The carnivore diet for autoimmune healing, gut health, and to break a weight loss stall...
For the last few months, I've been a bit quieter online, although I have made a conscious effort to be back posting regularly this past week or so, and writing my blog posts, because I feel this is so important to share.
I've been working away behind the scenes on my business and on my clients (the business ones) websites and coaching them in their work, but I also made a conscious decision to step back and create some space for myself too.
Why? Because I needed to practice what I preach
Listening to my own body!
I needed to put my own health first, as back in late June, early July I had my own autoimmune flare up and to be honest I just got so fed-up living like that. I knew it was mainly down to stress, so I just stopped and took some me time, which I always recommend my clients do when this happens. So, I listened to my own bloody advice for a wee change.
For the last three weeks, I've been deep in a personal experiment, my usual, using myself as a guinea pig again. I began a strict carnivore protocol to deal with some lingering inflammation and dial in my own health. It's been a fascinating process of listening to my body, tracking the data, journaling about it all.
I didn’t just jump straight into carnivore, it took me months of building up towards it, going through the motions of what I take my own clients through.
Normally I just kinda fling my own self into a process of elimination and get on with it. But it wasn’t working, and I realised that I wasn’t actually being kind to myself or properly going through the full healing journey. Previously I did not work on the stress or nervous system aspect. I would just do the food and not give myself much thought on anything else. And yeah, it didn’t work. I, like so many other women, and some men to be honest have struggled with autoimmune, chronic fatigue, hormonal chaos for years. And because of that it also was affecting my own weight loss journey.
Weight loss and the Stalls...
...... and how dealing with the root cause might help.
I began a weight loss regime back in 2020/2021 and I did brilliantly and lost 5 stone. But the problem was, I wasn’t actually dealing with the root cause. So the slightest slip up here and there, or when another layer of healing presented itself, it showed that I needed desperately to go deeper.
So yeah, my weight loss stalled. I didn’t put back on what I had lost, but I couldn’t seem to lose more either no matter how hard I tried. And even though I had lost almost 6 stone by then, I still had about another 4 to go. Because when I started this journey, I was more than 10 stone (140lbs overweight).
"Healing takes courage, and we all have it, even if we have to dig a little to find it" — Tori Amos
The in-between to Now
I discovered through some serious health patterns and problems that I had candida overgrowth, and to be honest, I have probably had it for decades. Last summer was horrific, and I was really poorly for 3 months, covered from head to toe in Candida die-off symptoms, which is not pleasant.
I did get that to go away, and my body began healing again with strict carnivore last year, but the problem was, I didn’t stick to it for long enough. I went back to mainly a keto lifestyle, and then I hit the end of last year, and lots of things that happened back then were creating a huge amount of stress in my personal life. Not to any fault of that, but my reactions to many things over the years were a stress response. I hadn’t taken enough time ever to learn to manage that better.
So anyhoo, that brings me back to June this year. I stopped and took the time. I have gently gotten to know myself again. Took time out when I needed to. Found strength in prayer and meditation, journaling and really just allowing myself to heal, not just with the food changes, but with the mindset changes too.
And here I am, now 3 weeks in to my Carnivore journey. I purposely weigh myself at the beginning of each new week so that I can document it. I am as of this morning 1 stone down, 14lbs. The weight loss is important to me, but the healing journey of my body is much more important than anything else.
It hasn’t been easy, and I will not pretend it is. As I was progressing toward this 3-week point, I spent much of the last 4 or 5 days with what I can only describe as utter black hole, I felt a horrid depressed kind of feeling. It really was quite hard to navigate.
Giving up Alcohol and dealing with Food Depression
I have also stopped drinking alcohol. And I didn’t find it hard until yesterday. OMG all I could think of was to have a bottle of wine. That feeling, that instant gratification that the first glass gives you, or it does me. But it was something that I had began depending on for stress relief and I didn’t want to live like that anymore.
So last night I ended up taking myself out for a drive. I didn’t go anywhere in particular or see anyone, I just drove.
As I was driving around, I just could not shake off the intense feelings I was experiencing, almost like pure anxiety. Then a song came on the radio, I can’t remember the name of it, but instantly I thought “OOOOh I love this song." It was upbeat with a really really strong, want to dance vibe to it. So, there I was driving down the bypass with my radio on full blast and me bouncing ( not dangerously) to the music and singing along too haha thank goodness no one could hear me.
It hit me like a lightening bolt, I knew what was wrong with me and I knew why I was struggling a lot. I had too much energy. My body was starting to change on this inside now, because this is what happens around the 3-6 week mark on strict keto and carnivore.
My cells were waking up and I was/am becoming fat adapted. As soon as that song started playing and I allowed myself to really feel it and let go of the pent up anxiety feelings a bit. For sure I was buzzing, I actually could’ve and probably should have gone and parked my car and went for a fast powered walk, but it was dark and getting late so with my newfound freedom in my mind and feeling much better, I went home.
Now there was a time, I would no way of made it home without going via the shop to buy that bottle of wine. I would have given in and succumbed to that feeling of “I just need it to de-stress after a busy work week” but I didn’t and for that one moment, I am so proud of myself today. That feeling beats any high I would ever have gotten from that bottle of wine.
I also have had what I call food depression too. I would have given my soul the other day to get a food dopamine hit. Again, I didn’t do it. I sometimes use a more keto based approach when these moments are mega tough and I might have some organic cream or some cheese, but I never have once turned to carbs as I know it would absolutely take me on a route of no return.
Giving Yourself Permission to Stop!
This whole experience reminded me of a fundamental truth; one that's at the very heart of my work: You need to take the time to heal. To give yourself permission to just stop, to strip it all back and learn what works for you.
For the first time ever in my own journey, I have actually fully followed my own protocol properly. Not just doing it and knowing I am doing it, because it is second nature to me, because I wrote it and developed it. I am actually following it step by step.
If you're ready to put yourself first and want to explore what this kind of personalised support could do for you, the next step is a simple conversation.
"Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it." - Heather Morgan
This journey didn't start 3 weeks ago. It started 6 years ago when I was scared, ill, and my body was shutting down. If you want the full, unfiltered backstory, it's all here. Click Here to read more.
Further Reading
4 ways to become fat adapted (and why it's different than ketosis), Written by Robb Wolf - Click Here to read
How to Tell You’re Fat Adapted, Written by Brian Stanton on December 13, 2024 Click Here to Read
Linda McClure
Cut the Bullshit
In Health | In Business | In Life
Bespoke Branding | Creative Web Design | Low carb Nutrition Expert
