*Disclaimer – the opinions and thoughts made in this blog post are from research and evidence found through experts, professors, doctors and the like, as well as from the personal experience of the last 8 years. The information seems counterintuitive to conventional wisdom/mainstream thought and especially the mainstream health model. This diet may not be for everyone, however, always speak to your Doctor or get multiple opinions from different Doctors to make sure this would be a safe experiment to take upon yourself. There are some resources at the bottom of the article for you to explore and see for yourself in more detail how impeccable this way of eating and living is.
INTRODUCTION
The reality and truth about food is about to get very simple and for some could seem like a totally crazy, way out-to-lunch idea. This idea is not new, nor could be labelled a fad. It has been here for thousands of years, slightly disappeared due to the creation of agriculture and is now making its grand re-entrance, an impeccable comeback. This is becoming more universal with the advent of social media and its ability to transmit information swiftly and across channels rapidly.
The Carnivore Diet is simple, effective, and an extremely beneficial way of eating and achieving great health, which is most important. This is all about eating meat, or animal products. This is not just merely a diet. This is a way of life. It is quite interesting to see how surprised people are when first introduced to this concept.
“Eating only meat? You’ve got to be kidding!”
It is true. Once you look at the history behind this, when you understand how beneficial meat and animal products are, it is outstanding and quite intriguing. We can all agree society and the world is changing rapidly, and fad diets come and go easily. However, this way of eating, a carnivorous way of eating is essential and shows lasting promise to those open enough to experiment with it.
Many thousands, tens of thousands and quite possibly to this day, some hundreds of thousands of people are benefitting from a carnivore diet. From reducing anxiety to arthritis to healing IBS to improved athletic performance. The benefits people are experiencing are vast and extremely exciting to see and hear. This is the reason many are switching over to a carnivorous diet to first see and feel for themselves the advantages. What ends up happening is, they happily stay with eating like a carnivore because it works, full stop!
This diet of strict meat is not for everyone. Some people like to add in a couple of foods from time to time, but still stay within the realms of animal-only products, while some people still venture outwards to add in non-animal products, but more so healthy fats and maybe a limited amount of veggies that do not cause that much digestive upset.
Think low carb or Keto diet, yet these people are putting an emphasis on meat.
What is most exciting, is that large percentages of people are living healthy lives. Having healed many acute and chronic health issues. These people are living optimally. Meat does heal. It heals well and can heal quite quickly.
With great excitement, welcome to a new way of eating, living and functioning.
WELCOME TO CARNIVORY!
What is defined as a Carnivore?
Carnivore is defined as…please do not squeal, this the truth here: someone who eats flesh as food. Meat is muscle and fat combined in such a way and consumed as food. Pretty simply put, although sometimes on paper it seems much different than what is actually in physical form. Carnivorous is the older word, containing two parts caro or carnis and vorare. The former meaning “flesh”, stems from the meaning of “to cut.” And vorare “to devour” stemming from “gwora” – meaning “food or devouring.”
Now think of it this way, in order to maintain, repair/recover and especially build muscle or flesh, would one not choose to eat which that would resemble that of which one is trying to maintain, repair and build? Think about that one for a while…
History of Carnivores – Theory & Way of Life
The history of ancient man and the eating of animals goes way back, like way-way back. 10,000 years at least back and beyond. From what has been seen vis a vis anthropology and scientific research, the agricultural era and the farming and toiling of lands for crops to be eaten only started about 10,000 years ago. Of course, all throughout history, meat and animal products were majorly at the forefront of meals and the priority of foods to consume, organs included.
However, going back before that, 10,000 years and beyond, we men or rather Neandertals were in our primal hunting and gathering states. Of course, the arguments made are always looking at how we could have consumed berries and things off trees, etc. But, if you seriously have a think about it, how bitter are plants on their own? Given that there may have been no ability to heat up the plants and we definitely did not have seasonings then. We most likely would keep those plants and whatnot for later to cook on fire as was the process for meat. And if there was no fire, most likely they would not have eaten those plants raw, having already experienced negative effects. Gastrointestinal effects more so, and possibly other acute issues.
When it came to consuming food for energy, what do you think we chose to do? We would hunt for the largest animal we could find and that we know was around. We needed to feed the tribe. So, for those reasons, history has shown that we men and Neanderthals chose to hunt meat and consume meat and animal products first and foremost. That is just the way it was, as far as the science and history goes. And that makes total sense.
Fast forward to more modern eras, going through the different ages, it seems that the rich people realized that they can feed more people if not all people with these crops, grains, and what have you. Whereas, those rich people, would continue eating the real prize - meat and animal products.
How Effective and Efficient is the Carnivore Diet?
EXTREMELY EFFICIENT! PERIOD…FULL STOP
A carnivorous way of eating is extremely simple and efficient. People that choose to eat this way find it easy to make foods, easy to cook the foods they want, and best of all, there is no need to count calories, macros and all that number-crunching stuff. You eat when you are hungry and that is it. You almost certainly cannot experience any negative effects from overeating on meat; and with animal products, yes quite possibly, but with meat – no way. You will feel satisfied and satiated long before you ever get that bloated, over-the-top full feeling. WHY? Because meat just does not promote that type of effect in the gut. At least, nowhere near the sort of feeling you would get from overeating carbs, processed sugars, bad fats and sushi buffets and the lot.
Aside from the immense and vast health benefits of going carnivorous, one of the most positive aspects is that eating becomes extremely simplified. You know exactly where to get your meats, you know exactly how to cook them, and that is all there is to it. Plain and simple. This is a good thing.
You might think it could become boring, and you would be correct, only for the mere fact you are continually eating more or less the same foods. However, have you ever been bored of eating a steak?! DOUBT IT! That sensation of a steak never goes away…EVER. To add to this concept, you would only, potentially become bored if you come from an emotional eating stance.
You see, eating like a carnivore is designed to sustain the optimal functions of the body, so you are eating for function not to get emotional about the flavours. Needless to say though, meat is not just pure tasteless flesh. Meat has immense flavour, and you’re invited to salt and pepper it if you’d like. Definitely cook your meats in coconut oil and butter for more flavour. You can even cook your meats with garlic and onions to add extra flavour. Beef and fattier meats will contain enough flavour to satisfy all palettes. Rest assured the other function of the simplicity of meat is to realize that you are eating for healing, prevention and maintaining your health goals. All cravings for sugar, processed foods, and all that emotional baggage involving foods will be reduced to zero, given enough time.
Some of the many benefits people have experienced on a carnivore diet:
Promotes & supports efficient fat loss
Supports muscle retention
Enhances total muscle mass – paired with resistance exercise
Improves bone density
Reduce or eliminate IBS
Reduce or eliminate skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, rashes, bumps and odd maladies
Reduce or eliminate anxiety, nervousness and over-excitement of neurological transmitters
Helps to enhance GABA neurotransmitter – the relaxation state-induced molecule
Access to the many essential and non-essential amino acids our bodies need for healing, repairing, building and sustaining all around great health
Reduce or eliminate bloating, digestive disorders, gas, etc.
Reduce or eliminate depression
Reduce or eliminate arthritic pain, joint pain, ligament tears or pain
Reduce or eliminate neurological issues – ADD, ADHD, over thinking, over whelming analytic sensations
Improve athletic performance
Increases in endurance and strength
Improve and enhance recovery time from physical exercise and trauma/surgery
AND SO MUCH MORE!
Foods to Eat & Foods Deemed Acceptable
Of course, #1 is MEAT! All meats from all animals including organ meats, including but not limited to:
Beef
Buffalo
Pork
Chicken
Goat
Lamb
Rabbit
Duck/fowl
Deer
Moose & Elk
Bear
Fish
Eggs
Bone Broth (a liquid made from animal bones. Highly beneficial!)
Any other animal flesh and game meats
SECONDARY Foods:
Cheese from cows, goats, buffalo, etc.
Milk is acceptable – preferably from cows that are raised organically, or even better, grass-grazing cows, aim for non-homogenized milk if possible (Raw is best)
Butter & Ghee - same as above – grass grazing cows, organic, preferably non-homogenized
Kefir (a fermented animal milk product) – same as above – grass grazing cows, organic, preferably non-homogenized
Yogurt - same as above – grass grazing cows, organic, preferably non-homogenized
Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi (great probiotics)
ACCEPTABLE Foods & Liquids in Addition to Carnivore Diet:
Clean fresh water
Black coffee (make bulletproof coffee w/coconut oil/MCT oil & butter)
Coconut oil
Beef Tallow (Beef fat)
Bacon Fat
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
BCAA Amino Acid drinks (Supplement)
Protein Powder (aim for a clean reputable company, aim for isolate whey protein)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw unpasteurized Honey (only to be used in circumstances of illness, cold/flu, etc. OR to be consumed in small quantities – acceptable for KETO diet)
Maple Syrup
Supplements are acceptable - avoid any seed-based supplements like plant proteins, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, chia seed, hemp seed, etc. oils and powders. They seem to create some havoc in most people in their GI Tracts unknowingly and knowingly.
Fruit
HOW TO GET STARTED!
Firstly, make a commitment. At least give it 2 weeks, preferably a month. A 30-day period of time will allow a multitude of benefits to take place, will allow any detoxing effects to complete their cycle and will most definitely create enough time for you to see a reduction in any acute or chronic issues you may have, and depending on the severity of any health issues, you could see a total reduction of them.
It would be recommended to aim for 60 days and 90 days once you pass the 30-day and 60-day milestones. Once you get into a carnivorous way of eating, you will soon realize how incredible you feel, how easy it is to eat and live this way and most of all, your relationship with food will change for the positive. No more emotional eating, food will not have control over you anymore. You will lose fat, maintain and build muscle (based on your goals) your gut and your brain will function incredibly well.
THE CONCLUSION
By understanding the history of the carnivore diet, or approach to nutrition and lifestyle, we can now look at a much different and more simplified way of eating. Remember, simplicity creates efficiency, and with efficiency things become functional. A carnivore has many advantages to performing as optimally as humanly possible. That is the beauty of this type of diet and way of eating.
From grocery shopping being incredibly easy to reducing cravings for sugar and high-carb foods, life becomes extremely simple, from a food-consuming aspect, of course. We know life is full of choices, options, ups and downs, problems and solutions. We should not make it any more challenging by confusing ourselves with the very energy we need. Eating a carnivore diet is an approach to creating more discipline in your life, creating order out of the chaos, and ultimately for many people - living a happy, abundant life free of most if any health concerns.
We have gone over how easy it is to start and what the immediate benefits are. We also are seeing more research and evidence of how effective this way of eating is for the long haul. It would be totally worth it, for you to experiment with eating like a carnivore. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Worst case, you figure out that you need to include a few other foods. Even worst-off case than that, you realize this carnivore diet is not actually for you. Which is of great benefit and a good lesson learned, no?
At this point, you should have a solid feeling and overall sense of the carnivore diet. Go order some excellent mouth-watering red meat, add all your other favourite meats and give this a whirl. Try it for 30, 60, 90 days and beyond. You will be pleasantly surprised, amazed and ecstatically glad you did.
Go on now, steak it up!!
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Resources:
https://justmeat.co/ - A comprehensive source to find the latest material on experts, doctors, professors, videos, articles, social media groups, podcasts and more
http://meatheals.com/ – Testimonials of people around the world healing from carnivorous eating
http://www.paleostyle.com/ - Miki Ben-Dor – Anthropologist at Tel Aviv University; A Site to explore regarding the history or paleo, carnivorous eating and more
http://letthemeatmeat.com – Older Blog by an Ex-Vegan on Veganism – Detailed articles on an array of topics
https://ancestralsupplements.com/ - An amazing company that offers whole food (animal-based, mainly beef) supplements that contain organ meats. I personally use these supplements to provide extra nutrients for my mind and body.
A Few Articles to explore:
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/15/1111 - Saturated Fat Does Not Clog Arteries
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/30198808/ - LDL-C Does Not Cause Cardiovascular Disease