Three weeks ago I received a text message from my friend Kim. She asked me what I thought of the carnivore diet and I immediately rolled my eyes. I had never thought of eating only meat, let alone beef liver. Doesn’t she know that I am the resident fruit and vegetable pusher? I mean I literally have been pushing fruits and vegetables all my life.
how sick cell disease shaped my diet
Since I was a little girl dealing with Sickle Cell Disease, my mom always pushed me to eat a whole foods diet. When I got into trouble she would make me type out chapters from one of her wellness books and during that time I learned alot. I always thought healing was found through herbs.
For years I have consumed nothing but fruits and vegetables. Waking up early to visit the farmers market, I have always got spinach, kale, celery, lettuce, berries, apples, peaches. It’s been the main thing I have consumed! Prior to my bone marrow transplant I was vegetarian for about 5 years! After I went into the hospital, I was not allowed to have any fresh food so I stopped the vegetarian diet.
For all my life I can’t remember not struggling with my mental health. At the age of 7, I recall sitting up all night long, afraid to go to sleep, afraid that I would die in my sleep. I suffered from the worst anxiety. I can remember my grandmother rushing me to the hospital because I started panicking and screaming. It was awful. I think that anxiety came from Sickle Cell and being afraid to die young. Just recently I have discovered that it could have been something else….
life changes
Over the last year, my life has changed dramatically. I got married and within 2 months of getting married, I left Los Angeles after nearly 17 years. Being a newly wed, living in a new town, and figuring out my place in the world hasn’t been easy.
signs something was wrong
Once we moved to Virginia, I began making sourdough everything. Shortly after we moved here I noticed I was having a lot of heart palpitations—feeling my heart skip beats. I thought maybe it was all the green I was suddenly surrounded by here in Virginia…and then I thought it was the sourdough. So, I began eliminating sourdough, and also began de-stressing my life…I logged off social media for a bit, I cut the news, I had a bedtime ritual, I joined a gym and upped my fruits and vegetables even more.
The panic, anxiety, heart palpitations, headaches got worse. To help me find calm, I began taking Magnesium Bisglycinate…and sometimes it worked. I purchased Lemon Balm, Ashwagandaa, CBD oil, Valerian root, THC gummies…nothing really sustained “calm” for me. I was still having crazy moments of intense panic when nothing was seemingly wrong.
Not only was I having panic, I would fall asleep and never stay asleep and if any little thing woke me up—I would be so startled out of my sleep that my heart would race. I contacted a new obgyn to have my estrogen tested and they said it was fine.
surviving the storm inside: battling intrusive thoughts
I constantly had ruminating thoughts about death. I constantly felt like I was dying. My intrusive thoughts that were crazy. At one point, my brain was yelling at me, “you’re a cheater, you’re a cheater, tell him you cheated” …I had thoughts of suicide and I have NEVER wanted to commit suicide. Every single day I felt like I was unraveling…and no one could help me. A thousand trips to the emergency room and they always told me “you’re fine, or you’re having a panic attack”.
The more I unraveled, the more I began to eat more fruits and vegetables. Just last month I was in the ER 4x and I called my husband and told him, “maybe I am just like everyone else, maybe I need to be on antidepressants”.
i was craving meat
The funny thing is, for the last 6 months, I have had the most intense cravings for hamburgers and steak. My husband would buy it for me but many days I denied myself those things because I thought they were bad. I would tell myself “no, you already cooked these lentils—you’re not getting a hamburger.”
So when Kim texted me 3 weeks ago and asked me what I thought of the carnivore diet, I thought she was INSANE. Who the hell would live off of meat only? It just so happened that during that week I could not stop thinking about a hamburger. My mind was so fixated on hamburgers. I could not think about anything else.
I decided to just go get some bison from our local farm stand.
exploring the carnivore diet
As I ate the bison, I decided to do some research on “the carnivore diet” I landed on several videos about the benefits of organ meat, specifically liver and I was stunned at all the health benefits. I was also enamored with the testimonies people shared about their healing experiences with an all animal product diet.
I called one of our local farmers and asked him if he had beef liver. He did. On Saturday June 16, I had 1 oz of beef liver for the first time ever. So from Tuesday June 11- June 17 or 18th I ate primarily only meat – bison, steak, chicken, and 1 oz of beef liver daily.
beef liver changed me
I kid you not, the moment I ate the beef liver—within 20 minutes I felt a burst of energy. I felt a euphoric feeling that I have never in my life felt before. For about 4-5 days I was dancing around the house SOOOOOO JOYFUL. The depressive symptoms stopped. I slept through the night multiple nights. I felt like it was a miracle.
By the 5th day I settled in for bed and I felt my heart beating extremely fast. Uncontrollably fast. I didn’t realize that when you go carnivore you have to drink plenty of electrolytes. I was low on potassium and ended up in the ER.
Although I ended up in the ER…I believe my friend Kim’s text saved my life. For years I have been drinking the koolaid of all these documentaries about the power of veganism. I have felt some sense of arrogant pride saying things like, “i’m not a big meat eater”..I have been on board FULLY…drinking only almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, eating more and more and more and more salad, juicing more celery than anyone could imagine…yet I’ve been MISERABLE.
I have not figured out this carnivore thing yet…its only been 3 weeks but I can tell you, I have never felt better in all my life.
plant based diets may not be the answer
Our ancestors ate animals nose to tail. As humans we have survived as a species because they ate animals. I don’t know about you guys, but I am beginning to think they have been lying to us. Plant based? I think it’s a sham.
Why hasn’t any doctor told me to cut veggies when I’m inflamed and in pain? I mean seriously my joints have been hurting BADDDD since 2015 and not one person told me to cut the veggies. Not one medical professional in the orthopedic department said—“hey, try red meat” “cut inflammatory vegetables like nightshades”
how the carnivore diet changed my life
In THREE weeks I have had 0 migraines.
My sugar cravings are basically gone.
I’ve had very little anxiety. The anxiety I have now is more attributed to if I am doing the diet correctly. But I am not having random panic attacks
I feel joy.
My joint pain has almost diminished.
My skin is clearer.
I am excited to stay on this journey. If you suffer from mental health issues, I cannot urge you enough to try beef liver. I eat .5 oz a day and it has helped heal me in ways I never could have imagined.
I have cut all supplements during this time.
Make sure to ask your doctor about testing for the gene mutation MTHFR. If you have this mutation, it might be the reason that you have suffered mentally. Researching this mutation could shock you.
benefits of beef liver:
- beef liver is nutrient-rich and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, B vitamins (B12, B6, folic acid), iron, zinc, and copper.
- boosts energy: High levels of B vitamins, especially B12, help convert food into energy, reducing fatigue and increasing overall energy levels.
- supports immune function: Rich in Vitamin A, zinc, and selenium, beef liver helps strengthen the immune system and supports healthy immune responses.
- promotes healthy skin: The Vitamin A in beef liver is vital for skin health, helping to maintain a healthy complexion and reducing the risk of skin conditions.
- improves vision: Vitamin A also plays a critical role in maintaining good vision and preventing eye conditions like night blindness.
- enhances brain function: The high concentration of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids in beef liver supports cognitive function and overall brain health.
- aids in detoxification: Liver contains compounds that help the body detoxify and eliminate toxins efficiently.
- supports muscle growth: Rich in high-quality protein and essential amino acids, beef liver helps build and repair muscle tissue.
- prevents anemia: The iron and B12 in beef liver are crucial for producing healthy red blood cells, preventing anemia and improving oxygen transport in the body.
- boosts metabolism: Nutrients like B vitamins and zinc play a role in regulating metabolism, aiding in weight management and overall metabolic health.
watch the video – beef liver heals:
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