Let me take you back.

I was standing in my kitchen, staring at a fridge full of organic vegetables, bone broth, fermented sauerkraut—all the “gut-healing” foods I thought were supposed to make me feel better. But despite doing everything right—keto, low-tox living, gluten-free—my gut was still a mess.

Bloating. Brain fog. Random food sensitivities that seemed to multiply by the week. I’d spent years optimizing my hormones after getting off birth control and reversing my PCOS. Keto helped me conceive my daughter (you can read that story here), but something was still off.

And then… I found myself diving into a rabbit hole I never thought I’d entertain:

“What if plants were part of the problem?”

The Day I Went Full Carnivore

Call it desperation. Call it curiosity. Call it “n=1” biohacking. I decided to try something radical: The Carnivore Diet.

No plants. Just animal foods. For 30 days.

I’ll admit—at first, it felt weird. No green smoothies. No superfood bowls. No almond butter on a spoon while standing over the sink.

Instead, I was eating:

• Ribeyes seared in tallow

• Pasture-raised eggs with runny yolks

• Liver pâté (because #functionalmedicine)

• Sardines, bone broth, and a sprinkle of sea salt

I listened to podcasts from Ben Greenfield and Dr. Paul Saladino (Carnivore MD) and realized this wasn’t just a meat-lover’s fantasy—it was a gut reset protocol grounded in biology.

Within one week, something shifted.

The bloating that had haunted me for months? Gone.
That foggy, “I-need-a-nap” feeling after meals? Gone.
My digestion felt calm, easy, silent.
My skin? Clear.
My mind? Sharp.

The Gut-Reset I Didn’t Know I Needed

What I didn’t understand until I lived it was just how triggering certain plant compounds could be—especially when your gut lining is already compromised.

• Lectins in beans and grains

• Oxalates in spinach, almonds, and sweet potatoes

• Histamines in fermented foods

• Seed oils hiding in “healthy” snacks

All of it was lighting up my gut like a Christmas tree.

By going carnivore, I removed every possible irritant. It was the ultimate elimination diet—and my body finally had a chance to repair.

But here's the important part:

Carnivore Isn’t the Destination. It’s the Detox.

I never intended to be carnivore for life. As a functional medicine provider, I believe in diversity, balance, and long-term sustainability. But for me, carnivore was a 45-day reset that gave me my vitality back.

Once I’d given my gut the quiet it needed, I began carefully reintroducing:

• Raw, full-fat dairy

• Cooked fruits like apples and pears

• Low-lectin veggies like squash and cucumbers

• Fermented sourdough (yes, really)

• Honey and seasonal fruit (à la Weston A. Price)

I rebuilt my gut biome from the ground up—and I did it from a place of clarity, not survival.

Lessons from the Meat-Only Chapter of My Life

• Carnivore is powerful—but it’s not for everyone, and not forever

• Don’t fear fat—it's fuel for hormone health and mitochondrial repair

• Electrolytes are your lifeline (I used LMNT daily)

• Track your cycle—low-carb can impact ovulation in some women

• Reintroduction is just as important as elimination

🔥 Ready for a Gut Reset of Your Own?

If you're bloated, inflamed, or frustrated that “healthy eating” isn’t working—consider going radical (temporarily). Carnivore helped me press pause on the chaos, and finally listen to what my body was trying to say.

👉 Next Up: How I Rebuilt My Microbiome After Carnivore — what I added back, what I left out, and how I transitioned without losing the progress.