As an entrepreneur and a leader, Mike Shouhed is a person who needs to maintain a high level of energy daily. When people encounter a person like Mike Shouhed, who is constantly on the go, they often look at them as if they are an alien. How is it possible for one person to have all that energy and not constantly have caffeine jitters? Mike Shouhed found the answer in the zero-carb diet, AKA the carnivore diet.
Before diving deeper into the carnivore diet, Mike Shouhed believes it is essential for those considering a nutritional shift to consider the potential benefits. The carnivore diet is not just about food, it’s about shifting a lifestyle. Mike Shouhed notes that every social media app, every commercial on television, every piece of media, etc. is pushing people towards societal norms. These norms are often determined by commercial interests that will financially profit from someone taking a pill rather than receiving a holistic treatment. Everything a person consumes not only impacts their weight, but also impacts their emotional well-being. Making the switch to a carnivore diet is about making a switch to a happier, healthier life.
When people confront Mike Shouhed about the carnivore diet, they usually say that red meat is unhealthy, or vegetables are the key to a healthy diet. This isn’t unsurprising when the food pyramid puts red meat and salt in the use sparingly category, whereas bread and other carbohydrates are taught to be the foods people should prioritize the most. People who are trying to eat healthy can be doing damage to their bodies without realizing it. What Mike Shouhed believes people should consider about their diet is whether or not it is giving them the energy they need to be the best version of themselves. After just 30 days without carbs of any kind, people notice everything from their skin clearing up to improved sleep and the disappearance of brain fog.
Mike Shouhed notes that it takes perseverance in the beginning of a dietary shift. The body needs to adapt from burning carbohydrates to burning fat. The first two weeks of the zero-carb diet are the most difficult to get through. The body needs to change the type of bacteria it has in the gut to burn fat more efficiently. During this transitional phase, people may experience more fatigue and more cravings for carbs. This will pass, and those with the fortitude to get through this phase can set themselves up for a lifetime of benefits.
The simplest way to understand the concept of the carnivore diet is to look back at human history. While it’s true that humans are omnivores, meaning they can eat both meats and plants, human beings were known to be mostly carnivores for much of our collective existence. Humans had to be apex predators and hunt for their meals. As humans evolved and commercialism started to infiltrate the food industry, more chemicals started to appear in foods. Modern plants often feature an array of chemicals that include antibiotics, phytoestrogens, pesticides and mineral chelators. People are eating salad and unknowingly digesting plant toxins that are linked to everything from bowel issues to fertility issues. Even modern breads have been linked to phytic acid, which impacts the body’s ability to absorb a whole array of nutrients and vitamins.
When people aren’t getting the nutrients they need, it impacts their mood. And instead of suggesting dietary changes, Mike Shouhed notes that most in the medical community will prescribe a pill. Not only does a lifetime of pill reliance impact our collective wallets, but it can also impact our overall health and energy levels. There’s a reason modern drug commercials feature a laundry list of potential side effects.
One thing members on each side of the dietary argument agree on is that maintaining a healthy weight is critical for our overall health. Mike Shouhed notes that the carnivore diet is effective in helping people lose weight because the calories provided from protein take longer to break down than calories from carbs. In fact, many carbs people eat will only increase a person’s hunger hormones. Speaking of hormones, Mike Shouhed notes that a diet packed with carbohydrates will often feature spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This can seriously impact a person’s ability to stay sharp throughout the day.
By consuming animal fats and cutting out carbs, Mike Shouhed notes that a person can enter what is known as ketosis. This metabolic state causes the body to use the fat a person eats and the fat that is stored in their body for fuel. This state is ideal for sustained weight loss. Those looking to get serious about improving their overall health should strongly consider what a zero-carb diet could accomplish for them.
