A interview based off a published case study: The Anorexia Case Study that Valerie Participated In: https://journalofmetabolichealth.org/index.php/jmh/article/view/84/254
Valerie Anne Smith’s journey is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the power of dietary change in overcoming severe health challenges. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 14, Valerie endured a harrowing 40-year battle with multiple mental health diagnoses, including schizoaffective disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, OCD, and body dysmorphia, compounded by extreme physical health issues. Despite numerous interventions, including inpatient treatment, psychiatric medications, and dietetic guidance that focused on high-carb, low-fat diets, her mental and physical health continued to deteriorate, reaching a critical point with a BMI of 11 and a weight under 80 lbs for most of her adult life.
In 2018, at the brink of despair and after decades of suffering, Valerie’s relentless pursuit of knowledge led her to explore the healing potential of a carnivore diet, focusing on nutrient-dense foods like beef, salt, and water. This radical dietary shift, initially met with personal resistance due to years of conditioned fear and restrictive eating habits, gradually quieted the debilitating mental turmoil and reversed her numerous physical ailments. Six years into her carnivore journey, Valerie has not only achieved complete remission from her mental and physical disorders but has also embraced a fulfilling life as a wife, mother, and health advocate.
In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro and Valerie talk about…
(00:00) Intro
(03:14) Valerie’s history of struggling with mental illness, anorexia, and metabolic dysfunction
(08:26) The horrible nutrition standards in eating disorder clinics and the nutrition lies plaguing our society in general
(10:19) Valerie’s upbringing and medical history
(11:52) Valerie’s frustrating experience with doctors trying to treat her many issues with meds
(16:01) Body dysmorphia and the differences between fasting and starving
(20:06) The horrible nutrition prescribed by hospitals and served to their patients
(23:36) The incredible and heartbreaking story of how Valerie finally discovered the link between diet and mental health
(37:36) The evolution of Valerie’s diet as she began transitioning to carnivore and how her doctors reacted
(45:45) Valerie’s blood markers when she ate no meat and how she started to rebuild her body
(51:03) How Valerie’s family reacted to her new diet and lifestyle
(53:08) The many health benefits that Valerie has experienced since becoming carnivore
(57:05) Advice for those struggling with anorexia and mental disorders
(01:01:31) Factors other than diet that have been HUGE for Valerie
summerizer
Summary
The Low Carb MD podcast episode features Valerie, a guest who shares her remarkable transformation after adopting the carnivore diet, which significantly improved her mental and physical health. Valerie’s journey began with lifelong struggles with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, anorexia, OCD, and self-harm, alongside chronic physical ailments like gut issues and osteoporosis. Conventional treatments and medications provided no relief and often worsened her condition. At age 45, Valerie discovered research about the link between nutrition and mental health and decided to try a ketogenic, then carnivore diet, emphasizing the intake of animal-based amino acids essential for brain function. Over months, she experienced a profound reduction in psychotic symptoms, including the disappearance of auditory hallucinations and cessation of self-harm behaviors.
The hosts, Brian and Tro, along with Valerie, highlight the shortcomings of conventional psychiatric care that often neglects nutrition’s crucial role, sometimes exacerbating conditions through processed foods and standard medications. The episode references the work of Chris Palmer and underscores the growing evidence supporting ketogenic and carnivore diets in alleviating severe psychiatric symptoms. Another guest recounts a similar health recovery after shifting from a restrictive vegan diet, plagued by oxalate toxicity and mental health decline, to a nutrient-dense, animal-based diet.
The conversation also addresses the skepticism and resistance from traditional medical professionals toward nutritional interventions, urging greater curiosity and openness in the medical community. Emphasis is placed on personal empowerment, holistic healing—including sleep, sunlight, exercise, and faith—and the necessity of individualized dietary experimentation. Ultimately, the episode delivers a powerful message of hope and empowerment, advocating for the transformative potential of targeted nutritional strategies in mental health recovery.
Highlights
- 🥩 Valerie’s carnivore diet reversed decades of severe mental illness and physical health problems.
- 💊 Traditional psychiatric treatments often failed Valerie, worsening her condition over 30+ years.
- 🧠 Nutrient-dense animal proteins support brain health and neurotransmitter function.
- 🔄 The ketogenic and carnivore diets may alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.
- 🚫 Medical professionals often remain skeptical of nutrition-based mental health therapies.
- 🌞 Healing is holistic, involving diet, sleep, sunlight, exercise, and faith.
- 🔍 Personal experimentation is crucial to finding effective dietary interventions for mental wellness. Key Insights
- 🧬 Diet-Brain Connection is Critical: Valerie’s recovery highlights how specific nutrients, especially amino acids from animal products, directly influence neurotransmitter production and brain function. This underscores the need to integrate nutritional psychiatry into mainstream mental health care.
- 🔄 Limitations of Conventional Treatments: Despite decades of medication and therapy, Valerie’s mental health deteriorated, illustrating the limitations and potential harms of standard pharmaceuticals without addressing underlying nutritional deficiencies.
- 🥩 Ketogenic and Carnivore Diets as Therapeutic Tools: These diets, emphasizing minimal carbohydrates and high-quality animal fats and proteins, show promise in stabilizing mental health by reducing inflammation, regulating neurotransmitters, and improving gut health—all factors linked to psychiatric symptoms.
- 🤝 Holistic Approach Facilitates Sustainable Healing: Healing isn’t just about food; adequate sleep, regular exercise, sunlight exposure, and spiritual wellness create synergistic benefits, fostering overall resilience and recovery.
- 🧪 Importance of Individualized Nutrition: The story stresses that no one-size-fits-all solution exists, urging patients and clinicians to experiment carefully and personalize dietary choices to optimize mental and physical well-being.
- 🚫 Skepticism Limits Progress: The dismissive attitude of many medical professionals toward dietary approaches reflects a gap in medical education and a cultural reluctance that slows adoption of effective alternative therapies.
- 🌟 Empowerment Through Knowledge and Agency: Valerie’s journey exemplifies how gaining knowledge about diet’s role in health can empower patients to take control of their healing, offering hope where traditional medicine might have failed.
This episode underscores the transformative potential of nutrition in mental health recovery, advocating for increased awareness, openness, and patient-driven exploration of dietary strategies to complement or enhance conventional treatment approaches.
As far as I'm aware there isn't anything magical about carnivore and mental health, people have reported the same benefits on a ketogenic diet as well.
I think I have heard of a few cases of anorexia treated successfully with meat
I'm not sure and have no links
Yeah, the science here just doesn't exist. The metabolic mind research group is looking into it (with keto) and their preliminary publications are promising.
For this lady, she tried everything else, and eventually tried Carnivore out of desperation and it eventually worked for her. Thats a interesting data point.