Edward, who goes by Ed, had been steadily gaining weight and, at one point, was considered morbidly obese at 372 lbs. Ed’s health issues were not just conducive to his weight. He also developed type 2 diabetes; his A1C was 6.7 at its highest. And his blood pressure regularly ran around 180/100, and his triglycerides were also in the 300s.
Ed also suffered from sleep apnea. During a sleep test, it was discovered that Ed stopped breathing twelve times a minute while sleeping. Ed also had the calcium in his heart tested at his highest weight. He says a normal range for calcium in the heart is between zero and three hundred. His heart calcium was over eleven hundred.
Gastric Bypass Surgery and Standard American Diet
Ed was on a lot of medications, including statins and Metformin. Ed decided to have gastric bypass surgery to lose weight and hopefully improve his health. He says he did have some success with the gastric bypass surgery but started gaining a lot of the weight back.
He says his doctors had him eating a “healthier version of the Standard American Diet.” He ate a lot of carbohydrates, including grains and fruit, because he was told they were healthy. He didn’t realize that his doctors’ advice did little to improve his health.
Discovering Paleo and Keto Diets
Ed had a friend recommend the paleo diet, so he tried it. From there, he transitioned to the ketogenic diet and successfully lost weight. Ed started watching videos online through his keto diet journey, where he discovered Dr. Shawn Baker. Ed says he read Dr. Baker’s book, “The Carnivore Diet.” He decided to try the diet for himself.
The Life-changing Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Within just a few short weeks, Ed was able to see improvements in his health. His bloodwork and blood pressure began to fall within a normal range, and he slowly came off his medications. After two months on the diet, he could sleep without a c-pap machine and says his wife even discovered he had stopped snoring.
After one year on the diet, he saw reductions in all areas and is no longer considered diabetic or at risk for heart disease. His numbers had improved so much Ed even had a tech ask him when he went in for a follow-up test on the calcium in his heart, “why are you here?”
Ed’s Daily Routine and Tips for Success
Ed says today he follows a 16/8 fasting schedule. He eats mostly beef and pork and some chicken, bacon, butter, and eggs. Ed says he has noticed dairy, like cheese, causes some digestive issues, so he avoids it, but he does enjoy drinking coffee in the morning.
Ed’s Mission to Spread the Word About the Carnivore Diet
Ed works at a big box grocery store on the weekends. He says he is often asked where to find low-carb pasta sauces and other highly processed foods. He says he likes to share his story with his customers and tell them, “all you need is in the meat and cheese aisle.”
Ed describes his customers are usually shocked when he pulls up his “before” picture on his phone, and he always offers to help answer questions for customers interested in the carnivore diet.
Ed is a walking testimony of the carnivore way of eating. He has been able to change his habits which have entirely changed his health. Ed says the carnivore diet “is it for me,” he plans to continue following this way of eating for the rest of his life.
