Speaker 1: Welcome back, everyone ready to dive into some real life stories about how our bodies react to dietary shifts. Speaker 2: Let's do it. This q and a with Karen Wright has some fascinating examples, especially for those on a carnivore or keto diet. Speaker 1: Yeah. Like Toby's story, he had some dizziness, almost fainted after messing with his blood pressure meds and electrolytes. Speaker 2: Hmm. That's tricky territory. Speaker 1: And get this, it happened after he had bone broth and went for a walk in the cold. You wouldn't think those things would be connected, right? Speaker 2: Not at first glance, no. Speaker 1: But Karen pointed out that blood pressure meds can kind of override your body's natural systems. Speaker 2: Oh, interesting. How so? Speaker 1: Apparently they block those hormonal pathways. That regulate blood pressure through electrolytes. So when Toby adjusted his electrolytes while still on meds, his body couldn't compensate the way it normally would. Speaker 2: Makes sense. Like the meds were interfering with his body's internal communication system, Speaker 1: and then you add in the cold weather, which stresses the body even more. It's no wonder he had that reaction. Speaker 2: Wow. Yeah. It shows how interconnected everything is. Speaker 1: Definitely points to the need [00:01:00] for gradual adjustments. Speaker 2: Absolutely let the body adapt. Speaking of adaptations, Karen had this thought provoking idea about how the body might mistake healing energy as anxiety, particularly after bone broth. Speaker 1: I was wondering about that. What's the thinking there? Speaker 2: I. So imagine your body going through a major detox. It's releasing stored toxins, stress hormones. Those can trigger physical sensations that mimic anxiety Speaker 1: like a racing cart, Speaker 2: maybe exactly sweating, feeling uneasy. It's doing its job trying to heal, but the signals get crossed. Speaker 1: So you might freak out thinking something's wrong when it's actually a sign of healing. Speaker 2: That's the thing. It's a good reminder to pay attention to the context of those feelings. Speaker 1: Really important distinction. Now, Kathy is dealing with tachycardia, increased heart rate. She's been upping her sodium to manage her pots, but it's not helping. Speaker 2: Ah, see, this is where individual responses come in. What works for one might not work for another. Speaker 1: Exactly. Karen suggested she actually reduce her sodium and overall fluid intake. Sounds counterintuitive. Right. Speaker 2: Especially since we often hear about sodium for [00:02:00] pots, but a ketogenic diet changes how your body handles fluids. Maybe Kathy's body is holding onto too much fluid because of all that extra sodium. Speaker 1: So her old strategy might be backfiring now that her diet's different Speaker 2: precisely. Karen used the word flooded to describe it. It's like the body needs to recalibrate its fluid metabolism. In this new context Speaker 1: makes you think, okay, onto Nicholas. He's got fatigue in his muscles and joints, even though he's seeing improvements on his diet. Speaker 2: Sounds like a classic case of tissue hunger to me. Speaker 1: Tissue hunger, Speaker 2: basically, the body's craving more nutrients to fuel healing and repair even if you're eating super healthy. If you're not getting enough calories overall, your body might struggle to keep up, Speaker 1: right? Food is fueled. Nicholas mentioned he was having nutrient rich broth, but it's not just about quality, is it? Quality matters too. Speaker 2: Absolutely. You can have the most nutrient dense broth in the world, but if you're not eating enough of it, your body's still running on empty. Speaker 1: Especially with light workouts like Nicholas was doing. Gotta fuel that recovery. Speaker 2: Exactly. Now, Benjamin's wondering how to talk to doctors about elevated cholesterol, which can happen when you eat more [00:03:00] animal products. Speaker 1: It's that clash between conventional medical views and dietary approaches like Keo and carnivore. Speaker 2: Yeah. How do you bridge that gap? Speaker 1: Well, Karen stressed that total cholesterol is a metric, is limited. You need to look at triglycerides, HDL and LDL individually. To get the full picture, Speaker 2: like judging a book by its cover. Right? Gotta look deeper. Speaker 1: She also mentioned the potential downsides of statins, those cholesterol meds, and how hard it can be to challenge conventional wisdom. Speaker 2: People really need to advocate for themselves and find healthcare providers who are open-minded. Speaker 1: So true. Now, Benjamin also had a follow-up question about magnesium. Speaker 2: Ah, magnesium, the electrolyte everyone's talking about. What did Karen say? Speaker 1: She actually recommended a higher intake than what's usually suggested, and she mentioned that lots of her patients have good experiences with a liquid Magnesium supplement. Speaker 2: It really highlights that bioindividuality piece, right? We all have different needs. Speaker 1: Totally. Now, Toby asked why calcium doesn't get as much attention as other electrolytes. Speaker 2: It's definitely the quieter member of the group. Speaker 1: Karen explained that calcium supplements aren't usually recommended because they're [00:04:00] poorly absorbed and can have downsides. Instead, she emphasized bone stress and resistance training to boost calcium circulation. Speaker 2: So it's not just about consuming it, but creating the right environment for your body to use it. Speaker 1: That's it. Like building a strong foundation. You need to write materials and the structural integrity to support it. Speaker 2: Okay. Toby also shared that he had heart palpitations after having the flu, Speaker 1: and Karen connected those two electrolytes, spinal health, and even nerve conduction. Speaker 2: Wow. It's a reminder that our bodies are complex systems, so many factors can be involved. Speaker 1: She emphasized listening to those signals our bodies give us and considering all angles. Speaker 2: It's like detective work piecing together all the clues. Speaker 1: Now let's talk about die off. That detox process triggered by dietary changes. Speaker 2: Sometimes it gets messy before it gets better, right? Speaker 1: Totally. Devin and Philip shared their experiences with fatigue, digestive issues, even mood swings potentially linked to die off Speaker 2: makes you wonder how much our mental and emotional wellbeing is tied to gut health. Speaker 1: Right? Devon also opened up about feeling a loss of control, no [00:05:00] motivation while healing in a temporary living situation. Speaker 2: Ah, the emotional and psychological side of healing. Speaker 1: Karen pointed out the challenges men face when their sense of domain and purpose is disrupted during illness, which really resonated with Devin. Speaker 2: Healing isn't just physical, it's mental, emotional, even spiritual. Speaker 1: She talked about those opposing forces fighting for control when we're vulnerable and how crucial it is to be discerning. Then Speaker 2: discernment, making conscious choices align with your values even when you feel lost. So important. Speaker 1: She encouraged Devin to embrace not knowing and avoid forcing progress. Just be not do Speaker 2: wise words. Sometimes surrender and trust are the most healing things. Speaker 1: And that brings us to Benjamin's challenging experience with bone marrow. He found that sticking with the fatty chuck was much better for him at this stage. Speaker 2: Yeah. It seems like he's really learning to listen to his body's cues and make changes as he needs to. Speaker 1: And speaking of tuning in, let's go back to Philip for a sec. Speaker 2: Okay. Yeah. Speaker 1: He was struggling with low [00:06:00] energy and thought it might be die off even though he'd been carnivore for a while, Speaker 2: right? He had been since January and on this specific protocol since February. Speaker 1: It's wild how those shifts can keep happening, even when you've been eating a certain way for a while. Speaker 2: Definitely seems like there's always another layer to uncover, Speaker 1: like peeling back the layers of an onion. Totally. So Philip had initially moved away from boiled meats and was focusing more on those pan fried options like bacon and beef eggs. Okay. But Karen thought his gut might still prefer softer cooked foods. Speaker 2: Makes sense. Speaker 1: And she encouraged him to try bringing some of those back in. Speaker 2: It's so easy to think that certain foods are better or worse. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: But sometimes it's really just about what your body can handle at that moment. Speaker 1: So true. Speaker 2: What it's craving, Speaker 1: it all goes back to that bioindividuality piece. Exactly. Garin also reminded him about the importance of just eating enough. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Even suggested adding some chunks of beef to his broth for an extra boost. Speaker 2: Gotta fuel those cells. Speaker 1: Food is fuel. Speaker 2: Food is fuel for sure. Speaker 1: Philip was also having some trouble with sleep, [00:07:00] finding himself up till like 2:00 AM sometimes. Oh, Speaker 2: that's tough. Speaker 1: Karen gently reminded him about light exposure, Speaker 2: right? Speaker 1: Maximizing time without those blue light blockers. Speaker 2: So simple, but so important. Speaker 1: It really is Speaker 2: huge impact on our circadian rhythm and sleep and hormones. Speaker 1: He also had some interesting blood work results that they talked about. Speaker 2: Okay. Speaker 1: His sodium levels were a bit low, which Karen thought was probably due to the fasting period before the test. Speaker 2: That's a good reminder for anyone getting blood work done. Those pretest instructions are important Speaker 1: for sure. His hemoglobin and hematocrit were slightly elevated, but still within the normal range. Speaker 2: Okay. Speaker 1: And while his ferritin levels were on the lower end, Karen reassured him that his other iron markers related to red blood cell function looked great. Speaker 2: It's like having different gauges on a dashboard. Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 2: One might be flashing a warning while the others are steady Speaker 1: and it helps you get a clearer picture. Speaker 2: Exactly. Speaker 1: Okay. Now let's check back in with Devin. Speaker 2: Alright. Speaker 1: The one who is dealing with those intense muscle spasms. Speaker 2: Yeah, the locking episodes. Speaker 1: Well, he had a major breakthrough with his electrolytes. Speaker 2: Oh, that's right. Speaker 1: He realized that too much potassium was [00:08:00] actually the culprit. Speaker 2: Wow. Speaker 1: And once he adjusted his intake, the locking completely subsided. Speaker 2: That's incredible. It's Speaker 1: amazing how sometimes just paying attention and experimenting a little can lead to a solution. Speaker 2: You really have to be your own advocate. Speaker 1: Absolutely. But he was also experiencing some classic die off symptoms. Speaker 2: Oh, no. Speaker 1: Fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, even some changes in his stool. Speaker 2: Makes sense though, if his body's going through some big shifts. Speaker 1: It's like that renovation in analogy. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Things get messy before they get better. Speaker 2: Absolutely. Speaker 1: And remember how Karen talked about how men can feel, especially challenged during healing when they're not in their own domain? Speaker 2: Right? Speaker 1: Well, Devin really resonated with that. I Speaker 2: can imagine Speaker 1: he's still living in that temporary situation. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Feeling a loss of control, not sure where to go next, or even who he'll be on the other side of this healing journey. Speaker 2: It speaks to how healing is not just physical. Speaker 1: No, Speaker 2: there's that emotional existential component too. Speaker 1: Yeah. We're not just healing our bodies. We're healing our lives. Speaker 2: So true. Speaker 1: Karen had a beautiful perspective about how this inherent drive that men have to [00:09:00] create to be in control of their space, can feel especially thwarted during illness. Speaker 2: I love that perspective. It's so insightful. Speaker 1: She encouraged Devin to embrace that not knowing. And resist the urge to force progress Speaker 2: and to not mistake motion for actual progress. Speaker 1: There's a lot of wisdom in that. Speaker 2: A lot of wisdom. Speaker 1: It's about allowing ourselves to just be present with the discomfort. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: To trust that the answers will reveal themselves in time Speaker 2: rather than trying to muscle our way through it. Speaker 1: Now, back to Benjamin and his experience with bone marrow. Speaker 2: Okay. Speaker 1: He shared that he wasn't quite ready for it yet, Speaker 2: right. His body needed something a little gentler. Speaker 1: Karen recalled some of the messages Benjamin had sent earlier about his blood pressure ketones, those herx reactions. Speaker 2: Oh, that those temporary flares, Speaker 1: it's like the body's doing a deep clean, Speaker 2: stirring things up to make way for something new. Speaker 1: Exactly. And they talked about how ketone levels in the blood don't always tell the whole story. Right? Like it's possible that the body is utilizing them efficiently, even if they're not showing up in large numbers on a test. Speaker 2: We often look for those objective [00:10:00] markers, but sometimes the most valuable insights come from just paying attention to how we feel. Speaker 1: So true. Karen commended Benjamin for his commitment to healing. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: Recognizing the courage it takes to face and overcome fear after experiencing significant health challenges. Speaker 2: Healing is not for the faint of heart. Speaker 1: It's not. Speaker 2: It takes real strength and resilience. Speaker 1: Benjamin also mentioned feeling a disconnect between his body and mind. Speaker 2: Oh, interesting. Speaker 1: Like he was observing his body's healing process from a distance. Speaker 2: That's pretty common actually, especially for people who've been through a lot of stress or trauma. Speaker 1: Yeah. It's like those experiences create a split, a separation between our physical and emotional selves, Speaker 2: and healing often involves bridging that gap, Speaker 1: bringing those pieces back together, Speaker 2: reintegrating those fragmented parts of ourselves. Speaker 1: He was having some intense reactions in the mornings, regardless of what he ate. Speaker 2: Hmm. That's tough. Speaker 1: Aaron suggested spreading out his intake throughout the day Speaker 2: makes sense. Speaker 1: Rather than taking everything all at once, like Speaker 2: easy into a cold tool instead of diving in headfirst. Speaker 1: A gentler approach. Speaker 2: Exactly. He Speaker 1: also shared that while fulvic acid was beneficial, [00:11:00] he also had moments of disorientation and feeling a bit crazy after taking it. Speaker 2: Those powerful minerals, they demand respect. Speaker 1: Taryn mentioned a patient who needed up to four tablespoons of fold like acid a day during an intense healing phase. Speaker 2: Wow. It's amazing what our bodies can handle sometimes. Speaker 1: Benjamin described his mornings as a battle between feeling ready to embrace life and feeling overwhelmed by disorientation and fatigue. Speaker 2: That sounds really tough. Speaker 1: He described the fulvic acid as having both positive and negative effects, almost as if it were stirring things up in a way that felt. Both unsettling and potentially beneficial. Speaker 2: It reminds me of those healing crises we hear about where symptoms temporarily get worse as the body detoxifies. Speaker 1: Yeah. It's like shaking things up to clear out the cobwebs. Speaker 2: Exactly. Speaker 1: Benjamin really hit on something powerful when he talked about that feeling of everything being amplified. Speaker 2: Oh, interesting. Like Speaker 1: the volume was turned up on all his senses and emotions. Speaker 2: I can imagine that would be pretty intense. Speaker 1: He specifically mentioned how his awareness of his surroundings felt heightened, almost like he was experiencing [00:12:00] reality on a different level. Speaker 2: That's wild. It makes you wonder what other possibilities open up. When we start paying attention to those subtle shifts within ourselves, Speaker 1: it really does. You know, it's amazing to hear how these dietary changes impact people on so many levels. Speaker 2: Yeah. It's not just about the physical symptoms, Speaker 1: it's about the mental and emotional, and even spiritual shifts. Speaker 2: Right. It really highlights how interconnected we are as humans, like our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. They're not separate. Speaker 1: Not at all. Speaker 2: They're all part of this complex system, Speaker 1: and what really stands out to me is the importance of trusting that process. Yeah. Not getting discouraged when things feel challenging or uncertain. Speaker 2: Absolutely. Healing is not linear. You know, there are gonna be ups and downs. There are. Moments of progress and setbacks and it's just, it's all part of it. Speaker 1: It's all part of the journey. Karen encouraged the participants to embrace. The not knowing to surrender to the mystery of it all. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 1: To trust that their bodies have an innate wisdom. Right. That will guide them toward [00:13:00] healing. Speaker 2: Such a powerful message. You know, we live in a culture that values certainty and control. We do. But sometimes the most healing thing is to let go of that need to know. To just Speaker 1: let go and trust. And just Speaker 2: trust the journey. It's like Speaker 1: we're learning a new language. Yes. The language of our own bodies. Speaker 2: Exactly. And it Speaker 1: takes time and patience to become fluent. Speaker 2: And just like learning any new language, there will be moments of frustration. Oh yeah. Confusion and even moments where you feel like giving up. Speaker 1: Totally. But if Speaker 2: you keep practicing, keep listening and keep showing up, you'll eventually start to understand those messages. Speaker 1: You will. And those messages can be subtle, right? They can. We heard from people noticing shifts. In their energy levels, Speaker 2: right? Their Speaker 1: digestion, their mood, their perception of the world. Speaker 2: It's about paying attention to those nuances, those Speaker 1: little whispers. Yeah, Speaker 2: those whispers from within Speaker 1: and learning what they mean Speaker 2: exactly. And sometimes those whispers might lead us to make adjustments to our diet or lifestyle, or our mindset. Or our mindset. It's a constant dance of experimentation, population, and [00:14:00] refinement. It Speaker 1: is. Speaker 2: You gather information, you try things out. You see how your body responds, and then you adjust, Speaker 1: and throughout that whole process, self-compassion is key. Speaker 2: So important. Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge that healing takes time, and celebrate every step forward, no matter how small. Speaker 1: I loved Karen's presence in that q and a. It was so supportive and encouraging. She really created a safe space for people to share their experiences, ask questions, and feel validated. Speaker 2: Yeah, it highlights the importance of community and connection. It does. Having that support system during those tough times. We don't have to do this alone. Speaker 1: We don't. As we wrap up this deep dive, I'm just left with a sense of awe. At the complexity of the human body, Speaker 2: me too. Speaker 1: And its incredible ability to heal. Speaker 2: And a reminder that we all have that innate wisdom within us. Speaker 1: We do Speaker 2: a deep knowing that can guide us back to wholeness. Speaker 1: So what about you? What subtle shifts might your body be signaling? What whispers are you hearing? We encourage you to pay attention, to ask questions, and to trust that wisdom that's within you. Speaker 2: Keep [00:15:00] exploring, keep diving deep, and remember, you are not alone on this journey.