Dr. Anthony Chaffee is joined by special guests Amber, Paige Held, and Dr. Channing Coe, who share their personal health transformations and experiences with the carnivore diet. Amber, previously a vegan and vegetarian for over two decades, initially believed she was leading a healthy lifestyle despite persistent issues with nutrient absorption (like vitamin B, D, zinc, and phosphorus) and never feeling “amazing”. Her health significantly declined after contracting COVID-19 in 2020, leading to a diagnosis of Lyme disease, which was likely dormant and reactivated by her compromised immune system. Despite slight suggestions from her Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor to incorporate fish or ground beef, Amber initially resisted. However, as her condition worsened with severe inflammation, joint pain, headaches, eyesight issues, and the development of Lupus markers and widespread rashes, she slowly began to introduce animal products. Within two weeks of going “all in carnivore,” Amber reported that all her symptoms, including the rashes, were completely gone. She has maintained this diet since July, with no markers for Lyme or Lupus, and describes feeling “never felt better in my whole life ever,” with her husband, oldest daughter, son-in-law, and four-year-old grandchild also adopting the carnivore lifestyle.
Paige Held, another guest, shared a similar journey, having been a hardcore vegan for 25 years driven by spiritual, health, and environmental beliefs. Despite a seemingly healthy exterior, regular exercise, yoga, meditation, and weightlifting, she suffered from severe stomach issues including bloating and constipation that required enemas, joint pain, and heart palpitations. She consulted various medical professionals, including functional medicine doctors, MDs, and a gastroenterologist, none of whom linked her ailments to her diet. Her turning point came upon discovering Paul Saladino on Instagram, followed by Dr. Chaffee’s podcast, particularly the episode discussing “why vegetables are bad for you” and oxalates. Inspired by the lion diet, Paige transitioned to a strict carnivore diet, which proved to be life-changing, resolving her joint pain, restlessness, sleep problems, and anxiety. She now sleeps through the night, her joint pain is “gone gone,” and she experiences regular bowel movements for the first time in 46 years. A recent DNA test further indicated that she is genetically predisposed to a low-carb diet.
Dr. Channing Coe, an OB/GYN, also recounted his personal health transformation, transitioning from being “the fat kid” who heavily consumed carbohydrates to adopting a carnivore diet. A critical incident involving a needle stick injury and subsequent infection spurred him to seek better health. He noted that while he had tried exercise, peptides, and testosterone replacement, going “full-on carnivore” was the “last pillar” that led to unprecedented body changes, losing significant weight from 240-250 pounds to 182 pounds. Dr. Coe highlighted the alarming lack of nutrition education in medical schools, noting that they barely teach anything about diet, or the addictive nature of sugar. Motivated by these insights and the positive changes in himself and his patients, he is now shifting his practice from obstetrics and gynaecology to longevity and wellness. He has observed that even a significant reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in protein can dramatically improve patients’ insulin sensitivity, mental status, and body composition, often resolving issues without medication. Notably, he has seen improvements in PCOS and fertility rates, with women achieving normal hormone cycles and getting pregnant faster.
The discussion also delved into systemic issues within the medical and food industries. Dr. Chaffee and Dr. Coe criticised the non-existent nutrition education in medical schools, attributing it to pharmaceutical company subsidies that dictate curriculum and push specific narratives. Dr. Coe’s own experience with his cardiologist wanting to prescribe a statin for slightly high cholesterol, despite his “18-year-old heart,” underscored the flawed medical approach to cholesterol. Dr. Chaffee cited historical evidence, including a 1956 JAMA article questioning the cholesterol-heart hypothesis and internal memos from the 1960s showing sugar companies paid professors to shift blame from sugar to fat. He also posited that autoimmunity might not be the body attacking itself, but rather a defence mechanism against toxic compounds like lectins or glyphosate found in plants, leading to collateral damage. Evidence from Dr. Salsbury in the 1800s, who cured conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease with a beef and water diet, supported this. Furthermore, the conversation highlighted the dangers of plant-based diets, particularly the severe B12 deficiencies and high homocysteine levels found in largely vegetarian populations in India, contributing to high rates of heart disease and diabetes, even in young adults.
Both doctors concluded that a significant barrier to promoting a high-protein, low-carb, or carnivore diet is the financial responsibility of pharmaceutical and processed food companies to their shareholders, as healthier populations would lead to reduced profits from medications. They also discussed how major corporations like BlackRock and Vanguard Capital own interests across processed food, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and media, allowing them to control narratives and suppress research that threatens their profits. Dr. Stephanie Seneff’s research on glyphosate being pressured for retraction and Dr. Gary Fettke, an Australian orthopedic surgeon, being attacked for advocating ketogenic diets (which successfully reversed diabetes and reduced amputations) were cited as examples of this suppression. Despite these challenges, the guests expressed continued enthusiasm for the carnivore diet’s benefits. Paige highlighted improved skin texture and muscle tone, Amber experienced unprecedented energy and better sleep, and Dr. Coe noted significantly enhanced energy, sleep, muscle tone, and endurance. They collectively feel revitalised in their ability to help patients, advocating for dietary changes as a primary intervention.