From Decades of Illness to Vibrant Health
Jason from Brooklyn spent four decades struggling with multiple chronic health conditions before finding relief through a carnivore diet. His transformation began in March 2021, leading to resolution of long-standing issues including depression, IBS, and food addiction.
Early Health Struggles and Treatments
From his earliest memories around age five, Jason dealt with food addiction, binge eating, and sugar cravings. His childhood diet consisted of typical processed foods – cereal with skim milk for breakfast, packaged snacks throughout the day, and ice cream after dinner. As he grew older, his health problems expanded to include rosacea, dandruff, joint pain, acid reflux, and foot fungus.
Throughout his life, doctors prescribed various medications and creams for each condition. While some treatments provided temporary relief, most either didn’t help or made things worse. The standard nutritional advice he received was to eat less red meat, consume more fiber, and follow a low-fat diet.
The Path to Dietary Change
Jason’s journey toward the carnivore diet began with an interest in the Atkins diet around 2000, followed by experiments with calorie restriction and time-restricted eating. These approaches proved challenging due to his food addiction and binge eating patterns. By 2020, he decided to try a ketogenic diet, which led to a 20-pound weight loss over the course of a year.
While keto brought some improvements, Jason found that including non-meat foods still triggered cravings. This led him to try a strict carnivore diet in March 2021, starting with a 90-day experiment that turned into a sustainable lifestyle change.
Remarkable Health Improvements
The changes on carnivore were both rapid and comprehensive. Within three days, Jason noticed significant differences in how he felt. By two weeks, his depression, anxiety, and OCD symptoms had improved by about 90%. His IBS symptoms resolved, his foot fungus cleared up, and his joint pain diminished significantly.
The weight loss was substantial – 45 pounds during the initial 90 days, followed by an additional 35 pounds over the next couple of years, bringing his total weight loss to around 95 pounds.
Current Diet and Lifestyle
Today, Jason’s diet consists primarily of beef, with occasional seafood for variety. He sources most of his meat through cow shares from an upstate New York farm and supplements with supermarket purchases. He typically eats one steak per day, usually ribeye or New York strip, and includes eggs periodically.
Managing Food Addiction and Cravings
One of the most significant changes Jason experiences is in his relationship with food. Before carnivore, he struggled with multiple daily cravings, particularly in the afternoons and evenings. While he occasionally still experiences cravings when seeing certain foods, they’re much less frequent and more manageable. His strategy is to eat meat when cravings arise, which effectively resolves them.
Unexpected Carnivore Diet Benefits
Beyond the resolution of his primary health concerns, Jason has experienced several unexpected improvements. His vision has improved to the point where he only needs glasses for night driving, whereas previously he required them for all distance vision. His dental health has improved, with previous gum issues resolving and bleeding during brushing and flossing stopping completely.
Quality of Life Impact
Jason reports feeling healthier now than at any point in his life, including childhood. While he initially encountered skepticism from family members who worried about nutritional deficiencies, their concerns have decreased as they’ve witnessed his improved health over time.
His experience demonstrates how dietary changes can significantly impact chronic health conditions. After nearly three years on the carnivore diet, Jason continues to maintain his improvements and finds the diet sustainable and satisfying.
