Lion Diet

[GreenEdge]

This topic is for offering support and sharing experiences for people with ME/CFIDS who have tried or are currently on a Lion diet. This thread is not for debating the merits of the Lion diet. Please refrain from doing so.

What is the Lion diet?:

Eat only fatty meat from ruminant animals,
salt to taste and drink only water.

Links:
Carnivore Diet
Should we be vegan?
In defence of diet and lifestyle
Becoming the best version of yourself
30 DAYS CARNIVORE - Life Changing Results??
Is the Carnivore Diet Right for You with Dr. Anthony Chaffee
PROPER HUMAN DIET Principles (11 Concepts You Need) 2023
The Hard Science of Your Metabolism with Professor Ben Bikman
Exposing the Secrets of the Plant-Based Vegetarian Guidelines
Is cancer a metabolic disease with metabolic solutions?
Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Food Facts, T2D
What am I doing?
|#1|
|#2|
“Today's agricultural practices-are destroying our soils, the
lifeblood of terrestrial earth. To restore our degraded soils
we need cover crops-and more animals-grazing pasture.
Animals in high density herds and moved each day
into their next long and narrow paddock.”
Tree of knowledge -GreenEdge​

I believe human health can be restored by changing what we eat, to what humans evolved to eat over 2+ million years of evolution; before agriculture came into existence just 12,000 years ago.

Take control of your health:

• stop eating food industry produced addictive food-like substances and eat natural food.
• stop believing the anti-meat messaging protecting profits of food industry and big pharma.

 

[GreenEdge]

Instinctive Lion Diet
I've been doing:

• Carnivore Diet since March 2022 (11 months)
  • Lion Diet since August 2022 (6 months)
    • Human (Instinctive Lion Diet) (1 month)

Is my carnivorous diet coming to an end?
Recently, I found myself loosing interest in eating beef and lamb. I could eat bacon and eggs, or salmon. Nothing else could interest me accept maybe chocolate - a temptation I must learn to ignore.

So I mostly ate bacon and eggs but I found the bacon did not taste delicious like it normally does. So I removed the bacon and found that all I really wanted was raw egg yoke. The egg whites are okay cooked, I neither like or dislike them when cooked.

Now all I seem to eat is salmon (~2 fillets per day) and lambs fry (liver) (~1 slice per day). Some days I don't eat at all, because I now recognize the difference between hunger and healing gut pain. What I am describing here is the development of instinct - what the body wants, the body now gets. It has taken me a long time to get here - this is when the healing really began...

Chocolate
I have a block of chocolate in my house that I have resisted now for 1 month. I know that chocolate is bad for me because over consumption gives me a gut ache and stopping consumption results in oxalate dumping 'explosive' diarrhea. Learning to resist temptations will serve me well into the future.

Coffee
Like chocolate, coffee is high in oxalates. First I stopped adding anything (eg. milk) to my coffee, then I overtime I made it weaker and weaker until I could easily stop consumption altogether. Others might find it easier to stop if they go cold turkey.

Raw Egg Yoke
Chicken eggs contain all the nutrients to quickly grow into a chicken. So for fast growth and repair (whilst ketogenic), egg yoke promotes muscle growth. Eggs are also the most economical source of all the essential amino acids (protein).

Salmon
The only nutrient that separates oily fish from beef and lamb is Omega 3 (EPA and DHA) - not ALA. Only 5–10% and 2–5% of ALA in healthy adults is converted to EPA and DHA.

Knowing the needed nutrient, I went out and bought Blackmores Omega Brain High DHA Fish Oil as I know that DHA is the key nutrient our brains need. I've been taking 2 capsules with every salmon fillet I eat to boost the nutrient my body seems to be craving.

I prefer my salmon rare on the inside. I use pan searing to make sure all meat that has been exposed to air, is made safe to eat. Raw fish will consume your body storage of thiamine (B1). Liver is a rich source of all the B vitamins.

Lambs Fry
Lambs liver is far less bitter than beef liver. I now like it and find it slightly sweet.

Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet, with significant amounts of iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and copper. Eating a single serving of liver can help you meet your daily recommended amount of most of these vitamins and minerals, reducing your risk of nutrient deficiency.

 

[cheeseater]

You lost me at eliminate coffee.

 

[GreenEdge]

There's so much I'd like to say... I found this video covers what I want to say...

 

[GreenEdge]

Perhaps some of the following videos might reassure you:

Gary Taubes - 'The Case Against Sugar'
How Did We Get Here? The History Of Vegetable Oils; Nina Teicholz, M.Phil.
The origins of the anti-meat message with Dr. Gary Fettke — Diet Doctor Podcast
Exposing the Secrets of the Plant-Based Vegetarian Guidelines| Belinda Fettke Interview

Woman Eats Only MEAT for 13 Years : This Happens (Kelly Hogan Carnivore Diet)
What Happens If You Only Eat Meat For 40 YEARS? Shocking Carnivore Diet Results
From vegan to carnivore to lion diet

6 ways to start keto in the new year — Dr. Eric Westman
LOW CARB DIET CAUSES INSULIN RESISTANCE?! - Dr. Westman Reacts

Jordan Peterson REVEALS Details About His Meat Only Diet..
Mikhaila Peterson's website liondiet.com is a great resource of information.

 

[GreenEdge]

I don't think this effects fatigue, but who doesn't want to be happy?

For the last week I have been in such a good mood, I would say I'm happy. But my situation hasn't changed; my behavior hasn't changed. I found an explanation on Amber O'Hearn's website: The Ketogenic Diet for Health

Ketosis Without Starvation: the human advantage
[GALLERY=media, 876][/GALLERY]
On a high carb diet, you might need to fast to attain an enlightened brain state. On a ketogenic diet, as a human, that doesn’t appear to be necessary.

It feels like a coffee high , only it's permanent.

I'm in an enlightened brain state without fasting...

 

[GreenEdge]

When you were a child, your parents forced you to eat vegetables and eventually you learnt to like them.
I'm trying to help, but I have a huge hurdle to overcome, since you've been brainwashed since birth to believe that plant based eating is good for you.

Triglycerides, HDL and LDL-cholesterol
The best blood markers for predicting heart disease and stroke are high triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol. Here is a slide from the video in my last post. Pattern A results in healthy LDL-cholesterol. Pattern B is you!

[GALLERY=media, 878][/GALLERY]

When combined the ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) is the best indicator of an atherogenic lipid profile and a risk for the development of coronary disease. Doctors know this from clinical practice and wonder why the hell we focus on LDL-cholesterol. If you don't believe me, ask your doctor.

Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in your blood. Food is one source of triglycerides. Your liver also makes them. When you eat extra calories — especially carbohydrates — your liver increases the production of triglycerides. When you consume — or your body creates — excess triglycerides, they're stored in fat cells for later use. Your body needs some triglycerides for good health. However, high triglycerides in your blood raise your risk of heart disease and stroke.

You can see where the confusion began last century. The wrong assumption was: fats in your blood come from fats you eat. They come from excess calories, especially carbohydrates.

 

[GreenEdge]

When not done right, you can gain weight very quickly on keto. The key is keeping carbohydrate intake low.

There are many opinions... This is my conclusion:

• Weight loss happens when you're over weight and in ketosis (fat burning mode). Fat is your fuel.
• Weight gain happens when you over consume calories (growth mode). See: Triglycerides and cholesterol.

If you're not in ketosis you will be gaining weight or weight stable. The only guaranteed way to not gain weight is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to near zero and to eat only when hungry. <- typically One Meal A Day (OMAD). Humans do not need to eat carbohydrates (it is non-essential). Consuming it only serves the food industry and big pharma. For a cheap device to measure your level of ketosis, see my post here.

Our bodies can make all the glucose it needs in a process called Gluconeogenesis. The amount it needs to make is small. Half a teaspoon of sugar consumed (in the absence of the hormone insulin eg. type 1) is enough to raise blood sugar from normal level to type 2 diabetes level. Watch the videos in my post here.

Almost all carbohydrates break down to glucose and elevate your blood sugar. <- causing western diseases.
The only exceptions are: indigestible fiber that irritates your colon (it is non-essential), and fructose which goes to your liver to be detoxified using same pathway as alcohol. <- contributing to fatty liver disease.
See: Dr. Gary Fettke - 'Is Fruit Good or Bad For You?'

Yogurt might be low carb, but it stimulates your appetite making you hungry
Talking from experience, I recommend adults do not consume diary products. Calcium consumption is only required during growth for growing bones. For bone renewal in adults, calcium can just be recycled.
Remember dairy comes from milk and milk is natures solution to "grow baby into adult as quickly as possible".

 

[GreenEdge]

Brain Fog
THC + niacin might be the solution and carbohydrates might be the cause.

The benefit comes from what you eliminate
I noticed a larger benefit from lion diet compared to carnivore or keto. The lion diet eliminates carbohydrates.
Meat is not a cure. Meat is just a dense source of all the nutrients your body needs, in the form your body desires.

 

[GreenEdge]

Anxiety and depression have vanished.
Everyday, my brain performs better and my mood is a like a persistent coffee high.

Today, I noticed my muscle anxiety is fading away.
I think this feeling of calmness is known (within the carnivore community) as zerb carb zen.

What have I been doing lately? Following a zero carb diet: lion diet (including liver) + salmon + bacon & eggs.

What appears to be the cure?​

1. Lion diet forms basis for healing: mental illness, auto-immune conditions, metabolic syndrome and cancer.
   It is the most pure form of the carnivore diet: just fatty meat from ruminant animals, salt and water.
   • Including brain (or fresh oily fish) - for omega 3 in the form your brain requires (EPA/DHA).
   • Including liver - for replenishment of nutrients stored in your liver (vitamins A, D, E, K and B12).
2. After you have fixed your leaky gut, you can reintroduce other foods like:
   • Oily fish (eg. Salmon) - If I don't eat OMAD, I can easily gain weight eating just fish.
   • Bacon - Do you think you're hungry? - If beef wouldn't satisfy you, then you can not be hungry!
   • Eggs - Cook the egg whites. I eat the egg yoke raw whilst being careful not to ingest raw egg white.
   • (if you're still growing) Milk for calcium if you're of European origin.
3. Synergy of ingested medicines:
   • Caryophyllene - Remember Daniel, no one believed @CSMLSM, via his persistence we start to listen.
   • Cannabis oil (THC/CBD) for sleep and pain relief. Other than that I'm med free.
   • Niacin (B3), timed to dilate blood vessels and enable above medicines to get to where they're needed.
   • TMG (aka Betaine) - to increase stomach acid and replenish methyl groups depleted by taking Niacin.
   • Lysine - if I'm feeling run down, notice a skin rash or feel the tingling of a cold sore coming on.
   • Thiamin (B1) - if I notice the symptoms of BeriBeri.
   • Zinc and Vitamin C - to boost immune system (if I start to get a sore throat like I've caught something).
   • Vitamin D3 with vitamin K2 - I am replacing this with sun exposure (from swimming).
4. Gentle mind exercises:
   • Engage night vision to awaken the rod cells, improve blood flow and nourish the eye.
   • (if you have reading glasses) Alternate between using reading glasses and not (if you can).
   • Self improvement: becoming the best version of yourself. Life is not about you.
5. Gentle body exercise:
   Exercise regularly but keep it short so you don't add to your fatigue.
   Types of exercise that I've found beneficial are:
   • Tai Chi - (at first sign of pain, check and correct your posture or stop)
     • can be as gentle as calm smooth movement whilst lying in bed.
   • Walking - best done: after Tai Chi, in nature, on level ground. (stop at first sign of pain or fatigue)
   • Swimming - full body exercise whilst being weightless in the water.
     • Wading: walking forwards and backwards along swimming lane center line.
   • Weight training: 2 sets & only 2-3 reps. Select the weight that you would normally use for 10-15 reps.

A diet high in animal proteins (eg. meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy) will help you gain muscle. Isn't that obvious?

Pacing - stop before you get tired.

 

[GreenEdge]

I believe the lion diet is superior to the original keto diet developed for epilepsy 100 years ago; and I would argue, not just to prevent epilepsy, but all western diseases. See my: Hypothesis

How to maintain ketosis
We now know that you don't have to limit protein as much as we thought. The fear was that excess protein would get converted into glucose and stop ketosis. That is not quite true, our bodies are recycling protein all the time; it is excess calories that matter. Excess calories will get converted by the liver into glucose and stored as glycogen in skeletal muscles (∼500 g) and the liver (∼100 g).

When your body has more glucose than it needs for energy and has reached its storage capacity for glycogen, the increased insulin prompts the liver to convert glucose into triglycerides, which are then transported to fat cells. Between meals, your hormones release triglycerides for energy.

The easiest way to maintain ketosis is to regularly deplete glycogen stores via fasting or exercise:
- After fasting for around 24 hours, glycogen stores are depleted. <- This is why I eat One Meal A Day (OMAD).
- A quicker way to deplete glycogen stores is by doing high-intensity exercise or resistance training for 45 minutes to an hour.

Hypothesis
The keto diet isn't just good for epilepsy. It can work for all western diseases because a ketogenic diet like the lion diet is arguably our default state. No other animal can stay in ketosis as easily as humans can. It makes us unique in the animal kingdom. For more information, see Amber O'Hearn's website: The Ketogenic Diet for Health

 

[Zebra]

Hi, @GreenEdge

Yesterday I was watching a documentary about African lions. I forget which nation.

According to those who study lions and their behavior, after a successful kill, these lions gorge themselves, and then spend 3 to 4 days digesting and sleeping before the need to feed again. The lions in this documentary were not under duress from predators nor were they in a harsh environment. This is typical behavior for them in the best of circumstances.

It made me think of the "Lion Diet" and wonder if there is a similar component, meaning, do folks following the Lion Diet experience this need for a prolonged period of digestion and rest or sleep?

It makes me wonder if the benefit of the Lion Diet isn't just the food component, but that the diet triggers mandatory down time for digesting and resting.

Any thoughts based on your experience?

 

[GreenEdge]

Do folks following the Lion Diet experience this need for a prolonged period of digestion and rest or sleep?
...
Any thoughts based on your experience?

No, but I have noticed that if I drink with my meal, it will slow digestion and I might get a heavy stomach.

So I did an experiment: - I ate an extra large meal.

I was fine until I tried a few sips of water about an hour after the meal and that gave me a slightly heavy stomach. Then I wanted to drink more but the more I drank the worse it got. I had to stop and wait it out.

Note: Water dilutes stomach acid and having good stomach acid is a requirement for digesting meat. The acid in your stomach turns it into liquid and it gets mostly all absorbed in your small intestines. Hence why compared to other primates, our small intestines is large and our large intestines is small.

So I have learnt to not drink 1-2 hours before a meal and 3-4 hours after. If I want a drink after a meal, I will only have a sip. Over time I have learnt to drink more between meals so I'm less likely to want it with a meal.
Even when I'm thirsty, I find it best to wait 3-4 fours after a meal before drinking water.

I take TMG with my main meal to increase stomach acid, and also provide methyl groups because I take Niacin.

 

[cheeseater]

Are you avoiding grain fed animals, in favor of grass fed?

Curious about why you feel the need for TMG? Not digesting well? Remember, there is a lot more to digestion than stomach acid. That is, there should be.

Could the TMG be covering up a digestive problem like Crohn's, or EPI or gall bladder disease? Things to think about.

 

[GreenEdge]

Are you avoiding grain fed animals, in favor of grass fed?

No.

It would have a better omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, but I get omega 3 from eating oily fish. Brain would be a better source (and true to lion diet); by eating oily fish, I'm bending the rules. I think what's important is avoiding allergies and eating as close to zero carb as possible.

Curious about why you feel the need for TMG? Not digesting well? Remember, there is a lot more to digestion than stomach acid. That is, there should be.

I take Niacin to dilate blood vessels, which I believe helps to clear my brain fog. Niacin depletes methyl groups and TMG supplies the most. <- 3 with each molecule, plus the amino-acid Glycine.

Could the TMG be covering up a digestive problem like Crohn's, or EPI or gall bladder disease? Things to think about.

It seems I only just produce enough stomach acid, because even a sip of water with my meal will slow digestion.
I guess that's efficiency - the body produces only as much as it needs.

 

[GreenEdge]

This morning I had a craving for chocolate, but then I thought:

“That's like cheating for a carnivore. How would lions cheat?” - So instead, I had bacon and eggs. — ​

 

[GreenEdge]

So why don't we get great results (from zero carb + carnivore diet = lion diet), like other people with poor metabolic health? What nutrient are we missing?

The only nutrient of concern is vitamin B1 (Thiamine); a meat only diet does not provide much. The only time thiamine supplementation has helped me, has been when my symptoms became more like dry Beriberi - if true?

This nutrition therapist is experienced in treating thiamine deficiency - he says you need to mega dose to stimulate the enzymes needed to recover. To reach that mega dose, he says start low and increase dose until your symptoms get worse; then stay at that dose until your symptoms resolve. And, he says supplement with thiamine derivatives (more bio-available forms of thiamine), especially those that can get past the blood brain barrier like benfotiamine or ttfd (thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide).

Last night, I took a multi-B vitamin and today some skin sores have appeared. I will stay at this dose until it resolves.

 

[GreenEdge]

Where is the evidence that an all meat diet is good for you?

In 1797, John Rollo (reported) successfully treating 2 patients with diabetes using a diet consisting only of meat and fat. Rollo recommended near complete elimination of plant foods, a prescription that was widely adopted and empirically optimized to prolong the life of people with diabetes in the 19th century before:
The introduction of successful treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin (PubMed).

A 19th century book, 4th edition published by William A. Kellogg (1889) is available free online here:
What must I do to get well? and how can I keep so? by one who has done it (Elma Fraser Stuart) - documents the original "Salisbury Solution" by J.H. Salisbury, A.M., M.D., LL.D
The 1889 book prescribes a Meat And Hot-Water Or Salisbury Diet - it's where the term Salisbury Steak originated.

 

[sb4]

I tried carnivore for a while using just beef mince, butter and diet coke (for digestion) I believe. My gastroparesis was worse on this as expected but the diet itself was awful in the sense that I had to add ketchup after 1-2months and after 3-4 months I felt like throwing up at the smell of beef mince so I abandoned it.
I didn't notice anything symptoms wise that I wouldn't also get with just very low carb.

I think the diet would be much better for me to give a proper run if I had access to cheap meat that was soft and easy to digest. Beef mince is difficult.

@GreenEdge What types of foods are you eating and how much improvement have you gained from this diet?

 

[cheeseater]

People in the 18th century typically lived to be about 40 years old. I would be concerned about iron overload on an all red meat diet, and I would expect severe digestive problems and likely eventual death by colon cancer, or at lease severe constipation.

But from another perspective, it is probably a good elimination diet as long as you only season with salt and pepper and only drink water. A typical elimination diet would be only chicken seasoned with salt and pepper and water to drink. Point of an elimination diet is to figure out if a particular food is causing you troubles. After several weeks of adherance to the strict diet, other foods are gradually added one at a time to see if they are causing digestive problems.