Candi and her little friend MooMoo.

I was diagnosed with psoriasis and Crohn’s Disease in 2012 at the age of 37. Both came as a surprise, as the psoriasis popped up out of nowhere, and – although I had alternating constipation and diarrhea for several years – I’d always thought my bowel habits were fairly normal. My Primary Care Physician encouraged me to follow a whole foods diet plan (gluten-free) and to make an appointment to see a Dermatologist.

I was prescribed Clobetasol ointment for topical treatment and Methotrexate for internal treatment of the psoriasis. I took used both of these medicines for 12 weeks. The psoriasis lesions lessened to some extent, but they never went away…and then – to my horror – they actually started spreading from just my knees, elbows, and abdomen to my face, ears, hands, and feet. I knew something had to change, so I started doing some research of my own. All this research pointed in the direction of dietary changes.

I watched Joe Cross’s documentary, ‘Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead,’ and dove straight into a juicing frenzy. I had only fresh raw juice for 30 days, but I saw no results with either of my health issues. More research led me to probiotics and foods rich in these good bacteria. I made Kombucha and milk kefir, and I fermented every vegetable I could get my hands on. My kitchen looked like a science lab. While I enjoy(ed) fermenting, I didn’t see major health results.

I decided to follow a raw foods diet for 14 days. I’m not sure if that would’ve helped or not, because I fell off the wagon after 7 days. There’s only so many zucchini noodles a person can eat. Naturally all these dietary changes started adding weight to my 5’2 body. I discovered the low-carb movement, and thought it might help with weight loss. But I had no hope that low-carb would do anything positive for my health issues.

Candi with her husband before starting Zero Carb.

I stumbled into the Facebook group Zeroing In On Health (ZIOH) through one of the many low-carb and ketogenic diet Facebook groups I already participated in. I hadn’t lost any real weight through several months of keeping to the ketogenic guidelines of very low carb, moderate protein, and high fat, so the idea of Zero Carb intrigued me.

I read all the posts on ZIOH, as well as all of Kelly Williams Hogan‘s posts on her blog My Zero Carb Life. I’d done everything else, so I figured why not try meat and water for 30 days…it wouldn’t kill me.

I transitioned to Zero Carb quite easily – as far as the physical aspects are concerned. I experienced no major negative symptoms of withdrawal or adaption. The mental transition was a totally different ball game, however. I experienced both grief and anger. I mean, who were these people that said it was a good idea to give up my flavored coffee creamer and my delicious vegetables?!

Plus, I occasionally volunteer at a local organic farm, and receive free fresh vegetables – what’s so wrong with that? And I enjoyed playing with my $300 masticating juicer that I had purchased to follow Joe Cross’s popular juicing program. It was hard to turn off my desire to craft up some kitchen witchery with food experiments. But I persevered. “It’s is only 30 days,” I told myself.

Candi after 30 days on Zero Carb with MooMoo.

Now, after only one month of eating this way, the magic of meat and water is becoming more apparent to me everyday…

My stomach no longer feels bloated and crampy.

My bowels have calmed down considerably. I have gone from 4-6 loose bowel movements per day to only 1-2  per day. And when I do feel the need for a bathroom, it is no longer an urgent emergency.

My skin is clear and my acne is gone.

My hair and eyelashes have grown noticeably longer.

My mood and energy have both improved. I feel less stressed out and more optimistic about life in general.

My libido has increased.

My weight has decreased from 132.8 lbs to 126.0 lbs.

And -most importantly – my psoriasis has greatly diminished (see pics below).

All this in just 30 days!

Left Elbow – Before Zero Carb

Left Elbow – Before Zero Carb

Left Elbow – After Zero Carb

Left Elbow – After Zero Carb

Abdomen – Before Zero Carb

Abdomen – Before Zero Carb

Abdomen – After Zero Carb

Abdomen – After Zero Carb

Left Knee – Before Zero Carb

Left Knee – Before Zero Carb

Left Knee – After Zero Carb

Left Knee – After Zero Carb

(Please note: All of the above “before” photos were taken after the topical ointment and 30 days of fresh raw juice had failed to make much of a difference, followed by 12 weeks of Methotrexate tried as a last resort due to its toxic nature…only to have the lesions get worse and continue to spread. All of the “after” photos were taken on the 30th day of eating a Zero Carb diet free of all plant foods.)

I was not prepared to release my love of coffee when I began Zero Carb, so I have continued to have two cups a day with some heavy whipping cream. I have been eating mostly beef, pork, and chicken. I also eat eggs, drink homemade bone broth, and have a bit of cheddar cheese from time-to-time.

I still like to include fermented foods in my diet, so I make and enjoy kefir butter, kefir sour cream, kefir cheese, and Kombucha flavored with a variety of herbs. I usually eat two meals per day, but sometimes only one. It just depends on how hungry I am.

I no longer see plants in the same light as I once did. They do not make my mouth water. I never felt as good consuming any kind of plant foods as I do right this very minute…finishing off my steak. I’m so pleased that I gave Zero Carb a fair chance for 30 days full days.

My results are proof that the body can show measurable signs of healing within a brief period of time. Thank you ZIOH veterans for showing me the path. I hope this inspires other people to take the 30 day meat and water challenge.

Candi visiting with some deer friends.

On June 7, 2015 Candi posted this picture of herself to share that the psoriasis that plagued her for so long is almost completely gone after just 3 months of following a Zero Carb diet.

Please visit my Testimonials page to read the stories of others following a Zero Carb diet.

If you are interested in meeting others who practice an All-Meat diet, please feel free to join us in the Facebook group Principia Carnivora for support.