Month: July 2022

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Carnivore Cooking: the Grilled Burrito!

The Carnivore Grilled Burrito! Carnivore may be a well-known elimination diet, but it’s far from being restrictive. I have some carnivore recipes to share to help add some spice to your meal time!

I saw someone post a similar video on Instagram – I think. But hers turned out perfectly! Not sure what I did wrong, but it still tasted amazing! And it can be customized based on your taste, preference, goals, and sensitivities if you have any.

Carnivore cooking is really very adaptable. Here, I just used some local ground beef, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, Tapatio Hot Sauce (our favorite!), EggLife Wraps, and a little shredded cheese. But you could add sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, whatever! If you are just focused on gluten-free, this is a great option and you can add any veggies you like. If you’re keto, it works beautifully. And if you’re a carnivore, like me, it’s a nice treat! I have to be careful with dairy and seasonings, so I wouldn’t do this every day. But it adds a really nice variety to my menu. Check out my post on Carnivore Tacos here!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more kitchen shenanigans! If you are curious about how a low carb or zero carb life can help you in your health goals, reach out to me on my socials, email me, or book a coaching session. I’ll help you come up with a plan that fits your life and your health needs.

Click the image to connect!

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Stop Dieting! Why Traditional Dieting Doesn’t Work

Stop Dieting! Why Traditional Dieting Doesn't Work

Dieting in the traditional way is not sustainable. Why traditional dieting doesn’t work, and what do I mean by that? When you go on a diet it’s a temporary solution to a problem that returns when you stop utilizing said solution. Usually, this is some combination of tracking calories, restricting calories, low fat, lots of veggies, fruit, and fiber, and increasing exercise. 

Calorie Restriction Doesn’t Work

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but, candidly speaking, calorie restriction for weight loss is bullshit. It’s not sustainable. Any weight lost will be gained back when you go back to eating ‘normally’. You can’t lose weight to become healthy. You must become healthy to lose weight. Weight gain is a metabolic disorder that can be reversed. 

Dieting Doesn’t Make You Healthy

I’m currently reading Dr. Ben Bikman’s book, Why We Get Sick. It’s really fascinating and confirms a lot of my suspicions and answers a lot of my questions about insulin and insulin resistance. I’ll share more insight from what I learn from him in future posts. If you’d like to read it for yourself, you can find it on Amazon

Dr. Bikman is a professor and metabolic scientist whose work really speaks to me. An analogy I recently heard Dr. Ben Bikman use went something like this: He asked his students to imagine he had invited them to a huge buffet celebration dinner. It would include all of their favorite foods. A smorgasbord of palatable delights. Now if you want to make sure you are good and hungry so that you can enjoy all of this food I’m providing, he asked, how would you prepare for that? How would you ensure you’re hungry enough to sample all that food?

The majority of his students explained that they would eat less for a couple of days. Some also said they would exercise a bit more. This was sure to make their bodies able to indulge in everything they wanted. Dr. Bikman’s reply? But isn’t that exactly what you do when you’re trying to diet? Therefore, the strategy of reducing calories or food intake and exercising more innately sets you up for failure because your body naturally then wants MORE. If you deprive your body of nutrition and then use up its energy stores by exercising more….guess what? You are going to be hungrier than usual! A great strategy for preparing to binge, but not great if you want to lose weight.

Extended restriction of calories initiates a change, slowing your metabolism. This may then trigger you to overeat and the cycle continues. Maybe you are able to attain weight loss in time for whatever event you’re dieting for and when that is over you go back to your old habits. Well…of course you do, you’ve been starving your body, your hormones, and your brain! You may very well be malnourished even when you’re eating whatever you like and overeating. This is what causes some of us to overeat in the first place. Your stomach is often full, and yet you always have a notion to eat. I mean, there’s always room for ice cream or a few more chips, right? Why? Lack of actual nutrition that is bioavailable to your body. See my blog post here on this topic – Obese and Malnourished/Stuffed but Starving. 

Love Yourself By Healing Yourself

Now, let me set the record straight once again – this is not about punishing yourself for not being a certain size or weight. Yes, you should love your body at any size – but love your body enough to nourish it and move it. That’s not self-loathing. THAT is loving the body you have and wanting it to function optimally so that you can live a long, beautiful, and fulfilling life as God intended. Not to be sick and miserable, putting on a brave face and telling yourself it’s ok to be this way. Stop abusing your body with nutrient-void, addictive garbage. This is not about a beauty standard. It’s about health. Physical, mental, and metabolic health. 

It’s also not immediately about weight loss. It’s about healing. Even if you don’t have a medical diagnosis and you have a waist-to-height ratio greater than 45-50%, you have metabolic issues to correct. This can be done with diet. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes, arthritis, insulin resistance, and many MANY health concerns can potentially be reversed by following a species (human) appropriate way of eating.

How Is That Possible?

Stop dieting! So how, exactly, do I propose you nourish your body and prevent or even reverse chronic disease without calorie restriction and exercise? The answer, my friend, is simple. That’s not to say it’s easy, but it is very simple. Eat what we as humans were designed to eat, and don’t eat what was not meant for us. Hint: there’s a reason every parent fights to get their kids to eat vegetables. 

My 2 rules for starting your mission to better health:

  1. Eat meat and other animal products (eggs, butter, etc.)
  2. Do NOT eat processed “foods” (if it comes in a box or has ingredients you wouldn’t recognize in nature ditch it)

This may be a slow, measured process or you might dive right in. I’ll help you decide which method is best for you! Feel free to email me at thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com if you would like more information on healing your body or losing weight; message me on my social media pages linked below, or click here to find out more about my virtual coaching sessions. I love helping people all over the world feel their best without buying some plan, program, special foods, or having to count or track anything! 

If you’re ready to feel your best, heal your body, get great sleep, and lose weight in the process, what are you waiting for? Contact me!

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Tallow Skin and Hair Care Products

Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty Product Review

What are the best, most natural skin and hair care products on the market today?

Cosmetic and skin care companies would like you to think the best products are the ones they created in a lab that cost way too much money and often don’t deliver on the promises they make. 

So let’s think about this…if protein and fat give us such great results in our diet, healing us from the inside out, wouldn’t it make sense to use the same type of nourishing ingredients on the outside? Tallow products for skin and hair!

Ethical Skin Care and Hair Care Products – for real

I recently found a company online that DELIVERS on its claims. Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty. The company’s founder, Shalley, eats a meat-based diet herself, so she gets it! Everything they do is so thoughtfully done – from every single product, the descriptions, the clearly stated ingredients, and their take on ethical and green beauty. See their blog post on this topic here! It’s brilliant! They also have how-to posts and a very interesting outlook on pro-aging vs. anti-aging. 

I was looking around online for a tallow lip balm. I had purchased from another company previously and it was ok, but very expensive. That’s when I found Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty and was immediately impressed with the number of products they offer. Tallow shampoo bars and conditioner bars, tallow soaps, tallow deodorant, tallow moisturizer bars…SO. MANY. THINGS. 

What I Ordered and My Thoughts

Tallow Lip Balm: Creamy solid, not waxy. Long-lasting. Very moisturizing. Luxurious feel on the lips. This is my new BFF. I have dozens of various balms, sticks, and ointments. They are all going in the trash today. I don’t need them! Why hang on to something that ends up drying my lips out even more when the perfect, nourishing, natural lip balm is right here?

Tallow Shampoo Bar: I’ve never used a solid shampoo bar on my hair, so this was a new concept for me and I was a little intimidated. Lather it on your hands to use on your hair and section your hair to use it on your scalp – easy peasy! My hair and scalp don’t feel dried out and itchy like with some bottled shampoos. My hair feels and smells amazing!

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse: Admittedly, I was a bit worried that I’d smell like vinegar after using this product. I’m happy to say I was worried over nothing! This made my scalp feel so fresh and clean. The scent does not hang around in your hair at all. It left my hair super soft!

Hyaluronic Conditioner Bar: You don’t need a lot! Use long strokes on your hair, then rinse it out or leave it in for soft, healthy hair that feels stronger right away.

Free Curated Sample Set: Yeah, free sample set! No one does that anymore – but Buffalo Gal does! I received samples based on my specific skin needs. 

Here’s what I got in my sample set:

Cleansing Balm: I know I have said this about the other products, but this is so luxurious and nourishing. I have never used a cleanser that felt like this before. So buttery-smooth and luscious!

Toning Mist: I’m a believer! This gave my skin the boost I didn’t know it needed!

Tallow Face Balm and Tallow Night Repair Balm: These are the first tallow-based face products I have used that did NOT cause my skin to break out. More luxury, more lusciousness, my skin is very happy! I look forward to using these every morning and every night.

My Overall Review:

Happy 50-year-old hair and skin! Normal indoor lighting, no light ring, no filter, minimal makeup (just concealer between and under my eyes, cream blush, and eye makeup).
Taken just minutes after the indoor photo, outdoor lighting, no filter, and the same minimal makeup (just concealer between and under my eyes, cream blush, and eye makeup).

If you haven’t guessed by now, on a scale of 0 – 10, I give all of these products, the company, and the founder, Shalley, a 100 out of 10! 

I cannot recommend this company and the products enough. Coming from a super-skeptical person like me who hates to be ‘sold’ on things, that’s saying a lot. The products speak for themselves and the values of the company are authentic. I cannot wait to try more products! If you’re looking for natural, truly ethical green, sustainable beauty products for your whole body, you have to check our Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty. I’ve just ordered more face balm along with the deodorant, soap, and body butter bar to try next! These are really fine products from a small business with truly caring people.

Take a look at Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty and use code candidcarni10 at checkout for 10% off!

Thanks for checking out my review! I hope you are having a wonderful day and that you can take a minute to check out these incredible products. Your body will thank you! To learn how fat helps us on the inside, check out my last post: Fat and Brain Health: why we need fat to function.

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

I purchased these items on my own prior to becoming an affiliate partner. Any purchase you make using the links here may earn me a small commission. I have not been paid for this review and it is not sponsored. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Fat and Brain Health: Why we need fat to function

Why is it essential to eat animal fats? Commonly, we are told that the brain requires glucose to function. This, my friends, is a big, fat lie!

What disorders can be improved with higher fat diets?

Eating fat has been shown to improve cognitive function and mental clarity;  mood and mental health; as well as brain disorders like schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. 

Expressly, noted improvements in brain-related disorders are:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Brain fog
  • Memory
  • Brain injury
  • Stroke
  • ADHD
  • Autism
  • Epilepsy
  • Dementia (Type 3 Diabetes)
  • MS (multiple sclerosis)
  • Migraines

You can check out one study supporting this here. These are just some of the brain-related issues that can be improved or reversed – not to mention metabolic, autoimmune, and other health issues.

We have been sold on a low-fat diet for so long. And it shows. Incidents of ADHD, autism, anxiety, and depression have increased dramatically along with so many other disorders and diseases. We have been told fat and cholesterol should be avoided at all costs. This has been a detrimental piece of horrible advice.

What about all those studies?

Any study that is done for research requires funding. Scientists need paychecks just like the rest of us. So where does this money come from? Usually, at least some portion of funding comes from a large corporation that would stand to benefit from the findings of such studies. So perhaps the study is conducted in a way that a bit of ‘good information’ may come out of it, but the large part of the outcome will be worded in such a way, or the process of the study has been done in such a way, that the funding source can tout the findings as proof that you need to purchase their product. There are no local ranchers out here funding studies, they simply don’t have the bank for that. All we can do is trust the history of our species and dissect the significant amount of data, ignoring the study’s conclusion. Check the sources, and check the processes.

A simple example would be Ancel Key’s 7 nations study. It’s said that the study actually included 22 countries, but only 7 fit the narrative, so the rest were excluded. Another example is well known – the Harvard scientists who were bought by the sugar companies to outright lie and say that fat causes heart disease when the study clearly shows that sugar was the cause. This was proven many years ago, but the false information is so widely circulated that most people, including doctors, still believe it to be true. If this were the case, the last few decades at the height of the low-fat and high-fiber diets, and the increased popularity of veganism should have effectively reduced the rate of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, autism, and the vast array of other modern, and way too common, diseases. But the opposite has happened. The rate of these and other diseases has steadily increased!

What does food have to do with the brain?

Now, to get a bit science-y… brain health begins in the gut – the gut-brain connection. This is where our neurotransmitters are made. A key chemical for brain health is serotonin. But did you know that serotonin is actually made in your gut? So our brain health begins with what we are putting into our bodies. Fiber creates small perforations in the digestive tract. This causes ‘leaky gut’, which is exactly as it sounds. In addition, the toxins in the plants we are convinced we need can contribute to depression. Toxins and various fluids are leaking into your body and bloodstream. This has a direct effect on your brain and contributes to the mental and physical health of your brain. What do you consume via your eyes, your ears, and your mouth? It all matters a great deal. It’s imperative to your overall health. Filling the body with grains and sugar is causing the brain to be malnourished. The brain is not getting the nutrition it needs to operate efficiently or optimally. Add to that the man-made non-food ingredients in processed products, and we don’t really stand a chance at a long, healthy, and happy life.

Book recommendation:

This book has been on my list for a few years:

Video recommendation:

Here is a link to a great YouTube video discussing this topic as well: Anthony Chaffee, the Plant-Free MD with guest, Natalie E. West – a clinical psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience in mental health.

Questions?

This could be a very long post if I were to go into each category and explain how carnivore, specifically higher fat carnivore, can positively impact each issue. Let me know in the comments if there is any specific brain-related issue you would like more information on! 

If you’re ready to start eliminating foods that are harming your health and begin really living your life, email me or contact me on social media here:

You can book a coaching session with me and we will work together to find the right strategy for your particular health mission! Just click the image below, then come with me – we have healing to do!

I am a Revero certified Carnivore & Fasting Coach
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Amazon Prime Day 2 – LAST CHANCE!

Prime Day: Carnivore Edition #2

A lot of yesterday’s deals are still going on, but some are selling out!! Check yesterday’s post to get those links: CLICK HERE

I’m looking for the best deals on all that Amazon has to offer for kitchen, cooking, health, fitness, and wellness products! From appliances to knives, gadgets to supplements, and anything else I can find that may fit into your mission for better health!

Don’t have a Prime membership? I got you! Here’s an Amazon Prime 30-day FREE trial. Cancel anytime! (Note: the links listed here are affiliate links that help me earn a small commission but do not cost any additional amount to you.)

Appliances

Ninja IG651 Foodi Smart XL Pro 7-in-1 Indoor Grill/Griddle Combo: 41% off! This has been on my wish list for a long time! The protein doneness settings take the guesswork out and you can get the perfect meat every time!

Cuisinart 36″ 4-Burner Gas Griddle: 30% off!

Instant Pot 800W Accu Slim Sous Vide Precision Cooker: 30% off! If you’ve ever wanted to try sous vide steak, here’s your chance to get a trusted brand at a great price!

Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis System with Smart Faucet: 30% off! Integrated into your kitchen plumbing, this system ensures your public water or well water is pure and free of toxins.

Corsi Smart Air Fryer XL: 31% Off! Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant!

Kitchen Tools, Gadgets, & Accessories

Egg Holder Storage Box: 40% off PLUS an extra 20% off when you clip the coupon, making this under $8! If you love having hard-boiled eggs on hand but hate the smell when you open the fridge, maybe this would help!

SodaStream: 37% off! Make your own zero-sugar sparkling water!

Cuisinart 15-Piece Knife Block: 41% off! The one I shared yesterday sold out so grab this one before it’s gone!

Kitchen Appliance Sliding Mats: 20% off! These would come in handy as often as I have to slide my coffee pot and pressure cooker/air fryer in and out of its storage place!

Meat Masher: 20% off! Nifty little gadget! I use a potato masher since I no longer eat potatoes, it’s been repurposed for meat! But this is a cool item!

Magnetic Air Fryer Cheat Sheet: 44% off! Another handy item, though I’d only use it for the meats, but a very handy thing to have!

Dash 8″ Round Griddle: 20% off! I have the waffle maker version I use for chaffles, but this would work too! Same chaffle recipe but could be used as tortillas, pancakes, etc.

Vacuum Insulated Food Container – 2 pack: 20% off! Great for keeping your steak or bone broth ward, and your butter cold!

Vacuum Sealer for Food Storage: 33% off! Save money – buy in bulk, vacuum seal, and freeze!

Supplements

Vital Proteins Beef Collagen: 39% off! Collagen is a flavorless powder that can be added to drinks or recipes, used as a thickener, and is so good for you! Collagen is needed for healthy skin, hair, nails, and joints. Also helps to heal digestive issues!

Vital Proteins Grass-fed Desiccated Beef Liver Pills: 47% off! Hate the taste of liver but feel like your nutrition needs a boost? This pill form makes it easy!

#1 Best Selling Vitamin D3: 52% off! With the little sun exposure we get, working inside and using screens, most people are deficient in vitamin D – especially those of us farther north! Vitamin D is essential for bone, muscle, cardiovascular, and immune health, as well as mood regulation.

Health & Fitness

Red Light Therapy Panel: 41% off + an additional $8 off coupon! Red light therapy is a great tool for anti-aging, hair growth, relieving pain, aiding in internal healing, and mood enhancement!

Grounding Mat: 21% off! Grounding is another tool to help reduce anxiety, pain and inflammation; while increasing healing and improving sleep and mood stability! I use mine DAILY.

#1 Best Selling Neoprene Weight Set: 47% off! Just starting out with strength training? Hate going to the gym? Prefer higher reps with smaller weights? These are for you!

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Amazon Prime Day Carnivore Deals!

Prime Day – Carnivore Edition

I’m looking for the best deals on all that Amazon has to offer for carnivore products! From appliances to knives, food storage to the controversial coffee, and anything else I can find that may fit into your mission for better health!

Don’t have a Prime membership? I got you! Here’s an Amazon Prime 30-day FREE trial. Cancel anytime! (Note: the links listed here are affiliate links that help me earn a small commission but do not cost any additional amount to you.)

Appliances

Ninja 12-in-One multi-function cooker: 43% off! I use mine DAILY!
Zero Water Filter: 31% off! Whether you have well water like we do or if you want to be sure your public water source doesn’t contain harmful chemical additives and contaminants, you need this! No smell, no taste, and no unwanted particles.
Keurig K-Slim Single-Serve Brewer: 54% OFF!!!!! Pick it up for a gift, the office, or for your afternoon decaf when you don’t need a full pot. How sleek this is!

Food and Drink

Kicking Horse Organic Coffee: 21% off
Maud’s Decaf pods (flavored variety pack of 80!): 20% off LIGHTNING DEAL!
4505 Meat Sticks: 20% off
Pork King Good Pork Rind Crumbs: 20% off! I use these in my meatball recipe, to make chick-fil-a like nuggets, and in my carnivore pizza crust! Oh and chaffles too!!
Pork King Good Seasonings: 20% off!

Kitchen Items

Ninja NeverDull Knife Set: 40% off!!
Instant Read Meat Thermometer – Best Seller: 36% Off!
Digital Food Scale – 27% Off!
Silicone Baking Mats: 46% Off! These are great for reverse sear, baking wings, salmon…
Glass Locking Lid Food Storage Containers: 36% Off! Avoid microplastics leeching into your food, use glass!