At age 32, Daniel was faced with a frightening dilemma: take an immunosuppressive drug to control his IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or take the risk that his bowel disease would worsen if left untreated. Daniel knew there had to be a better way and wondered if a diet change could be the key to healing.
In 2013, Daniel was following a high-carb/low-fat diet. His meals typically included noodles, rice, potatoes, chicken breast, tuna, and all the vegetables he could handle. “I began experiencing massive digestive issues,” he recalls. “My symptoms included bleeding from the rectum, mucus discharge, and incontinence. I was going to the bathroom over 30 times a day!”
Daniel was eventually diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and IBS. Imaging revealed that the first 35cm of his colon was badly inflamed and ulcerated.
“I was put on the standard of care mesalamine in tablet and enema form,” Daniel explains. “My doctor, an IBD ‘specialist,’ insisted that diet had nothing to do with the disease.” This protocol seemed to only make things worse, so Daniel was later put on steroids.
“The steroids only offered temporary reprieve. As soon as I stopped taking them, the disease would come back even stronger!” The same specialist informed David that the next course of action to attempt to control his disease would be a powerful protocol of immunosuppressive drugs. Daniel researched the risks and decided to look into dietary solutions instead.
The following year, Daniel discovered the paleo diet and was relieved to experience some improvement. He eliminated processed foods and sugar, and focused on fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds. “The paleo diet definitely helped, and I was able to improve my symptoms by 75 percent.”
But “better” was “still not great,” and Daniel still had to continue his steroid protocol. This put him at risk for a litany of side effects, including fluid build-up in the lower legs, high blood pressure, severe mood swings, behavioral issues, memory loss, and weight gain.
After two years, Daniel shifted his diet again, this time to a meat-only diet. Over the next twelve months, his results were beyond what any of his doctors thought possible. “I am now 99 percent symptom-free, and I feel fantastic!”
No longer encumbered by frequent and painful bowel movements, Daniel is “living the good life again!” Now 36, he hasn’t taken any medication in two years and has lost 28 pounds in the process. While weight loss wasn’t his initial goal, it’s certainly a “side effect” he is happy with! “In my mid-thirties, my abdominal definition and muscle tone are better than ever before.”
Daniel has serious concerns about the rise of veganism, a trend he fears could ruin lives. “I think that type of diet would most likely have killed me in the end!” Instead, he enjoys the healing power of a carnivore diet and the freedom and clarity it has brought to his life.
