Category: injuries

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John gained mental clarity, energy and focus while being able to give up alcohol on a carnivore diet.

First picture was in May – I was a “SAD” diet eater and heavy drinker.  After two 6 week periods of attempts to control and count calories, and then counting calories and periodic fasting (and losing zero weight), I decided to go all-in on Carnivore.  These are pictures I took monthly, from May 17th (day 0) to August 17th 2020.
 
I’m currently 37 years old, but In my mid 20’s I was extremely fit and did crossfit 5 or 6 days a week, ate a strict paleo diet, and was overall really “heathy”, but my lifestyle and health declined as I got older (injuries and other hobbies came into play, and I started to work out less).   My relatively healthy lifestyle took a nosedive in the summer of 2019 when my wife and I had our baby boy – Fitness took a back seat, and as laziness set in, and my diet turned into eating pizza, chicken tenders, and any other “junk” i could make while dealing with all the things new parents deal with, I also started to get into the craft beer scene, and started drinking IPA’s like they were going out of style – and the mimosa-marathon Sundays just got longer and longer…The excuses are plentiful, but the reality is, it was all my fault, I’d let myself go.  I ate like shit and drank too much, and I knew I had to make a change.  In a period of around 6 months I had gone from a 34″ waist to my recently purchased 38″ jeans barely fitting.  My belts were almost out of holes…not good!
 
Rewinding a bit:  January 2020, I had this lofty goal of losing weight, stopping drinking, etc.  The normal new years resolution stuff.  I watched the vegan doc “Game Changer”, and thought that a lot of what they showed the viewers was pretty compelling.  It definitely made me consider the extreme vegan route – not for any moral reasons, but just because I wanted to lose weight and turn things around as far as how I felt.  BUT, I compared the food on a vegan diet to how successful I had been losing weight eating a paleo diet, and decided I just really couldn’t see myself giving up food that I knew worked for me in the past.  The one thing that always bothered me with paleo, however, was that I was constantly crapping my brains out.  Salads gave me major stomach issues, and lean meat never made me feel really full.  So even on strict paleo, I was “healthy” looking, I wasn’t fat,  but I never felt that good.  I remember having ridiculous weekly cheat meals where I’d crush two pizzas by myself.  Again, it’s like the diet should work, but it never left me feeling as good as I looked.  So Feb 2020, I started to move in the direction of eating paleo, but I was still drinking beers, having “cheat meals” all weekend, and sometimes during the week.  I couldn’t – at that point – really control my drinking…it had become a habit.  I’d drink because that’s what I did when I got home from work.  I knew I was in trouble.
 
 
In March of 2020, I was fortunate enough to stumble on the Joe Rogan / Dr. Shawn Baker interview on youtube…that was the beginning of my “game changer”.
 
The truth is, over the next several weeks,  I did a deep dive into the topic.  I found the meatRx website, found Ken Berry, found Saladino, started reading studies, started looking into my family history of medical problems, learned what an autoimmune disease really is, and started to learn all the science behind diet, and why it mattered.  Then,  May 17th 2020.  I was drunk off champagne sitting on my deck, taking pictures with my son, and saw how fat I had become.  I was embarrassed, I was depressed, I’d let myself go, it was time to change.  I went strict carnivore on May 18th, 2020.
 
 
 
This carnivore diet, from about the second week forward, has made me feel better, mentally sharper, more focused, and more energetic.  I don’t have cravings for any junk food, I don’t drink anymore – and don’t have any cravings for alcohol.   I work out almost every day – and remain injury free.  It’s hard to put into words exactly how good I feel, all I can say is that I feel bad for people who don’t eat carnivore – they have no idea what they’re missing!  This website, Dr. Baker’s podcasts, and the other info available from this community has opened up the door to learning so much more about health and wellness, that I’m confident now that I can say this diet is without a doubt the 3rd best thing to happen to me in the last 20 years (my beautiful bride and baby boy are  #1 and 2). 
 
 
I would guess in 90 days I’m down at least 40 pounds, but honestly, weight loss is a great side effect that goes along with just how damn good it feels to be on this diet.  I eat mostly grocery store beef, less than 10% grass fed (I think grain fed just tastes better…!).   I add in organ meat on occasion, but find desiccated organ capsules from Amazon are more palatable for me.  I get the “carnivore crack” from a local grocery store, I make my own “carnivore” mayo, I eat some cheese, I drink coffee with heavy cream, and I eat the thunder out of some red meat – and the fattier the cuts the better.  I feel satiated all the time, I feel “good” all the time, I don’t get headaches, I don’t get sick, I don’t get tired.  I sleep like a baby, I wake up ready to kick-ass, and I honestly feel like I’m reverse aging.
 
I’m a  huge advocate of this diet, in my social circle.  I’ve started to educate my friends and family about the benefits of Carnivore / Keto, I’ve shared information with my mom and sister who both are suffering from autoimmune diseases (hoping they’ll see the light), and I’m happy to be a part of the “Carnivore” family here on meatRX.  The stories on the site definitely played a part in me trying this, and I’m happy to now share my success story as well.
 
 
I highly recommend this diet to anyone who needs to make a big change in their life – It might be the 3rd best thing to happen to you too.  3 months has totally changed my outlook on the next 20 years of my life. If you stick with the program, I promise after 90 days you won’t be disappointed.
 
Thanks Dr. Baker – and team – for what you’re doing.  Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions or want more info.
 
My only regret is I didn’t get pre-carnivore blood tests, I’m sure you all could have used that (oops!) 
 
Regards,
 
J

Watch or listen to John’s interview on the MeatRx.com podcast below:

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Mark gives credit to his carnivore diet for his quick recovery after a biking accident.

On Saturday June 6, 2020 I had a mountain bike crash that knocked me out and put me in the hospital.  I had no broken bones and the only other injury was a cut on my left cheek which required four stitches.  My diet is meat based, with about 90% of my total calories coming from animal products with 0% coming from seed oils and processed food.  I’m 49 and have been active my entire life moving from baseball and football as kid to bike racing, hockey, cross country/trail running as a teenager, all of which I’m still participating in.  Weightlifting has been part of my program since age 12 and meat has been the foundation of my diet forever.  In the last few years as my wife and I became aware of the Carnivore diet (thanks to Dr. Baker) the grains and inflammatory junk has mainly been removed.

I’ve attached photos showing me hours after the crash, in the hospital, to eight days after the crash hiking with my wife.  My recovery was remarkable and I give full credit to the meat based way of eating and being physically active.  Family and friends have been astonished by my recovery and I’ve been spreading the word.  I actually posted an Instagram story of a collage of these pics with the caption “You don’t recover from this injury over 8 days with kale smoothies”.  Please feel free to share my story.  Your platform reaches many people and hopefully my story will push someone to meat based WOE or give them a reason to stick with carnivore. 
Mark
Mark

Listen to Mark’s interview on the Meatrx.com podcast here:

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Eric improved his cardiovascular health, skin, and quality of life on a carnivore diet

I am 63, had a heart attack back in 2007 at age 51.  I was stented and put on 80mg statin for the rest of my life.  My diet was SAD, 80% plant based.  I was advised to follow a low fat diet.  Hypertension got worse, I became obese, then autoimmune disorder, depression and perhipheral neuropathy in the feet which affected walking.  I had the statin shuffle and chronic sore feet.  I became borderline invalid from severe psoriasis of the hands, was unable to work or function normally for 4 years.  All psoriasis treatments failed (100 UV light sessions and then chemotheraphy).  When I turned 60 I rolled my ankle and broke my leg. 
 
With all these issues I discarded medical advice and went low carb high fat for 2 years, then carnivore for 1 year.  All symptoms went into remission on LCHF then stalled so I removed all plants and the symptoms disappeared.  After 9 months carnivore my cardiologist stared at his computer screen and muttered … wow, your triglycerides are really, really good.  And then he said – I’m taking you off statin. 
 
Even though I was a stented heart attack survivor originally diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, I was taken off statin.  I guess he doesn’t see carnivore blood work often, or perhaps I am his first one.  I am in Canada, a public health system where doctors are not inclined to reveal or discuss particulars with the patient.  I suspect inflammation dropped like a stone on carnivore.  For sure I look better, redness in the face gone, bags under the eyes gone, becoming lean again, active and so on.


I got a job doing physical work on construction sites.  Physical work wasn’t easy but I felt it was a better choice than returning to a corporate cubicle.  Carnivore made it possible.  I got stronger every day.  I will retire in a few years and plan to thru hike the Appalachian Trail when I am 65.  It is something I had considered impossible for over a decade.  It has been a very slow process for me but my transformation is clearly outstanding.  Dr Baker you are correct, that the carnivore diet is perhaps the best therapy for chronic disorders.  But it did more than that, it restored and improved quality of life

 

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Steve improves digestion, weight loss, and injury healing on a carnivore diet

6 months full carnivore. Can’t even begin to explain how it’s changed my life. Thank you so much for all you do and negativity you have to put up with. I feel like I have a new life.

I had reconstructive ACL and meniscus surgery on January 23rd, and thanks to this way of eating and lifestyle I’m already back skateboarding and to my normal routine 5 months before they said I would be. My physical therapist said she’s never seen anybody return to sport after surgery like that so fast, and I fully attribute that to this way of eating/lifestyle.

Before going carnivore I had horrible gastrointestinal pain for 8 years, multiple cameras put down my stomach just for them to tell me they didn’t know what was causing the pain. 3 weeks into carnivore and I’ve never felt that pain again. I feel like I have my life back again.

Also, here’s a fun story for anyone that feels like having a “cheat” day or thinks sugar doesn’t do anything. So my 30th birthday was a few weeks ago, and I was in the grocery store, and I don’t know why but for some reason a box of Little Debbie cookies caught my eye, and I don’t know if it was a flashback to my childhood that made me want them or what it was, but I gave in and bought those cookies and ate them all. Not even five minutes after finishing the cookies, my stomach began to twist and turn in ways I’ve never felt. The next day when I woke up I felt like I had been in a car accident. Every inch of my body and insides were aching. I had the biggest knot in my stomach, I had shooting pain’s throughout my entire body, and it had also given me a horrible hemorrhoid. Those pains lasted 10 full days. It took 10 full days for that crap to get out of my body! I couldn’t believe how much damage I had done from a few cookies. It was really eye opening.

Anyways. I just wanted to say THANK YOU! again for spreading the word. This way of eating has really opened my eyes to so much. I feel like I have a second chance at life. A much better and all around healthier life!

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Matt, improved his anxiety, pain, digestion and fitness on a carnivore, fasting lifestyle

Hi,
Saw your post on IG about fasting or time restricted eating.  I’m a former Division I linebacker and collegiate competitive power lifter.I also used to be a division one strength and conditioning coach at Yale and Georgetown, and also I’ve been a strength coach and Sport Psych consultant for NFL combine preparation.  while the strength coach I was also a full-time police officer to include working patrol, Peer Support, Swat, and full-time Academy instructor for fitness an officer survival. 

I got hooked on weight lifting, supplements and protein shakes, as well as clean eating since I was 12 years old.   For most of that time I ate six meals a day or had three meals +3 shakes or snacks.  Sports nutrition for so many years had you freaking out about getting protein in every few hours or you might shrivel up. 

Fast forward until my 30s and I had an injury during a SWAT workout, and a surgery that got botched and changed my life forever.   I had multiple surgeries that could not correct what made me permanently incontinent.  I also was put on massive amounts of pain killers and other harsh and dangerous drugs.  I was forced to retire from the careers I loved as a SWAT officer and collegiate strength coach.   The workers compensation doctors had me on I think it was nine different drugs including multiple opiates, muscle relaxers, sleep medications, anxiety medications, benzos and depression meds.  I had no idea what all this stuff was until a SWAT buddy who used to be a narcotics officer saw what I was on.  I had just trusted all of these doctors, since I had not seen a doctor since college football where their whole goal is to get you back on the field. 

Anyhow when I was retired I was 5 foot 10, 270 pounds, and about 30% body fat.  My normal weight was about 230 pounds at 10% body fat until this disaster.   

I moved to California specifically for functional and integrative doctors.   It’s probably too much detail to get into but I found multiple doctors that helped me attack getting off all the medications within months, and it took about two years to get back to working out regularly.  I had chronic pain, chronic illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, in addition to major digestive, immune, metabolic and endocrine dysfunction. 

One of the things my awesome doctor did about 11 years ago was put me on a ketogenic diet, and intermittent  fasting before anybody was even calling it that.  I could go into details if you wanted more.  So basically for 11 years I have been doing intermittent fasting, with at least 3 to 4 months a year ketogenic, and then a few months of Paleo or cyclical keto genic where I might do carb up day’s.  Because of my incontinence I can only eat at night after all of my workouts are done or any of my activities.   So I basically eat 2 to 3 meals probably in a 5 to 6 hour window.   I have maintained a body weight of 230-240 pounds at average 10% BF.  At times I have been lower body fat, and at times I’ve actually been up to 250 pounds when I was training harder.   But the point is I can easily maintain 240 pounds only eating in a small window, and not worrying about doing so many grams of protein or having protein shakes all day long.   

Since Covid started I have essentially been doing the carnivore diet with steaks, burgers and scrambled eggs.   My workouts are fine and I’m still 235 pounds with no problem.   As I fine-tune my cooking skills, I look forward to adding in different types of meat and salmon, and I think overtime as I get stricter without any occasional cheats of some veggies or what not, I have a feeling I’m gonna end up super lean and continue to get stronger at the gym.    Doesn’t feel bad at all.  I used to think you had to pound veggies, just like I used to think you had to have protein shakes and so many grams of protein spread out throughout the day or you would shrivel up or lose strength.  Not true.  Now I can’t say if I was younger in a college or professional athlete if I would eat this way, but certainly someone who is not a competitive athlete can do a ketogenic or strictly carnivore diet with inner minute fasting and still train their balls off with no problem.   Obviously during Covid I can’t do yoga or martial arts Since they’re all closed, but I assume I can still do them on a carnivore diet just like I did a keto genic diet with vegetables with no problems. My lifting during Covid has continued to be supermy lifting during Covid has continued to be super solid, as has my interval training and GPP. 

If you need more details just ask.  This is a lifestyle for 11 years and due to permanent incontinence I’ll be eating this way the rest of my life (I’m 45). 

Thanks,
Matt   

Watch or listen to Matt’s interview on the MeatRx.com podcast below:

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Chris improved his arthritis, tendinitis, and lost weight on a carnivore diet

Hey Doc, I’ve been following you for a couple of years now after listening to you on Joe Rogan. I broke both legs back in November of 2018. Completely shattered my right heel and have 17 herniated disks. I was a mess. I had arthritis in my left ankle so bad I could barely walk. I’m 5’4 and ballooned up to 198lbs. I was miserable and in constant pain. I also developed tendinitis in my right elbow so bad I couldn’t lift a 10lb dumbbell. I made the decision to go on the carnivore diet Feb 1. I’m down to 174lbs have no tendinitis, my arthritis is gone and my back doesn’t hurt. I have no sugar cravings and am damn near in better shape than before my accident. I just wanted to say thank you for being a voice and showing me how great this diet is.

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Gretchen improved her thyroid and type 2 diabetes on a carnivore diet

Thyroid, type 2, single mom. Lets paint the picture, passed out with your daughter administering honey to you. I was eating a clean diet. I had a fall that resulted in a broken rib, stress, and the fact that I work with heavy metal, and chemicals, led to my thyroid going hyper. This in turn, started my type 2 journey. I am not a ‘big’ person, but extremely athletic, and very strong. I was failing. I gained 20lbs, not noticeable to most, it was all around my organs. I took action and researched. Vegan/raw vegan/juicing,,, what! I did this.. listening to the rhetoric, and my daughter was trying to revive me with Honey….. So, my doctor mentioned Keto. It worked. 6 months of trial and error. Then, I just threw in the towel, my ancestral eating had zero vegetables, and a little berries. I did it. I’m just over a year of straight carnivore. I’m feeling great. I’ve has massive reactions to ‘quick meals’ at friends houses that contain cornstarch or dextrose, people do not know how sensitive a person who is DE-sensitized to corn sugars are .(cheap ‘drunk’ tho) Anyway, keep it simple, eat food that make you thrive. My diabetes is not healed, only handled. But I feel great listening to my body vs popular nutritional advice! Thank you Shawn for this forum! Gretchen