Carnivore and other trendy diets

[Hisgirl]

I have three friends on the highly restrictive carnivore diet.

Meat, eggs, hard cheese, & butter only.

One has touted all the health changes she has seen, all for the better.

The others have lost some weight.

One was trying to convince me it was the way we were intended to eat, but I'm not seeing any science to back this up. At all.

Why do people follow this fad diets?

For me, it's lifting weights every other day, cutting down white sugar and fried foods, never drinking sugar drinks and eating a variety and moderate amount of food. It's sustainable and not trendy.

I don't criticize their choices.


Anybody know of any science that can relieve my concern of their health? I've read there can be some long term ill effects from it.

 

[Moliphino]

Sounds like a good way to get scurvy.

 

[TippyThomas]

I wonder what their arteries will look like in a few years of this diet?

 

[NYCgrrl]

I no longer say much beyond “That’s nice” and “Really” when discussing certain topics with friends and acquaintances. Diet is included in that protocol. It’s been my experience that unless the beliefs or actions are immediately dangerous it’s just not worth having a conversation about. Now if they ask me my opinion I’ll give it.

 

[Chili327]

I have three friends on the highly restrictive carnivore diet.

Meat, eggs, hard cheese, & butter only.

One has touted all the health changes she has seen, all for the better.

The others have lost some weight.

One was trying to convince me it was the way we were intended to eat, but I'm not seeing any science to back this up. At all.

Why do people follow this fad diets?

For me, it's lifting weights every other day, cutting down white sugar and fried foods, never drinking sugar drinks and eating a variety and moderate amount of food. It's sustainable and not trendy.

I don't criticize their choices.


Anybody know of any science that can relieve my concern of their health? I've read there can be some long term ill effects from it.

It works amazing actually. I have done it multiple times and I know people who have been on it for a decade, and reversed their type 2 diabetes, no longer need thyroid meds, lost weight or gained weight depending on their body type (it’s not a weight loss diet, it’s weight correction so if you’re too skinny it helps you gain)

I couldn’t understand how it could possibly be healthy, but after 2+ years of doing low carb diets and carnivore I can 100% say that for whatever reason it works great and makes you feel and look amazing!!!

Once you flip that switch and your body gets into “ketosis” it makes more sense. Keto is the way to do that without having to go full carnivore, carnivore is just a next level of low carb diet.

There isn’t a lot of science about it and I’m not sure why, except that our society has been so engrained to believe that fat is bad and sugar is ok (opposite is true). Back in the 50’s they did a study and the sugar industry paid off some scientists to report that fat was bad and sugar wasn’t (yes, there is documented proof)
The real catch to all of it is not so much what you do eat, but what you don’t eat. Which is why the “twins” documentary was very misleading, they only added meat to a regular diet so it made meat look bad. But best I have found as far as science or why it works is that cholesterol is needed in our bodies and when we eat other junk and processed food it causes inflammation and that when cholesterol moves to reduce and that’s when blockages happen… so carnivore works because it eliminates the inflammation in the first place so there is no blockage to happen.

I wonder what their arteries will look like in a few years of this diet?

You’d be surprised how much better, cleaner and healthier they will be IF they don’t cheat on the diet, mixing in bad carbs is what will turn those numbers upside down.


There is something magical about it, and I’m sure someday in the near future we will find out, but don’t knock it until you’ve either tried it or at bare minimum understand it.

Like I said it isn’t so much about what you do eat, it is definitely more about what you don’t eat.

People eat Doritos and drink Coke and no one bats an eye, but eat a completely natural steak and people freak out like they’re gonna die, not realizing how unhealthy the chips and the sodas, etc really are.

A documentary I’d suggest is “The Magic Pill” it’s not a carnivore doc, but it does show how carbs are killing us… and how a pill isn’t the answer.
Also I’d be happy to share some other videos or links with good info if interested.

I don’t want to cause threads to be locked, etc & I was waiting for that forum section to open to start this debatable conversation, but since we’re already here, let’s do it.


Best link I could give is this…
https://www.reddit.com/r/zerocarb/s/copQYgBORC

 

[NYCgrrl]

I don’t want to cause threads to be locked, etc & I was waiting for that forum section to open to start this debatable conversation, but since we’re already here

It’s open already https://www.disboards.com/forums/controversial-topics.206/

Just follow the instructions and sign up

 

[Chili327]

Yep I found it. Thanks

 

[princesscinderella]

I am starting the Keto diet tomorrow with my husband. I already eat GF and no nightshade plants with the exception of peppers which don’t seem to bother me as much as the rest of them. We made the decision about three weeks ago to start the diet after our Disney trip this weekend. It gave us time to eat out the junk in our house that will be temptation.

The keto diet has been used for years in people with seizure disorders with amazing success. Just recently there was also an article I believe it was the WSJ that people with bi-polar, depression and schizophrenia have found relief with the diet too. It obviously has an effect on the brain if it can keep seizures at bay.

We eat almost a keto diet already being GF, it’s the sugar snacks that keep us gaining weight and not losing it.

I am a huge believer in food is medicine and your body is definitely affected by what is being put into it. Going GF changed my life. I never realized how bad I felt and my bowel issues were because it had become my normal. Once I realized I was still getting ill feeling eating the nightshade family of plants (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant) cutting those out it’s been all the difference.

I think everyone should do one of the elimination diets where you from a limited amount of food categories starting out and introducing the known allergens one week at a time such as gluten, dairy, nightshades etc.

We equate in our society food as love, especially all the ones that are the worst for us. Most of our holidays are centered around food too, so it hard to change as it’s become part of our culture and traditions.

 

[ronandannette]

I no longer say much beyond “That’s nice” and “Really” when discussing certain topics with friends and acquaintances. Diet is included in that protocol. It’s been my experience that unless the beliefs or actions are immediately dangerous it’s just not worth having a conversation about. Now if they ask me my opinion I’ll give it.

The perfect policy on practically everything!

 

[Christine]

One was trying to convince me it was the way we were intended to eat, but I'm not seeing any science to back this up. At all.

Yeah this is where I'll disagree with your friend. I believe anthropologists have done enough studies to show that we were primarily plant based on daily basis and then there were times where a kill was made and they would gorge themselves on meat while they could and then go back to plants until the next kill.

Additionally, if you've watched The Gamechangers, there is some scientist on there who was testing the strontium levels in the bones of Roman gladiators and based on levels determined that they were pretty much plant based. Not that they didn't eat meat, but that it wasn't nearly as plentiful for them as we have it today.

Now, as far as going keto or very low carb, it certainly has benefits for those with insulin problems. I would like to see some cardiac studies (which will take years) of the effects on full-on meat for many years. Could be that it's okay without the lethal mixture of processed carbohydrates.

 

[Chili327]

Yeah this is where I'll disagree with your friend. I believe anthropologists have done enough studies to show that we were primarily plant based on daily basis and then there were times where a kill was made and they would gorge themselves on meat while they could and then go back to plants until the next kill.

Additionally, if you've watched The Gamechangers, there is some scientist on there who was testing the strontium levels in the bones of Roman gladiators and based on levels determined that they were pretty much plant based. Not that they didn't eat meat, but that it wasn't nearly as plentiful for them as we have it today.

Now, as far as going keto or very low carb, it certainly has benefits for those with insulin problems. I would like to see some cardiac studies (which will take years) of the effects on full-on meat for many years. Could be that it's okay without the lethal mixture of processed carbohydrates.

Unless they were natives in places like Alaska, Siberia, etc where no plants grow for most of the year.

*Siberia may not be the best example, but you get the idea… Northern Russia, or very Southern hemisphere, etc

 

[tony67]

These diets come and go all the time.

If it works for you great does not mean it will work for someone else.

I did the intermittent fasting for a while and lost a good amount.
I also did not drink and worked out twice a day, so it may have been a bit more than the diet alone.
Reducing calories and exercising will work for most IMO.

I've put 40% of it back on over the years, but that is still not bad IMO.
I still work out once a day, and occasionally Ill do the intermittent fasting to get myself back on track after a vacation.

It seems to work for me.

As for magic pills, no thanks, there always seems to be some sort of side affect that comes up eventually.

 

[soccerdad72]

I don't know how trendy it is, but the only diet plan that has fairly consistently worked for my wife and I has been the Fast Metabolism Diet: https://hayliepomroy.com/blogs/articles/fastmetabolismdiet-101

 

[Christine]

Unless they were natives in places like Alaska, Siberia, etc where no plants grow for most of the year.

*Siberia may not be the best example, but you get the idea… Northern Russia, or very Southern hemisphere, etc

Yes, I get what you're saying.

I think this article (link below) kind of gives a well-rounded perspective on the way we eat. The interesting part of it is that we seem to be more apt to be successful or not successful based upon what are direct ancestors ate and what region they settled in (plant-based versus meat). So that a person who comes from a line of Alaska/Siberia ancestors tries to do the full on Western diet, they end up with all the bad stuff happening to them versus, say, someone like me whose ancestors came from an agricultural society, more plants, less meat and I continue that. Apparently, if I were to turn to a heavy meat based diet, I could have the potential to very quickly develop cardiovascular issues where you might not.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/evolution-of-diet/

 

[Chili327]

As for magic pills, no thanks, there always seems to be some sort of side affect that comes up eventually.

Not sure if you misread my post, or you are agreeing with me, but just in case I will clarify.

The Magic Pill is a documentary about how taking a pill is NOT the best way to deal with today’s health issues, it is about eating better and being healthier to avoid needing any pills.

 

[tony67]

Not sure if you misread my post, or you are agreeing with me, but just in case I will clarify.

The Magic Pill is a documentary about how taking a pill is NOT the best way to deal with today’s health issues, it is about eating better and being healthier to avoid needing any pills.

Was just speaking in general. I'll have to watch that.