After suffering in a lifetime Eating disorders It almost killed her, an Ohio woman says switching to a carnivorous diet saved her life.
Valerie Smith, 54, struggled for decades with multiple physical and mental health conditions, including loss of appetite.
At one point, the 5’9″ Smith has now reached 70 pounds and is now an 11-year-old BMI. She told Fox News Digital that she was hospitalized and fed the tube several times to survive.
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In 2017, after following a strict plant-based diet for most of her life, she slowly began to move forward Animal-based Ketogenic Dietshe believes she has healed her mind and body.
At one point, Smith (pictured here), who is 5’9″, went 70 pounds and BMI was 11 years old. (Valerie Smith)
Before switching to animal foods, Smith tried countless other treatments for loss of appetite and other disorders.
“I was actively receiving treatment for the rest of my life,” she said in an interview. “I was seen by hospitals and doctors. I had more than a dozen psychiatrists. I had another cocktail. Psychotic drugs Over 30 or 40 years. ”
“I spent my whole life under traditional treatments, but it never got better.”
A lesser-known eating disorder almost starved the 9-year-old: “It was causing her to suffer.”
The hospital recommended a plant-based diet as “lacking animal protein,” Smith said. She stuck to their diet plan, but struggled to maintain a healthy weight and suffered from digestive issues.
By the time Smith was 47, she had returned to 70 pounds, endured fractures due to osteoporosis, and had undergone several surgeries for multiple organ outbreaks. she Mental health It was also the lowest ever.
“I had no intention of surviving another year,” she said. “I had to desperately gain weight, but mental illness had stopped me from getting anything forever.”
“I spent my whole life under traditional treatments, but it never got better.”
“And I knew that even if I weighed more, it wouldn’t help my brain.
While doing research, Smith discovered several metabolic psychiatrists, Ketogenic Diet.
“I learned that animal foods and animal fats are brain priorities,” she said.
Valerie Smith takes photos after reaching healthy weight on a ketonogenic diet 35 years after not taking animal foods. (Valerie Smith)
“There are over 100 neurotransmitters in our brain, and most of them rely on the amino acid profile found in the complete animal protein,” continued Smith. “Without the components of animal products, our brains won’t function properly.”
After 35 years of not consuming animal foods, she decides to experiment with adding them to her diet.
According to the CDC, this is the healthiest vegetable.
Smith started slowly, taking a bite of meat per day. Each week she added another bite. It took me 8 weeks to eat 8 ounces of meat.
At the 3 month mark, she began to see improvements – not necessarily in her weight, but in her mental health.
“my Depression and anxiety “At that point, I wasn’t gaining any weight yet, so it wasn’t weight gain that healed my brain. It was a ketogenic diet.”
As the months went by, Smith continued to look and feel healthy. A year later, she said she had no longer had all the symptoms of anorexia. (Fox News)
Over the months, Smith continued. Looks healthier. A year later, she said she had no longer had all the symptoms of anorexia.
“Even the dismorphia in my body disappeared. And I had no drive to stop starving at all,” she said. “All obsessions, negative self-talk, brain dysfunction — it’s gone entirely.”
“I wasn’t fighting myself anymore. That was easy.”
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Today, Smith consumes 2-3 pounds of meat (mostly lean meat) and eggs every day. She also occasionally eats chicken, pork and wild fish.
Since starting the animal food diet, Smith has gained 50 pounds of muscle. Eight years later, she said she hadn’t experienced any health issues that have plagued her for decades.
“For me, this is about healing — and I The ultimate healing This is because the body and mind use animal products that are eating. ”
Doctor Voice Support
Dr. Georgia Ede, a Harvard-trained, board-certified psychiatrist specializing in nutrition and metabolism psychiatry, often spoke about her support for the diet of carnivorous animals.
“In my clinical research, I found that a well-formed carnivorous diet is extremely useful in stubborn cases of bulimia and bulimia disorders, such as food attachment,” she told Fox News Digital.
Since starting the animal food diet, Smith has gained 50 pounds of muscle. Eight years later, she said she hadn’t experienced any health issues that have plagued her for decades. (Valerie Smith)
“Some patients report ‘food noise’ and relaxation from a welcome sensation.
Ede said studies suggest that the diet of carnivorous animals may be “exceptionally useful” in the treatment of severe malnutrition in anorexia.
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“Meat contains all the nutrients needed in the most biologically available form and does not have the antinutrients and protective toxins that are naturally found in plant foods,” she continued.
“Medically supervised clinical trials are necessary to help us better understand the potential risks and benefits of this. Carnivorous food Management of loss of appetite. ”
Research suggests that carnivorous diets may be “exceptionally useful” in the treatment of severe malnutrition in anorexia, one doctor said. (Valerie Smith)
Nick Norwitz, a medical student and researcher at Harvard University, recently completed a case study on three people who have overcome eating disorders using ketogenic diets.
He recently released a video exposing eight myths surrounding the diet of carnivorous animals. (See the video at the top of this article. See the video at https://www.youtube.com/@nicknorwitzphd.)
There is no dietary solution that “fits all sizes,” Norwitz said, adding that “context and nuance are essential.”
“But I feel that carnivorous diets are misunderstood, and with that red meat Animal-based foods Often, they become unfairly scapegoats and are thrown under the ‘big food bath’,” he told Fox News Digital.
Experts are looking for attention and more research
Margot Rittenhouse, a licensed specialized clinical counselor at Arsana, California, said it was “absolutely important” that the diet and modalities used to treat eating disorders are supported by “a widespread and consistent research.”
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“Some studies have shown that diets in ketonogenic carnivorous animals may be beneficial in treating anorexia nervosa, but there is no predominance of evidence that this can be used as a viable treatment option now,” she told Fox News Digital.
“There is little evidence to support that you can receive everything. Vitamins and nutrients According to Rittenhouse, it is necessary to maintain the body through a ketogenetic diet aimed at eliminating most or all plant-based foods and carbohydrates.
Experts agree that people suffering from eating disorders should not try to treat their condition without the help of a professional. (istock)
Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, practices as a lupus dietitian, but said he does not recommend the carnivorous diet as a way to treat feeding.
“Nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables are important parts of a balanced diet and provide a number of important nutrients,” Frilich told Fox News Digital. “for Optimal healthIt also requires a wide variety of vitamins and minerals found in other food groups, as well as fiber and carbohydrates. ”
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“There is a diet in general, but restrictive diets, such as the diet of carnivorous animals, are factors that increase the risk of development. A messy mealShe added.
Rittenhouse also warned against adopting any kind of restrictive diet that has been shown to create “harmful relationships with food.”
“Some patients report ‘food noise’ and relaxation from a welcome sensation. (istock)
“Eating only animal protein is by no means a complete diet, as it consumes almost exclusively saturated fats and protein,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Experts agree that people suffering from eating disorders should not try to treat their condition without the help of a professional.
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Rittenhouse recommends seeking support from a Interdisciplinary team These include dietitians, therapists, psychiatrists and doctors based on eating disorders.
“These mental illnesses are complex and biopsychosocial disorders that cannot be treated with just one provider or discipline,” she said.
