’t think that her diet was the problem and says, “I had a pretty good diet but ate a lot of toast on the go and cooking dinners was a nightly burden.” Sometimes we don’t know the effects of a diet until we change it, and this was to be one of those times!
Like many of us, Claire got some help from someone she was close to: “About nine months ago my mom, Patty, introduced me to keto and carnivore and I started to look into the benefits of this way of eating.”
She began to study, diving into all of the information from research to testimonials. “I came across endless stories, podcasts, and youtube videos showcasing research, clinical observations, anecdotal evidence, and testimonies all too compelling to ignore and so began my journey on keto which ultimately lead to carnivore.”
Claire was hoping to see some progress with her mind and energy, saying, “Five months into a carnivore diet. I am self-experimenting to see how this way of eating affects my mood and the way I feel.”
Claire found that the carnivore diet provided what her body and her brain apparently needed, saying, “My energy is the best it’s ever been and my mood is much better. My head is clearer and the mental heaviness is well, less heavy. Some bonus benefits I’ve noticed are improved edema in my legs, abs I never knew I had, and itchy scalp is completely gone. PND is complicated and so I’m wary of attributing entirely the improvements to carnivore but I can’t un-know what I now know and feel and believe that carnivore helps immensely.”
She admits that everything isn’t perfect, as being a mom is still a challenging situation. “Don’t get me wrong, I still have bad days and I know that carnivore is not a magic pill but I do know I am giving my body, my brain, and my hormones the best shot at functioning optimally through what I eat and grabbing some down time when I can get it!”
Claire enjoys the simplicity of the diet: “Another thing, I no longer dread making dinner because to throw some meat on the barbie requires no thought, is so easy and delicious, and my family love it!”
“I may not be where I want to be yet, but I am definitely not where I was.”
