Tessa’s Chronic Illness and Diagnosis
Tessa describes being so chronically ill her doctors didn’t know what to do with her. Tessa has a history of eating disorders but says for most of her adult life. She didn’t struggle with eating. Tessa ate copious amounts of food but couldn’t seem to gain weight.
Tessa says she experimented with the vegetarian diet, vegan (including raw vegan), five meals a day, three meals a day– but nothing worked. For several years her weight hovered around a mere ninety pounds.
Tessa had severe digestion issues. She describes taking antibiotics for a sinus infection over a decade ago. After the antibiotics, she struggled to digest food and was often bloated and gassy. Tessa also had severe depression and debilitating anxiety.
She had multiple panic attacks per week and described struggling to get off the floor some evenings. Tessa also lost her period for an entire decade, developed bells palsy, or numbness, in her face, severe brain fog, poor libido, and exercise intolerance. Tessa says, “My health was in shambles.”
Tessa’s Experience with Alternative Medicine
Since Tessa had become a mystery to her Western doctors, she sought alternative medicine.
There she was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease and a genetic disorder that makes it difficult for her body to detox naturally. She also discovered she has macrocytic anemia, which makes it very difficult for her body to absorb B vitamins.
The Journey to a Carnivore Diet
Tessa then began to see a naturopath doctor. When Tessa described her then-vegetarian diet to the doctor, she was told, “You need to eat meat.” Tessa says initially, she didn’t take her new doctor’s advice well, but she was desperate.
Her doctor recommended the book “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon. Tessa read the book, and the day she finished it, she ate salmon. Over the next few months, Tessa began following the ketogenic diet and eating more meat. She started to explore the carnivore diet in March 2018.
Tessa says she has dabbled with the diet for over a year, committing for a few months at a time. She even gave it up in the summer of 2019 after listening to outside influences, but she couldn’t deny how good the diet made her feel. In October 2019, Tessa fully committed to the carnivore lifestyle.
Tessa’s Health Improvements on a Carnivore Diet
Tessa’s period returned in June 2020, and she is no longer considered anemic. Tessa says her digestion has greatly improved, her depression and anxiety are almost non-existent, and her energy is “off the chains.”
Tessa has also been able to gain weight, including muscle, and says she gets comments from people all the time telling her she looks so much more healthy.
Today Tessa says she is a nose-to-tail carnivore diet follower. She typically eats one meal daily, which works best for her digestion.
Tessa says she drinks coffee in the morning and mineral water throughout the day. After a workout session in the afternoon, she usually eats a rare steak, which she has found has the best source of B vitamins.
However, Tessa says she will eat dark chicken meat from time to time, or pork, bacon, and fish. Tessa doesn’t eat dairy but loves ghee and has found a love for coconut oil after discovering it also seems to aid her digestion.
Tessa advocates the carnivore lifestyle and has even documented her health journey on YouTube through her channel. Tessa thanks Shawn Baker and the carnivore community for spreading the word about this incredible diet. Tessa says, “Because of this amazing diet, I’ve got my life back.”
