"The carnivore diet made my cholesterol shoot up!" First, so frikkin what? Read The Great Cholesterol Myth and stop being in fear! Second, cholesterol levels can rise during weight loss due to the way the body mobilises and processes stored fat, along with changes in metabolism. Here’s a breakdown of why this happens. Mobilisation of Stored Fat: When you lose weight, your body breaks down fat tissue (adipose tissue) to use as energy. Cholesterol is stored in these fat cells alongside triglycerides. As fat is burned, the cholesterol within it is released into the bloodstream, temporarily increasing circulating cholesterol levels, particularly low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Increased Lipoprotein Activity: During weight loss, especially rapid weight loss, the liver ramps up production of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) to transport triglycerides and cholesterol from fat stores to other tissues for energy use. VLDL is eventually converted to LDL in the bloodstream, which can elevate LDL cholesterol levels until the body adjusts. Reduced Clearance of Cholesterol: While fat breakdown increases cholesterol release, the body’s mechanisms for clearing cholesterol (like HDL picking it up or the liver excreting it via bile) might not immediately keep pace. This lag can lead to a temporary spike in blood cholesterol levels. Ketosis and Low-Carb Diets: If weight loss involves a low-carb or ketogenic diet, the shift to burning fat for fuel (ketosis) can amplify this effect. The liver processes more fatty acids and cholesterol, often increasing LDL production as a byproduct. Individual Variation: Genetics and metabolic factors play a role too. Some people experience a more pronounced rise in cholesterol due to how their bodies handle lipid metabolism during weight loss. Is This Rise Permanent? Typically, this increase is temporary. As weight stabilises and fat loss slows, cholesterol levels often normalise. Evidence and Context Studies, like those on rapid weight loss (e.g., post-bariatric surgery or extreme dieting), show transient LDL spikes in many cases. For example, research on ketogenic diets often notes an initial cholesterol increase that later adjusts.

For some, chronic illness has become a core part of their identity, and the fear of losing that - by getting healthy - can feel like losing a sense of self. It’s a complex psychological challenge.

What would cause my account to unfollow people I know I was following?

Question: When you lose body fat, where does most of it go? Answer: Most (84%) is breathed out as CO2; leaving 16% excreted as water via urine, faeces, sweat, breath, tears, or other bodily fluids. https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7257

Your body needs cholesterol. The cells produce it for the formation of your cell membranes and to make bile acids, vitamin D, and steroid hormones (cortisol, oestrogen, progesterone, aldosterone and testosterone). Cholesterol is transported in your body by lipoproteins. These ‘transport molecules’ pick up, transport, and deliver cholesterol (as well as fat-soluble vitamins and triglycerides) wherever it is needed. Without high density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides can build up in your blood; without low density lipoproteins (LDL), cholesterol would not get transported to where it is needed. So, if cholesterol is so needed, how did the myths in my image below arise? In the 1950s, Dr Ancel Keys cherrypicked data from 22 countries to support his theory that eating fat and cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack. He called his report the Seven Countries Study. Yep, seven countries out of 22. He excluded data from any country that did not support his theory! Other researchers some years later identified that when all the data from all 22 countries were considered, there was no association, but by then the cholesterol-is-bad lie had been well and truly accepted, and we were all told to avoid butter, eggs and fatty meats. In 2015, a scientific review showed: -There is no evidence that high cholesterol causes heart disease. -High cholesterol is protective against many illnesses. -The higher your cholesterol, the less likely you are to die from any cause, and the lower your cholesterol, the more likely you are to die from any cause! Whether it was due to this review or not, I am unsure, but in the same year, the USDA Dietary Guidelines Committee Report stated: “available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol” and that cholesterol “is not a nutrient of concern for over-consumption.” Did this make the headlines? No! Most in the medical community still need to catch up, but fortunately, more and more doctors are no longer pushing statins. Need more info? Read The Great Cholesterol Myth by Jonny Bowden PhD and Stephen Sinatra MD. References in comments.

The war on cholesterol was never about your health. Among cholesterol's many functions, it acts as the starting material to make sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone). These hormones are vital for: 👉Sexual development and reproductive function 👉Regulation of the menstrual cycle 👉Sperm production 👉Libido 👉General health, including bone health, mood regulation, and cardiovascular function. Hmmm, pretty essential, right? 🤔 Population control, anyone? Funds for Big Pharma?

For the body’s cells, organs, and systems to function properly, they need to be in constant communication with each other. Such communication systems include blood (carrying hormones, nutrients, and immune markers) and nerves. ⁠ ⁠ Blocking factors (stressors due to our diet and lifestyle) interfere with these lines of communication. Malfunction in the body’s cells, organs, and systems then occurs. ⁠ ⁠ Given time, symptoms may occur.⁠ ⁠ The type of symptoms or where in the body they occur doesn’t really matter. For example, take the autoimmune condition psoriasis. The symptoms appear on the skin and yet are a result of gut malfunction.⁠ ⁠ In many cases, symptoms may not even appear at all. You might think a particular food or glass of wine is not having an adverse affect, but you cannot be sure. ⁠ ⁠ Bottom line: Symptoms can take a long time to appear, or may not ever appear, but when they do, it is a sure sign of malfunction at a cellular, organ, or system level. ⁠ ⁠ The medical model uses relief care (pills, topical lotions or surgery), which focuses on treating symptoms. Although symptoms may go away or decrease with this type of care, if the underlying malfunctions have not been addressed, the symptoms often come back with a vengeance.⁠ ⁠ Corrective care works at removing the dietary and lifestyle stressors that have led to the malfunction. The symptoms have not directly been addressed, but because the malfunction has been corrected, they disappear of their own accord. ⁠ Symptoms are not normal⁠ ⁠Although symptoms are common, they are not normal! Your symptoms might be common for your age, for example, but they should never be considered normal. ⁠ ⁠ When you experience symptoms, what form of health care do you consider first? Relief or corrective?⁠

New Zealand, let's ride the Trump wave! Have your say on the Constitution of New Zealand, which will place the power back in the hands of 'We the People'. Visit https://www.unitenz.org/

"Experts" who criticise the carnivore diet for its potential health risks are not health experts. Some are experts in gaining funding for pushing propaganda for Big Ag, Big Food, and Big Pharma. Others are experts at regurgitating bullshit from their propaganda-funded education. Follow the money. 💰

I have a load of free resources on my website supporting a meat-based lifestyle: local farmer directories for meat, eggs, and dairy; low carb doctors; recommended books, videos, and podcasts; carnivore guide with FAQs and recipes, and a whole lot more. tiracole.com

Just skimming the surface of how meat is a nutritional treasure trove... Complete Protein: Meat contains all nine essential amino acids your body can't produce on its own. Whether you're building muscle, recovering from workouts, or just maintaining health, meat provides the building blocks in a highly bioavailable form. Vitamin B12: Exclusive to animal products, this vitamin is crucial for nerve function, DNA synthesis, and preventing anaemia. Vitamin D: In animal products and particularly high in fatty fish like salmon, vitamin D aids in bone health, immune system support, and mood regulation. Dietary sources are important, especially in regions with less sun or for individuals with limited sun exposure. Iron: Heme iron from meat is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron from plant sources. Zinc: Vital for immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division, meat is a rich source. Selenium: An antioxidant that helps in maintaining thyroid function and supports reproductive health. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Not just in fish! While often highlighted in seafood, grass-fed beef and lamb also contain beneficial omega-3s, which are essential for brain health and reducing inflammation. Creatine and Carnitine: Beneficial for energy production, muscle performance, and fat metabolism. Supplements can't quite replicate the synergy found in natural meat. When you eat meat, you're fueling your body with nature's most nutrient-dense food!

MY VIEWS ON ALCOHOL (Take 'em or leave 'em) Alcohol is not good for you. "But red wine is good for you!" Nope, sorry, not true. Just because grapes are high in antioxidants does not make wine good for your heart. Yes, I know, there was a famous study that said so, but if you’ve read my post on nutrition misinformation, then you’ll know that it ain’t so.⁠ ⁠ So, what does alcohol do to your body?⁠ -As it is toxic, your body will prioritise burning it as fuel, and store carbs and fat away while doing so. Not good if you are wanting to lose weight!⁠ -Causes inflammation⁠ -Can cause you to lose control of your eating urges⁠ -Is a diuretic and contributes to dehydration⁠ -It stresses the liver (actually the entire body)⁠ -Reduces deep sleep, suppresses REM sleep, fragments sleep during the second half of the night and shortens overall sleep duration⁠ -Depletes vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12 and K, and copper, magnesium and potassium⁠ -It decreases zinc absorption and increases urinary zinc excretion. Zinc is needed to produce stomach acid. (Over 50% of people who drink moderate to high amounts of alcohol are severely zinc deficient.)⁠ -Can exacerbate symptoms of yeast infection -Can increase blood sugar levels -Is a major contributor to higher uric acid levels and tends to increase the incidence of gout -It is addictive ⁠According to Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride (@GAPSyndrome), in her book Gut and Physiology Syndrome, alcohol and sugar addictions are two sides of the same coin. She says to overcome an addiction to both alcohol and sugar, you need to eat lots of animal fats at each meal. If you choose to drink alcohol, know that it is toxic and that it will in any amount put stress on the your body’s cells, organs and systems. If you have healing to do, or weight to lose, then it might just be something to think about.⁠

Did you know, store-bought shredded cheeses typically contain anti-clumping agents such as corn or potato starch and cellulose from wood pulp? Natamycin is also added to most shredded cheeses as a preservative. Grate your own cheese.

On my list to watch:

First Do No Pharm - Join The Movement To Demand Pharma Transparency

I just posted this question on X and am getting some interested answers. What say you, good people of #nostr? Genuinely asking. Whether or not you believe it can happen, what do you think it would take to put the world in order? Back to where we no longer shake our heads at all the insanity and chaos on a daily basis.

There is no need to track calories or macros on the carnivore diet, especially when starting out. Eat when hungry enough for a meal. Stop when full. Don't eat until hungry enough to do that again. See my free carnivore guide:

Tira's Corner

Carnivore diet: getting-started guide | Tira’s Corner

Tira’s guide to the carnivore diet: what to eat and drink, how much and how often, and getting support.

My recommended follows if trying the carnivore diet. I can see I'm going to have to update this page with #nostr links!

Tira's Corner

Recommended social follows | Tira’s Corner

Tira’s recommended social accounts that advocate meat-based lifestyles, including low carb, keto and carnivore.

The future of meat and our freedom to eat it is at stake. Take action to fight back.

Tira's Corner

Take action to save meat | Tira’s Corner

There is a current war on meat that threatens small farmers and the future of our food freedoms. Here is a list of action steps to take to fight back.

"But wholegrains are good for you!" Who said? "The food pyramid/MyPlate!" Who developed those? The US Department of Agriculture. What happens to them if we stopped eating grains? Follow the money.

In this video, Maggie White has been carnivore for more than 65 years. At 82 years of age, she is still able to work 14 hours in -40 degree weather to care for her herd.