Category: Success Stories

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Kay improved OCD, lowers blood pressure, eliminates seasonal allergies, anxiety on a carnivore diet


My medical history consisted of very few issues. I had always been about 20 pounds overweight and I have always struggled with undiagnosed OCD that was annoying but never bad enough that I talked to any professional about it. Around age 7, I had developed allergies to just about every pollen but that was easily managed with over the counter allergy medications. By age 18, I had a reoccurring MRSA infection problem (managed with over the counter antibiotic ointment), some adult acne, and I would constantly have a flu or cold. I figured that’s just the way things were and would continue to be. That was the normal I knew, I hadn’t really experienced much better.

As a child, we were quite poor. My mother knew how to cook and would cook delicious meals using butter, whole milk, and beef but she insisted on vegetable consumption constantly and Cheerios for breakfast. Additionally, we utilized food boxes and government programs that often included large amounts of grains and sugary items. Macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and hot cereals were a staple in our home. Education in nutrition was extremely lacking, I received a quick discussion of the food pyramid around age twelve and nothing since. When I began college, I chose to rebel against my mother’s nutritional teachings and began what I referred to as a ‘bachelor diet’ – beer, candy, and pizza rolls. Unsurprisingly, I gained the Freshman Fifty that stuck with me long after I graduated in 2016.

After college, I wasn’t much better. I worked a job with extreme flexibility in schedule that also had me responding to emergencies at any time. I developed a diet of sugar and caffeine in place of meals as a way just to get by. I rarely ate a meal, opting for whatever sugary snack (Rice Krispie Treats, Fruit Gushers, cheese snack crackers, Oreos, Kit-Kats) was in my desk drawer and a Monster energy drink or Coke Zero every couple of hours.
In April of 2019, I went to the doctor for a persistent ingrown toenail. At that time, the doctor also informed me that I had high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic. This was terrifying as my entire family has had high blood pressure and diabetes, suffering horribly from both their entire lives. Additionally, I was only 25 years old. The problem was, I had no idea what to do about it. The doctor’s only suggestions were exercise, a better diet, and medications. Not wanting to start on such hard core medications at such an early age, I opted to increase exercise, eat Cheerios for breakfast, and start taking Garlic and COQ10 supplements that were said to lower blood pressure.

About one month later, I met someone who would change my life. We had both gotten stuck in an eight hour training course for work. The topic of diet had come up (I assume because he had noticed I was on my third Coke Zero and granola bar meal of the day and it was only noon). He had mentioned something about how I needed to eat healthier. I remarked that I’d love to but I hate just eating lettuce all day, “if I could eat steak and butter and be healthy, I’d do it but that’s not how it works”. Oh, how little I knew. I should have known by his smirk at that response that he had trapped me. After a day of question after question and a logical answer from him for every single one, I threw out all my supplements, did a 30 hour fast, and started a fully Carnivore Diet.

I saw results very quickly and have been seeing results like crazy since. I have been losing weight (about 30 pounds right now). My OCD and related anxiety are much more manageable now, I would say it is 85% gone. I have no allergies and have stopped taking allergy medication entirely. I have not had a MRSA infection since starting the diet, my acne is disappearing, and I haven’t been sick with a cold or flu in quite a long time. My blood pressure it amazing and I am no longer pre-diabetic. Somehow, I have more energy while only eating once or twice a day. I sleep better and my mood is better and the joint pain I always attributed to years of ballet has mostly gone. Everything that I had learned to live with because I figured that was just how it was has disappeared and that is truly amazing.

This diet has done one other thing that has truly change my life. I have spent most of my life not only uneducated but also uninterested in my body and nutrition. Yes, I was never taught a lot about nutrition but I also never tried to reach out and learn more about it. The minute I heard about this diet, I suddenly cared. I developed this thirst for information about how my body worked, how the diet worked and why it worked. I drove my friend crazy with questions, I watched (and still do) an insane amount of YouTube videos on all sorts of topics related to the diet, I read stories of people who had done the diet, and I talked with friends about it. I’ve actually been compiling all of my information in to a document so, when people ask about a resource or for information, I can direct them right to it. I’m even looking into becoming a Dietitian. Because of the Carnivore Diet, I care about making sure my body is functioning to its best and making sure the rest of humanity gets on board. I want to ensure that this diet touches not only my life but my significant other’s, our kids’, and anyone I meet with an open mind

Kay’s first update

I started off in life with very little understanding of nutrition in general. I was taught the old school food pyramid when I was very young and not much beyond that. I didn’t even know sugar is a carbohydrate!

So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when I went into college weighing 130 pounds and came out weighing 180 pounds on a 5’3″ frame. Almost three years after graduation from college in May 2019, I still had only made it down to 170 pounds and I had just been told by a doctor that (at 25 years old) I was pre-diabetic and had high blood pressure. I had no idea what to do and it shocked me. These were diseases I remembered my grandparents dealing with and I was starting to deal with them before I had even reached 30! With a distrust of the healthcare system’s medications and a quick google search as my guide, I slapped a garlic and CoQ10 supplement band-aid on the problem and continued my old habits.

I thank God everyday I met ‘J’ a month later. J had been on the carnivore diet long enough to know how to get started and teach me the basics. The results were astounding.

I’m down to 150 pounds and still counting. I’m no longer pre-diabetic and my blood pressure is amazing (and I don’t take garlic or CoQ10 – I quit those when I started the diet)! But it’s the surprising little things that I didn’t expect that have really changed my life.

The seasonal allergies I’ve gotten every spring/summer since I was 10 are gone. The lactose intolerance I thought I had must have been something else in my diet as I consume milk products just fine now. I sleep better, I am more energetic, I am happier, and I just feel BETTER. I have never felt this good. But there is an even more amazing trade off.

I never cared about nutrition or diet or going to the gym every day before this diet. I had no idea how my body worked. In fact, a year ago, my daily diet consisted of Monster, Coke, Americanos, Rice Krispie Treats, Fruit Gushers, sugar cookies, candy, and granola bars. If there was sugar or caffeine, it was consumed daily – even more so if you could get both into one product! I felt terrible constantly but didn’t connect that to my diet. I just figured my diet was what was pushing me through whatever was making me feel crappy. It was energy and got me through the day until I could go home and not sleep despite feeling like death. I never cared to know what was going into my body or how my body even worked. I lived by a “don’t read the ingredients” mantra. It tasted sweet and made me feel energetic for 10 minutes and that was enough for me. But this diet changed all that.

The old food pyramid was so ingrained in my brain that the effects I began to see the carnivore diet having on my body boggled me. How can no vegetables and animal fat be good? I had to know why and how it worked. I watched video after video and article after article. I learned about how I get the nutrients on this diet, what they do, how carbohydrates act as fuel vs. how fat acts as fuel, differences between animal fat and vegetable oils, about plant toxicity, oxalates – I learned from every resource I could get my hands on and I am still learning every day.

I have no doubt that the carnivore diet saved my life because it is the first thing that has ever made me take the time to understand how my body works and care about treating it right.

And that is a gift that has changed my life forever.

Kay’s second update almost 1.5 years into the Carnivore Diet.

 

Been a little under a year since I posted those and about 1.5 years on carnivore. Still seeing great results like maintaining my weight at a healthier size than before the diet, vastly improved OCD and anxiety symptoms (which means less alcohol – I drink to enjoy it instead of drinking to make everything calm down for once – down to a couple drinks a month versus 4-5 a week), more energy and sleeping better, no more seasonal allergies, no more MRSA infections, no more pre-diabetes, no more constant colds/flus, no more constant joint pain, and still not lactose intolerant like I thought I was pretty much my whole life.
 
I write again to inform of new things – this diet is STILL astounding me! I have noticed recovery from the couple of colds I have had since starting the diet (always when I slack a little bit) is super quick. Better yet, recovery from physical activity is so much quicker and my stamina is AMAZING. I was never a ‘do a lot of things really quickly’ kind of person. Slow and steady is how I am but I still could only do that for so long before my body just wouldn’t. Now I get myself going on a yardwork task or a hike and can just keep going and going and going! It’s amazing! 
 
Additionally, my ‘lady time’ symptoms are so much better. There is less cramping and pain which means less nausea (the pain used to be so bad, I would get nausea and couldn’t eat). I am far more emotionally stable and it’s just an easier thing to deal with now.
 
I’ve started playing around with fasting, as well. When I started the diet, I just naturally developed an ‘OMAD’ schedule. My body just didn’t need the 5 meals I was eating before. Now, I do 30-40 hour fasts and I have found success with those. It’s been great to learn that I don’t have to eat every three hours and the benefits have been awesome! The energy you have on a fast is unlike anything!
 
The biggest thing is seeing how my skin has changed. I live in Arizona where we have sun 360 days of the year. I’ve also been allergic to sunscreen since I was a baby (carnivore didn’t fix that issue – appears to be genetic, but I think it may be for the best). I tried and tested God knows how many brands, it’s just not gonna work for me. Around 14 years old, I just accepted it and let myself burn since I didn’t want to be a hermit but I couldn’t use the sunscreen. I would get AWFUL sunburns and I pretty much accepted skin cancer was in the VERY near future. As a part of my research on the carnivore diet, I’ve been looking into Vitamin D and using the sun as your primary source. This means I do try to expose myself to direct sunlight for ten minute periods several times a day. With this and the diet (I suspect the collagen plays a pretty big role along with increased fat and cholesterol), I don’t burn. The one time I actually burned on the carnivore diet, it was because I spent ten hours half immersed in a lake with no shade in the middle of July in Arizona. I almost cannot make myself burn. I also actually get and keep a tan. It is a complete difference from how I’ve grown up my entire life. I don’t have to use sunscreen which harms me and is kinda icky to use anyway. I don’t have to hide from the daylight and supplement my Vitamin D. I can go outside, do the things I need to and never worry about it.
 

1.5 years in and Carnivore is still keeping me in peak condition! Getting excited to see what happens years and years down the line!

 

Thank you, 

Kay

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Stephen is improving his type 2 diabetes on the Carnivore diet.

Stephen, AKA Orbi-Wan, is using the Carnivore Diet to repair 25 years of damage from diabetes and carb
addiction.
My name is Stephen, also known as Orbi-Wan on the internet. I am a 60-year-old retired military veteran
currently working as technology support for our local school district.
I am working to put my 25 years of diabetes into remission through a commitment to eating what is best for
my body.  I am the first to admit that, while I have made great strides towards this goal, I still have a long way
to go. Being diabetic with poor management and terrible diet habits for 25 years has taken its toll. It’s going to
take a while, perhaps two or three years, but I am committed to stick with it, and the Carnivore food lifestyle
is the key.
I was diagnosed in 1998 with Type 2 Diabetes, and a review of my military medical records show that I went
undiagnosed as far back as late 1995. I retired from the Navy in 2002.
Prior to discovering the Carnivore food lifestyle, I ate pretty much anything I wanted to, and was especially
addicted to pastas, rice and certain fast foods. I was obese – my weight fluctuated anywhere from 190 to 230
over a period of several years. I suffered from lethargy, multiple sinus infections a year, was put on high blood
pressure meds and statins, and of course, more diabetes management drugs than I can even remember. Of
course, everything I was suffering from was pretty much a direct result of the complications of my diabetes,
my Standard American Diet, and the lack of education about the best way to deal with my condition.
During the fall of 2019, my wife and her sister both began transitioning to the Keto food lifestyle. I was
resistant. I was drinking what I considered healthy green smoothies every morning, loaded with fruits, kale,
spinach, and artificial sweeteners, and thought that was enough. I was on multiple types of medications, both
for diabetes management and associated “medical” problems. I was still putting away massive amounts of
“healthy” foods with carbs but knew in my heart that I was really not doing myself any favors.
As I approached my 60th birthday, something finally clicked.  I was coming off an extended recovery after I
broke my foot, and my wife was constantly playing videos by Jason Fung and Ken Berry.  The phrases “insulin
resistance” and “reversing diabetes” kept popping up, enough that they finally wormed their way into my
consciousness.  I actually began to listen to what they were saying. I watched Fung’s reversing diabetes course
on YouTube, and finally decided on my 60th birthday to make the commitment to put my diabetes into
remission through the Keto diet.
For the first few days of 2020, I gave the old college try, but discovered that I was still running higher glucose
levels. That’s when I started looking at ALL carbs, not just “bad” carbs. Then I listened to Berry and Robert
Cywes (who is my actual doctor now) talk about the Carnivore way of eating. On January 6, I transitioned to a
higher fat/moderate protein/near-zero carb way of eating, and wow. That is when things started taking off.
The first thing that happened – I began losing weight fairly quickly. I lost 15 lbs. within the first few weeks and
am actually stabilized now at between 155 and 158 lbs., which puts me in the middle of ideal weight for my
height and body type. I’ve gone from Extra Large to Medium shirts, and 38/40 pants down to 30/32s.
The next thing that happened, I immediately began to feel better. I had more energy. My sleep became
deeper and my dreams became very vivid. After my initial bout of adjustment, what they call Keto flu, I have
not been sick, lethargic or felt physically bad. I usually would have at least two upper respiratory infections by
this time of the year, but I have been in great overall health, even in the midst of this pandemic. I am

especially grateful for this considering that as a diabetic, the complications associated with CoVid infection for
diabetics can be more severe than with other health issues.
Towards the end of January, with the weight loss and the higher energy levels I was experiencing, I went to my
endocrinologist and explained what I was going, what my goals were, and that I wanted their support for the
path I had chosen. I told them who I had listened to, the research I had done, and that I felt it was a realistic
and achievable goal. To my surprise, the doc laughed at what I said, and proceeded to tell me that their 20-
years of experience trumped what anything new I had learned about managing and reversing my diabetes. 
Needless to say, I have not been back to see that endocrinologist. Instead, three days later I had my first
appointment with Dr. Robert Cywes, the Carb Addiction Doc, and he has been my guide. He supports the
Carnivore food lifestyle, and his views on food addiction, especially carbs, has helped me stay committed to
this way of eating.
He has taken me off of all of my blood pressure meds, statins, and all supplements, agreeing with this
community that I can get everything I need for health from eating the right way.  He also took me off most of
my diabetes management drugs, although he has helped me realize that although I am eating healthier, I do
have 25 years of damage to repair, and I will need some support through Metformin and carefully considered
and administered insulin injections from time to time.
The good news is, my blood sugars are steadily stabilizing and normalizing. When I started Carnivore, I was
coming off a high A1C of 8 to 9. My last A1C at the end of June was at 7 and, if my Continuous Glucose
Monitor is to be believed, I could be looking at an A1C of 5.5 or even lower in a couple of weeks, as I prep for
my next appointment with Dr. Cywes. And the absolute foundation that I am building on is the Carnivore way
of eating. I have learned I have nothing to fear or even be concerned about when it comes to Cholesterol.
My typical food day: I was able to establish a routine of one “eating” meal a day, in the evening, that fits both
my and my wife’s work schedules. To keep from getting hungry otherwise, I put a couple of tablespoons of
butter and heavy whipping cream in my coffee first thing in the morning, and then again around noon, about
the time of Shawn’s daily meeting.  For dinner, we eat rib eyes, bacon, eggs, pork belly, etc., on a rotation,
throwing in some fish and other animal products from time to time. It’s a simple plan, we love the food,  and
we both only eat until we’re satiated.
My exercise is considered moderate, primarily walking and the lifting, pushing and stretching that comes with
the physical aspect of my job as technology support on the fairly large campus where I work.
Let’s talk about MeatRx. I joined in February, and I enjoy and use the resources available to me. The primary
resource I take advantage of are the multiple meetings available. They are my support groups. I regularly
attend Shawn’s daily meeting, the weekly diabetes group, the mental health meeting, and a few others as I
can find the time. I find the comradery, encouragement, and fellowship invaluable as I continue on this
journey.
So that is my journey and my goal. I am only in the early stages. I celebrate the victories and study and make
improvements when I encounter setbacks. In it for the long haul, I want to enjoy being alive when I am in my
90s and playing lightsabers with my great grandkids.

Check out Stephen’s facebook page:

www.facebook.com/orbiwanconfrontscarbosaurus 

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Tracy improved her mental health, eczema, asthma, skin and lost weight on a carnivore diet.

Hello!  
I’m excited to share my story with you.
 
My journey to better health and well-being began 4 years ago when my husband, fairly recently diagnosed with T2D, was researching ways to manage his diabetes with diet, rather than medication.  He was on a literal handful of meds that were controlling his BG, but doing nothing for his overall health.  He told me he wanted to start Keto because he couldn’t keep doing what he was doing.  I went along for the ride as the supportive wife.  I was not diabetic, however very possibly pre-diabetic.  I was 230 lbs, depressed and anxious, asthmatic, suffering on an off from some pretty terrible eczema and I was literally dragging myself up the stairs each day.  About 2 weeks into keto I felt better than I had in decades.  I started digging into all of the information I could about it.  I stumbled through keto for 2 years, with my weight going up and down, though my depression had improved greatly and my asthma was mostly resolved.  I was still suffering from eczema and by that time it was fairly serious.  I was back and forth to emergency before being referred to a specialist.  I had been put on prednisone and several steroid creams, none of which resolved it.  Once again I dug into research and stumbled upon Carnivore.  By this time I was prioritizing meat but still eating lots of vegetables.  I decided to eliminate the vegetables and incorporate fasting and what do you know?  My eczema was cleared within 10 days and has not returned.  
To date I have lost 90 pounds.  My  mental health is perfect.  My asthma is non-existent.  My skin is clear and glowing.  I no longer struggle with food addiction or out of control hunger.  I’ve started moving my body everyday, which further enhances my mental and physical health.  I have never been this well in my entire life. Meat has healed  me.  My husband continues to manage his T2D without medication. We have been in this together from day 1.  I wouldn’t be where I am without him.  I’ve started sharing my journey on my own social media in an effort to let my friends and family know that there is a better way.  
 
That’s more than a few sentences, but I’m just so grateful for this journey.  I feel like shouting it from the rooftops.  Thank you so much for this opportunity!
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Jacqueline no longer suffers from chronic constipation after starting a carnivore diet.

Hoping you are well, Dr. Baker!  

 
I have a lot more to my carnivore journey that I will share in due time, but I had to share one piece with you in case it might help anyone else struggling with their health.  I am 32 years old and have had chronic constipation my entire life.  In my early 20s it went from chronic to downright miserable and occasionally dabilatating. Regular bleeding, aching hemorrhoids were the least of my problems and they certainly weren’t a party. The abdominal pain, weight gain on virtually any diet, bloating, and daily nausea eventually led me to many doctor appointments for any kind of relief.  Much to my dismay, it was always the same song and dance: “more fiber, less protein, more water (or the opposite), more exercise, more meals, less meals, less sugar then more sugar, then no sugar, stool softeners/probiotics/laxatives/enemas you name it.  
It got to the point that no doctor believed me when I explained my diet and exercise regimens.  I would go in with logs of every step I took and every scrap of food or drink I consumed thinking it would prove finally that NOTHING worked no matter how religiously I followed “doctors orders”.  Even then the best I got was “you are perfectly healthy just try more miralax”.  I tried herbal teas, coffee, every diet you can think of, supplements, and on and on and on. Some things worked temporarily but they always, ALWAYS stopped eventually.  My husband turned me on to carnivore late last year and I dallied with it fearing that it would only make my problems worse (according to everything I’d been told or read). It wasn’t until January that I finally committed to a serious and strict trial run (thanks in large part to your book and following Mikhaila Peterson on her health journey).
And with tears in my eyes now I can tell you that I have not had a single bout of constipation in all of 2020. It is hard to explain to anyone how dramatically that one simple thing has changed my quality of life. I wasn’t convinced it would last, but 9 months of success and relief?  I’m now a believer and my digestive health is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you and team for everything you face down to keep this message going strong.  Add me to the list of patients you have changed for the better.     
 
All the best
Jacqueline
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Dave lost 115 Lbs, reversed multiple inflammatory conditions, and improved his mental health on a carnivore diet.

My name is Dave, also known as Cursing Carnivore on Instagram.  I came to the carnivore lifestyle January of this year, after being on the weight rollercoaster my entire life. I had always done well with low carb/keto, but I always stalled out after a while, and would always manage to overindulge or have too many cheat meals, or something hugely emotional would happen to me and I would go off the rails again. Last June my mother passed away at 61 years old of kidney failure, and I bottomed out. I went back to my emotional eating habits and gained back a lot of the weight I had lost going keto 2 years before. I decided after listening to Joe Rogans Podcast about his dalliance with carnivore, I would try it. I knew the Petersons had been advocating this for years but I always thought it was crazy, as much as I love the idea of eating steak and bacon every day. I knew this was going to be the time, I wasn’t going to go back to old habits, I wasn’t going to fail again, I’m a married man with 3 sons at home, I needed to do this not only for me, but for them. I didn’t ever want them to feel the way we all felt losing my mom. So I channeled John Wick, a man of unceasing focus and determination, and I have lost more than 115 lbs since then, reversed multiple inflammatory conditions, and improved my mental health vastly. I have attached some photos of me, some were prior to lymphedema surgery 4 years ago.
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JL healed her prolapsed pelvic floor, has improved her digestion and lost weight on a carnivore diet.

Thank you for featuring my picture on your Instagram! My success is short since I just started Carnivore “correctly” July 1st 2020. I had done a very dirty version in 2018 which of course did not last that long as I was coming from the Keto Community and still eating artificial sweeteners, lots of dairy and my weight slowly crept back up since my fasting windows shortened significantly. 

A little history about me. I was always thin growing up and never had a weight problem until I started “dieting”.. so since 2001 I’ve managed to keep myself in a perpetual cycle of gain/lose/gain/lose. I’ve done the Body-For-Life challenge several times in 2006 and 2008 lol. I finally hit my major milestone of competitions and became an NPC competitor from 2012-2013, was published in 2 fitness magazines then completely crashed after my last competition because I killed my adrenals and became extremely unhealthy in the brain (anxiety & depression). I gained 60 lbs then in 2017 started a new journey of Keto/IF. Was very successful because I could fast forever.. lost 50 lbs in 5 months.. During this time I struggled with severe health problems and my fasting windows just got smaller and smaller and sure enough over time my weight just kept creeping back… in between I did eat a few weeks here & there a very SAD diet. Right after my 40th birthday (April) I threw my back out for a few weeks and I was told by my “lady” dr that I had a prolapsed pelvic floor and that’s contributing to the back pain and I was at risk for surgery if I didn’t do physical therapy. I was shocked and knew that I had to really look at my lifestyle not as a “weight loss” journey, but a major correction of my body journey.

I remembered Shawn Bakers interview with Joe Rogan and how simple he kept it regarding Carnivore. So I decided to just stick to beef, salt, water, fat. Within 3-4 weeks my pelvic floor was completely healed. No pain, no pressure and all the other embarrassing issues surrounding this problem just went away. My skin issues completely cleared and I was noticing that I was not hungry, I rarely thought about food, my sleep was much deeper, my digestive problems subsided significantly and I went from 4-5 times a day to 1-2. I’ve lost about 15 lbs but I think the biggest benefit so far is I’m HIGHLY aware of what is happening with my body. I can listen to it’s queues crystal clear and to me that’s a privilege. Thank you for taking the time to hear my story. I have lots more to tell.

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E has lowered her triglycerides, improved her blood work, thyroid function and is feeling better on a carnivore diet.

Around 2008, I started seeing a new doctor because I had long been plagued with food issues and “tummy troubles” like IBS and food allergies. In late 2010, after a series of trips to the ER and undergoing more GI testing than the average 24 year old, I had my gallbladder removed. Before then my bloodwork wasn’t crazy, but it wasn’t all “normal”, either. In 2012, I saw my GP for a few run of the mill ailments…weight gain (rapid and excessive!), fatigue, depression, etc. when I got my lab work back I was stunned- my triglycerides were through the roof high and my thyroid was off. He diagnosed me with hypertryglyceridemia, hypothyroidism, fatty liver disease, and a slew of other “incurables” that come with following a SAD diet and crash diet cycles. I have never had a good reaction to medication so at that point he gave me Levothyroxine and Valium for vertigo. I mentioned diet but he brushed it off- I wish I knew then what I know now!

At that point, I had tried weight watchers, vegetarian, vegan, low fat, no red meat, gluten free, soy free, and many in between. I was still in denial that fruits were carbs so my morning smoothie was a staple. I took my medication and slowly, over the years, those vitamins and medications built up. By 2015 my medicine cabinet looked more like an 85 year olds than a 29 year olds. I still had high triglycerides (slightly lower but still worrisome) and I had moved on to taking metformin for fatty liver and Wellbutrin for depression, in addition to levothyroxine. I was on three medications that were supposed to help balance hormone levels and ideally lose weight but I was STILL gaining and in poor health- physical and mental!

The end of 2015 brought my family 2 major deaths and my world view was very shaken. In January of 2016, I decided to give Paleo and Whole30 a try. I had some good results for awhile but nothing sustainable and new food sensitivities were popping up once I removed some of the “big bads” like grains dairy and sugar. I was baffled…I remember saying to my then partner “all I’m going to be able to eat is meat! Who could live like that?!” (Oh how the tables have turned!)

After another disappointing check up with nothing to show but a higher number on the scale and little movement in my bloodwork, I decided (without ‘consulting my physician’ who had just tried to push more medications at me because dietary changes “wouldn’t help that much”) that none of the medications or vitamins I was on were actually keeping me alive. My system was too clogged with synthetic nonsense and there was no way my body could overcome anything when it was bombarded by so much outside influence. I slowly started weaning myself off of one medication at a time until I was medication free. In some regards I felt a little better but I knew I had a lot of work to do still.

From 2016-2019 I played around with paleo, keto, zero carb, and carnivore but I never stuck with anything longer than a few months. I felt fantastic on zero carb/carnivore but I still had some unresolved issues with my relationship with food so I couldn’t stick with something long term. I was devouring information this whole time, though. Finding all of the science, research, ‘anecdotal evidence’ from people’s stories that sounded like mine. Reading books, watching youtube videos and listening to podcasts, finding social media accounts for people that this worked for. Suddenly only surviving on meat was a light bulb that just made good sense, and I was healing my relationship with food and laying good groundwork to start healing mentally as well. During this time I also moved a few states away so early this year I knew I needed to find a doctor- animal based is magic but it’s not an immediate eraser…by some of my daily symptoms I knew I was still experiencing thyroid issues and I am still overweight so I wanted to get my bloodwork done to check things out.

In January, I found a job way closer to home with a fraction of the stress and I knew I could really dig in to an animal-based lifestyle. I was still on the hunt for a doctor and to say I was terrified of finding someone was an understatement. I was fairly convinced that any doctor I found in this tiny area I live would tell me I was sure to die an early death by following keto/carnivore but to my pleasant surprise, my current practitioner follows keto as well *insert huge sigh of relief*. By the time I saw him in March 2020, I had already lost about 15lbs since I weighed myself in November 2019, but only animal based for about 3 months at that point. He wrote me an order for bloodwork but this appointment was just a few days before covid shut our state down. It was check up work so I put it off until things started to ease up. In the meantime, I had very little trouble staying in line with animal based at least 80-90% of the time and anything not animal based is well thought out and things I don’t notice a reaction to eating/drinking.

In July 2020 I finally went to get a CBC with diff, thyroid check, lipid check,  and CMP. To my pleasant surprise, my astronomical triglyceride number was cut in half from 2012 and most of my other numbers were well within normal ranges. At the follow up appointment I discovered I had lost more weight and was down 30lbs in 7 months. I suspect I have lost a little more but I don’t own a scale so I will find out at my next appointment.

I’m still struggling with my thyroid issues but there’s a lot of damage of years of poor diet and mismanaged health to adjust. Since going animal based and addressing my wellness holistically, my life has changed dramatically for the better. I’ve taken a vested interest in my health, what food actually does to my body, why what we eat matters on multiple levels, and I’ve even piqued the interest of a few friends- I’m happy to share my knowledge and resources in hopes they can make some healthy choices and more conscientious decisions about the food on their plates and their habits.

My journey isn’t over yet, but I feel like I’m on a path that is sustainable and what works best for me. I can tell my insulin resistance is taking a turn because I really don’t have the same hunger I used to have. My body is starting to be fat fueled and usually, if it’s not a juicy hunk of meat, I’m not interested! This is a huge change for me since I have always had a very emotional relationship with food and had at least one active eating disorder for the past 20 years. When I give my body what it needs, the guilt is gone, the worry is gone, I couldn’t care less about a calorie because I know my body is using everything I feed it to make us stronger and healthier. I think animal based is the optimal way of eating for humans, but the relationship we have with food is more important. Until I addressed that, there weren’t enough cows in the world to make me want to be healthier. Now I love my body for how hard it works and I love it by putting the best things I can afford.

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Ren is healing from chronic pain, migraines, depression, allergies, asthma and leg pain after starting a carnivore diet.

The story, in pictures: 1. I’m six years old. My father is starting to put on weight, started to feel sick. He was a physician’s assistant. Didn’t he know how to be healthy? Mother wants to do something about it.
 
She started cooking low fat, adding swiss chard and spinach, ordering organic vegetables, potatoes, and tofu instead of beef. She ground wheat at home and made all our bread from fresh whole grains. Basically a leptin, oxalate, and phytate nightmare.
 
As a growing child I was often so hungry that I learned to forage for food. In-season fruit trees, sneaking out to the icecream truck, whatever. I was a sugar junkie, sneaking candy just like my father.
By 11 years old my knees hurt so badly that some days I could hardly stand. I was pale, with dark shadows under my eyes, and easily exhausted. My father’s diet wasn’t working for him or for the family.
Ironically my health improved when I was old enough to run to McDonald’s for burgers. My sisters and I competed for who could eat the most meat, but it wasn’t enough to counteract the milkshakes and french fries.
When I got my period, it hurt. Every month was pure torture that I can say was worse than having a nail stabbed straight through my foot. It seemed like every year added more problems.
 
Asthma, bad eyesight, iron deficiency, low vitamin D, burning easily in the sun, painful walking, restless legs and muscle spasms.
I had ear infections and yeast infections in highschool, where I prepared to go to medical school. I wanted to find answers. I wanted to fix my body. I felt so terrible going into college that I didn’t care about my diet and ate whatever I wanted, still mostly bread, cheese, and potatoes but also salads, chicken, and some beef. Then I had a stroke at the college and couldn’t pass tests anymore. My brain just would not work. My dreams of becoming a doctor died that day. And my father died shortly after. He was 43 years old. We learned that he ate a candybar and had a 20oz Coke every day, in spite of my mother trying to restrict his calories. Diets don’t work.
 
I went to work at McDonald’s, but that didn’t last long. Soon the pain in my legs became so bad I couldn’t stand. I suffered from gut pain, gallbladder pain, migraines, dizzy spells and depression. I thought the answer was to go vegetarian and start working a desk job, since eating fat triggered gall bladder attacks of intense pain. I was low-oil vegan for 2 years, then lacto-ovo vegetarian. This at first made me feel better, but the honeymoon phase didn’t last long.
 
Soon enough for the first time, I started putting on weight. Until then I was a fairly thin girl, but lack of exercise due to the pain packed the pounds on. I avoided red meat for 15 years.
 
When I turned 35 the leg pain came back with a vengeance. It was so bad that this time, I got a walker, a scooter, and a permanent disability certificate.  I quit dancing. I became even more depressed. I got asthma, arthritis, and severe allergies. Nobody could figure out why I was in so much pain. My oldest sister died. She was 43. I realized that I had 8 years left to live, and I did not want to live any longer. I was suffering, and I wanted it to stop. Every moment, pain. I needed a larger chart and colored pencils to show my therapist all the pain spots. I even had social problems because of the gas and burping that my slow gallbladder fomented. It was bad. I even started to experience heartburn after eating. I tried fermenting, kombucha, sauerkraut, beet kvass, greens, juicing, CICO, etc. I took a DNA test and started towards a more Paleo approach to eating that reflected my Scandinavian heritage.
Finally, I turned 43. I weighed 183 lbs, 5’7″ and I was a size 16/18. Well, I thought, this is the year that I die.
 
But then a co-worker told me about Dr Ken Berry. Just watch the videos, she said. Just watch. The revelations started coming fast. I started with the Low-oxalate diet, to start healing my gut and give my gallbladder a chance to come out of it’s coma. I took ox bile pills so that I could eat fat without having painful spasms. Eventually my gallbladder woke up and ejected a large amount of sandy particles. Now I’m proud to own a fully functional carnivore gut, but it was a long and slow journey.
When I felt ready, I moved slowly into the keto diet. And I do mean slowly. It took 90 days of ramping down carbs and ramping up fat to get all the way into the low-carb macros. My husband did it with me, every step of the way.
I was still doing a vegetable heavy keto when I discovered Dr. Shawn Baker and Mikhaila Peterson and I knew, this was the answer.
My husband and I switched to carnivore after 4 months of slow ramp-down keto. By then, I had already lost 30lbs. He’d lost 40. We never cheated. Not even once. We knew what was at stake. It was life or death. From then on, the story reads in reverse. I started being in less pain. Less migraines, less depression, less allergies, less asthma, less medicine, less leg pain…More life. It’s just that simple. I started dancing again. It’s not a miracle. It’s meat.

Listen to Ren’s interview on the MeatRx.com podcast below:

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Ex-vegan heals his eczema and regains his health on a carnivore diet.

I’d like to share my eczema healing success story with before and after photos.
I was vegan for 3 years and as a result developed serious eczema and became sickly. Animal foods healed me in less than half a year!

Thank you for sharing the valuable information about real health – it played an important part in my recovery as I often stumbled upon podcasts and videos featuring you! I’m grateful for your work.

There’s a lot to explain, which I did with these two videos

Check out these two videos for more information: