Let me start by saying I have asked my doctor specifically, and she said my diet is not responsible for the health problems I've had over the last year--when another doc started messing with my thyroid meds a year ago, there was a domino effect that trashed the adrenals, the thyroid uptake system, and the electrolyte pattern that affected my heart. I can say there are lots of things that have gotten better, and I'll focus on those.
First of all, I got my blood tests back and my cholesterol dropped 20 pts, and it wasn't high to begin with. Triglycerides are in the middle of the range, and my weight is coming down after an initial gain-and-hold pattern. Joint pain, gone. (I had been seeing a physical therapist for recurring shoulder pain.) Gut troubles gone--after five years of troubles surrounding diverticulitis and a 2010 colon resection. My thyroid is finally evened out on natural desiccated thyroid meds, and I'm losing weight verrrrry slowly. Which is how it should happen, really.
You might not even know what I'm talking about with this "meat only" thing. Back in March of 2015, I decided that after five years of Low Carb, I was tired of still struggling with food issues (cravings, sweet tooth, and digestive troubles) and started exploring options. I was shocked to discover a group of folks who eat only from the animal kingdom. No plants--ever. I figured, "Well, I've tried everything else under the sun, so...why not?"
A year and ? months later, I am still eating only meat, eggs, cheese and animal fats--and thriving. I don't take vitamins, and have not over this year. According to conventional wisdom, I should be curled up with rickets and scurvy by now, or dead of a heart attack! My skin is clear and smooth, my joints are supple and the inflammation is gone. I heal quicker from cuts and bruises than I have in years, my moods are stable and I feel calm even during crises, because the blood sugar is so stable. After getting some hormonal stuff worked out (if you're eating soy, stop now!), I sleep really well all night and wake rested.
The best part? I never think about food. If you could know the hell I've been through in my life, with thirty five years of dieting and never being able to stick to anything more than a month without screwing up, you'd know what a miracle this is. Candy and pastries? They're as edible as office supplies to me these days--I avoid the bakery at the grocery store now because it smells awful. Who knew?
Of course, I'm the Supply Officer in our house, so I have the job of meal planning, but since the hubs and I only eat meat, that's pretty simple. I don't think about food unless my belly is growling! I don't crave sweets, or salty crunch things, or "comfort foods". Holidays, celebrations, commiserations, etc., have all lost their connection with food for me--I eat to fuel the body. Period. I do eat out with friends, but I have burger patties and bacon or a steak or a couple pork chops. It's pretty easy to eat out carnivorously.
I don't work out, but I do walk the dog and do some light gardening. Depending on my activity level at the time, I eat between 2 and 4 lbs of meat daily. I don't eat by the clock, either; if I'm hungry, I eat. Usually it works out to a late breakfast and an early supper. During times when I had a lot going on that needed healing (the thyroid stuff, the adrenals, etc.,) I was easily eating 4 lbs a day, and sometimes more. All I did was pay attention and eat as much as I was hungry for. Eat meat, drink water, and go live life. It's deceptively simple.
So that's how this "meat only" thing is going. I've been playing with recipes, because the inner Wife says I should provide variety for the hubs, but honestly, if left to my own devices, I could eat ground beef patties, bacon, ribeyes, and roasted chicken legs pretty much all the time.
I hope you all are healthy and happy, and enjoying a lovely summer.
Cheers!
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| A Carnivore Food Pyramid! |
Very interesting. We eat a lot of meat in our house as I've always had guys to feed. Mostly lean beef, pork and chicken. They don't think it's a meal unless meat is involved somehow. They are all healthy with no issues even my husband. I do have some issues lately but I know they aren't diet related.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that you have discovered a eating plan that works so well. I do know what you mean about conventional diets and that they are impossible to keep up. You fall off the wagon and undo any gains you made. Thanks for sharing your experience and the outcome.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting post Jan, I actually read it three times before I decided to comment. It has gotten me thinking and doing a little research on the internet. Here is an interesting article about some groups of meat eaters around the world that are very healthy despite no fruits or vegetables in their diet. http://www.diagnosisdiet.com/all-meat-diets/ Anyway, as a child we lived in Alaska for several years when I was young. My mother worked in a local restaurant. For starters, the main food was seafood, very little fresh veggies, fruit or processed breads or desserts. This was before Alaska was even a state so foods arriving by truck were almost nill. All the bread was made from sourdough starter as was the desserts. I think this put my mother on a lifelong path of cooking and feeding us a certain way, that has not been detrimental but beneficial. Traditionally Eskimos lived on a diet of meat and animal fat with some berries during the very short summer season. Guess what...they are healthy with little instance of heart disease. Other cultures around the world eat only meat and they too are healthy. We have virtually stopped eating fresh vegetables from the store. I always thought it was best to by fresh, but over the years I've become paranoid about what's been sprayed on them or been gassed when they're loaded on a truck. (They do that to green tomatoes to make them turn red....gross) I've basically eliminated salads from out diet, and fresh fruit for the same reason. Guess what, I don't have gas all the time and my aching joints are sooooo much better. We eat lots of eggs and cheese also and I rarely by a loaf of processed bread. I bake bread from scratch and desserts are scratch too if we have any. Anyway Jan I think you may be on to something I will look even more closely at. Very interesting and informative Jan!!! Thank you for sharing. By the way our water consumption has gone way up over the last few months and I think my kidney function is better, at least I pee more often. Tee Hee
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