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Thread: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    There's a plethora of information about the vegetarian diet on the forums but has anyone here had personal experience with the carnivore diet?

    I'm going to try both diets (vegetarian and carnivore) on separate occasions for a particular period of time. I'm going to do this along side of a doctor so I can have my health monitored and I can have lab results to help determine which is best for my body. I may revert back to paleo, I'm not sure. I just want to find out which diet works best for me. I don't believe there is anyone one diet which is the answer for all bodies.

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    United States Avalon Member Mike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Believe it or not, that's a novel idea - actually trying the diet! Really! So many people read books and listen to videos and so forth, posting about it on forums, but very few actually try a diet out for themselves for any length of time.

    It's shocking because that's all anyone has to do!

    But even then, I've seen people talk themselves out of diets that worked but that they didn't want to maintain because of societal pressure or laziness, or some notion of morality (as it pertains to meat eating).

    I selfishly hope you document all your experiences on both diets and share them here. Would love to hear about it. Good luck

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Do see this thread as well, very closely related:

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Quote Posted by Mike (here)
    I selfishly hope you document all your experiences on both diets and share them here. Would love to hear about it. Good luck
    For sure. I'm not going to completely switch into either one, I will do it gradually and I am considering hiring a dietician. Not sure. I'm joining a judo/bjj school down the road from my house and I imagine all the exercise will alter my lab results. This won't be an exact science but more scientific than reporting 'how I feel.' I also plan on talking to the doc about testing my genes to determine if there are certain things to avoid (not just foods).

    This is all part of my little quest for better health.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    I've basically unintentionally been something similar to the carnivore diet my whole life.

    I have an unexplainable fear and disgust of all fruits and most vegetables.

    The smell of all fruits are extremely nasty to me, my morals tell me to be a vegetarian but I think I would starve.

    I eat mostly meat and grains like rice, pasta, beans, lots of ice cream, cheese burgers, bacon, steak.... Basically everything people see as "unhealthy"

    I would say I have an extremely fast metabolism, I eat about 3000 calories a day of what people would consider extremely "unhealthy" foods yet I am 6 feet tall and weigh 170 pounds.

    My partner is a retired nuclear physicist and we enjoy running "experiments" on various things.

    We have estimated that I consume about twice the amount of calories has he does yet he is slightly overweight and I can't gain weight no matter how hard so try.

    I am not sure if my fast metabolism is due to genetics or my diet, but from my research I believe my diet has a lot to do with it.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
    Last edited by Constance; 14th November 2021 at 01:05.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Go for it, Strat; I'll be interested in hearing how you get on.

    I've been vegetarian for most of my life but I know that not everyone can thrive on a vegetarian diet; I knew someone who became very ill on it and had to revert to eating meat. Morals shouldn't enter into it, though I imagine that this has mainly come from the industrial way of slaughtering in the West. I think I was born with a veggie gene, I hated meat as a kid; it's best to find which diet is most in tune with your body.
    Last edited by Brigantia; 18th April 2021 at 22:01.

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Quote Posted by Brigantia (here)
    Morals shouldn't enter into it
    Indeed, sifting through the dogma can be daunting when searching for data.

    I originally thought the carnivore diet is bonkers, I kinda still do but I think it's at least worth trying as long as I'm safe about it. Like I said, I'll ease into it and do it alongside a doctor. I'll probably go veggie first, we'll see.

    I thought Mikhaila Peterson's experience was interesting. Obviously she's different from me, I don't have the same symptoms she used to. But I do have health issues. I'll try (almost) anything to see if I can fix or at least alleviate it.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    I tried the Atkins diet years ago (lots of meat and cheese, no carbs, a precursor to paleo and ketogenic diets) and did not last very long. I was having a lot of pains in my side in what I think were my kidneys. I did seem to have a certain clarity and energy that I did not have before, but for me, the negatives outweighed any benefits I was having. The best diet I have found so far is the blood type diet ("Eat Right for Your Blood Type" by Peter D'Adamo) which explains why different diets work differently for people. Being blood type "A", I need to stay close to vegan. People with Blood type O do much better on a keto diet.

    It is, however, possible to be both keto and vegan. Youtube has many resources for that.

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" by Peter D'Adamo
    Very interesting, thanks for the heads up. I'm reading a book on genetics that should help point me into a similar direction of 'what's right for me.'

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    I have been primarily keto primary-carnivore since February with about 85% of my calories from animal products with occasional nuts, mushrooms and some fruit & Veg. I will VERY rarely consume grains, nightshades or legumes

    My brain fog has cleared noticably
    I have lost 60 lbs
    My skin has cleared considerably
    I "feel" content and am not prone to becoming snappish.
    No more aches and pains in joints.
    Blood sugars are much improved.

    My eating window is also changing now. I usually eat between 1PM and 6PM and as I shorten the "eating window" an hour each week this will place me in a OMAD (One Meal a Day) routine. I have successfully completed 2 24 hour water fasts and hope to work my way up to a 72 hour fast twice a month as this is when autophagy peaks. I would like to be 100% carnivore soon.

    I wish all the best in you journey and hope to read your progress as you post.

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Quote Posted by CurEus (here)
    My skin has cleared considerably
    Mikhaila Peterson reported the same thing. Can you expand on this? Thanks in advance

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    United States Avalon Member Elainie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    https://ketogenicendurance.com/2019/...-with-elainie/

    Keto carni now for years, was straight carni for a few years, now just keto carni. I have more energy than ever, look 15 or more years younger than I am, fit, and not going back to veganism or vegetarianism ever.......... I also do ADF and IF (alternate day fasting and intermittent fasting) I am big on autophagy and do at least two 3 day water fasts per month as well.
    Last edited by Elainie; 23rd April 2021 at 03:16.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    I've done it many times. It's the fastest way to lose weight. But don't think you can eat unlimited amounts of meat. And don't expect to keep the weight off either.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Check out books/articles/videos of Dr. Paul Saladino, he presents significant scientific evidence to support the idea that eating lots of meat is healthy and eating lots of plants is not healthy.

    Also, both Dr. Mercola and Dr. Saladino have been talking a lot lately about the dangers of consuming large quantities of linoleic acid (Omega 6 fats, mainly soybean, canola, corn oils). The lack of linoleic acid in a carnivore diet could be one of the big reasons people do well on it.
    Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    You can make the morals argument both against eating meat and eating plants. You can argue that large scale monocrop agriculture of grains has been the most destructive activity done by humans in recent history, it results in the deaths of billions of insects, rodents, snakes, birds, fish (from pesticide runoff), etc, etc. Even if you are not consuming dead animals you are still responsible for the death of animals when you eat grains.

    The only way to avoid killing when eating is to stick with milk, honey and fruit, not very easy to manage for most.
    Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    I'm doing a no carb diet, trying to eat what my ancestors would on my area. (celts/muslims on my case) Taking as much as natural local products as I can, and no grain.

    I read that on an evolutive level, grain was invented a really short time ago, so it could be that we're not completely addapted to it yet. I decided to avoid it, same with all the derived products (no bread no rice no pasta, etc) . Same with milk and cheese which although not avoided, reduced like 90%.

    For the rest, I'd dare to say I'm very capable of reading what my body asks me, water, meat, fruit, etc. and i don't tend to abuse.

    On addition to that, I walk/run 15km on mountain every day. I asked myself "what would my ancestor do on a daily basis?" and tried to add that to my life as much as possible. I guess it is similar to the paleo diet, but i really havent looked onto it.

    It absolutely puts stuff onto perspective on EVERY way. Feeling mentally more lucid, energetic, and self aware, and phisically healthier, stronger and preetier.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
    Last edited by Constance; 14th November 2021 at 00:50.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by CurEus (here)
    My skin has cleared considerably
    Mikhaila Peterson reported the same thing. Can you expand on this? Thanks in advance
    In my personal experience I developed acne and eczema when I was consuming grains, additionally bloating and digestive distress with rice and legumes. I naturally drifted towards essentially grain free periods but as I was younger then the incessant media and medical hype of "whole grains, low fat" influenced me greatly.

    I studied in the UK for a few years where it is very common to consume a "few pints" after classes as they have an entrenched "drinking culture" I participated with vigor!

    I note that European breads, pastas etc do not cause as much digestive distress to my system. I could not however, handle their milk. At all. I am "mildly" lactose intolerant and they did not sell lactose enzymes in the UK a decade or so ago.

    Upon my return to Canada I resumed my usual lifestyle which did not include daily drinking and VERY few grains. One evening I met a friend after arguing a court case we won and we had dinner and pints to celebrate. I had about 4.

    I decided to stay at my mother's place and was nodding off on the chesterfield when my mother started screaming at me. She was frantically slapping at my hands pulling them away from me. When I looked down my hands were covered in blood and my chest was just shredded. I washed up and saw my face was beet red, almost purple, I had blisters on my palms and hands, welts and hives all over my back and shoulders and I felt I was bruning and itching at the same time.

    Loooooooooong story short I went to a dermatologist the next day, bought $750 worth of creams and left with no real diagnosis. I slept ( drugged to sleep more like it) with silk gloves on each hand and both hands taped together with duct tape so I could not scratch myself. They did nothing to help, neither did the antihistamines or pain meds, steroids or anything else I was prescribed. My only "relief" was standing outside in the bitterly cold Canadian weather...I got frostbite because I would not come inside one evening...

    I ended up in hospital with more tests.
    I am a burn survivor and a patient of the largest research trauma hospital in Canada. I am the "poster boy" for the burn centre. So as soon I was at the OR my Surgeon who is chief of Staff was notified and I was put through a battery of tests. His clinic is beside the research head of dermatology and others. Every organ and internal medicine specialist was there that day WITH all of their students, interns, grads, post grads and post docs and research teams. The hospital was holding a major medical conference that week. Yay!

    I was tested for everything. Tropical illnesses, base allergies, organ tests, STD's ( some were painful). My c-reactive proteins were literally off the charts. I was fight a MAJOR infection. I expressed contact dermatitis, eczema, cystic acne, boils, chemical burns (blistering) from plants, psoriasis and psoriasic arthritis essentially every skin condition possible. I was even tested for radiation poisoning.

    I was discharged a few days later without a resolution or diagnosis other than "autoimmune disease". And went with my reports to my GP who is a very "different" type of Doctor. We sat for 4 hours going through every place I had visited and everything I ate or drank. He eventually posited that

    A. I do not consume grains often and may be reactive to them MORESO when avoiding them for prolonged periods.
    B. I had not consumed alcohol for months and may be reactive to them. (we all are to some extent)

    My meal which was a hamburger with several pints of beer caused a few things to happen.

    1. My liver and kidneys were too busy clearing alcohol ( the body does this first as it sees alcohol as poison) and could not process the grains
    2. My stomach is "permeable" undigested foods can enter into the blood stream as undigested proteins which the body will then attack and eliminate. If it cannot do so through the stomach via urine or stool it can really only get rid of it through the skin.....hence the skin eruptions. The arthritic psoriasis was a collection of these proteins near joints. The body attacked both,

    I was placed on a diet of organic apple cidre with an intravenous for 3 days. I was also given off label immune regulators like low dose naltrexone to settle down my system. Things cleared up quickly and I was then allowed whole apples and then onto bone broth and onto the GAPS diet. GAPS diet is the Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet for people like me with ADHD or those with autism developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride. We have notoriously poor digestive health. Gut issues are implicated in a host of mental health areas of concern. Eg. some fungi on grains make people go literally insane ( Salem witch trials) Bi-polar, anxiety, depression etc etc.

    This is compounded by some pesticides like Glyphosate that tear the stomach and act as transporters across the blood brain barrier.

    In closing my Dr. sent my blood away for special allergy testing and I am extremely reactive to Gliadin...the twin protein of Gluten. They are always together in nature. After GAPS diet I can have a slice of bread or pizza maaaaaybe once a month but never much more than that as my body primes itself to fight and a 2nd dose causes a war inside my body.

    Today I have no acne or any other skin conditions apart from an occasional ingrown hair. I know myself better and I avoid most things I am reactive too so Carnivore helps but I do use herbs ( as medicinal teas, spices, mushrooms I will very occasionally consume nuts or chocolate or some fruit/veg so I am not 100% carnivore as yet.

    I cannot get raw milk in Canada, it is illegal but raw milk cheeses are allowed. That is a treat for me. I salt my food liberally.

    Most carnivores start as basic carnivores and over time tend to drop poultry, dairy, and focus on ruminants eventually progressing to adding organ meats and almost all will eventually only eat ethically raised, humanely treated, pastured animals, game and fish.

    I can only add that it is an excellent "elimination diet" at the very least. The reason why I am intermittent fasting is that over time one does not really have a huge appetite anymore so it is quite easy to see the benefits of fasting without all of the adjustment issues many people experience. There are several FB and Forum groups on carnivore. Some are extremely strict some are a bit more flexivore. ( after all dogs and cats eat grass and plants when they feel the need) most prefer beverages are limited to water with electrolytes as needed initially.

    If you choose this way of eating try to get a good handle on how best to approach it. 30 days is just about the time you begin to notice great improvements and that hold trues for vegan, raw vegan, juicing, water fasting, carnivore, keto. paleo, low fat, all fat....they all have a role to play.

    Good luck! and I look forward to reading your results. Keep a journal/blog pls!
    Last edited by CurEus; 23rd April 2021 at 23:22.

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    Default Re: Has anyone here tried the carnivore diet?

    From 2009-2010 I was a strict vegan and my health deteriorated significantly. In addition to other ailments, I developed eczema, which is a strong signal that your body isn't getting what it needs. In any case, I eventually started eating meat again and all my issues, including the eczema, cleared up.

    In 2017 I switched to a keto diet and then in 2018 I took it even further to something called Zero Carb, which is only animal products, such as meat, eggs, and dairy.

    I've been doing fine ever since. But, when I was a vegan, I wouldn't listen to anyone who tried to tell me I needed meat. I thought I was reading all the right books and following all the right advice. I was so sure of myself back then.

    I recently gave a bunch of books away to charity, including all my vegan books. I almost decided to throw them away rather than give someone else the chance to hurt themselves. But I did give them to charity in the end, because, you know, free will Everyone needs to follow their own path and learn their own lessons.

    I had to make peace with the fact that the Creator had me incarnate into the body of a carnivore.

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