Carnivore/Lion Diet Update: Not Carnivore Anymore?
In a Nutshell
After 8 years on the strict Lion diet (ruminant meat, salt, water) to manage lifelong juvenile idiopathic arthritis and bipolar type 2, successful treatment of H. pylori, parasites, candida, and chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) from mold enabled reintroduction of foods like arugula, avocado, berries, salmon, and sweet potatoes without autoimmune flares or psychiatric symptoms—proving actual healing beyond remission. Key failures included probiotics, IV NAD, and most vitamins; successes were parasite antibiotics, folinic acid, DAO enzymes, saunas, KPV peptide, and HVAC upgrades like ERV + SuperV filters for fresh air. She's launching the world's largest Lion/keto study on RA/IBD remission and now eats mostly meat + cooked greens while staying ketogenic.
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Can't call herself a carnivore anymore after reintroducing foods. Heal the gut, add foods back in was the theory, but it was not easy. First time in over 8 years able to eat anything other than ruminant meat without triggering autoimmune or psych disorder. Carnivore diet puts vast majority into remission and actual healing is possible. Needed more help than just eating meat and avoiding dietary triggers. Covers 10 years of efforts, what worked, reduced sensitivities, what didn't, reintroduction experience, and tips.
Eight years on carnivore diet, specifically Lion diet: only ruminant meat (beef or lamb), salt, water. Started to treat severe psychiatric issues (bipolar type 2 with major depression) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis since age 2, causing hip and ankle replacement at 17 despite immunosuppressive treatment.
Right before 8 years, started slowly reintroducing foods without major reactions—no arthritic flare-ups or mood issues. Eight years minus a few months. Means actual healing possible, not just remission on diet. Theory on lioniet.com: Lion diet as elimination diet for symptom relief while pursuing root cause. Took 8 years; felt like pipe dream or permanent meat diet, but wanted to address ongoing problem.
Launched world's largest keto and carnivore study on Lion diet and keto diet impact on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Run by separate medical team. GoFundMe linked below; donations tax-deductible. At $160,000 funded, need $300,000 more—inexpensive for study size. Studies hard to organize/fund without pharma backing. Support from community, doctors, researchers. Her case study: eating non-meat without arthritis after 8 years. Funding shortfall covered by business (Peterson Academy). Apply if in America, diagnosed RA/IBD by doctor, haven't tried keto/carnivore: get coaching, tests, results. Links in description/GoFundMe/last video. Could change autoimmunity treatment; current system ineffective.
Didn't start with beef. Mid-2015 to mid-2016: cut gluten (mild improvement), then processed foods, dairy, eggs, most fruit—limited paleo diet to rule out diet in illnesses. Mid-2016 to Dec 2017: meat and greens (lettuce, collard greens, arugula, spinach). Gradual: standard American diet → strict autoimmune paleo/GAPS-like → meat/greens → beef over 2 years. Reduced symptoms massively, off antidepressants, painkillers, immunosuppressants. Recommends paleo/dairy-free keto for general health/average person. Animal-based helps some, but severe disease needs stricter.
2017: after first pregnancy (Scarlet) and moving to moldy house (leak in basement), paleo/keto stopped helping. Lion diet more than cutting processed foods. Skeptics wrong: tried everything before beef (harder than cutting processed). Studying Lion vs keto vs standard American diet for RA/IBD to test ketosis/processed cut vs extreme plant elimination (theory: body reacts to plants when gut damaged/sick).
Arthritis returned during/after pregnancy (near remission on meat/greens). Depression returned (complicated by antidepressant withdrawal). Desperation to avoid meds. Arthritic symptoms gone after 2 weeks beef-only (from beef/greens). After 6 weeks, stopped morning crying. Tried organic olives: huge arthritic/depressive flare; stuck to beef. 5 months in + moved from moldy house: felt best ever (pre-Joe Rogan). No new foods/pills for years (reactive to fillers/chemicals/perfume/shampoo). First reintro: vodka (no autoimmune/mood issues, wicked hangovers no-carb). Beef, salt, occasional vodka for years.
2020: organic berries/salmon → arthritis, brain fog/stupor. 2021: switched to lamb only (lower histamine) for 2 years after Nashville flood/mold unit (puffy face, fog, podcast issues—thought tree allergies). Moved to Miami (worse mold/HVAC): old psych symptoms, heart palpitations, insomnia, histamine sensitivity. DAO enzyme supplement helped tolerate lamb. Diagnosed chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS); started treatment, strictly avoided mold. Pregnant end-April after moving out (Feb-April clean place; prior miscarriage in moldy Miami house). Added folinic acid (tolerable folate; low from meat-only, no organs). Monitor vitamins (esp folate) on carnivore, especially sick people.
After 4 months CIRS treatment: tolerated beef again. Mold depleted B vitamins, flattened hormones (parents fine on same diet). Vitamins/hormones recovered. Continued folinic acid. Last few years: two babies under 2, hard on body; monitor vitamins (new diet, no research).
Anaphylactic reaction → emergency → prednisone week → H. pylori overgrowth. Reached Dr. Gabrielle Lyon; tested: H. pylori, protozoa parasite, candida (surprising on meat-only). Treated with antibiotics (avoided years), antiparasitics: eliminated histamine intolerance, digestive issues within weeks. Key to tolerating more foods now.
- Probiotics: never worked (pre/post meat diet, low-histamine/spore). Damaged gut: fix barrier first.
- Hyperbaric oxygen: relaxing/naps, no sensitivity reduction.
- IV NAD: felt like battery (18+ treatments), awful, no difference.
- Glutathione: intolerable until recently; low levels but no help.
- Most vitamins: intolerable.
- Mold blood filtration, ozone: relaxing, no reactivity change.
- Saunas: beneficial, mitigated withdrawal/mold symptoms (not long-term sensitivities).
- KPV peptide: noticeable, reduced inflammation (vs BPC-157: no difference).
- Folinic acid: physiologically calmer (minor; recommend for carnivore, esp women/babies).
- DAO enzymes: got through mold-induced histamine intolerance.
- Parasite treatment: game changer (H. pylori huge).
Prior parasite tests negative (tons of testing). Dr. Lyon used different tests. Recommend GI-MAP stool test (shows dysbiosis, some parasites; misses most). H. pylori: quad therapy antibiotics (naturopath/natural failed). Husband too; employee: vomiting → quad therapy fixed. Breath test useless. Symptoms: gnawing solar plexus, bad breath, acid reflux/vomiting, plaque, frequent cavities (even good diet).
If cavities are frequent even without sugar, check for H. pylori or dysbiosis. For the speaker, H. pylori caused a gnawing stomach feeling when severe, but earlier moderate levels showed on stool tests with minimal symptoms. Doctors dismissed it as normal. It contributed to extreme food sensitivities and food intolerance. Treating moderate levels would have helped.
Treated a protozoa parasite, possibly from lake water, common even in clean countries. Parasite treatment is not woo-woo; antibiotics were worth it despite past gut issues from childhood antibiotics. Avoided metronidazole and fluoroquinolone, followed regular medical treatment. Strongly recommend for food sensitivities, gut issues, fatigue, skin issues. Standard doctor parasite tests in North America use PCR and miss them—negative results common. Sent stool to Africa for microscopic exam to detect.
North American advanced testing misses parasites; old-fashioned microscopy needed. Mold exposure and parasites explain being stuck on meat-only for 8 years. Regular doctors dismiss mold and can't test parasites. Mainstream parasite treatment works with right doctor.
Rule out H. pylori with GI Map test. Treated via Gabrielle Lyon (upcoming guest), but expensive. GI Map costs $300-400 via naturopath—worth it. For unaffordable testing with parasite symptoms, food sensitivities, gut issues, autoimmunity: act don't wait 7-8 years. H. pylori antibiotics tolerable; felt better post-treatment. Antiparasitic drugs safe, given to pregnant people in some countries. First-world countries naive about parasites despite cleaner water; worse testing.
Autoimmunity and these new diseases solved by no mold and parasite clearance—issues humans dealt with forever.
Next: mold treatment reduced sensitivities. Grew up in Toronto basement, 100-year-old house with black mold behind drywall from plumber error—smelled like sewer. Explains childhood mental illness. Past belief: mold causes allergy, not disease or mental illness.
CIRS (mold illness) doesn't affect all in house equally, hard to attribute. Symptoms after 5 years on lion diet: insomnia (waking 2-3 AM panicking), heart palpitations, volatility (mold rage: slamming doors), fatigue, muscle pain, bruising not healing, leg weakness (one side collapsing), bloodshot/crusty eyes, excess mucus, runny nose. Started Nashville flooded unit, worsened Miami. Attributed to CIRS February 2023.
Moved out Miami, threw away belongings, to Arizona. Considered tent living (April Arizona doable, Instacart tent gear ready). Brain gone: no internal dialogue, paused podcast/work, couldn't email, chemical sensitivities returned (resolved 2018 on lion diet 6 months in), even vodka intolerance. Pain from unclean air buildings. Felt lunatic.
Husband found clean hotel. After 1 month out + cholestyramine binder: 70% better, neuropathic pain gone, brain back. Sensitivities reduced over 3 years; now hyper careful—eats outdoors on patios (Arizona), new buildings, hotels OK. Added ERV to HVAC + SuperV filter.
ERV brings fresh air vs standard HVAC—game changer. New Arizona house: upgraded HVAC, still not 100%; 24 hours post-ERV smelled like mountain. SuperV filter helpful. For autoimmunity/psych disorders: try lion diet or ketogenic as elimination. Relief 6 weeks-6 months, enough energy to address issues.
Psych meds complicated recovery. 2 years withdrawal 2015-2017 on paleo/keto after cold turkey stop (don't do)—worst experience. On Cipralex (Lexapro) 20mg high dose 10 years (ages 12-22). Diet helped endure. Install ERV ($ couple thousand)—easiest fresh air vs remediation. Housing/air crisis North America. Took 6 months-1 year post-remediation to realize. Mandated in Europe old buildings, Switzerland (energy savings, helps mold). Avoid high humidity like Florida—use filters instead.
ERV + SuperV filter or IQ Air sucks/filters outdoor air + recirculates. Fresh outdoor air massive health difference vs diet/sleep/air purifiers. Bad air causes gut permeability.
- Ketogenic diet: alternative fuel, eliminates immune triggers, damaged gut variables.
- Gut treatment (parasites, H. pylori).
- Improve air.
- Time: 8 years avoiding inflammatory foods retrained mast cells (has mast cell disorder). Theory: long avoidance stopped mast cells training future ones on triggers. Antihistamines/mast cell stabilizers retrain. Mast cell treatment next if needed.
Autoimmunity and genetic psychiatric issues completely curable.
Last 2 months: arugula, avocado, seaweed, broccoli, broccolini, coconut, mango, vinegar, ginger, Swiss chard, bok choy, berries, cucumber, sweet potato, caviar, salmon, chicken. First 6 months ago: mango/coconut (husband tempted with Fronen mango ice cream).
Husband (JF) on meat diet, now varies post-treatments (mold/parasites worked for him too). Mold/parasite exposure as kid, sick in Nashville/Miami. Symptoms less severe.
Months in: no major issues, arthritic flares days/weeks (usually days)—none now. Avoid: cucumber (bad feel), avocado (allergic?). Stays ketogenic (best feel)—limits mango/coconut/sweet potato. Chicken groggy, fish fine. Cooked arugula great (eats much). No catastrophes vs past tests.
Pure Encapsulations digestive enzymes pre-plant meals (long no plants). Adapted quickly; initial bloating gone after weeks. Cooked veggies/greens + meat (95% beef, ginger, pan-fried arugula, tallow). Meat + greens amazing vs just beef—world opened. Restaurants: steak or grilled broccolini only, careful not to trigger.
No longer carnivore. Q&A soon.
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