If you haven’t heard of the carnivore diet, I’d have to ask if you are living under a rock or perhaps in a cave. Carnivore diet is a subset of the ketogenic diet — in that your body runs on ketones because there are zero or no carbs. I’ve experimented with this diet and have felt amazing on it. But then I get a strong desire for some “plant” spices or green stuff. So I fall back into my keto lifestyle — moderate protein/meat, low carbohydrates, and enough fat to satiate.
I recently became a certified carnivore coach through Maria and Craig Emmerich’s keto-adapted training program. I choose to become a carnivore coach so I could support my clients that want to experiment with this way of eating or perhaps for metabolic dysfunction or other health reasons. I consider the carnivore way of eating as the ultimate elimination diet and very healing.
Why Carnivore?
Over the last couple of months, I’ve had a number of inquires about what a carnivore way of eating is all about. Carnivore, as I look at it, is a subset or stricter keto way of eating. And just like keto, there are many interpretations of “how” to eat carnivore.
With so many voices speaking about this way of eating, I have chosen to stick with the experts I trust. My carnivore experts of choice are Craig and Maria Emmerich of mariamindbodyhealth.com and international authors of numerous books. They have co-authored The Carnivore Cookbook (2020) and Carnivore eBook (2020).
When I first investigated the carnivore eating protocol, there were a number of website, but only one book — Shawn Baker’s The Carnivore Diet (Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2019). Soon after reading this easy read on the topic, Emmerich’s cookbook became available. As we move into 2021, there are likely to be many more carnivore related resources available. One that I eagerly awaiting is Carnivore Cure by Judy Cho. It will be available in December 2020.
A fun fact is that some of the individuals in the carnivore-sphere have been fully carnivore for a decade! That’s right, this is not a new fad. It is a healing protocol that has been around for a long time.
My favourite carnivores to follow are Judy Cho, NutritionWithJudy.com, and Kelly Hogan, MyZeroCarbLife.com. Judy is best known for her #Carnivore75Hard challenge and will soon be releasing her first book, Carnivore Cure. Judy’s YouTube channel is also worth checking out too. Kelly has lost 120lbs following the carnivore lifestyle and been doing so for more than a decade. Kelly’s Instagram and YouTube channel are great inspirations.
If you are considering trying the carnivore eating style, know your “why” will direct how you may implement and approach the carnivore way of eating into a lifestyle that works for your unique body’s needs. There are two pathways that usually lead someone to check out the carnivore diet: metabolic healing or weight loss. It is true that the vast number of people coming to carnivore right now are wanting to lose weight. While others are coming to carnivore for healing that goes beyond what he/she were able to achieve by following a well-formulated ketogenic diet.
If the keto lifestyle did not resolve most or all of your symptoms, I coach clients to try the carnivore way of eating. For many people, they find meat and no vegetables or fruit to be healing.
Why you may be asking?
Removing vegetables and fruits eliminates fructose and plant antinutrients like oxalates, phytates, glycoalkaloids, glucosinolates and sulforaphane. I find that carnivore is the ultimate elimination diet as a result. If you struggle with digesting carbohydrates — that’s right, plants are carbs — then restricting your diet to animal proteins and fats can be very healing. Now, if you have not been consuming less animal proteins and fats, I recommend adding a digestive enzyme with protease and lipase to aid in digestion and improve absorption of the nutrients.
Benefits of Eating As a Carnivore
- removes all inflammatory sweeteners and sugars
- eliminates inflammatory grains
- removes all omega-6 vegetable and seed oils
- may reduce the symptoms of a leaky gut and/or IBS
- provides the body with the food it is designed to digest and absorb
- may reduce insulin resistance
- may ease symptoms of autoimmune diseases
- known to reduce Lyme Disease symptoms
- increases nutrient density
- simplifies eating — just eat meat, salt and water
- no macro counting necessary
- “you can live a life filled with adventure rather than being plagued by thoughts of food” [Emmerich, Carnivore Cookbook, 6]
Bioavailability of Nutrients
The beauty of eating animal proteins and healthy animal fats is that nutrients are more bioavailable for your body to absorb and utilize for repair and maintenance of cells.
Emmerichs “believe that you can get all the nutrients your body needs from animal foods. Animal foods contain no antinutrients to leach or block the absorption of nutrients, and they are much more bioavailable.” (Emmerich, The Carnivore Cookbook, 36) Furthermore, “a carnivore diet [can] supply the foods our bodies were designed to eat, but it also provides us with some of the most nutrient-dense foods available.” (Emmerich, 37)
Next Steps
Are you intrigued by eating only meat? Then schedule a free Discovery Chat with Brenda to figure out how or perhaps why this way of eating may benefit you. To get started, email to schedule your free 20-minute Discovery Chat. During this season of COVID, these sessions will be done either by phone or online using platforms like Zoom or FaceTime. No excuses now, as you can do this from your home or wherever you would like.
Brenda is a Keto-Adapted certified ketogenic and carnivore coach trained by Maria Emmerich — yes, the one who has been living the keto live for two decades! — and her husband, Craig Emmerich, who is using carnivore to heal his body from Lyme Disease.
Resources
Shawn Baker, M.D. The Carnivore Diet. Victory Belt, 2020.
Maria Emmerich & Craig Emmerich. The Carnivore Cookbook. Victory Belt, 20200.
Maria Emmerich & Craig Emmerich. Carnivore eBook. keto-adapted, 2020.
Paul Saladino, M.D. The Carnivore Code. Fundamental Press, 2020.
Caitlin Weeks & Ellen Weeks. The 30-Day Carnivore Diet Challenge. Grass-fed Girl, 2020.