Sondra followed a vegetarian diet for 14 years, hoping it would relieve her from allergies, asthma, and eczema, which she had struggled with since childhood. She describes her former self as “the granola girl.” At age 57, she has found true freedom on a carnivore diet.
Struggles with Various Ailments
Leaving behind the standard American diet she followed in her youth, Sondra thought that switching to organic vegetarian foods would help her various ailments. “That started my health going on a downward spiral,” she shares. “I developed reactive hypoglycemia and would faint because my blood sugar was unstable.” Over time, her allergies and eczema worsened. Adding fish and dairy to her diet didn’t help, and she eventually developed gluten intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). “I didn’t know what a normal bowel movement was!” she recalls.
Finding True Freedom in a Roast Beef Sandwich
Providence came in the form of a roast beef sandwich! Sondra visited a restaurant one day and, on a whim, wanted to see how she’d react to red meat. “What have I been missing all these years?” she recalls thinking. Sondra immediately shifted to a whole-food omnivore diet, heavy on plants and organic grass-fed meat. This diet change didn’t help her eczema, and she developed a new condition: seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression corresponding to changing seasons.
Experimenting with Different Diets
As a nutrition coach and personal trainer, Sondra dove into various nutrition-based research and experimented with the paleo and ketogenic diets. Her first couple of weeks on keto helped her shed 15 pounds and cleared up her eczema. After being diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, Sondra started supplements. After only three months, her life-long asthma was gone!
The Benefits of Carnivore Diet for Sondra
“I enjoy diving into nutrition science and discovering who is out there talking about it,” Sondra explains. This pursuit eventually led her to the carnivore diet, and she could finally lose weight again. Since she is post-menopausal, Sondra found that pairing a meat-based diet with OMAD (one meal a day) is the only way she can shed unwanted pounds. Adding magnesium has helped her manage hot flashes and balance other hormonal issues.
Sondra’s Version of Carnivore Diet
Sondra is fortunate to be married to a chef, so meals at her house never get boring! “I”m never going to be one of those burgers, steak, and water people!” she laughs. Her version of carnivore includes primarily beef, lamb, cream, butter, and occasionally some eggs. “Steak with brie is one of my favorites!” She stresses the importance of eliminating high-oxalate foods such as coffee, black tea, and chocolate. “I found mental and emotional freedom from foods that don’t serve me anymore.”
At 57, mental clarity has been Sondra’s most significant win on the carnivore diet. “Memory issues are no longer a problem for me,” she shares. In her free time, Sondra has taken up hiking, an activity she can now experience with zero joint pain! “I’m so grateful that my winding road eventually landed me here!”
