Interview by Mariela

Introduce Yourself.

Hi! My name is Mariela, I was born and raised along the US/Mexico border (El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico). I currently live in the Chicago suburbs. I am a Speech Language Pathologist, Published Author, Actress, Keto Coach and fitness enthusiast.

How did you eat before Carnivore.

I ate low carb for 12 years with a lot of success (and three pregnancies), then went vegan for 6 years (worse decision I ever made) and my health declined in so many ways. So after being hospitalized, I had to leave veganism and I came back to low carb. First doing Keto and then Carnivore.

Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.

Once I started Keto, I realized I had damaged my gut from years of veganism, so I realized I had so many issues with certain foods. I had to remove dairy, veggies and nuts, to heal my digestion/gut, as they were very causing so much inflammation/bloating and water retention. I have had to re-build my gut with digestive enzymes and I am healing one day at a time. So I transitioned to Carnivore and focused on foods from the animal kingdom and all my gut microbiome issues are improving as well as my IBS/digestive issues and regularity.

How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.

I eat intuitively….When I started, I used to have a snack here and there, but now I find out that I do not need them. I now eat 2 meals a day, as I am used to this now and I am not hungry outside this window period. I focus on meat for most meals, but do incorporate eggs almost daily, and from time to time will have other animal sources (chicken, fish, and pork). I used to have some coconut cream with my coffee since I cannot tolerate dairy, so I figured out a way to make egg cream and I replaced it with the coconut cream and it is just amazing! I also use Ketocream when on the go. I used to only have 1 cup of coffee per day as I used to be addicted to caffeine, but now I do not need it. In the past few weeks, I have been able to wean myself off caffeine completely and I have felt amazing. I never thought I could do it as my addiction to coffee was so severe. From time to time, I eat a little bit of 100% unsweetened chocolate. This way of eating allows you to run on Ketones as energy and you can go longer between meals, and intermittent fasting is a daily practice (between 18-22 hours till my first meal) this allows for healing of the mitochondria, autophagy (replacing old parts of the cells) to occur, it fights inflammation, boots brain function and neurodegenerative diseases, boosts metabolism, increases growth hormone secretion, delays aging, extends longevity, immune system reset and regeneration, improves insulin sensitivity, prevents cancers, speeds up metabolism, clears skin/prevents acne and contributes to self-enlightenment. My longest IF period has been around 40 hours and I felt amazing the entire time.

What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.

I have lost body fat, gained muscle (a lot!) and maintaining it even when I don’t work out, improved sleep quality, digestion improved/IBS relief, regularity, I feel full and satiated eating nourishing foods, no cravings, control of food, reduced hunger, mental clarity, more energy, cognitive sharpness, reduction in swelling/body inflammation, skin appears clearer, plumper/less wrinkles, hair/nails growing back stronger and faster, I feel happier on a constant high, I have a lot of energy which is stable throughout the day, without caffeine or stimulants, less sleep, I wake up wide-eyed, fresh with tons of energy. I have improved endurance and recovery during workouts. I just feel in the present moment and connected to everything.

What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.

None really! I love the way I feel and love the foods I eat. I am healing from within and do not feel any negatives from eating Carnivorous.

Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.

I do! I have tons of energy, but currently, I actually work out less but do try to do resistance/weight training 2-3 x per week and Pilates on a reformer 1-2 x per week. I do cardio- bike/elliptical/rowing/HIIT (15-20 minutes). I stretch and breathe in between exercises to reduce cortisol levels while exercising. Lately, with work and family, I have not been able to work out as much as I like, but my body’s recomposition continues to improve, despite the limited physical activity, which has been a nice surprise. When I was a vegan, if I stopped working out (on vacation, traveling, etc.), I would lose my gains fairly quickly.

What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.

Just do it! I feel like the best way to know is self-experimentation. I am always trying new things, modifying/adapting and you cannot truly know if something will work until you try it. I have pretty much tried every diet under the sun, and this one has by far yielded the best results and overall improvement in overall health and wellbeing and I am reaping those benefits day by day. Patience is key and while many people throw the towel too soon, and do not allow their body to heal because they want a quick fix. This is unrealistic after years of dieting, metabolic damage and abuse to your body, metabolism, and health. Give your body time, after a while; it will learn to trust you again. In time, all the benefits you seek will be attained. I am always researching, learning how to biohack your mind and body to become the BEST version you can become. Why would you fall short in your path of acquiring a strong body, and a sharp mind and neurological functioning? I believe I have found the Holy Grail and I am happy to share my success and help others along their journey.

Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.

I feel it will. I love that there is a lot of research going on (for both Keto and Carnivore), which is expanding on the truth about the benefits of cholesterol and protein consumption and understanding the negative and dangerous effects of sugar. Amazing researchers and physicians are giving us so much wealth of information and are paving the way for new research and medical data such as Dr. D’Agostino, Dr. Champ, Dr. Westman, Dr. Enfeelt, Dr. Gustin, Dr. Peterson- just to name a few, along with thousands of case studies that are arising daily, such as Dr. Baker’s n=many, as we are all paving the way for showing the positive effects of the carnivore and ketogenic diets. I am my own case study and have a tonne of intrinsic and extrinsic data to back it up! The fact is that we are finding more and more personal stories (case studies) adding up to the ever-growing data and strengthening the research.

Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow your journey.

I urge people to educate themselves and re-learn everything they think you know about nutrition and health. Many physicians/nutritionists still follow outdated/outmoded research and clinical methods and still recommend low fat, grains and plant-based diets, which will not only make you sick but ill.

Plant-based and veganism is NOT a sustainable long-term way of eating…I am NOT the only one who has suffered the ill effects of a vegan diet…so many vegans I know from different circles, have too stopped being vegan for the same reasons/struggles/issues. Even pioneer/leaders in the vegan movement after 30 years have returned to eating meat. Many people feel better at first, but over time, the vegan diet starts causing all sorts of issues and your body begins breaking down. Sure you can survive on a vegan diet, but you will NEVER thrive, instead, your body will break down. That is why I feel that the vegan agenda cannot be fulfilled, because many people cannot tolerate sugars/carbs/vegetables. Who are those people? People with autoimmune disorders, Hashimoto’s Disease, graves disease, Crohn’s Disease, diabetes, heart disease, IBS/Gut issues, joint issues, mood, and neurological disorders, children and many more. So a vegan/plant-based diet is actually detrimental to these populations and instead these groups of people need to eat a sugar-free, grain and even vegetable-free diets focusing on foods from the animal kingdom in order to heal and live an optimal life, free of disease. There is no other option.

Children should never eat a vegan diet, so many research articles and cases showing the dangers of veganism on developing children. Their development stalls, they suffer from chronic nutritional deficiencies and cognitive decline. You have to understand how your body works and what it needs to survive and thrive.

For me personally, It was very hard to detach from the “Vegan” label, but what is a label worth, if it destroys the very thing you are trying to attain?

I know many people are in different points along their journey on health, so I wish I had learned this a lot sooner and is why I am sharing my story in the hope I can help others find their path to true healing, optimal health and learn the truth. I am not asking them to believe me- I am urging others to do their research on their own.

There are many Facebook groups for ex vegans recovering “Restoration Health Vegan Recovery” and “Raw Wisdom” and so many YouTube stories of “Ex-Vegans”….if anyone is doubtful, just research a little and you’ll find the ugly truth. The information is out there, you just have to be unbiased and realize you may be wrong, but accepting that, moving forward with change takes bravery. Being brave, knowing you will encounter opposition, takes courage. No matter how long or strenuous the journey will be, you and your health are worth it.

You can follow my journey and/or if interested in coaching services you can contact me at:

http://www.marielastewart.com

https://www.instagram.com/mariela_n_stewart

https://www.facebook.com/MarielaNStewart/

https://twitter.com/marielanstewart

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