For most of his life, Gary has been eating a diet he thought was “healthy.” Gary says around the time he was sixteen or seventeen years old, he had put on a little bit of excess weight, so he decided to implement more fruits, vegetables, and very little fat into his diet. The low-fat diet helped Gary lose some weight initially, but ultimately it caused him many issues with his digestion.
Around three years ago, Gary’s digestion changed. Gary says he had a bout with food poisoning while also in school to become a teacher, and he and his wife were moving. The stress of his life, combined with the food poisoning, wreaked havoc on Gary’s digestion.
Gary says he would go ten to fourteen days in between bowel movements. Gary was so bloated and uncomfortable from severe constipation that he struggled to eat. He lost over ten kilograms quickly and fell into a state of depression because he couldn’t eat.
Gary says he tried every diet out there, including the vegan diet– nothing worked. Gary then tried the ketogenic diet and noticed some improvements in his digestion. At that point, his body was consuming more fat, but he still ate a lot of plants and fiber. Gary says he began to learn, “my body doesn’t do well with fiber.”
After following the keto diet for six months, Gary learned about the carnivore diet. On Joe Rogan’s podcast, Gary had heard Dr. Shawn Baker speak about eating a meat-based diet. Gary says, “I thought this guy was nuts.” He couldn’t imagine only eating meat all day, every day.
Then Gary had a friend, who also struggled with digestion, try the carnivore diet. His friend had a lot of success with the diet. Gary says after that, he knew he needed to test the carnivore way of eating. Gary says his bloating disappeared within just a few days on the carnivore diet. He also says he instantly felt better than he had in years.
Today, Gary has been following the carnivore way of eating for four months. Gary says he would describe himself as ninety-five percent carnivore. While Gary does eat mostly meat– organ meats, eggs, and sardines are his favorite– he also implements coffee and fats like olive oil. Gary says he also eats some dairy, mainly cheese, which he knows is a little controversial for someone who has struggled with their digestion. Gary is also pretty adventurous with his diet. He currently lives in China and says he and his young daughter enjoy eating chicken feet.
Gary says his advice for anyone wanting to try the carnivore diet is to “start slow.” He suggests making one meal a day meat-based, then two, before jumping fully in. Gary also says, “don’t be afraid of fat.” He knows he has been able to heal his digestion because what he eats is so high in fat. Gary says he plans to continue eating meat-based though he might experiment with adding a few plants into his diet here and there. Either way, he knows eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet is best for his digestion, and he plans to continue this way of eating for the rest of his life.
