If you have been following The Rationalist for any length of time you know that we are huge proponents of eating intelligently for optimal health. To start, this means cutting out seed oils, soy, nuts, wheat, oats, beans, grain, and corn (which are all seeds/flowers defended by chemicals). It also means cutting out packaged foods, foods with more than one ingredient, and foods with chemicals and preservatives added to them. We believe we should instead be focusing more on meat, fish, fruit, honey, and raw (A2/A2 protein) dairy.
Furthermore, we have witnessed many of our personal connections beat horrible autoimmune and mental diseases with strict carnivore diet. Diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ulcerative Colitis, clinical depression, Grave’s Disease, panic disorder, clinical anxiety and more. We have some really exciting stories coming up including one person who is now over two years strict carnivore that reversed their MS, got off all of their meds, and now has negative brain scans.
120 years ago most of these chronic illnesses did not exist. What changed the most since then? Our diets. Our diets now cause inflammation. And inflammation is the root cause of most chronic illness (that and leaky gut).
This gentleman (below) decided to only eat meat for 30 days. This is what happened.
The only thing is we wish he would have done so for 60 days - because most of the best results we have witnessed came between week 4 and week 8 of strict carnivore.
Do you think you could do strict carnivore for 60 days? The Rationalist challenges you! Do it and track your progress like he does:
If you think Carnivore diet could help you, a few things we suggest:
1) Tune in to Emily Penton’s page HERE:
2) Do the diet strictly for eight (8) weeks minimum to start. Treat it like a science experiment. No seed oils (like condiments or dressings). No processed meats. No coffee. Just animal products such as ruminant meats, soy free eggs, A2 raw dairy, fish, and soy free chicken. Then salt and water. If your goal is to add more foods back in then wait the full 6 weeks at least before you do. It takes at least 3/4 weeks for you to adjust your metabolism to burning fat for energy instead of carbs. Also your gut biome will completely change over. As you adjust to burning ketones, you will also cleanse yourself of toxins (oxalate dumping) so it requires some time for this full adjustment to take place. The first few weeks you can get the "KETO FLU" which basically is an electrolyte issue. That first week you might feel nauseous and dizzy until you up your salt intake and balance out. Don’t expect to feel great day 1, and expect to run to the bathroom a bunch as you adapt during the first few weeks (trusting a fart is not something we recommend right away)!
3) Drink lots of water and don’t be afraid of salt. We use salt that is high in minerals like Redmond’s real salt.
4) Eat lots of red meat. Chicken or fish is more risky. Most people with autoimmune issues can only do soy and corn -free eggs. Eat lots of ground beef, steak etc. But anything from animals is technically part of this diet. The problem is that if you have auto immune issues then eggs and dairy and pigs and chicken can be triggers (especially if soy fed). Ruminant animals (animals with 4 stomachs) can turn toxic Polyunsaturated fats into healthy saturated ones. Chickens and pigs and other animals with only one stomach cannot. So if you eat non-ruminant meat or eggs make sure they are soy free.
5) Sometimes eat liver for nutrients. If you don’t love the taste get the ground beef that has like 20% liver in it and eat that a few times a week.
6) Join these FB groups for help. Lots of doctors and people sharing everything from bloodwork to stress tests to success stories:
Zeroing in on Health
World Carnivore Tribe
Lion Diet
One last thing. You will get your energy from fat. So if you are feeling lethargic add more fat. Melt tallow and pour it over your burgers and steaks. Or you can melt butter, drink raw milk (A2 protein is the much better casein choice if you can get it - A1 is genetically modified and the main one people are allergic to). But eat lots of fat. Fatty cuts of meat. Drink bone broth. Eat A2 cream. Etc
SUGGESTED Books:
Carnivore Diet
By Dr Shawn Baker
Carnivore Code (technical)
By Dr Paul Saladino
Carnivore Cure
By Judy Cho NTP
YouTube Chanels:
Dr. Ken Berry’s Chanel
Paul Saladino, MD
Podcasts:
Nutrition with Judy (Judy Cho)
Mikhaila Peterson
Fundamental Health with Paul Saladino MD
Josh Ketry lost about 40lbs in 7 weeks and has kept it off now for 20 months.
If you found value in this piece please like (below) or subscribe (it’s FREE!). As always the entire purpose of this is to connect with other solutions-minded people like yourself! For 4 billion years on this planet there were only single-celled organisms. Then one day they somehow learned to work together and make complex multi-celled creatures like you and me. Right now we are like those single-celled organisms. Our next evolution is finding how to work together, better.
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About the author:
Josh R. Ketry - Strategy and Systems Director - is an advocate for freedom, human growth, and human potential. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt and Academy owner. Growth Mindset student (for life). Entrepreneur. Writer. Philosophy fan. Long-time carnivore diet practitioner for autoimmune issues. Birder. Muskie fisherman. Photographer. No topic off limits. Thank you for reading!
To start, this means cutting out seed oils, soy, nuts, wheat, oats, beans, grain, and corn (which are all seeds/flowers defended by chemicals). It also means cutting out packaged foods, foods with more than one ingredient, and foods with chemicals and preservatives added to them.
This is massively important and not talked about nearly enough. 90% of all nutrition problems can be solved just by doing this.
I did the carnivore diet. Felt good, but definitely changed my bathroom habits for the worse. I guess every body is different, but my optimal for me was strict paleo. I say all this to say that the carnivore diet was doable. I didn’t die, I didn’t have zero energy, I wasn’t hungry all the time.