*This article discusses sensitive health topics, including severe chronic illness, mental health struggles, and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of self-harm, please reach out for support by calling or texting 988 (US/Canada) or contacting your local emergency services.
For Marcus, a 49-year-old hockey player living near Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, a lifetime of athletic activity during his youth masked an underlying struggle with food addiction. Raised on a farm with abundant access to local meats, Marcus quickly developed a preference for refined carbohydrates, sugary cereals, and processed foods.
When his athletic schedule slowed after college, his weight ballooned to 302 pounds. In 2010, at just 33 years old, a routine doctor’s visit for an ingrown toenail revealed a shocking diagnosis: severe Type 2 Diabetes.
For the next 14 years, Marcus navigated the standard medical system. He was prescribed a slate of daily medications while being advised to practice basic “portion control” and moderation. Despite dutifully taking his prescriptions, his metabolic health continued to deteriorate:
- Uncontrolled Blood Sugar: His HbA1c fluctuated between 9.0% and 11.0%, with fasting blood glucose routinely sitting at elevated levels (10 to 13 mmol/L).
- Sleep & Airway Collapse: He suffered from severe sleep apnea, heavy snoring, and chronic acid reflux, waking up multiple times every night to urinate.
- Chronic Pain & Muscle Spasms: Severe night-time leg cramps and systemic joint inflammation became daily norms.
“I just thought this was going to be my way of life for the rest of my days,” Marcus recalls. “I took the pills and kept eating garbage, secretly hoping the medications would save me.”
The Turning Point and the Las Vegas Goal
In late 2024, wanting to get in shape for an upcoming recreational hockey tournament in Las Vegas with his friends, Marcus stumbled upon discussions about the zero-plant Carnivore diet featured by Jordan Peterson and Dr. Shawn Baker. Recognizing that moderate carbohydrate restriction had never worked for his food addiction, he decided to try an uncompromising 30-day experiment: strictly beef, salt, and water.
The initial transition required breaking a lifetime of carb cravings, but by day 30, the physical results made returning to processed food unthinkable.
A Complete Clinical Reversal
The biological impact of eliminating all seed oils, refined sugars, and plant carbohydrates unfolded rapidly:
- 100-POUND WEIGHT LOSS: The weight melted away consistently, bringing his 302-pound frame down to a stable, athletic 200 pounds within six months.
- TYPE 2 DIABETES RESOLUTION: Just 60 days into the protocol, his fasting blood glucose dropped to a healthy 4.3 mmol/L. His HbA1c plunged from 11.0% down to a completely normal 5.1%.
- TOTAL DE-PRESCRIBING: In early 2025, his primary care physician formally removed him from all four prescription medications, officially writing “Diabetes Resolved” in his medical charts.
- ELIMINATION OF SLEEP APNEA & REFLUX: His chronic acid reflux, snoring, and sleep apnea vanished, allowing him to experience deep, restorative sleep and unshakeable daily energy.
- FREEDOM FROM ADDICTIONS: Marcus effortlessly gave up alcohol, coffee, and late-night snacking, experiencing no cravings or mid-day energy crashes.
From Resignation to Longevity
Today, Marcus works for an Indigenous health organization, plays competitive hockey, trains regularly, and even pursues advanced self-study in quantum mechanics thanks to his restored cognitive clarity.
Where he once quietly planned on applying for medical assistance in dying (MAID) by age 70 to avoid becoming a chronic burden to his family, his vision for the future has completely inverted.
“Before carnivore, I accepted that my health was failing and was planning on medical assistance in dying by 70 so I wouldn’t be a burden. Now that my diabetes is resolved and I’ve lost 100 pounds, I want to see just how long and how strong I can live for my family and my granddaughter.”
