Heather’s Childhood Trauma and Unhealthy Eating Habits
Like many others who follow a standard American diet, Heather describes her former self as being “metabolically broken.” She suffered from terrible post-partum autoimmune flare-ups, low energy, and brain fog. Since starting a carnivore diet three months ago, all of those issues have been resolved, and she feels like she’s gotten her life back.
Hashimoto’s Diagnosis and Post-Partum Depression
Heather suffered a traumatic childhood event, which set her on a course of unhealthy food choices and emotional eating habits in adolescence. “In addition to being overweight, I was struggling with depression and lack of mental focus,” she shares. “I was unable to study well or retain information, and I would feel foggy-headed just trying to read a book.” Given her challenging living situation, Heather says she “lived out of the cupboards” and filled up on pop-tarts, chips, and diet Pepsi.
By age 23, Heather was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid. After giving birth to her first child, Heather suffered from severe post-partum depression. “At one point, I didn’t even recognize myself,” she shares. “I felt out of touch with the reality around me. I decided to look for a nutritional supplement to help me get more energy.” Vitamin B worked well for Heather, and it was her first glimmer of hope that some of her issues may be related to nutritional deficiencies.
Gluten-Free Experiment and Ketogenic Diet
Within 6-9 months of giving birth to both of her children, Heather experienced major autoimmune flare-ups in her joints that completely immobilized her. Both times, doctors had no answers for her, and she was left to wonder what to do or what the cause could be. “I came to this place of desperation. I cried out to God, ‘Show me what to do! I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’”
Heather started researching autoimmune conditions and learned that gluten intolerance could affect people with Hashimoto’s. She gave up gluten and grains for ten days, and her joint pain started to clear up. After some success on a ketogenic diet, she eventually found Dr. Shawn Baker’s channel and discovered several carnivore diet success stories from people who had similar health conditions.
Discovering the Carnivore Diet through Dr. Shawn Baker
In just three months, everything has changed for Heather. “I’ve lost 8 pounds, I have no more pain in my feet or joints, and I can work out harder than ever. I have zero discomfort and no more bloating or digestive issues that typically accompany Hashimoto’s. My skin is great, and I don’t have any kind of depression.” She no longer takes supplements and feels completely nourished, mainly eating beef, eggs, and occasionally some cheese as a treat.
Three Months on the Carnivore Diet: Life-Changing Results
Heather’s relationship with food has completely changed as well. “I’m not a slave to food anymore!” she says. “I have amazing mental clarity, and I’m sensitive to my hunger cues.” She manages food cravings with a simple reminder: “If something unhealthy looks like it might taste good, I just remember that feeling healthy is way better than what that’s going to taste like!” Heather plans to stick with a meat-based diet long-term and looks forward to sharing her story with others along the way.
