PCOS Diagnosis at Sixteen
At sixteen, Maria faces a health predicament that bewilders many teenagers. Multiple symptoms plague her young life, leading her to a family doctor. There, she receives a diagnosis of PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, a condition closely tied to type 2 diabetes and affecting female fertility. With the diagnosis comes a prescription – antidepressants for her mood, an acid blocker for her digestion, and another for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Maria is told it’s simply the hand she’s been dealt, but deep down, she isn’t convinced.
A Pup’s Diet Sparks a Revelation
The turning point in Maria’s health journey begins unexpectedly with her pet dog. Noticing her dog losing patches of hair, she turns to a vet for answers. The first question the vet poses is simple yet profound: “What are you feeding her?” This single question ignites a light bulb moment for Maria. If diet could impact her dog’s well-being so drastically, could it be the key to her own health too?
Determined to understand the connection between diet and health, Maria dives into the world of nutrition. Her journey is two-fold: personal and educational. While she starts exploring food’s therapeutic potential, she also embarks on formal education in nutrition and exercise physiology. At her work in a coffee shop, she’s surrounded by sugary temptations, from Mokas to scones. These foods contribute to her weight gain and overall dissatisfaction with her health. However, the decision to pivot her diet begins to transform her life.
Keto Beginnings
The ketogenic diet, popularly known as ‘keto’, becomes Maria’s initial introduction to a low-carb lifestyle. Though the keto diet wasn’t as mainstream as it is today, Maria adopts its principles. The emphasis on high fat and protein, combined with minimal carbs, aligns with Maria’s growing understanding of food’s impact on health. Over time, she begins to shed the weight and most importantly, feels a significant shift in her mood. Her previously diagnosed depression starts to lift, without the need for medication.
Transitioning to Carnivore
But the keto diet, with its inclusion of certain vegetables and flours, isn’t the end of Maria’s dietary evolution. With time, and influenced by her family dynamics, she starts leaning more towards a carnivore diet – a diet primarily based on meat and animal products. Several factors drive this change: the busyness of life with two adopted boys, her husband Craig’s struggle with Lyme disease, and their collective research into the nutrient density of meat compared to vegetables.
The results of this transition are nothing short of transformative. Maria experiences an energy surge, no longer needing the crutch of caffeine. Her persistent stomach issues, including the IBS and acid reflux she’s battled since her teenage years, fade. The heavy feeling after meals, especially those filled with vegetables, disappears. She feels lighter, more vibrant, and healthier than she’s ever felt.
Maria and her husband Craig become advocates for the carnivore diet. Through research and personal experience, they believe in the superior nutrient profile of meat over many celebrated vegetables and fruits. They aim to demystify the diet and help others find the same health and vitality they’ve discovered. Their mission isn’t about competition or claiming one diet is the ultimate solution. Instead, it’s about sharing knowledge, lifting others, and truly understanding the age-old adage: You are what you eat.
