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The Case for Animal-Based Eating:
How Ketogenic and Carnivore Diets Meet Nutritional Needs In today’s world, diet trends often swing between extremes, and it can be hard to sort fact from fad. But when it comes to nutrient-dense eating, animal-based diets like the ketogenic (KD) and carnivore diets are gaining attention for their ability to meet the body's nutritional needs, especially for vulnerable groups like children and adolescents. Let’s explore how these diets provide a strong foundation for health. Why Animal-Based Diets Stand Out Animal-based diets emphasise foods like meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy, which are naturally packed with essential nutrients. These diets are particularly effective at providing high-quality protein and vital micronutrients that are often harder to obtain in sufficient quantities from plant-based diets. Here’s what makes them unique: 1. High-Quality Proteins Animal proteins are complete proteins, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs for growth and repair. This is crucial for children and adolescents, whose bodies are rapidly growing and developing. Unlike plant proteins, which often lack one or more essential amino acids, animal proteins require no special planning or pairing to ensure adequate nutrition. 2. Rich in Vital Micronutrients Animal foods are unparalleled sources of: Iron: In its heme form, which is more easily absorbed by the body than the non-heme iron found in plants. Zinc and Selenium: Crucial for immune function and cellular repair. Vitamins A, B12, and D: Key players in energy production, bone health, and overall well-being. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish and seafood, these support brain development and reduce inflammation. While plant-based diets can provide some of these nutrients, the bioavailability (how well the body absorbs them) is often lower, making animal foods a more efficient choice. The Ketogenic Diet: More Than a Weight Loss Tool The ketogenic diet has long been known for its therapeutic use in treating paediatric epilepsy, but its benefits extend far beyond that. By significantly reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing healthy fats, the KD induces a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. Here’s why it works: Improved Glycemic Control: Reducing carbohydrates helps stabilise blood sugar levels, making it effective for managing conditions like diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Reduction of Immune Triggers: The restrictive nature of the diet often eliminates problematic foods that can trigger inflammation or immune responses. Ketone Power: Ketones, produced by the liver during ketosis, act as regulatory molecules. They reduce inflammation, regulate metabolism, and even influence gene expression to support overall health. Studies have shown promising results for the ketogenic diet in areas like mental health, Alzheimer’s disease, and polycystic kidney disease, making it a powerful tool for a range of conditions. The Carnivore Diet: Ancestral Eating for Modern Health The carnivore diet takes the principles of ketogenic eating to the next level by focusing almost exclusively on animal products: meat, fish, eggs, animal fats, and limited dairy. While this diet is less studied, emerging research and anecdotal evidence suggest it offers significant health benefits: Harvard Study Findings: A cohort study of over 2,000 people following a carnivore diet for six months reported improved health outcomes, minimal adverse effects, and high satisfaction. Elimination of Problematic Foods: By cutting out plant-based foods, the carnivore diet naturally avoids common allergens and inflammatory substances, allowing the body to heal and reset. Induction of Ketosis: Like the KD, the carnivore diet often induces ketosis, amplifying its anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits. Addressing Common Concerns While animal-based diets are nutrient-dense, they often raise questions about their impact on cholesterol levels and long-term sustainability. Here are some considerations: Lipids and Heart Health: Research shows that ketosis improves the overall lipid profile for many individuals by increasing HDL (good cholesterol) and reducing triglycerides. However, individual responses vary, so regular monitoring is key. Sustainability and Variety: For long-term success, it’s important to include a variety of animal foods and adjust the diet based on personal needs and goals. Including organ meats, seafood, and eggs can enhance nutrient diversity. Individualisation: These diets aren’t one-size-fits-all. Working with a healthcare professional or nutritionist can help tailor the approach to your unique needs. Conclusion: A Nutrient-Dense Path Forward The ketogenic and carnivore diets offer compelling solutions for meeting nutritional needs, particularly for those seeking to optimise their health or manage chronic conditions. By emphasising nutrient-rich, bioavailable foods, these diets provide a foundation for wellness that’s both rooted in ancestral eating and supported by modern science. If you’re considering a shift to animal-based eating, start by incorporating high-quality meats, eggs, and seafood into your meals, and explore how your body responds. With careful planning and professional guidance, these diets can be transformative for your health journey.
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Embracing Discomfort: The Path to Growth and Resilience
Over time, the extreme temperatures, physical challenges, nutritional discipline and intermittent fasting forged robust, adaptable humans whose bodies and minds were finely tuned to the rhythms of nature.
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Hot and Cold Therapy: The Benefits of Sauna and Cold Plunging
Maintaining my health, now that I'm on the right track. Now that you are enjoying good robust health keep doing what you are doing. Thinking always about our ancestral principles to tune in and maintain this amazing healthy body that you have.
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Carnivore vs Paleo vs Vegan: How to Choose the Best Diet for Your Body
Humans Are Genetically Designed for a Hunter-Gatherer Diet 99.99% of our genes were formed before the development of agriculture. S. BOYD EATON MD. Medical anthropologist. As a species we are essentially genetically identical with respect to genetic expression, regardless of blood type to those humans living for than 40 thousand years ago’ NORA GEDGAUDAS author. Now think about how this knowledge can determine your food choices?? And your questions regarding your own nutrition and your families. We are essentially modern men in cave man bodies!! And with this in mind think about our species and how current ill health and everything falls into place. We are not feeding ourselves evolutionarily correctly. Eating Seasonally: What Food Looked Like for Early Humans So, popping your head out of the cave, mid summer, your food is lush. Fruit, wild berries, honey and meat. Animals are all well fed and fat, and there for the taking!! We are physiologically, biologically and genetically hunter gathers. This is how homo sapiens began their journey to modernity. By feeding themselves with meat and fat and grazing on sweet fruit that was in season. This food is what our bodies are designed to operate on, optimally. By choosing to eat evolutionarily there is so much variety. One of the advantages of being in the 21st century is that we do not have to hunt our food. We can!! If we want to. However, choosing to support farmers who produce amazing food is really where our food dollars should be going. Climate, Evolution and the Role of Environmental Stress The climate fluctuations had a massive influence on these early homo sapiens, who evolved through many ice ages. What food was around then? Certainly not plants! But we evolved and developed big brains and the smarts to survive under difficult conditions. I guess that's why now, the cold is essential for our bodies as an environmental stressor. Humans have evolved to benefit physically from tough conditions. During the ice ages, there was never any fruits or vegetables to provide the hormetic challenges we needed. What Did the Caveman Eat? Evidence from Early Humans An interesting study by Bryant and Williams-Dean 1975, looked at fossilized human feces which revealed a complete lack of plant material. (Interesting!!) So diets consisting of high amounts of carbohydrates is a modern phenomenon, one that we have not had time to adapt to or create defense against. Therefore we are a species with many diseases that we have created with this radical change of food. The fact that our bodies manufacture their own glucose for energy and brain function when needed from the other two macros, protein and fat. However most organs and tissues in the body prefer to use ketones. Are Carbohydrates the Cause of Modern Disease? All the modern diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, all are a result of too many carbohydrates not excess fats in the diet. Other contributing factors are man made fats, trans fats, rancid oils (oils oxidise from the moment they are produced) and other pollutants like glyphosate in our food chain. If you want to learn more I recommend this book. https://thebigfatsurprise.com The Diet-Heart Hypothesis and the Saturated Fat Debate My concern is that dietary fats have been vilified during my lifetime, and that doctors are still prescribing useless and quite dangerous drugs to lower cholesterol even though we now know that saturated fats are life-giving!!! With the chronic consumption of carbohydrate and man made fats we have created metabolic syndrome. Together with other factors, stress, dieting, lack of exercise and a diet deficient in protein and good fats, (Weve come out of a low fat high carb paradigm). Metabolic syndrome is contributing to all our modern dis- eases. 90% of Americans have metabolic syndrome!!! New Zealand Dietary Guidelines and the Carbohydrate Paradigm Our current health guidelines in NZ recommends 6 servings a day of carbohydrate in the form of grains. Also lean meat and low fat dairy. Therefore maintaining ill health. It seems that the health department and big pharma need each other. Again, its about following the money. https://www.nzihf.co.nz/media-resources-1/articles/personal%20training-nutrition-guidelines-adults One major health concern for adults in western countries is excessive dietary fat intake. This concern applies particularly to saturated fat, which increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and hypertension (NHF 1999). A high-fat intake has also been associated with colorectal cancer (Baghurst et al 1997). NZ food guidelines (current document) The diet-heart hypothesis (that suggests that high intake of fat and cholesterol cause heart disease) has been repeatedly shown to be wrong and yet, for complicated reasons of pride, profit and prejudice , the hypothesis continues to be exploited by scientists, fundraising enterprises, food companies and every governmental agency. The public is being deceived by the greatest health scam of the century. GEORGE V MANN MD. Researcher. Returning to a Prehistoric Food Pyramid If we can stick to the prehistoric food Pyramid I believe we will live long and healthy lives. That is the majority of our food as grass fed meat, wild game, fat and some seafood. Some seasonal fruit and raw dairy. There is so much amazing food available to us now. Remember to support your local farmers, and farmers markets. Don't buy food that has been processed or imported. Got more questions about diet and nutrition, Take a look at our FAQs page for more information.
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Glandular Therapy: Benefits, Mechanism of Action, and Immune Support
Geeky Stuff; The theory behind eating nose to tail for health. Reprinted from Owen Millar, humbly with thanks.
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The Benefits of Eating Organ Meats
The standard diet, does not contain any organ meats. In fact, organ meats are demonized for having fat and cholesterol. This is truly a shame, because organ meats from grassfed animals are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, being packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients. Our ancestors knew the value of organ meats. They gave great value to liver, heart, and kidney, and used these foods to support the health of their own organs. We can do the same.
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