This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and I have shared this wonderful information with their permission.

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If you’re like many adults you’ve tried numerous diets only to remain fat, sick and tired. A lectin free diet, as we promote in the carnivore diet, may be just the thing you need to finally achieve good health.

You see, most foods encouraged in a traditional “healthy diet” are in fact poisoning you and ravaging your gut. “Gut” does not refer to your beer belly, although the carnivore diet will probably fix that too.

When I say “gut”, I’m talking about your digestive tract, the center of health as we know it. The home to our immune system, a superhighway to our brain and cognitive health and our main tool for using food for energy. 

You’ve undoubtedly heard “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” This is pure and utter nonsense. Nevermind the fact that apples are nothing short of small pesticide bombs, they are a prime example of nature’s defense system. I hate to break it to you but fruits, vegetables, beans and other plants are not put on this earth to serve us humans. 

In fact, they don’t want to be eaten. Over millions of years evolving with animals, they’ve developed innate defense mechanisms. 

Remember, evolution is about maximizing genetic fitness. That is, increasing the chance genes are passed down to the next generation. If a plant’s seeds are eaten, it cannot reproduce more plants. 

So, to protect themselves most plants are equipped with edible land minds that poison their predators. Lectins are one such defense tool used by many plant foods to survive and reproduce.

What are lectins?

Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins designed to damage cellular communication. 

I know what you are thinking: “Come again?”

Let me rephrase that. Lectins are sticky, carbohydrate-binding proteins that function as a defense mechanism for plants. They are designed (by evolution) to cause a severe immune response in the animals that eat them (including humans) which ultimately results in paralysis.

Lectins are associated with both mental and physical health problems. They bind nerve endings, cause blood cells to clump and also attach to viruses and bacteria. In some cases people with lectin sensitivity are more likely to get sick because of this.

Health problems associated with lectins include:

• Leaky gut (intestinal permeability)
• Brain fog
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Gas
• Diarrhea

Lectins are highly inflammatory, and resistant to cooking and digestion. So, they pass right through the gut where they wreak havoc.

After passing through your gut undigested, Lectins attach directly to the intestinal lining. There they cause digestive discomfort and can even pry your gut lining open. Additionally, lectins like gluten also stimulate the release of zonulin which opens up a space in the lining, causing leaky gut.

Yet we humans continue to try to eat them. Oh hello wall, let me keep running into you…

Compare this to an insect, who after having an adverse reaction, will actually avoid eating the food again in the future. On the contrary we humans just down acid blocking medications like candy, instead of avoiding the foods that caused discomfort in the first place.

Is a Lectin Free Diet Healthy?

Yes, in fact, there is research that a lectin free diet can heal the gut, quiet an overactive immune system and calm inflammation (*).

In addition, you can get all the protein, vitamins and minerals you need from a lectin free diet. The hardest part will be breaking your addiction to food and the social pressures of avoiding the normalized SAD diet (Standard American Diet). So, you’ll feel amazing but you may have to practice how you’ll turn down Aunt Betty’s famous pumpkin roll over the holidays.

Foods to Avoid on a Lectin Free Diet

There are 5 main categories of foods highest in lectins:

1. Beans and legumes
2. Squash: pumpkin, butternut, zucchini
3. Grains: new food to us. Lectin bombs. Even gluten free
4. Nightshades: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers
5. Fruit: out of season. If it has a seed it’s a fruit. Peppers and cucumbers. 

The most infamous damaging lectins are gluten and wheat germ agglutinin. 

Gluten

Gluten is the most renowned lectin.

Gluten is a complex of 100s of different proteins mainly consisting of: gliadin and glutenin. It is the main protein in wheat, barley and rye. 

Gluten can cause a whole spectrum of reactions. It can even kill people that are highly allergic. This alone should make you skeptical of all the health claims around gluten containing foods. But even if you’re not allergic, you do not have the enzymes to break down gluten’s amino acid structure. It is incapable of being digested and anything that cannot be digested or expelled causes harm.

It should be noted that Celiac disease — a severe gluten allergy — is on the rise. 

However, gluten is not just a concern for people that have celiac disease. It increases intestinal permeability in all people. 

When you eat gluten, it stimulates the release of zonulin, which prys the gut open. This is why gluten has been linked to so many autoimmune disorders.

Don’t think you can just buy the gluten free versions of all your favorite foods – many can be even worse, filled with refined flours, gums and stabilizing agents. Your best bet to improve your health is to avoid common gluten containing foods and the imitation gluten free products.

Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA)

Gluten is not the only damaging lectin. The other lectin that’s especially pernicious is wheat germ agglutinin. 

An agglutinin is a protein that is in seeds to protect against insects. Crops today are modified to contain higher levels of agglutinin to make them even more resistant to insects. 

Wheat Germ Agglutinin is an especially small lectin. So even if the gut wall isn’t compromised, it can still pass through the walls of the intestine easier.

Some of the damaging effects of WGA include [*]:

• Disrupting endocrine dysfunction by binding to insulin receptors
• Blocking sugar from getting into muscle cells
• Interfering with protein digestion
• Increasing inflammation
• Crossing blood brain barrier
• Stimulating weight gain. 

One of the biggest reasons the damage from WGA is so insidious is because it is in the bran. 

Given this fact, whole wheat grains are worse for you (mind blown, right???). 

So what is the solution? If you’re having health issues, try cutting out lectins for 30 days. 

After that, you’ll probably feel amazing and not look back but, if you do decide to eat lectin containing foods check out this awesome post about reducing lectins in food from Kevin Stock.

Foods to Eat on a Lectin Free Diet

Now that we’ve thrown the food pyramid and all conventional diet wisdom out the window, you are probably wondering what the hell you are supposed to eat. 

Don’t worry, we are getting there. Now, we’ve been conditioned to think that variety is better in the diet. I’m actually going to make the argument for simplicity here. In the age of information overload, why not embrace the fact that simplicity is the key to health when it comes to diet, so long as you are choosing the right foods.  

Here is what you can eat on a lectin free diet:

• Pasture-raised meats 
• Liver
• Butter and ghee from pasture-raised animals 
• Olives and extra virgin olive oil
• Cooked sweet potatoes (note that this is a starch and will interfere with ketosis, aka burning fat for energy)
• Leafy greens
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Onion
• Celery
• Mushrooms
• Avocado

Not all low lectin foods promote health so, use some caution with these next few.

•  Eggs and dairy

Both eggs and dairy products can be inflammatory triggers for some people, but you know your body best. It’s up to you to determine what works and what doesn’t.

Egg whites contain protective proteins that can irritate the gut, trigger autoimmune disease and cause acne. Egg whites are actually one of the most prevalent causes of allergies, affecting 1-3% of the population.

Dairy can cause inflammation for two reasons: lactose and dairy proteins . If you’re just lactose intolerant, you can try hard cheeses and fermented products that have had the lactose fermented away.

If that still irritates you, then you should drop the dairy altogether – it’s likely the proteins that bother you.

• Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and any other vegetable that smells like sulfur (aka farts) is a cruciferous vegetable. Goitrogens can block iodine from entering the thyroid and eventually cause a swollen thyroid or goiter.

Iodine is required for thyroid hormone production. Without it, the thyroid cannot produce the T4 and T3 hormones. 

Low thyroid is diagnosed by abnormal thyroid lab values and presence of goiter. You may also have symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, trouble sleeping and constipation. 

I know, this is a post about lectins and now I am springing this on you! But, let’s not trade one problem for another, ok?

Lectin Free Diet Trial for Good Health

A brief but spectacular recap for those of you who skipped to the end for the bottom line:

• Lectins are natural defense mechanisms found in plants that damage the gut
• Plants are trying to teach you a lesson to not eat them, you should listen
• If you have health problems or would like to optimize your diet, try a lectin free diet (such as the carnivore diet) for 30 days
• After that, avoid lectins all together or prepare foods to reduce lectins

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and I was very happy to share this knowledge with you.

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Salmon roe is a real superfood unlike Kale — or what I refer to as green toilet paper.

It’s loaded with almost every vitamin and mineral you need to function optimally.

For thousands of years your ancestors prized superfoods like salmon roe. But western society has replaced them with green smoothies….which is almost like replacing a ferrari with a toyota camry. 

What is salmon roe and what are some nutrients it’s high in?

What is Salmon Roe?

Salmon roe are the fish eggs that come from salmon. While the size of them can differ depending on the salmon species they come from, they all showcase the same bright orange hue. 

Salmon roe isn’t the same as salmon caviar. A caviar requires the salmon roe to undergo an aging process in a soy sauce type of brine. Salmon roe is usually eaten by itself or placed within sushi, and it has a unique taste. 

I think of them like adult gushers. 

You may be wondering why you’d want to eat salmon roe when you can simply add a handful of vegetables to your plate. Well, apart from the protein, salmon roe is bursting with a variety of nutrients that you’d struggle to find in other food sources. 

If you’re on a carnivore diet, it’s the ultimate sidekick to beef liver and muscle meat. Loaded Let’s look at its full nutritional profile. 

Nutritional profile of Salmon Roe

100 grams of salmon roe provides 200 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 2.90 grams of carbs. Let’s delve deeper as to why many people are choosing to eat these fish eggs. 

Below is the nutrition content of 100g of salmon roe

High quality source of protein

100g of salmon roe contains 25 grams of protein. As a valuable protein source, these fish eggs fit perfectly into a low carb diet, offering more protein per calorie than almost anything else.

It’s also packed with essential amino acids, including lysine, which has many impressive benefits. Lysine can’t be made by the human body, so the only way to retrieve it is via food or supplementation. As a building block of protein, lysine can enhance wound healing, may promote calcium absorption, and may potentially diminish blood sugar response in diabetics. Pretty good, right?

Another amino acid found within salmon roe is leucine. 100g of salmon roe contains around 2g of leucine; a branched-chain amino acid which helps muscle growth. If you’re hitting the gym and searching for ways to build or maintain muscle, a serving or two of salmon roe is a great solution. Leucine has many benefits, including being a potent mTOR activator. 

Packed with Omega 3 fatty acids

Salmon roe is packed with healthy omega 3 fatty acids. You’ll find around 3.5g per 100g serving, providing one of the best natural sources of DHA and EPA – Docosahexaenoic Acid and Eicosapentaenoic Acid. In fact, a study discovered that over 30% of the fatty acids found in salmon roe are either DHA or EPA.

DHA is massively beneficial for optimal brain functioning. So much so that almost 25% of all the fat in your brain is DHA. Unlike some other fish products, salmon roe contains DHA in a phospholipid form, making it easier to cross the blood brain barrier. 

If providing brain fuel wasn’t enough, DHA boasts anti-inflammatory effects which could prove useful in treating a number of issues, including heart disease and arthritis.

On the carnivore diet it’s a challenge to obtain adequate DHA. Salmon roe is a great addition to do so.

Contains Omega 6 fatty acids

The majority of us gain way too many omega 6’s from our diets. But, if you’re eating a balanced diet and getting them from healthy sources, there’s no cause for concern. 

Omega 6 fats like AA can be beneficial and are great for promoting skin and hair growth, as well as nurturing bone health, regulating metabolism, and potentially reducing the risk of heart disease. Like omega 3, it also has advantages for brain development and functioning. 

Vitamin D dietary source

100 grams of salmon roe gives us around 232 IU of vitamin D, or around 58% of the suggested daily intake. If you’re looking for one of the few food sources of this vitamin, salmon roe is a great source.

Depending on where in the world you live, vitamin D is essential if you’re not getting enough exposure to sunlight. That’s because the body creates vitamin D via cholesterol. The energy from UVB (ultraviolet B) rays synthesizes cholesterol, producing vitamin D. If you’ve ever heard the term ‘sunshine vitamin’, now you know why!

Vitamin D is often associated with depression. A study examining depressed subjects found that vitamin D supplementation improved their mood. Additionally, the vitamin is linked to playing a part in other illnesses, including reducing the risk of getting the flu, and multiple sclerosis. This may be partly due to the role vitamin D has in enhancing the immune system.

Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins

If you’ve been feeling anxious, fatigued or simply ‘under the weather’, eating a portion of salmon roe may be a good remedy. Many common cognitive issues are due to vitamin B deficiencies — some of the most important vitamins for cognitive function. In a 100g portion, there is a whopping 20.0mcg or 333% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin B12. One thing to know is that your body can’t produce it, so it needs to come from dietary sources or supplements. 

Why is this vitamin important? Well, it keeps nerve and blood cells healthy, supports bone health, and gives you an overall energy boost. Pregnant women are especially advised to intake adequate levels as deficiency has been associated with birth defects and even miscarriage. 

Let’s not forget the other nutritious B vitamins found in salmon roe. Each 100g gives around 0.14mg (9.3% of your suggested daily value) of vitamin B1, 0.36mg (21.2% DV) of vitamin B2, 0.40mg (2% DV) of vitamin B3, 3.50mg (35% DV) of vitamin B5, and 0.32g (16% DV) of vitamin B6. 

The benefits of these include aiding energy levels, fat burning, digestion, eye health, and much more. 

Antioxidants, including Astaxanthin

With 91mcg of vitamin A (10% of your DV) and 2.68mg of vitamin E (13% DV) in 100g serving of salmon roe, salmon roe is high in antioxidants. Oxidative stress occurs via free radical damage. In other words, unstable atoms provoke damage to healthy cells. This can result in premature aging, as well as potentially genetic degenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, and dementia.

Another antioxidant found in salmon roe is called Astaxanthin, which is the chemical responsible for their orange color. You may be wondering what makes Astaxanthin so special? Well, for starters it’s 500 times more potent than vitamin E, and 6000 times more powerful than vitamin C, providing a multitude of health benefits. 

Research has discovered that this substance may enhance the skin’s fight against UV damage. Then, there’s also the possibility that it helps battle liver disease and oxidative stress. 

Need something natural to boost athletic performance and diminish muscle soreness after workouts? Astaxanthin has you covered. You could call this a super-antioxidant as it really does boast endless benefits. 

Copper

Salmon roe features 5.5% of your daily copper intake (0.11mg) per 100g. 

Copper is difficult to find in foods other than beef liver. It aids collagen functioning to help the skin look smoother and firmer. Additionally, it helps to maintain good immune health, bones, and nerves. 

Iodine

While it can be a challenge to hit your daily requirement of iodine, salmon roe provides an excellent source. Iodine aids the construction of thyroid hormone. Deficiencies in this often leads to fatigue, low sex drive, digestive problems, brain fog, and much more. 

Calcium

100g of salmon roe has 275mg of calcium or 27.5% of your recommended daily intake. If you tend to avoid dairy, getting as much calcium as possible from the rest of your diet is essential. Why? Not only is it great for bone health, it’s also necessary for your heart and muscles to perform correctly.

Additional vitamins and minerals

Salmon roe is high in selenium and choline: two of the most important nutrients for cognitive function. Two that are also only found in substantial quantities in salmon roe and beef liver.

You’ll get around 65.5mg of selenium (roughly 100% of your RDA) from a 100g portion. Selenium is often absent from many peoples diets, yet it’s imperative for cognitive functioning, memory, motor performance, and coordination. 

Choline is another vitamin which assists cognition. So much so, a deficiency is often linked to Alzheimer’s Disease. In 100g of salmon roe, you’ll find around 45% of your RDA or 247mg of choline. 

Conclusion

Salmon roe is one of the most nutritious foods you’ll come across. While the downside is that it can be difficult to track down the high quality stuff, if you can get your hands on it, you’ll be adding a true superfood to your diet.

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

If you like what I am about, check out the below.

Amazon

Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – eBook and Paperback

Low Content Books – Journals, Notebooks, Diaries and Planners.

Media

• Carnivore Diet Success Stories on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.

Damn right it is bad for you. Stop eating it right now!

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and it was a pleasure to share this on my blog with their permission.

Is Soy Bad for You?

We live in the age of soy today. Soy boys and soy food everywhere…It’s ubiquitous as a vegetarian staple and a filler for many health products.

Soy has been marketed a health food for years – tofu, soy-milk, soybean oil, edamame. But is it actually any good for you? Or does it just “feel” like a health-food because it’s bland, expensive and highly marketed?

Let me give it to you straight: if good health is what you’re after, stop eating soy. I didn’t want to lose the main point of this article by burying it away at the end. Now that you know, please read on to learn why.

The elevation of soy as a health food

When the USDA erroneously decided all animal fat and meat were poison, Americans were told to eat more plant foods, like soy. Soy was touted as a perfect protein and source of fat to replace meat, lard and butter. Soybean oil was marketed as a versatile cooking oil that wouldn’t increase your cholesterol, textured protein crumbles made in a lab were smashed together and dyed to look like hamburger patties and soybean oil was hydrogenated to be solid at room temperature. “Eat margarine,” they said, “it’s better than butter,” they said. 

Well folks, it turns out hydrogenated vegetable oil is a source of trans fat. And eating trans fat not only increases your risk of heart disease but the Food and Drug Administration now prohibits food manufacturers from adding the major source of artificial trans fat to foods and beverages (*).

But, I digress, let’s get back to the soyification of the world. So the government declares all animal meat and fat bad, processed plant foods are better. AKA “we know better than nature what is healthy ”. So, cheap soy floods the market. And now you can pick up 80% of the items in the grocery store and see soy in the ingredient list. Soybean oil, lecithin from soy, soy protein, textured vegetable protein (also soy), vegetable gum, vegetable broth, vegetable starch, this list goes on. 

The organization food allergy and research education lists nearly all processed foods and even some personal care products as having a soy component:

• Baked goods
• Canned broths and soups
• Canned tuna and meat
• Cereals
• Cookies
• Crackers
• High-protein energy bars and snacks
• Infant formulas
• Low-fat peanut butter
• Pet food
• Processed meats
• Sauces
• Soaps and moisturizers

Americans have not improved their health as a result of these recommendations, in fact as a nation we have become more sick (*).

But it’s just a plant right? How bad could it be? Well, that depends, how much poison is acceptable in your food? 

Is Soy Bad For You? The 4 Dangers of Eating It?

#1 Weed-killer in Soy

Soy is a leading food source of glyphosate (the weed-killer Roundup). Oats, wheat and corn are up there as well and you’ll notice I don’t recommend eating those either. 

Glyphosate is a synthetic herbicide patented by the Monsanto Company and now manufactured and sold by many companies in hundreds of products. Glyphosate has been associated with (*):

• Cancer
• Liver damage
• Reproductive and developmental issues

According to the Environmental Workgroup (EWG) genetically engineered soy has the highest levels of Roundup:

“Crop scientists have genetically engineered soy to survive blasts of Roundup so farmers can spray this chemical near crops to get rid of weeds. But some so-called “super weeds” resistant to Roundup have developed.  In turn, some farmers use yet more Roundup to try to kill those hardy weeds. This leads to more Roundup chemicals being found on soybeans and ultimately in the food supply.”

How much poison is acceptable?

The company that owns Roundup (Monsanto) defined an extreme level of this herbicide as 5.6 milligrams per kilogram of plant weight. A Norwegian study comparing the accumulation of pesticides and herbicides on 31 different soybean plants found an average of 9 milligrams of Roundup per kilogram. The study found high levels of Roundup in 70 percent of genetically engineered soy plants (*).

#2 Soy is a Goitrogen

Goitrogens are foods that interfere with normal, healthy thyroid function and cause goiter — or swelling of the thyroid. 

Goitrogens do this by interfering with iodine absorption in the thyroid. Iodine is required for healthy levels of thyroid hormone production. Without it, the thyroid cannot produce the T4 and T3 hormones. 

In response to deficient T4 and T3 levels, your pituitary gland produces more of a compound known as Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (i’ll give you one guess what it does). The TSH is meant to signal to your thyroid to produce more T4. But, the excess TSH causes swelling of the gland known as goiter.

Goitrogens can also interfere with healthy thyroid function through interfering with TPO: Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) enzyme is like the assembly line that constructs Thyroid hormones. If it’s damaged, thyroid hormone production is impaired.

Symptoms of Thyroid Issues: Side Effects Include

The thyroid plays an important role in all metabolism. So, when you have low circulating thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) you’d expect everything to get sluggish – your brain, your energy levels, even digestion!

Common symptoms of hypothyroid include (*):

• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Trouble sleeping
• Dry skin
• Sensitivity to the cold
• Depression
• Dry, thinning hair
• Joint and muscle pain
• Fertility problems
• Decreased heart rate

Sounds like a blast, right?

#3 Soy and your Sex Hormones

Soy is an endocrine disrupter – that is to say it interferes with hormones. I’ve detailed its action on thyroid hormone above but healthy function of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone can also be disrupted.

Soy is a natural source of phytoestrogens, a compound that mimics human estrogen but is thousands of times weaker. Researchers have found that the impact of soy phytoestrogens on individuals depends largely on their age, gender and menopausal status and the issue is complex. However, aside from the phytoestrogens in soy, the glyphosate (Roundup weedkiller) on soy can contribute to estrogenic activity on its own (*)

Phytoestrogens have demonstrated the ability to(*):

1. Disrupt of normal sex hormone levels and the female ovulation cycle
2. Decrease sexual behavior in animal research
3. Increase  social, aggressive, and anxiety-related behaviors in animal research

#4 Soy is a Source of Lectins

Soybeans, like all beans, area a source of lectins. Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins designed to damage cellular communication. 

These sticky, carbohydrate-binding proteins function as a defense mechanism for plants. They are designed (by evolution) to cause a severe immune response in the animals that eat them (including humans) which ultimately results in paralysis.

Lectins are associated with both mental and physical health problems. They bind nerve endings, cause blood cells to clump and also attach to viruses and bacteria. In some cases people with lectin sensitivity are more likely to get sick because of this.

Health problems associated with lectins include:

• Leaky gut (intestinal permeability)
• Brain fog
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Gas
• Diarrhea

This just keeps getting better, am I right? As I said in the beginning, if you care about your health, don’t eat soy.

The Bottom Line on Soy 

Yes, it turns out that many ancient, healthy cultures did eat soy. But they went through an extensive fermentation process to neutralize the toxins that no longer exist today (same with many other plants we eat).

Whatever chance soy had at being even an option for food has been completely destroyed by large scale agriculture and corporate greed. The soy in our world is nothing but a delivery mechanism for glyphosate. In addition to toxic weed killer, soy is a food that can interfere with your thyroid hormones, sex hormones and gut health. 

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

If you like what I am about, check out the below.

Amazon

Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – eBook and Paperback

Low Content Books – Journals, Notebooks, Diaries and Planners.

Media

• Carnivore Diet Success Stories on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.

….. and should you care?

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and they asked me for permission to post it on my blog to help spread low carb knowledge.

Source

One of the most common questions about the carnivore diet is if it puts you in ketosis.

Ketosis has many benefits including:

• Reduced inflammation
• Increased satiety
• More endurance
• The ability to speak to electricity

So of course people are concerned. 

Let’s discuss

What is the Carnivore Diet?

First off, what is the carnivore diet? 

The carnivore diet is a high fat, high protein diet where you eat only animal products. Yes, that’s right. No more grains. No more sugar. And no more vegetables.

This may sound wacky at first. But there are many benefits of it including:

The carnivore diet took the world by storm when Shawn Baker appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast. He is an orthopedic surgeon and athlete. Dr. Baker is in his 50s and is absolutely ripped (I tried counting his abs but lost count at 1,421). He recently set two indoor rowing world records and he attributes his success to the carnivore diet. 

Other prominent advocates include Mikhaila and Jordan Peterson, the clinical psychologist. Both have reversed lifelong autoimmune and mental health issues with the carnivore diet.

It’s also a variation of the Ketogenic diet as cutting out all carbohydrates will put you into ketosis.

What is Ketosis

Ketosis is like the shoes in the movie like mike. They give your body metabolic superpowers.

What is ketosis?

Ketosis is the metabolic process of using fat, specifically ketones, as the primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. 

It’s a natural metabolic state that you evolved to spare muscle. Throughout evolution, there was not a grocery store nearby to have 6 meals a day. Your ancestors often went long periods without access to food (gasp, they even skipped breakfast, the “most important meal of the day!!”). 

How did they survive without a constant IV drip of food like most people in Western countries today? They survived because of seamless and caviar. No, they survived because of ketosis. 

Your brain is very energy hungry. It lacks its own engine, thus requires a continuous supply of energy. For most people, this is glucose. Every single day a normal person’s brain consumes approximately 120g of glucose. This is 420kcal of energy which is almost 60% of all glucose utilization at rest .

However, at any given moment, your body only stores approximately 120g of glucose in your liver. Meaning, you’ve only got a day’s supply of glucose! Any longer fast than that and you’d be dead.

Your body has a couple ways of dealing with this challenge. 

1. Your liver can turn amino acids from protein into glucose via gluconeogenesis. However, the problem is that when you’re fasting you need your muscle for strength to capture food. Muscle mass is associated with longevity and your body wants to preserve it at all costs
2. Ketosis

Let’s discuss #2. 

Even a very lean person that’s ~10% fat has upwards of 50,000 calories of fat on them at any given point. Yes…fat isn’t just a fashion statement. It’s stored so you can survive without food.

In response to fasting (or low glucose levels), insulin levels fall and your body pulls fat from storage. Many cells in your body, like your heart and brain, cannot use fatty acids directly for energy. So your body shuttles body fat to your liver to make into ketones (and actually fatty acids can be broken down into glucose too).  

(P.s. how freaking cool is it that this is all happening behind the scenes?)

As you can see in this photo below, one of the main ketone bodies Beta Hydroxybutyrate rises dramatically into a fast as your blood glucose levels flatline. 

Without this metabolic trick, we would not be here today. In fact, despite your brain needing glucose to function, you dont have to eat any glucose at all. Your body can synthesize it all on its own. If this isn’t magic, i dont know what is. 

This study showed that after three days of starvation, the brain will get 25% of its energy from ketones. During much longer term starvation this number can rise as high as 60% .

Ketosis has a number of benefits I’ll get into below, 

Once your ketone levels reach a minimum of 0.50mmol/L of BHB, you’re considered to be in nutritional ketosis (according to Dr Steve Phinney). 

The Benefits of Ketosis

Beta-hydroxybutyrate is a much better fuel than glucose. It has major benefits:

1. Upregulates FOXO genes which regulate oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity and influence longevity.
2. Ketones improve mood and have antidepressant like effects
3. BHB reduces oxidative stress in the brain and may be beneficial in preventing neurodegenerative disease
4. BHB lowers inflammation and blocks NLPR3 inflammasome
5. Increases endogenous antioxidant production
6. Ketones improve insulin sensitivity
7. Improved sleep quality
8. Increased fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass and performance
9. Ketones can slow tumor growth by starving them of their preferred fuel, glucose, and lowering IGF-1
10. Appetite regulation: One of the first things people often notice 

In fact, your brain and heart will preferentially use ketones when they’re available. 

And in my opinion, this is a huge reason why mental health has deteriorated — most people are starving their brain of its favorite fuel.

So Does the Carnivore Diet Put You in Ketosis? 

Do you need to starve yourself to go into ketosis? No, the benefit of the carnivore diet — a low carb variation of the ketogenic diet — is that you can still enter ketosis while providing your body with all the nutrients it needs (this is key!). 

The carnivore diet gives you the benefits of fasting, without fasting.  

As mentioned, your body stores around 120gm of glucose in the liver when stores are full and can make a good deal more from protein. If you’re eating a high carb diet, your body doesn’t ever need to go into ketosis because you’re eating all the glucose you need. 

To go into ketosis, you need to eat fewer than 50g of carbs per day and sometimes as low as 20g (actually, some people can eat more carbs if they are extremely active, but lets leave those superstars out) .

When you restrict carbs to these levels, within 2-4 days you’ll usually be in ketosis. 

Because carbohydrate intake is approximately zero on the carnivore diet, it will put you into ketosis. Most people’s levels tend to be > 0.5 mmol, but this depends on how much protein they’re eating. 

Choosing between glucose and ketones is like deciding between rocket fuel and sludge that produces a massive amount of toxic waste.

What About Protein on the Carnivore Diet?

This is a highly debated topic within the ketogenic community. A properly formulated ketogenic diet is considered ~80% fat. But most people in the carnivore community are eating closer to 65% fat. 

Does this hinder ketosis?

From my anecdotal experience and from working with others, it does. 

I think of protein as more of a structural component than a fuel source. And when you exceed your protein needs, it strains your metabolic pathways (like your urea cycle). 

This great presentation from Ben Bikman illustrated one mechanism whereby protein could reduce ketosis. If you’re starting the carnivore diet with already elevated levels of insulin and blood glucose, protein tends to increase insulin. And when insulin increases, fat burning and ketosis shuts off. Whereas Fat does not increase insulin and does increase glucagon, which increases ketosis.

I’ve tested this personally, and my ketone levels are much higher when I eat 80% fat and I feel much better. 

With that being said, protein’s effect on ketosis seems to be highly individual. Many people can eat more protein and feel just fine. 

Regardless, you will be getting many benefits from this way of eating. But in general, I recommend to experiment with macro ratios.

So does the carnivore diet put you in ketosis? The answer is an emphatic yes. 

Conclusion

Ketosis has many benefits. The carnivore diet puts you into ketosis and this is one of the many reasons why it works so well. 

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, they asked me to share it on my blog and I was happy to do so. Having skin issues isn’t bad look, it is bad diet.

Acne is its own special kind of beast. Fewer health conditions plague and torment like acne. Most people dealing with acne feel like they are playing a game of whack o mole, trapped in an endless cycle of trying to treat, cover up, heal and avoid new blemishes. 

And it’s not just a physical ailment. In fact, individuals with acne suffer higher rates of clinical depression, anxiety, anger and suicidal thoughts (*).

Watch just 10 minutes of TV and you’re sure to see a commercial for some magic skin clearing elixir, promising to end acne forever. But, how much sense does it make to try and cure an internal problem with something you slather on the outside of your body?

Think of acne as the canary in the coal mine. Something else is amiss when you’re dealing with acne. And no cream or scrub is going to work unless you fix what’s going on inside the body causing the problem in the first place – inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and haywire hormones. Sure, it might take a bit more effort but it will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. 

So, let’s dig in shall we and tackle the root cause of acne once and for all.

Acne is a Disease of Western Civilization

Acne is a highly prevalent inflammatory skin condition involving areas of your body where sebaceous glands live – this includes face, chest, scalp and back. Ever wonder why you don’t get acne on the palms of your hands? That’s because there aren’t sebaceous glands there. 

Acne involves many factors including hormones,diet, inflammation, personal hygiene and the microbiome. People dealing with acne commonly have:

• Elevated markers of inflammation (*)
• Disturbances to the microbiome (*)
• Hormone imbalances (*)
• Personal care products like lotions and makeup
• Personal hygiene habits 

In westernized societies, acne is nearly a universal skin disease afflicting 79% to 95% of the teens and 40% to 54% of adults of the age of 25 (*). In populations around the world that do not eat a western diet, acne is virtually zero (*).

Personal hygiene aside, there are several lifestyle factors that may improve acne so let’s get to it:

#1 Get your Vitamin A

If you have acne, vitamin A is one nutrient you don’t want to skimp on. Vitamin A supports healthy skin and immune function. Your immune system is connected with both the microbiome and the inflammatory response factors that can contribute to the development of acne. 

Vitamin C and zinc aren’t the only superstars when it comes to immune function. In fact, vitamin A was originally nicknamed the “anti-infective” vitamin almost a century ago because of its importance in normal immune functioning (*). 

The body’s barrier tissues including the skin and linings of the digestive tract and airways rely on vitamin A. Vitamin A is required for the creation of the cells that make up those tissues as well as the mucous they produce (*). These tissues are the first line of defense for keeping out harmful substances like some types of bacteria and viruses and maintaining an ecosystem of beneficial bacteria.

The organs of the immune system need a constant supply of vitamin A to produce cells that help to fight off infections in the body. Research shows that vitamin A reduces infection and death of many serious illnesses including tuberculosis, pneumonia, measles, and malaria (*). 

Vitamin A also helps maintain healthy, vibrant skin through:

• Production of new skin cells
• Promoting collagen production
• Preventing sun damage
• Supports oil glands around hair follicles

Because vitamin A protects skin cells from damage, it stands to reason that it may also reduce the speed of skin cells falling off and clogging pores.

Adequate vitamin A helps maintain moisturized, supple skin. So it makes sense that individuals with acne have been shown to have reduced levels of vitamin A in the skin (*). While some traditional acne treatments involve vitamin A based creams, you can also get enough vitamin A through your diet. 

Carotenoids found in orange, red and green vegetables are a precursor to the active form of vitamin A. Human conversion of carotenoids is low so you’ll want to make sure you get plenty of the active form of vitamin A.

Active vitamin A is stored in the liver and in fat, making animal liver and fats the best sources for this nutrient. Beef liver, for instance, is the best source of Vitamin A retinol known to man. Just 100g (about ¾ cup) of beef liver contains over 15,000 IU of Vitamin A. 

There are a few other foods that contain active vitamin A and they are all animal foods. Why? Because animals take care of the conversion – they eat the plants and convert the carotenoids into active vitamin A. The highest natural sources of retinoids include:

• Oily fish
• Cod liver oil
• Butter
• Whole milk
• Egg yolks

#2 Cut out processed foods

Acne is an inflammatory disease, processed foods like industrial seed oils, refined sugars and flours all contribute to the inflammatory nature of the standard american diet (aptly nicknamed the SAD diet).

Seed oils are high in inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids. Sugar and white flour contribute to elevations in blood sugar and hormones like insulin and cortisol that can wreak havoc on your skin.

Processed, convenience and fast foods are the number one contributors of these components to the diet:

• Fried food
• Chips, crackers, pretzels
• Cakes, cookies
• Ice cream
• Soda
• Sweetened coffee and energy drinks
• Donuts and sweet breads

But there are also other foods that are typically thought of as “healthy” that contain these highly refined oils and sugars like:

• Salad dressing
• Protein bars
• Breakfast bars
• Breakfast cereals
• Marinara sauce
• Whole grain breads and crackers
• Sports drinks

Not only do these foods increase inflammation and blood sugar but they also disrupt the gut microbiome, a newly recognized factor in the development of acne (*).

Let’s keep this real simple – if you want clear skin, fast, you need to ditch the processed foods you grew up on. These foods can be addictive so it’s best not to wean but simply rip the band aid off. Your brain will play tricks on you and you’ll probably wonder aloud how frosted flakes can really be that bad for you. But, keep your eyes on the prize, clear skin that has been elusive up to this point is within your reach but you’ll need to suck it up and get through a little withdrawal first. 

#3 Go easy on the caffeine

Caffeine increases your heart rate and body temperature so you may sweat a bit more than normal which can exacerbate acne. Caffeine also increases your circulating stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. 

And its not only the caffeine that is a problem, most people load their coffee up with milk and sugar or even worse flavored non dairy creamer. Have you ever checked out the label on one of those bottles? Hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors. I’ll save you the lecture, check out my rant in #2 above or #4 below for why neither of these are very good options.

#4 Leave milk for the calves

Multiple studies have shown an association between dairy and acne (*). The purpose of milk is to grow a small calf into a large cow weighing several hundred pounds. And how is this accomplished? Hormones in the milk. Hormones occur naturally in milk to signal to the cells of the calf to grow. Researchers speculate that these hormones contribute to the dairy/acne connection.

The probable cause of possible comedogenic effects of milk and its products is the content of hormones produced by cows during pregnancy. It is believed that the constituent of milk that mostly stimulates the pilosebaceous unit is insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), whose concentration in the blood varies depending on the severity of acne. Insulin-like growth factor 1 levels increase during puberty under the influence of the growth hormone and it positively correlates with the clinical course of acne. (*)

#5 Eat some fat

It’s no secret that omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory. So it’s not really surprising that these fats can also help acne, a condition where inflammation is a distinct feature. Research shows that acne lesions can be improved with the addition of omega 3 fats (*). This is a huge reason why I love salmon roe.

While studies often use supplementation to maintain consistency between study participants, these anti-inflammatory fats can also be obtained from foods:

• Wild fatty fish
• Animal fat from grazing animals (animals that eat grass)
• Ghee or butter from grazing animals
• Organ meats
• Eggs from grazing animals

Supplements can also be beneficial but, you have to eat anyway, so you might as well get some from your food.

#6 Get some sunshine (or red light)

According to research, the verdict on sunshine is mixed, some studies show improvement and others show no change or exacerbation of acne (*). However, anyone with acne will tell you a little sunshine goes a long way for creating clear skin. There may be an underlying factor at play here – vitamin d, the sunshine vitamin. 

One study showed that nearly half of people with acne have vitamin D deficiency compared with only 20% of healthy controls (*). Like omega 3 fats, vitamin D has strong anti inflammatory properties. Vitamin D also plays a role in maintaining a healthy gut through positively influencing the gut microbiota composition and the gut barrier (*).

Red light therapy has also proven to be effective at improving acne through disrupting bad acne causing bacteria, disrupting sebaceous gland activity and reducing inflammation (*).

#7 Manage stress and get some sleep

Yea, yea this is an article about diet but stress and sleep don’t get a pass here. There is no way to sugar coat it – acne is stressful. So while you’re hyper focussed on diet, make sure you are getting enough shut eyes too. 

Sleep is your body’s recovery time. There is 0 chance of you repairing your skin, restoring gut health and reducing inflammation if you’re a sleep deprived ball of stress. 

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

If you like what I am about, check out the below.

Amazon

Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – eBook and Paperback

Clothing – Ketogenic Endurance Carnivore Success Company

Low Content Books – Journals, Notebooks, Diaries and Planners.

Media

• The majority of my personal journey is documented on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and they have kindly allowed me to share their research.

Astaxanthin sounds like something used to poison someone…

But it’s actually the opposite…and may have tremendous health benefits. Okay, maybe I’m thinking of anthrax…lol.

What is Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a pigment and antioxidant found in fish foods. Shrimp, crab and salmon are the highest sources. But my favorite source is salmon roe — a food with a tremendous amount of benefits. Add this to the list…

A common theme of my writing: we all have amnesia…especially when it comes to eating. 

So called nutritionists today have forgotten the ancient wisdom of our animal eating ancestors and it’s come back to bite us in the ass.

Animal products are loaded with compounds that are critical for optimizing your health. Food is much more than protein and calories. 

Astaxanthin is a testament to that…

And this may help explain why so many ancient cultures prized salmon roe as sacred.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of astaxanthin

8 Benefits of Astaxanthin

#1 Antioxidant

Astaxanthin is an antioxidant…one of the common ten dollar buzzwords tossed around these days.

What does that actually mean?

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in human health and disease. 

Some researchers believe in something called the oxidative theory of aging which suggests that aging and disease is a function of oxidation.

Oxidation occurs when an unpaired electron reacts with another molecule, taking an ion from it. Think of this like a single person at the end of a night at the bar doing just about anything to pair up with somebody…

Oxidation is a natural process that is critical to life. Oxidative stress, however, is when there is an imbalance in your body between oxidation and reduction. 

Ultimately this can lead to disease. 

The challenge is that we’re now bombarded with more oxidative stressors than ever well beyond what we’ve historically been exposed to.Everything from the food, to the water, to chemicals present in furniture, clothes and perfumes. 

We’re almost living in a less severe chernobyl…

One way to fight back is through exogenous antioxidants which can provide a pair to the unpaired electron. 

Astaxanthin recently has caught interest as a powerful antioxidant. An antioxidant works by donating an electron to the free radical, thereby stabilizing it. It sacrifices itself in exchange for your health. How noble! 

One study found that astaxanthin was able to reduce the impact of ROS on proteins in skeletal muscle. For instance, they found that lipid peroxidation was reduced with astaxanthin..

Additionally, in this study 45 days of treatment with astaxanthin was able to increase glutathione — an endogenous antioxidant — content in mitochondria during exercise .

This research is preliminary, but astaxanthin may be an effective way to combat free radical damage.

If you believe you have high oxidative stress, this could be a good way to combat it. 

#2 Aids Skin Health and May Prevent Against Skin Aging

Beef liver and salmon roe are the ultimate skin 1-2 punch. I call them the carnivore botox

Skin aging is hypothesized to be driven by two things: biological aging (ROS + senescence, etc) and UV rays. Photoaging damages the components of the cells such as collagen and elastin which causes wrinkles. UV light can lead to wrinkles at excess levels. 

Astaxanthin has been shown in some studies to help with both. Supplementation has helped with skin elasticity, wrinkles and skin barrier integrity in studies.  

2mg of astaxanthin a day and 3mg of collagen significantly improved skin elasticity and barrier integrity in this study. I don’t know about you but I want a strong barrier.

Other studies show that astaxanthin can actually help with skin DNA repair as measured by 

8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine 

Additionally, ASX supplementation was able to help fend off wrinkles in this one study. 

Lastly, a double blind placebo controlled study with 65 female volunteers showed that ASX dose dependently decreased inflammation and inflammatory cytokines.  

How do you think my porcelain skin never wrinkles??

#3 Cognitive Function

Astaxanthin may also help brain health. And if there’s one thing the world needs right now, it’s better cognitive function. 

Studies have shown in animals that ASX can help with two main things: (1) slowing damage from aging in the brain and (2) supercharging cognitive function . 

Some even say that the movie limitless was based off of liver and salmon roe together.

In this one study, astaxanthin was found to slow decline from brain aging . Now this is one of the things that people are most terrified when it comes to aging…losing their cognitive abilities. This is a huge reason why I try to get some ASX in my diet every day. 

Other studies in rats have shown that astaxanthin can elevate BDNF — a growth factor that helps brain cells survive and grow new ones

I don;t know how people have not woken up to this yet. 

But this is a true brain superfood.

#4 Improve Immune Function

Suppression of the immune system has far reaching consequences beyond susceptibility to the common cold. Some researchers suggest that suppression of the immune system can even contribute to cancers such as melanoma. 

Astaxanthin can help to upregulate and enhance the immune system. Some in vitro studies show that AXS enhances immunoglobulin production by t cells. In dogs and cats ASX also increased natural killer cell cytotoxic activity .

This is the system that surveils against tumors and viruses.  

If your immune system is always disabled and doesn’t have the components it needs to function it will be like the purge inside your body….a completely disabled police force.

#5 May Help with Insulin Sensitivity and Type 2 Diabetes

One of the best predictors of healthy aging is insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity refers to how much insulin it takes for a cell to respond to its actions. 

The most pathological state to be in is one where you have both insulin resistance and high fasting insulin. This means that insulin levels remain chronically high and it is also impotent. 

Astaxanathin has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. 

This study showed that astaxanthin accumulation in skeletal muscle ameliorates insulin secretion and improved beta cell function .

Another study showed that astaxanthin treatment of 8mg / day for 8 weeks helped patients with type 2 diabetes reduce visceral fat, triglycerides levels, VLDL levels and blood pressure. Pretty remarkable that one animal component can reduce this constellation of issues that plagues the world today.

#6 Muscle Endurance

Astaxanthin has also shown some benefits for exercise performance in mice. Most of you are probably not mice…but it may be worth giving this a shot if you exercise frequently. 

One study tested how long it took mice to reach exhaustion after running and found that astaxanthin treatment over 4 weeks increased their endurance. 

One of the reasons why is because it increased metabolic flexibility and allowed the mice to switch over from glucose to fat metabolism. 

Now imagine combining this with beef liver which has been shown to make rats swim up to 5x longer.

I wouldn’t be shocked if this combo is banned in sports…

#7 Heart Function

There are a number of encouraging studies showing that ASX could improve a myriad of heart functions. 

Studies have shown that astaxanthin may benefit everything from blood flow to cholesterol levels. 

In this study on patients with heart failure, three months of astaxanthin supplementation helped with exercise tolerance and cardiac contractility .

In animal studies, astaxanthin has been shown to protect the heart from damage after heart attacks.

The benefits of this superantoxidant are far reaching.

#8 Male fertility

Seriously…what can’t this thing do….

Last but not least, astaxanthin has been shown to benefit male fertility. 

Masculinity is cratering today. Male grip strength and testosterone are both rapidly declining. 

A man’s fertility is usually a good barometer of his health. That’s why I was so excited to see this study.

In this double blind RCT, 30 men with infertility of > 2 months were studied. The group receiving astaxanthin had pregnancy rates of 54% and 23% vs 10% and 4%. An almost 5 times difference in fertility. 

This is an absolutely remarkable study. A huge reason why is because many sperm and infertility problems are caused by oxidative stress that astaxanthin can ameliorate.

Now couple this with beef liver and you have a heck of a duo.

Conclusion

If you’re interested in trying astaxanthin, toss away the pills and try some real food.

My preferred way to get astaxanthin is with salmon roe — especially because it’s packed with so many other beneficial nutrients.

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

If you like what I am about, check out the below.

Amazon

Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – eBook and Paperback

Clothing – Ketogenic Endurance Carnivore Success Company

Low Content Books – Journals, Notebooks, Diaries and Planners.

Media

• The majority of my personal journey is documented on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and they have asked me to share it here.

Source

Whatever you do…do not be a mouth breather.

I will not stand for any mouth breathing from my followers…

It’s almost the equivalent of being on the Beyond Meat diet…(but probably not as bad).

You breathe more than you do anything else in life…other than read my tweets.

But most people don’t know how to properly breathe.

In fact, humans are probably the worst breathers in the animal kingdom.

Improper breathing, like eating the wrong foods, has some devastating consequences. 

And no matter how healthy you’re eating, you can offset many of the benefits if you breathe improperly.

Incorrect breathing can lead to mineral depletion, misshapen jaw lines, HPA axis dysfunction and imbalanced co2 / o2.

So I’m here to help you ensure that you’re breathing correctly. 

Here are my favorite breathing exercises.

Exercise #1: Only breathe through your nose

You were designed to breathe through your nose. In fact, breathing through your mouth is like eating through your nose…

Some experts think that people only breathe 10%-20% of their full capacity because they never breathe through their nose. 

Breathing through the nose allows you to take fuller and deeper breaths which will distribute greater amounts of oxygen. It will also help to calm the mind. 

The nostrils and sinuses are also built as filters…(they’re almost like built in n95 masks…) whereas the mouth is not. 

Exercise #2: Tape your mouth at night

I was very skeptical at first after seeing people do this. 

To be honest, I was shocked more people weren’t dying from this given the propensity to mouth breathe…

But it works. And it worked really well for me.

Similar to how you need to take drastic measures when you fix your diet early on, you need to take some drastic measures to fix your breathing.

Even if you are breathing through your nose all day, you may not be while you sleep.

Are you snoring? Or waking up with drool around your mouth? If that’s the case, you’re probably a night mouth breather. 

The best way to fight this is to tape your mouth when you sleep.

When I did this, I noticed an immediate increase in energy in the AM. Over time, you can remove this mouth strip. 

Exercise #3: Try box breathing whenever you are stressed and before you go to bed

This is my favorite and easiest breathing exercise. Whenever you’re stressed or find yourself aimlessly scrolling on social media, put the phone down and try some box breathing.

One of the biggest reasons for the health epidemic today is because people are stressed all the time. And when they are, they reach for toxic substances to cover up their pain. Porn. Junk food. Social media. Etc etc.

Notice that whenever you’re scrolling the most through social media, or feel the urge to eat junk food, you’re probably also feeling some internal pain.

Instead, try this.

Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds.

Hold the breath for 7 seconds

Breathe out of the nose for 8 seconds. 

Repeat 4 times.

When you breathe out for longer than you breathe in, this will activate your parasympathetic nervous system.

Exercise #4: Breath hold walks

Increasing co2 tolerance is one of the best ways to improve your health. 

As discussed in the article, carbon dioxide is responsible for offloading oxygen into cells.

Most people have an extremely low co2 tolerance and because of this, they feel the urge to constantly mouth breathe.

In fact, the urge to breathe is triggered by co2. If you breathe too much, in turn, you’ll offload excess co2 causing you to be fatigued. 

Holding your breath is one of the best ways to increase tolerance.

Multiple times a week in the AM I go on walks where I breathe through the nose for 1 minute, then continue walking and hold my breath to the first point where I feel a strong urge to take in air. I then go slightly beyond then and breathe in as slowly as I can through my nose for another minute and repeat.

Exercise #5: Swami Rama 2:1 breathing

Swami rama is a himalayan monk who believes that mastering your breathing can banish sickness and disease. Similar to the 2 exercises above, he is focused on increasing co2 capacity. 

Here’s how to do so:

Assuming your natural breath is 2 seconds in and 3 seconds out (it’s probably a lot shorter), start here:

Lie down

Breathe in for 2 seconds then out for 4 seconds. This is one breath.

Do this 10 times and this is one round. Breathe normally for a few breaths and then repeat 3 more times.

Do this for about 4 weeks and after try to increase the length of one breath to 3 seconds in and 6 seconds out.

Exercise #6: Static Apnea Tables

These stables are formulated to increase co2 tolerance for free divers. There are great apps out there to help with these to accustom the body to extreme co2 levels. For instance, here’s a co2 table below that accustoms the body to more co2 by reducing the amount of time between each round. 

I do these 1 – 2 times a week.

Hold breath – 1:30 min

Rest – 2:15 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 2:00 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 1:45 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 1:30 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 1:15 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 1:00 min ; hold – 1:30 min

Rest – 1:00 min ; hold – 1:30 min

—-

When I discovered the benefits of breathwork, it changed my health almost as much as discovering the benefits of beef liver.

Let me know how these go.

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

If you like what I am about, check out the below.

Amazon

Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – eBook and Paperback

Clothing – Ketogenic Endurance Carnivore Success Company

Low Content Books – Journals, Notebooks, Diaries and Planners.

Media

• The majority of my personal journey is documented on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.

This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, they have given me permission to share to help spread the benefits of the carnivore diet.

We love organ meats around here and heart is no exception. Mainstream eating culture in the US has not fully embraced the idea of eating organ meats but, let’s be honest, if we relied on mainstream advice we’d all be fat and sick. 

In fact, it is somewhat ironic that many people consider the vital survival organs of the body (brain, heart, kidney, liver, and lungs) as waste products. They are so infrequently consumed in the US that they are a leading export product.  

But organ meats, and heart in particular, are loaded with nutrients and provide many health benefits. To understand the benefits of heart as a superfood within the diet, we need look no further than human history and nutrition research.

History Loves Organ Meats

Organ meats have been a part of a healthy human diet for centuries. Organ meats are by far the most nutrient dense (nutrients per calorie) part of an animal. The concept of eating nose to tail prevents excess waste and is also a foundational practice for nourished living. 

That’s why many cultures around the world enjoy their own organ meat delicacies:

• Scotland has haggis (ie, sheep or calf heart, liver, and lungs mixed with suet, oatmeal, and seasonings boiled in a bag made from the animal’s stomach).
• Jewish cultures have chopped liver
• Bolivians savor tenderized beef heart that has been cooked over charcoal
• Pakistani cultures make a hash of heart, intestines, livers

Despite the historical health benefits, the US is almost last in terms of consumption of organ meats. Out of every country in the world, the US ranks 171st out of 175 countries in organ meat eaten per person per year (*). It’s not surprising that the US also ranks highest in modern health problems like heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disease and diabetes. It’s pretty safe to say we aren’t exactly known for our healthy eating habits (hence the SAD, standard american diet, acronym).

Like Fuels Like

Beyond analyzing cultures around the world that eat organ meats, the benefits can be sorted out by reviewing nutrients contained in the meat and what role they play in the body.

Heart is a good source of many important nutrients including:

• Coenzyme Q10
• Iron
• Zinc
• Selenium
• B2 (Riboflavin)
• B6 (Pyridoxine)
• B9 (Folate)
• B12 (Cobalamin)

Human nutrition research often demonstrates the concept of ‘like supports like’. That is to say the micro and macronutrients in organs and tissues of animals support those same organs and tissues in humans. For example animal muscle meats, fuel growth and repair of human muscles. Similarly, the nutrients in animal organ meats support that same organ in the human body. 

The nutrients contained in the heart support the function of the heart as well as the entire cardiovascular system. And because nutrients rarely have just one function, these same vitamins and minerals also support cognitive function, energy levels, natural immunity and even promote longevity.

Top 5 Health Benefits

The specific nutrients in the heart solidify its place as a true superfood in the diet.

According the the USDA a 100 g (3.5 oz) portion of beef heart contains:

• 112 calories
• 18 grams of protein
• 4.31 mg of iron (24% DV)
• 287 mg of potassium (6% DV)
• 21 mg of magnesium (5% DV)
• 21.8 mcg of selenium (40% DV)
• 1.70 mg of zinc (15% DV)
• 7.53 mg of niacin (47% DV)
• 1.79 mg of pantothenic acid (26% DV)
• 1 mg of riboflavin (70% DV)
• 0.3 mg of vitamin B6 (21% DV)
• 0.24 mg of vitamin B9/Thiamin (20% DV)
• 8.5 mcg of vitamin B12 (356% DV)
• 11. 3 mg Coenzyme Q10 (no DV established)
• 17 mcg of lycopene

1. Protect your heart

I am going to repeat myself here bThe nutrients in heart protect your own human heart. Folate and B12 may reduce the risk of fatal heart disease in adults (*).

Homocysteine levels in the blood are regulated by vitamins B6 and B12 as well as folate. Elevated levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure. Getting B6, B12 and folate from your diet reduces homocysteine concentration in the blood and therefore reduces risk of these common cardiovascular conditions (*).

B vitamins also support blood vessels formation and some studies link higher intake of B vitamins to reduces risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) (*)

Cholesterol levels are positively influenced by B vitamins (*,*).

Heart is also a great source of the little known or talked about nutrient coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). 

CoQ10 is found in the mitochondria of muscle cells (including the heart muscle) and has several important roles in the body, including:

• Acting as an antioxidant protecting cell membranes and lipoproteins
• Supporting the production of cellular energy (Adenosine Triphosphate aka ATP)

Taking statin drugs to lower cholesterol, reduces the concentration of CoQ10 in the body. It’s a bit ironic that this major treatment (aka bandaid) for cholesterol is meant to reduce heart disease risk but in fact, decreases the concentration of a nutrient known to protect the heart. Makes you wonder who’s running the show, doesn’t it?

2. Boost Cognitive Function

Some of the nutrients found in heart support optimal cognitive function including the B vitamins and Coenzyme Q10.

Dementia

B vitamins (B6, folate, and B12) regulate homocysteine (Hcy) levels, and hyperhomocysteinemia is a major vascular risk factor and an established risk factor for dementia.  The active form of folate, is involved in DNA repair and replication, both essential processes for adult hippocampal neurogenesis (new neuron formation in the brain (*).

Mood

The integral role of B vitamins as cofactors in cellular processes such as the methionine and folate cycles have formed the basis for hypotheses relating B vitamin status with mood . Vitamins B6, B12, and folate are commonly acknowledged as cofactors for enzymatic reactions in the methionine and folate cycles. The B vitamins are required for clearance of homocysteine (*). As you’ve probably learned so far, high homocysteine is toxic, especially to your most important organs like your brain and heart. So it should be no surprise that elevated levels of homocysteine are a risk factor for poor mood and depression. One study found that up to 30% of depressed patients have elevated homocysteine levels (*). Adequate intake of B vitamins is required for healthy homocysteine levels and this can translate into better brain health.

3. Support Immune System 

I think we can all agree that a well-oiled immune system is a high priority given the current circumstances. 

Heart is a good source of zinc, providing 15% of the DV for this important mineral that helps the immune system function optimally. Zinc has a number of functions related to immunity including (*):

• Development of cells that mediate immunity
• Influence cellular behavior beneficial to immunity (killing damaged cells)
• Preserves natural tissue barriers including those of the respiratory tract

4. Increase Vitality

Iron, B vitamins and coenzyme Q10 are all essential nutrients for high energy, mental sharpness and sex drive. 

Iron delivers oxygen to all your tissues so they can function properly. Without oxygen you’ll feel sluggish and fatigued. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. Heart, and other organ meats, are a great source of iron.

Coenzyme Q10 has a very different job than iron however, when you don’t have enough, you feel it. Que the fatigue, muscle weakness, memory problems, and low sex drive.

Finally, B vitamins are the nutrients that help your body turn energy from food into energy for your cells. Without adequate cellular energy, each cell, tissue, organ system are less able to carry out work. And, you’ll feel this – more fatigue, sluggishness, slower metabolism and decreased endurance and stamina.

Taste and Texture

All well and good, right? Of course we all want to enjoy superfoods but how does it actually taste? What is the texture? What does it look like? The benefits won’t do you any good unless you’re able to choke it back. 

The taste and texture of heart have been compared to eating brisket or steak. The heart is a muscle that gets quite a bit of work in its lifetime. So it may be a little tough. Chef’s prefer low and slow cooking methods or cutting it into smaller pieces and cooking over high heat like the grill.

We haven’t taken the plunge into heart jerky yet but our liver jerky is wildly popular among health enthusiasts who want to not just choke back their organ meats but actually enjoy them.

Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.

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This article was originally published at www.carnivoreaurelius.com, and they have given me permission to share here.

Your ancestors knew it. But you forgot. Liver was pivotal to evolution. It was reserved for those first who needed nutrients the most. Pregnant women and children. 

People pounced on it like kids on kit kat bars today. There were no nutritionists telling them to eat it. They didn’t even follow me on Twitter!

They just knew they felt better when they did.

There are examples throughout history. 

But now we’ve forgotten and lost our roots. We’re hairless apes transported to a modern arcade. 

Staples of society have been transformed into junk. Instead of liver, we drink watered down, toxic kale smoothies. We take pills. 

But liver is unique in its nutritional benefits. 

Adding it is like superman putting on his cape. It will transform you. Strip away layers of comfort. Build up your cells fresh. 

Why Beef Liver May Be Beneficial

Beef liver is nature’s multivitamin. 

Even though it hasn’t been getting the same attention as it used to, the liver is quite possibly the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.

Liver used to be an extremely popular delicacy before people started favoring muscle meats for their flavor. Often hunter-gatherers would go straight for the organ meat before anything else.

Most people assume that fruits and vegetables are the best way to get your essential vitamins and minerals but beef liver is loaded with even more nutritional value.

Just 100g amount of liver contains more than 100% of the recommended daily value for various micronutrients and it’s a great source of protein.

I’m not going to claim that without liver you’re going to fester away with scurvy. But according to the RDAs, without liver on the carnivore diet you’ll be getting suboptimal amounts of many nutrients. 

Many carnivore dieters live by beef liver because it helps them get optimal amounts of vitamins A, B, E, D, choline, copper, and iron. Some of which are not present at all in steaks alone. 

50g-100g of beef liver a day could help satisfy many nutrient needs. This comes out to approximately:

This is a big reason why so many people experience benefits when adding beef liver. 

Couple this with some eggs, bone marrow and grass-fed muscle meat and you’ll be getting more nutrients than 99% of people.

7 Examples of Tribes Eating Beef Liver

Beef liver has always been a delicacy. For many primitive tribes, it was the first food they’d go after when killing an animal.

It was equivalent to Fruit Roll Ups for children. They couldn’t get enough of it.

Nature is simple. Our physiological response directed us to what our body required. And most primitive carnivores required the nutrients in beef. 

This is what made it taste so good or why people craved it.

I know it’s hard to believe given nobody eats beef liver today. Below are some examples:

#1 West Nile Tribes

Dr. Weston Price traveled throughout Africa in the 1930s to examine dental health. He noticed that Tribes in Africa still eating primitive diets had little to no signs of tooth decay and beautiful teeth.

Meanwhile the United States counterparts were ridden with issues.

I envy these children who didn’t need headgear or rubber bands for all that time…

According to Dr. Price, the children of the west Nile were highly immune to dental caries and were physically very healthy. The women were over 6 ft tall and many men were over 7 ft.

The people at the Nile prized liver as a sacred obsession:

I learned that they have a belief which to them is their religion, namely, that every man and woman has a soul which resides in the liver and that a man’s character and physical growth depend upon how well he feeds that soul by eating the livers of animals. The liver is so sacred that it may not be touched by human hands. It is accordingly always handled with their spear or saber, or with specially prepared forked sticks. It is eaten both raw and cooked — Dr. Weston Price

#2 Outer Herbides

Tribes in the Outer Herbides exhibited a similar immunity. One of their dietary staples was a dish consisting of cod’s liver and cod’s head.

“This diet, which included a liberal supply of fish, included also the use of livers of fish. One important fish dish was baked cod’s head that had been stuffed with oat meal and chopped cods’ livers. This was an important inclusion in the diets of the growing children. The oats and fish, including livers, provided minerals and vitamins adequate for an excellent racial stock with high immunity to tooth decay.”

#3 Comanche

The Comanche were one of the most powerful American Indian tribes in history. Their diet consisted largely of buffalo and meat.

The Children of the Comanche were obsessed with liver.

“Children would rush up to a freshly killed animal, begging for its liver and gallbladder. They would then squirt the salty bile from the gallbladder onto the liver and eat it on the spot, warm and dripping blood.”

Liver is incredible for your health. But let’s face it. Eating liver has always been a pain in the ass. Not anymore.

If you’re interested in buying the most nutritious and best-tasting liver product in the world, go here for my newly released beef liver crisps made for carnivores by carnivores. Nothing but sea salt and beef liver. Crunchy. Smoky. Flavorful. And f***ing nutritious.

It’s no exaggeration to say there’s nothing like this in the world, at all, anywhere. 

#4 Native Americans

Some other notable accounts of native American’s eating liver existed.

In The Ways of My Grandmothers, Beverly Wolf describes how they’d prepare the entire cow, nose to tail to be eaten. The liver, of course, was important:

“All the insides, such as heart, kidneys and liver, were prepared and eaten, roasted or baked or laid out in the sun to dry. The lungs were not cooked”

Other Native Americans, called Mountain Men here, prized the liver even over the meat of the Buffalo. The lean meat was often discarded and left to scavengers, while the mountain men prized the fats and organ meats for themselves.

“When game was plentiful, however, only a few choice parts were taken, and the vast bulk of the meat was left to scavengers. The small and large humps were usually taken first….The tongue was removed by “ripping open the skin of the lower jawbone and pulling it out through the oriface. The heart and liver were added to the fare.”

When deprived of food for an extended period of time, Mountain Men would go straight for the liver and organs. They didn’t show much table manners either:

“When mountain men had been without meat for several days before slaying a buffalo, all traces of Anglo-Saxon civilization vanished instantly. The liver was torn from the body cavity. Bloody and unwashed, it was seasoned with gunpowder, or by squeezing the gall bladder’s contents over it, and then consumed without further preparation.”

#5 Inuit

Many carnivores have the false belief that the inuit avoid organs, just because Viljamurr Stefansson suggested that. However, there’s copious evidence that manl other inuit groups prized liver. 

Additionally, according to Vilhamurr Stefansson, ““The groups that depend on the blubber animals are the most fortunate, in the hunting way of life, for they never suffer from fat-hunger”

Blubber contains substantial amounts of vitamin A and fat soluble vitamins, thus they may have been getting these needs elsewhere. If you’re avoiding liver just because Stefansson did, be careful unless you’re eating blubber. (If you are, please send me some).

The most comprehensive study of the Inuit found extensive variety in their food consumption:

“This included ringed seal meat, blubber, liver, flippers, heart, brain, eyes, intestine, ear, tongue, lungs, blood and stomach, bearded seal meat, blubber and intestines, narwhal and walrus meat, liver, heart, blubber, mattak, flippers and intestine, beluga meat, mattak, blubber and liver, polar bear meat and fat, caribou meat, brain, tongue, stomach contents and lining, heart, lungs, lips, cartilage, bone marrow and eyes, arctic char meat and skin, sculpin, halibut, cod and fish eggs, arctic tern eggs, seagull ptarmigan and various ducks and shellfish”

Now that’s what I call a real salad. 

Additionally, according to a study by Borre Clyde River inuit would first eat liver and the blood after killing a seal and then later move onto brain fat and meat. That’s a full 3 course meal. 

On Lake Harbour on Baffin Island, men would eat the liver first and women would eat the heart. The remainder would be divided equally. Lastly, Grise Forde Inuit were known to consume the “the meat, blubber, liver, intestine and heart of ringed seals, preferring young seals. Dogs consumed the remainder of seals not eaten by humans.”

All in all, it’s clear that Inuit prized fat soluble vitamin intake and all of the vitamins in Liver. 

#6 Neurs

Modern day Sudan is home to several tribes of great interest. They are known to be exquisite hunters and warriors. 

One of the tribes, the Neurs is exceptional. They’re very tall. Women are over 6 feet tall and men over seven. Dr. Weston Price couldn’t find one tribe menter with a dental issue, so he was particularly interested in their dietary habits. 

What did he learn?

Neurs believe that every man and woman has a soul that lives in the liver. And that how strong an individual depends on how well they feed that soul with the livers of animals. 

Similar to the Church of Scientology requiring exorbitant payments, this church feeds off of the liver. 

The liver was so sacred to them that they refused to touch it with their hands. 

If only today we could replace the obsession with junk food with this religion. 

#7 Nenets

Western Siberia is one of the most hostile places to life in the world. Residents do the exact opposite of what the western culture nutritional orthodoxy:

• Eat a lot of meat
• Fast frequently
• Spend a lot of time in the cold
• Only eat one type of animal for long periods of time

Yet they’re much healthier than we are. The culture of doctors, nutritionists, micromanagers. Where everybody cares so much more about their health, they’re less healthy. 

One of their biggest secrets: eating nose to tail. They eat just about every part of the animal. 

8-year-old children prize the raw liver. Meanwhile, most children in western society are fed Gerber and sugar infested junk. 

And one of the region’s most prominent politicians eats liver almost every day :

“Sergey Kharutsji…..his wife, Galina, and daughter, Oxana, serve up a diet not very different from that served in the chum: frozen reindeer meat, stroganina, raw reindeer liver and various other named and unnamed cuts. Oxana says that is what the family eats every day for most meals.” 

Conclusion

Liver is nature’s original multivitamin. When I started eating it, my health got substantially better. 

But I always hated eating it.

It’s why I’m creating this product. I’d love for you to be on board as an early consumer. 

We’re keeping the launch very small so we can test it with only the most excited people. 

It’s no exaggeration to say there’s nothing like this in the world, at all, anywhere.