By Rebecca Drew
THIS WOMAN claims a vegan diet left her barely able to hold a GLASS OF WATER – but since swapping plants for ANIMAL BRAINS she’s never felt better.
Nutrition consultant, Natalie Daniels (38) who lives in Budapest, Hungary, grew up following a modern Mediterranean diet which consisted of pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, vegetables, lean meat and olive oil.
In her late teens and early twenties, Natalie started to notice a connection between the foods she ate and the way they made her feel. At the time she was also practising yoga and linked it with a plant-based diet for good health. She went pescatarian and over time she lost her period and her health started to decline.
In 2009 Natalie decided to strip out fish, eggs and dairy from her diet and go vegan. She cooked her meals from scratch and took vitamins and other health supplements but instead of feeling better in herself, her appearance started to change, she lost muscle tone, became pale and had sunken eyes with dark circles.
As well as this, Natalie was diagnosed with a thyroid condition, had constipation, was bloated, suffered from hair loss, scalp eczema, sensitive teeth, brain fog and developed joint pain so severe she struggled to hold a glass of water in her hands.
Natalie followed a largely vegetarian diet for 12 years and was vegan for three, but in 2015 she decided to re-introduce animal products into her diet until in January 2018, she discovered the carnivore diet and adopted the Paleolithic ketogenic diet (PKD), a type of meat-only diet where she eats solely animal products at a 2:1 fat to protein ratio.
She enjoys a wide range of animal products from liver, brain, ribeye steak, beef tartare, raw lamb, pork crackling, pork ribs and broths made from boiling animal offcuts including the head.
In a year Natalie has gone from 5st 11lb to 6st 10lb and says all her previous health symptoms have been alleviated and says that without this diet she would not be able to have the same quality of life.
“When I first went vegan, I felt good at the very beginning but then I started to feel weak, constipated, bloated, slow (mentally and physically), emaciated, emotionally unstable and mentally confused. I started having skin issues, lost my menstrual cycle and started binge-eating as I would never feel satisfied with what I was eating,” said Natalie.
“I got scalp eczema, skin rashes, itchiness, allergies, insomnia, nutrient deficiencies, hair loss, water retention, restless leg syndrome, extreme teeth sensitivity and receding/bleeding gums, cavities and was often depressed. The joint pain in my fingers got worse to the point I couldn’t even hold a glass of water in my hands.
“There are many dangers of following a vegan diet. Excess consumption of carbohydrates will eventually give rise of health issues.
“There will most likely be nutritional deficiencies which will impact the body in different ways and intestinal permeability which will give rise to inflammation and a variety of immune reactions and diseases. The body can compensate to an inadequate nutrition only to a certain extent and for a limited amount of time, after that disease may develop.
“I discovered the carnivore diet in January 2018 through Shawn Baker. What attracted it to me was desperation. I had absolutely nothing to lose by giving carnivore a chance. I do not follow a conventional carnivore diet now; I follow a Paleolithic ketogenic diet.
“A meat-based diet is what humans are designed to eat. A Paleolithic ketogenic diet provides the body with all the nutrients it needs to optimally function without having to take artificial supplements and allowing the body to do its healing work process. It healed me one hundred per cent, I am now totally symptom-free.
“I explain and share my knowledge and personal experience, but I never try to convince anyone. People who have known me for many years cannot argue with the fact that I look healthy now, compared to my plant-based years.”
Natalie shares her journey on Instagram under the handle, @ancestralcarnivore. Natalie usually eats around twice a day, or whenever she is hungry as she doesn’t stick to a strict schedule.
She shared her words of advice to others.
“My body dictates my schedule. Usually my two meals are composed of either raw or cooked muscle and/or organ meats with a good amount of animal fat (no dairy) as PKD is a high fat diet,” said Natalie.
“I also consume eggs, cured meats (additive free) and broths. I usually do not snack in between my two meals as I am not hungry. If I am hungry though, I consume something small, like a few slices of cured sausage or ham with lard or tallow or a small handful of pork cracklings for example.
“Do something for yourself and try it, commit to the diet for six months or even better a full year. It takes time to fully adapt to a diet change, especially if the body is not healthy and all transitions can bring some struggle. Be patient and do not expect to see a miracle after a few weeks but be sure that great and positive changes will happen.
“Seek professional advice, find a specialist on the diet with clinical experience who can guide you personally. There are no shortcuts for health, so do not look for quick fixes, be patient with yourself and the process and avoid following mainstream and Facebook groups’ suggestions.
“To my absolute mind blowing, removing plants was key to successfully turn my health around.
“I was able to quit my thyroid medication, painkillers and all the supplements I was taking. My health issues resolved only by changing the foods I was putting into my body. Emotional eating habits naturally disappeared, and I now follow my real hunger to decide how many times and how much food to eat every day. This, to me, is freedom!
“I got my health and life back thanks to a hundred per cent animal-based diet and now feeling better than ever.”
