My Carnivore Insomnia Fix - Finally Found the Cause | It Took Me 6 Mos. of Tracking

[@LifeDIY]

*Update:* Thank you for all the comments! For anyone who wants some clarification on what can happen if you do low-carb, keto, or carnivore for a really long time (as it relates to insulin and insulin suppression) I just found this other video by Dr. Cywes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2StlaiNgc-SZqcsi=pgSya4e0n5XWkHRS and he talks about it sometime after the 10 minute mark. I highly recommend it as he explains things a lot better in this video than any others that I've seen. It's really interesting to hear his perspective on it and what he's learned through his clients. I forgot to include something in the video that I think is important. I recently had a hormone panel done - a comprehensive test called DUTCH Complete. This tests sex hormones, cortisol, some neurotransmitters, and more - at five different times so you can get a picture of what is happening day and night. The results showed that my cortisol levels were very low. This can occur for many different reasons from autoimmune disorders to chronic stress. I suspect that cortisol issues are more common than we know about because so few people get tested. When blood sugar dips, cortisol helps the liver produce glucose through gluconeogenesis, while insulin is the primary hormone regulating blood sugar levels. If one or both of these are low, it could potentially contribute to blood sugar issues. If anyone is interested in the DUTCH Complete test, it's pretty expensive and not covered by insurance. It normally costs $500 but I purchase the test from DHALabs for $350. I'm not affiliated with them, but I've been using their services for a decade and highly recommend them. If you're struggling with your health even after making dietary changes and if you feel like your doctor isn't really helping you, I highly recommend looking into seeing an Integrative Health doctor. Most major hospital chains in the U.S. have these types of specialists that you can see or do virtual visits with, and for me, it's covered by insurance. I'm really grateful that I have one because she has a lot of patients who eat low-carb, keto, and carnivore and she stays on top of the research.

[@Total_Body_Fitness_USA]

I recommend a fasting early morning BLOOD cortisol test to confirm as well. Also, a blood DHEA-S done at that time will also show if your adrenals are struggling. If both DHEA-S and Cortisol are low, it could potentially be caused by not taking in enough carbs. Sorry if that goes against the carnivore people. Cortisol plays a role when the body is primarily in fight or flight (under stress). If indeed you do have low cortisol, then something is stressing you out big time! What is it in my opinion? DIET! Considering of course IF your cortisol was NORMAL before starting your carnivore way of eating. Hopefully you did some baseline testing before making that drastic change in your diet. Sounds like your doc has a grip on it, but as an integrative functional medicine practitioner myself, I was always using the Dutch test with patients, but you will find some discrepancies in the results. The idea behind testing urine is that the body WILL excrete any excess hormones that it does not need through the urine and if the urine shows low then that means YOU are low on that particular hormone. Well, that is NOT entirely true because the body has a unique way of hanging onto things AND storing those things - which in this case can be hormones. For example, I had a female patient with severe acne about 6 weeks from testosterone pellet insertion. We did a repeat Dutch test and she still showed low on testosterone. I then decided to test serum, and lo and behold she was sky high and had DHT levels out of the range. Since then I have used the Dutch test as only one tool in my arsenal when it comes to testing. I have frequent meetings with other physicians and functional medicine practitioners to share thoughts on this. Conventional medicine calls the Dutch test quackery - lol. However, it does have its use in my own professional opinion when done with some serum testing as well and I have been doing this 30+ years. The thyroid is another one. You can have someone with autoimmune issues have a perfectly functioning thyroid and then they eat something that triggers MCAS, and their thyroid numbers hit the roof within minutes. It's not the thyroid doing it, it's the mast cells that are releasing thyroid hormone due to the foods they ate. Yes, thyroid hormone is stored in peripheral tissues as well. This is why someone with an autoimmune disease can eat certain foods and go into a full blown panic attack. Not many docs know this one..... Sorry for the long comment.

[@LifeDIY]

@@Total_Body_Fitness_USA Thanks so much for sharing this! I did have both of those early morning serum tests done too (on DHEA-S and Cortisol) and they correlate with the DUTCH results. That's very interesting about the serum labs of your patient vs the Dutch results. I am fortunate my doctor ordered those labs with a bunch of other ones. The only unusual thing I've experienced with thyroid testing is that if I take my thyroid medication the morning of the test, it shows that my TSH is greatly suppressed and in the past, some doctors would think that I was hyperthyroid when I was not. If I skipped it and took it after the test, I was within a normal range. I've told this to some past doctors but they don't really listen. So I tend to just avoid taking it before the labs and then things are fine.

[@Total_Body_Fitness_USA]

@@LifeDIY Sounds like you have a good doc which can be hard to find. Yes, do not take thyroid meds before testing because it will suppress TSH for a short while. Keep an eye on your antibodies as well to see if your diet is helping if indeed you have Hashimoto's. If your antibody levels are fine and you still have low thyroid, then look at iron/ferritin as a start. Not sure if you've ever done a GI-MAP test, but that one is very good when it comes to finding underlying gut issues, and a lot of gut issues can contribute to autoimmune issues. Oh, and hopefully your doc is checking Free T3 as well. You want to be at the top of the range, but without tanking your TSH. I'm sure you have it all figured out as much research as you do. Keep up the good work!

[@drewnicest4319]

You're clearly not exercising nearly enough. Also how much water do you drink a day?

[@LifeDIY]

@totalbodyfitness6103 Definitely! I'm grateful I haven't had any antibodies in many years. Thank you for recommending the GI-MAP. I just looked at the website and sample report, and I did do a very similar test to this months back. I was very curious and wanted to do it while eating strict carnivore. I forgot to post a video about it. My doctor is also testing FT3 and some other thyroid labs. She's very comprehensive luckily and I have a really good endocrinologist. I can't believe I'm saying that as in the past I've had the most horrendous experiences with endos. But, this lady is excellent. I have been in the process of very slowly titrating down on my thyroid medication and I was so happy I was in a good range the last time it was checked. I know it shouldn't just be normal, but optimal. Plus, I am not having any symptoms of hypothyroidism. I'll get it checked again in a month. Thank you so much for all your insights and helpful guidance. I wish you had a YT channel!

[@Havenwyck_Media]

I'm in my late 60's, and have been strict carnivore since the first of Feb. I have had sleep issues for the last fifteen years...I thought carnivore might help, but it hasn't change. I am rarely hungry, and eat only two meals a day, getting about 1500 cals a day. I'm losing weight very slowly, and this is frustrating. I was pre-diabetic when I started, and now that's fixed, but I still can't sleep. Your information here is compelling, and I'm sure my issues are yet another aspect of insulin resistance, but no one seems to know. Thanks for sharing your experience, it has inspired me to dig deeper...

[@alicesais770]

I also have had sleep issues for years and it seems to get better, then again I have them in phases so I really don’t know why I’ve had him when I wasn’t keto. I had them when I was keto. I had them when I was keto or so. I just don’t know.

[@natasha9263]

Try eating a tablespoon or two of butter just before going to bed. I used to have sleep issues too and somebody told me to try this. I was sceptical at first, but I tried it and it worked! I sleep like a baby all night long and I fall asleep instantly. I don't even hear my husband coming to bed or anything for that matter. Also, it seems like you are not eating enough? 1500 calories seems to be very little food.

[@Total_Body_Fitness_USA]

I've been in healthcare 30+ years trained in integrative functional medicine and thought I would make a couple of suggestions regarding testing so you don't throw money away. 1. Check your fasting insulin levels. 2. Check your thyroid function - TSH, Free T4, and Free T3. 3. Check your hormones - Testosterone, Estrogen, and Progesterone 4. Check your iron - TIBC that includes Ferritin 5. Do a basic CBC and CMP. 6. Optional ONLY if you have gut issues - GI-MAP test. Checks for gut infections like H Pylori and other gut infections. People with H Pylori have elevated histamine levels which in turn causes sleep issues as well. You can ask your PCP to order the tests if you have health insurance. If not, you can order labs yourself online. Once you get the results you can share them with your PCP and go from there. I PROMISE you that one or more of the above tests will come back abnormal.

[@terryolay4613]

I had sleep issues for over a decade. It took being on Carnivore for about 6 months before my sleep improved. BTW, I've been wearing a CGM for self-study since last year and my blood sugar was never low and had nothing to do with my sleep.

[@terised]

Agree with the comment about your calories being too low. Try increasing by 200 calories a day for a couple weeks, and keep increasing by 200 if you're still not losing weight. Your metabolism will thank you.

[@nadiaroosendaal3505]

I have had sleep issues for over 20 years - been mostly carnivore since October 2023. I recently discovered a sleep remedy - I drink a cup of bone broth to which I add a tablespoon of butter an hour before bedtime - slept for a solid 7 hours after that.

[@lukula2934]

Might give this a try, Thanks.

[@alicesais770]

Great 👍 idea, I’ll have to try it.

[@Habanero777]

I just do a tablespoon of butter. Then go brush my teeth and go to bed and that has worked wonderfully.😊

[@natasha9263]

@@Habanero777 Same! Just eating butter just before going to bed and I sleep like a baby! Such a deep sleep and nothing wakes me up lol! I love it.

[@beachbreath2504]

I am going to try this. I stopped taking melatonin and it is now taking me 2-3 hours to fall asleep, ugh.

[@dombarton2483]

To everyone watching this remember carnivore is really hypercarnivore as Prof Bart Kay tells us meaning even if you eat some carbs in the form of vegetables for example and its below 30% you are still doing carnivore. Eating a bolus of protein will also bump up your glucose levels. You always want a bump and not a spike. If it's working for her then all good. Everyone is different as our ancestors come from different parts of the globe with different climates and environments to deal with. This is why some can tolerate dairy and others cannot. The most important thing to stick with is consuming a majority animal based diet. Stay away from smoking, alcohol, all seed based oils and carbs especially grain based. Remember plant food was only ever emergency food for our ancestors when hunts failed or animals were scarce.

[@alicesais770]

But don’t you think that grains are getting a really bad wrap, our ancestors ate grains I think it’s how we are now making our grains so processed and over indulging in them

[@dombarton2483]

@@alicesais770 grains have no place in our diet. Better left to birds. They are at the foundation of so many non communicable diseases which ultimately lead to mitochondrial damage. Stay away from them at all costs. If I could give you any advice whatsoever, it would be to completely stop eating them in all forms, as well as seed based oils and fruit. Just eat animal based food. That is our species specific species appropriate diet

[@leemanwrong]

For the majority of our species existence we have not eaten grains.

[@dombarton2483]

@@leemanwrong yes true, it has been mostly the flesh and associated fat of mainly large ruminant animals

[@AndreAngelantoni]

​​@@alicesais770until agriculture was invented, the amount of grains we ate was tiny. Imagine trying to gather enough grains from the wild. So yes there is evidence that we ate grains but it was tiny. And the carbon isotope ratio in ancient teeth shows that, too.

[@user56gghtf]

So glad you found a solution. I was one of those people that commented on your other videos. I had been mostly carnivore for over two years but I had to keep in honey because no carbs wrecked my sleep.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you! 🙏 I appreciate your comments. I'm glad the honey has helped you. Has it totally fixed your sleep issue? How soon before bed do you consume that?

[@cammieklund]

How did you consume it, when and how much?😅

[@Whatareyoudoingwithyourlife]

@@LifeDIY Still hungry after eating can be PARAISTES!! YEP that is one of the signs of parasites. Vets know that if a pet is overeating they have parasites. parasite vds on these chs Dr Ken Berry, Dr Berg, DR Group, Dr Axe, CanXida eric bakker naturopath (he is a gut expert), Brenda watson road to perfect health. ALL Humans, pets, livestock, wild animals, birds etc get parasites. In the old days doctors were educated on cleaning parasites. Now the big pHram controls the medical schools and this is not taught, ON top of that the Govt health officals & govt ABC agencies say "Parasites are not an issues in the US". THIS IS A BLANTANT LIE EVEryone gets & has parasites. Parasites will also cause sleep issues and cause you to wake up in the middle of the night as worms/parasites are active that time of night. Do a parasite cleanse. Eric bakker has protocal vds etc Start parasite cleanses based on moon phases. Library will have books on parasite cleansing & herbs. SERIOUSLY look into this.

[@steaksaltwaterguy9485]

@@LifeDIY I have been giving the same advice add 30g carbs 3-4 hours before you sleep, I have also noticed this only happens to people who are lean and active which makes sense as my glucose level has always been normally low so when I lost all the weight and fat reserves the sleep issue started. I think its important to select the type of carbs you can tolerate as some may react differently, I am having my heavy protein first then an hour later eat some carbs seems to be the sweet spot for me. I too have noticed that my trigs has slowly been rising two years in Carnivore which corresponds to the lean mass hyper responder type. I will try your carrot experiment as carbs in the form of dairy, breads grains tubers has triggered joint pain, gas,gut,skin,gum issues. Thank you very much for making this video it has answered some of my theories it seems in the long term a low carb diet with close to 90-95 percent Carnivore is the solution for some of us. please keep giving us updates as this is helping a lot of people.

[@jerwgar]

@@steaksaltwaterguy9485 Have you tried raw cultured dairy as Weston A. Price observed did well for humans. I am moving back to the mainland from Hawaii so am going to try that.

[@corwynmatthew6625]

Great vid; super thorough, I love that. After 2 years of carnivore, I've never quite experienced what you're describing, other than being hungry first thing in the morning, but that usually goes away when I get up and start moving around. On days it doesn't (like today) I eat. I just listen to my body. As far as eating a rib-eye and still being hungry, what a lot of people tend to fall victim to is the "numbers" game. We tend to think the numbers (calories, or blood test results) are more of an exact science than they really are. If you chase those numbers you're bound to run into a lot of things that don't add up. For example: if you think you're eating plenty of calories based on the numbers but still feel hungry, then you're not eating plenty of calories (other than in the scenario when it really is a hormone issue, which generally corrects within 6 months, from what I've seen.) We also tend to not eat enough fat after a lifetime of avoiding it, so adding cold butter to bites of steak/burger etc. should help with satiety. You seem very thorough in your research so you probably understand all this, but you're also (imo) putting too much faith in the numbers. Listen to your body. Just eat when you're hungry. As far as sleep goes (which is why I clicked on this vid) I've always slept like crap, regardless of the diet. That was one thing I was bummed about when hearing so many other carnivores had improved sleep and I didn't. My sleep didn't get any worse, but it didn't necessarily get better either. But what did get better in that regard is that when I have terrible nights of sleep I am much more capable of going about my day without any trouble at all (even working out), whereas before carnivore my entire day would be ruined if I got anything less than 6 hours of crappy off-and-on-again sleep. But, regardless, keep doing you. Whatever works, works, and could help a lot of other people, so thanks for sharing. 😊

[@privatetatum]

I can't wait to sit down give this my undivided attention. I've suffered with middle of night waking for two years now, but i've only been low carb for about one - so i don't know that this definitely the issue but i'm excited at any prospect of a solution to waking up at 2:30 every morning. Thank you for sharing your tireless and thorough efforts with us!

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you and I hope you find a solution!

[@coya4321]

do you have any other histamine issues? between 2 and 4 our bodies increase histamine to start the waking process..if we go to bed with high histamine then this increase can cause symptoms waking us up

[@devintompkins9626]

Increase your saturated fat intake. Carbs give no benefit to humans whatsoever.

[@PardieDiem]

I've been following Paul Saladino's way. It's good to see he is being vindicated, at least for some of us. Thank you so much for showing us the research and your personal experience that many of us can relate to!

[@rojodiver3344]

Why was it that Paul added carbs again? Was it insomnia or exercise/activity related?

[@PardieDiem]

@@rojodiver3344 He has a video explaining why.

[@machia7790]

Paul Saladino lives a completely unnatural life. He surfs for three hours a day, every day and works out on top of that! Are you really following him?

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you! 🙏

[@michaelo2522]

Why do they call it saladino way It's the late ray peat method

[@TJ-gi3jo]

Great video! Very well done. I had zero appetite, diarrhea, intermittently poor sleep and no energy on 4 mos of strict carnivore. Adding back some carbs was necessary for me to be able to function. Trying to carefully craft a way of eating that works is definitely a process. Thank you for doing this and sharing your lab work, etc...

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm glad you're doing better. I've been so used to not having many carbs but after doing carnivore for a period of time, now my body really seems to need some in order to function really well and get good sleep.

[@passiveincomeadventures]

Years ago my dad warned me about this as he was Type II who naturally preferred a more carnivore type diet and would wake up starving in the middle of the night when he had an evening carnivore meal. This really derailed him as ge ended up moving more toward standard doctor recommendations with way more plants and carbs than he wanted to eat, using the night hunger as "proof" he shouldn't be that low carb. He eventually passed away from diabetic kidney failure, so there is a middle ground here that I am glad you have found! He was trying to listen to his body, but there are so many loud voices about diet out there, it's so hard to do that! Thank you for sharing your experiences. Carnivore is a useful therapeutic diet, but I'm personally finding adding berries and allulose to my diet in the evenings has improved my quality of life dramatically by reducing the nausea I experience while eating only carnivore.

[@LifeDIY]

I'm so sorry about your dad. Thank you for sharing some of his experience. It must have been hard for him to find the right balance with listening to his body and the doctors. You are right that it's not easy to do! I totally agree with you that carnivore is a great therapeutic tool. I'm so glad to hear that the berries and allulose are helping so much! I also sometimes have issues with horrible nausea and when I've had nothing else to turn to (when adding more meat would make me feel worse), I have eaten some blueberries and it's helped me a lot at those times. Have you ever thought that it could be your gallbladder? It's hard to figure out because some people do well eating massive amounts of fat and others cannot do that. So it's hard to know if it's a gallbladder issue or if your body just isn't meant to over-consume the fats. When I've been really nauseous, I sometimes take a couple charcoal capsules and it takes about 20 minutes, but it then improves.

[@mk3suprafy]

Finally! Someone not dogmatic. I am underweight, trying to go carnivore for the last year. I cycle and try to acclimate while maintaining weight. I struggle to digest tons of fat and can't do dairy, even ghee. I enter hard ketosis very quickly. Morning glucose always stable, and ketones would be in the 'ultimate' zone in 2-3 days of no carbs. I would feel great for a period of time and then feel less satisfied, then tired, try doing more fat, try electrolytes... no good. Tracked macros the whole time, I would try more protein, more fat, more exercise, more electrolytes, more small meals, more big meals... People who can't accept this always circling a wheel of excuses, all bs from dogmatic people. Started getting painful cramps in my calves each morning. What I found is adding banana and blueberries with some honey worked out fantastic. Red meat every day, a pound or more and add extra fat. Always eaten first. Wait till hungry then add fruit. You can 'prime the pump' for your insulin. Doesn't take long. No vegetables, no grains. Just fruit, which I NEVER really tolerated well. Now I have mangoes and kiwi along with many bananas and cups of blueberries. This gets me more calories throughout the day than I was (3000+). I have more appetite but feel satisfied. I have no blood sugar issues and just feel better and more sustainable eating this way.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you for sharing this! Your comment is so refreshing. I also appreciate your approach to all of this. And, I can relate to so many things you mentioned. I can imagine it's hard to do carnivore if underweight. Some people really struggle to keep the weight on - my son has this issue. I was pretty much underweight when I started carnivore & I lost a couple lbs in the beginning, but I gained it back and about 5 lbs more so I am in the normal range now. I can completely relate to how you'd go through cycles of feeling ok and then more tired, trying to add in more fats, etc. Been there so many times. I consume as much fat as my body can tolerate and if I go over a certain amount then I get very, very ill from it. It's happened many times. I know most people wouldn't like this, but I found it helpful to eat 2-3x a day in order to help with the digestion of the fat. I can't tolerate dairy either (or ghee). I like to use duck fat when cooking eggs and certain other items and coconut oil is fine for certain things. I also love coconut milk (the Thai kitchen brand that has 2 ingredients is the best one if you ever want to try it. Others have gums in them). I like your approach of always eating the meat first and then having some fruit. I do the same thing. I didn't have muscle cramps but when in deeper ketosis, I kept having my left eye twitching like crazy. It was very annoying. I have about a 1/4 c of blueberries here and there but it doesn't seem to impact me much as it's a small amount. I am in such a habit of having low carb low sugar items, it'll take time for me to adjust to adding things in. As far as fruit goes, I used to love Papaya, and kiwis are really good too. It sounds like you have a lot better energy levels now. And, I've just been experimenting with adding things in more recently, but I've noticed the same thing. I feel better and more energized and it helps if I am getting better, longer sleep too. Thanks!

[@dawnbullen6875]

I'm in the same boat I'm more than happy to be totally carnivore, but, I've always been a lean person and have difficulty keeping weight on, and so after trying all sorts of different things have found for me, dairy is ok, very small amount of milk each day in my cuppa, a small amount of broccolli just to keep things moving and I love it, and a peeled apple after my main meal, and so far this seems to be my best method I feel balanced note the (I as in me), this is what I do, sick of all those that try to say that people are not doing it the right way. You do you I'll do me, whatever works and is healthy for the individual.

[@ninjaa9999]

Same 4 months pure carnivore and suddenly same things started happening and non stop twitching in my triceps for a week was nuts. Nothing helped same as for you, until i got carbs from fruits. Now adding 50-100gr of carbs and all good. And yes i tried all possible solutions to stay 100% carnivore-doesn't work for me and i am training in a gym for 20 years so know everything about nutrition in various ways:) Just not for all some people just need small amount of carbs for electrolyte balance and not from protein as people say but from carbs. No dogma when its your health please:) I would stay carnivore with pleasure since it's my favourite foods :))))but it doesn't work for me. Sad but true.

[@tanyaburford8699]

I just realised you are Kerry’s sister! And I’ve been following you both for a while. What amazing siblings. God bless ❤

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you!

[@MrApplewine]

I suggested earlier that copper deficiency was causing your insomnia. Frank Tufano got insomnia on carnivore and used copper. Also, as copper expert Morley Robins mentions, copper is necessary for GLP1, which Dr. Cywes mentions at 2:47. The issue with carnivore diet is that it is high in iron and zinc, but the soil is deficient in copper and zinc blocks copper and iron has be balance with copper to release iron and prevent iron overload. The other thing is that high protein diet depletes retinol and retinol is used for the sleep cycle. Retinol is in liver. You can test retinol. I don't know this is the issue and maybe you should have carbs, but I would try doing the copper and retinol. Iodine is also deficient in just about everyone and there are people using 50mg of Lugol's iodine per day. See Lynne Farrow "The Iodine Crisis". You can take at least 6mg of copper per day and I believe much more is fine as copper advocates say it is not a problem. Morley Robins has much more information and suggests doing some blood donating to get ferittin below 150 for women and below 300 for men, and ideally between 20 and 50. The soil is copper deficient so the beef liver will be deficient. One person had their grass fed beef liver tested and it was zero. So, just supplement. You can see Morley Robins mentions Incretin GLP1 at time index 18 minutes in the video "Is Copper the Key to Weight loss?" with Dr. Amie Hornaman. EDIT: I think he used copper, maybe I'm remembering wrong. One other thing to check which causes many other problems though is toxic mold and you can test yourself for that from MyMycoLab. Either way, the copper seems to be involved with blood sugar and insulin and GLP1.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you for sharing this. I really appreciate your insights. I don't like to supplement with too many things unless I am tested and showing a deficiency. But, I'll check into my past copper levels and other labs. I have been supplementing with iodine for months now. My ferritin has always tested at 60. I'm going to check out the resources you shared and do some research. My issues are improving with the carbs, but I am still going to look into all of this because I know how important all these minerals are - copper, zinc, iron, etc. and if any of those are causing issues, I want to fix it asap. I also think people should be careful supplementing with copper, or at least do testing. If someone takes too much copper, low zinc issues can be really bad too. I had a family member with low zinc and it caused a lot of problems. I'm going to chat with my favorite doctor in a couple of weeks, so I'll ask her about it and hopefully get some labs as well. Thank you!

[@MrApplewine]

​@@LifeDIY That is a good sign. My ferritin is over 300, which is a sign of pathology (according to Sir Douglas B. Kell, PhD, Knighted in 2014 for his pioneering and penetrating research into Ferritin and Morley Robins I believe). You could check your ceruloplasmin for copper. Retinol is used for the copper pumps. I don't know if you were eating liver or not for your retinol.

[@LifeDIY]

@@MrApplewine Thanks! I remember hearing Dr. Cywes mention something about high ferritin. I know my iron was on the higher end in 2023. I think my copper was on the low normal end the last time I was tested, so I'll definitely get it retested. I haven't really eaten liver though I do have some liver supplements if I need them. I am going to ask my doctor to order these labs. I don't know much about retinol, so I will look into all of this shortly. Thanks!

[@k41418]

​@@LifeDIY I worked with someone who is trained in morleys protocols. I have a ferritin of 21 and I assure you it is not ideal. My hair and eyebrows fall out and only grow back after I get iv iron. I wake after 6 hours of sleep on carnivore. Carbs can be hit or miss with me for sleep as sometimes the blood sugar crash wakes me. Carbs at every meal can help but then I'm sleeping 9 hours and still feel exhausted. My sleep issues started when I went low carb 10 years ago. I think it's either hormonal or anxiety for me.

[@Habanero777]

Everybody should be drinking their water out of a copper water bottle or a copper mug. That's what I've been doing for the past year.

[@twofarg0ne763]

I"m 75. I was having problems sleeping too. However, I've never needed more than 7 hours in my whole life. After I went carnivore I started sleeping only 5 hours, usually waking at 3 or 3:30am. When I moved to a more carno/keto diet my sleep went back 7 hours. I just added blueberries, dill pickles, and an occasional avocado. I also like to take naps in the afternoon.

[@mrbrightside3771]

Im in my 40s and have the same exact issue. 3am wake up like clock work. and cant go back to sleep.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing this! Those are the exact foods I like to add in as well.

[@terised]

​@@LifeDIYI added berries, tomatoes and onions about 7 months ago but my sleep has not improved. I also eat whole milk plain Greek yogurt and cheese daily.

[@jhssuthrnmama]

About how much do you think you're getting in carbs?

[@LifeDIY]

@@terised Thanks for sharing this and sorry for the late reply! I've added some of those in as well (without the yogurt and cheese as I am lactose intolerant) and for me it hasn't improved my sleep. It's been a struggle! Lately I've been waking up even earlier (around 12 or 1 AM), though I can sometimes go back to sleep for a couple hours. I am now wearing a continuous glucose monitor (and getting labs done today) to track and figure things out - and see exactly how food are impacting me/my glucose levels. When I posted this video, just tiny bits of carbs helped and I slept, but since then it hasn't been as easy. I will do an update video soon. I am so HAPPY to hear you're doing better with the add-ins. Is your sleep still doing better now?

[@GreenTeaViewer]

Since I started carnivore my body has moved naturally to a biphasic sleep pattern. I wake up at 3am feeling in a good mood and moderately alert. At first I thought this was a problem, but now I believe it's normal and I try to embrace it. Fortunately I have the flexibility to take a nap or siesta in the afternoon which is the other part of this sleep pattern.

[@jhssuthrnmama]

Wish it was a norm for me. I'm not sure I'm a believer in the biphasic sleep pattern, largely because it has never happened naturally for any of my children, all of whom have been raised in a way that should have lef naturally to it If it were natural, since they slept in my bed and nursed whenever they wanted to for the first 3 years of their lives. When I wake at 3:00 a.m., I feel drugged and miserable for 3 hours until I'm finally able to sleep again.

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

​@@jhssuthrnmamatry taking a bite of butter, the fat may help you get back to sleep

[@whlewis9164]

Interesting stuff! The vast majority of us will not be LMHR, but it is fascinating to see that you are such an outlier. Nick has probably the best LMHR content out there. Enjoy your Oreos!!! 😂😂😂

[@LifeDIY]

Hahah!!! Love the comment! Thank you.

[@joebowieaddick]

‘Tracking myself like a crazy person’. That made me smile, but with so many factors to take into account, and the fact that we are all different, it makes sense that you're doing that. Seems like you're making some good progress, and I hope that continues. Love the cosy background you’ve created, Holly! I especially like the palm plant...I got myself a lovely new phoenix palm last week.😊

[@Valerie-b3s]

Thank you for this video. I'm considering the Carnivore diet, but I have issues with absolutely no other foods. I do believe that humans are both carnivore & herbivore. I also think most people eat too much when eating veggies and fruits. This helps me in my decisions on how to go about this.

[@theskyehiker]

Protein also triggers an insulin release so if you are eating protein your body should be having some insulin. I’m not trying to be disagreeable but just thinking out loud.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks, Scott! I agree with you. I too don't trust many doctors. I am grateful I have a good one right now. I am so glad you're doing well on carnivore. :)

[@zbawieniejestwieczne9013]

Hunger appears when you don't meet daily target of PROTEIN for your body. Check out Maria Emmerich PSMF. Most carnivores eat too much fat and not enough proteins which leads to weight stalls and hunger. I have commite this sin but since I switch to PSMF I finaly started losing weight and I am never hungry.

[@rlwings]

It can take a very long time to recover from a sugar addiction. Insomnia being one of the worst symptoms. Reintroducing your drug of choice will indeed provide temporary relief. But the real issue is you haven't waited long enough for your body to fully recover. Carbs are never needed - never.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you for the comment. I am not addicted to sugar. And, when I have a little fruit, it doesn't cause me any issues or wanting way more, etc. Not everyone has that addiction.

[@kathleenodonnell8355]

Suggesting you please consider the bio-individuality of each person. Some people become more catabolic the longer they remove all carbs. And then some people have no issue whatsoever at zero carbs. It’s not a personal weakness for one’s body to feel better with some natural carbs.

[@scoobydadog246]

If you didn't need carbohydrate your body would not make it. That is simplistic thinking. Actually it is the seed oils, and potentially the 'seeds' themselves, i.e grains; & chemicals and concoctions conjured up by the food industries that are most 'addictive' - that would be my proposal. If it was the 'sugar' - people would be drawn to eating it by the spoonfuls. Easily accessible and most SAD households have a bag in the house. When I binged.. I craved cookies, and crackers, breads; Never fruit, never sugar from the bowl - which would be the quickest fix. The carbs/glucose itself are not the problem - it is the damage to the mitochondria and inability to process them that is. There are many reasons for insomnia.

[@rlwings]

@@scoobydadog246 Carbs are sugar. Addiction is the same. And your body only makes what it needs. Never a need to add any. Gluconeogenesis takes care of our glucose needs as it was designed to do... Agree about seed oils. But It's the combination of seed oils and glucose that drive the inflammation that cause metabolic disease.

[@Fresh_N_Fit]

Shut up dude you don't know what you're talking about, you're just repeating what you've heard in videos. I did carnivore for years, strictly, and my sleep was always terrible regardless of fat:protein ratio and electrolyte consumption. Saying things just take more time is such a cop out excuse. It's like a doctor blaming a disease on genetics when really they're just clueless about what is going on.

[@Christinesobsevations]

I can't be without carbs . I eat veggies salads & grassfed meats ❤

[@200Nora]

From keto I went into carnivore. However, I eat eggs and some dairy, coffee with the occasional vegetable like avocado (fruit} and broccoli. All my life, I have been a light sleeper and waking up around two or three became my norm. Lately, I do not wake up as much and manage to sleep at least seven hours most days, which for me used to be rare before carnivore. I actually experience more hunger in the am when I eat more than my quota of carbs with my dinner. I came to this eating patterns after pre diabetes which now is normal again. On keto, I was having lots of gassiness and some veggies would give me belly cramps. On carnivore, I do not get too much of that. I am also a LMH type with always elevated LDL and optimal HDL and triglycerides even when I was pre diabetic. For me that has been the norm always, and I always refuse the statins because if LDL was going to kill me like my drs imply, I would have been dead since my 20s, and I am 68 now. My experience is different, but we are different in the way our genes control our physiology. So far, for me, eating this way seems to be working. I also exercise and eat two meals a day with a little LC snack because I tend to lose too much weight, and I never been overweight. Sometimes you have to listen to your body and adjust your life style accordingly, regardless of what other dieters say or believe. Great information!

[@LifeDIY]

Excellent advice! And, thank you for sharing some of your journey and experiences. It sounds like your way of eating is ideal for you now. I'm glad to hear you're sleeping more now.

[@lahainke]

So interesting! I’ve recently been adding carbs back too (20g), and I feel so much better. So much more energy. I’m waking up feeling great! My blood tests also showed a very low folate count my doctor was concerned. So I’m eating avocados almost daily (which is a good source of folate). Thanks so much for sharing your info!

[@LifeDIY]

I know, me too! I'm still in the process of testing this out with adding in some carbs but I have been experiencing the same thing. So much more energy and I feel stronger. I"m doing more work outside, projects, etc. and feeling great! I too think avocados are a great addition. :)

[@BuddyDesinger]

I've developed the same kind of pattern, falling asleep around 9 (pretty fast) and then waking up almost always at 4am. I've been zero carb/carnivore for a long time. Anyway, as I write this I'm on the 8th day of a fast (other health reasons) and one of the side effects is that my sleep has been improving from one day to the next. On days 4-8 I've slept through the entire night without any issues. Not feeling any hunger and cortisol seems to be under control as well. I'm kind of stumped what to think of this. Not sure when I will break this fast, I feel so good 😂

[@asarcadyn2414]

7 hours solid sleep from 21:00 to 04:00 is excellent.

[@BuddyDesinger]

I broke my fast after 10 days and on day one my sleep returned to being sh*ty. While fasting I was sleeping solid 8h and now I'm abruptly getting up at 4 again. Don't think this is about low insulin levels given they don't really get lower than they do on a long fast. I will try to supplement copper as a test as I have high zinc and molybdenum. levels.

[@alexishi2000]

I was saved. You are me!! I had a same issue and i Knew my body is reacting different than most carnivore people. I am 1 year carnivore and I was worrying about my sleep and feeling of hunger and low ketosis number and high cholesterol. I was puzzled. Your research make sense. I will try. Thank you for sharing

[@LifeDIY]

Please let me know how things are going! I am still working on improving my issues. I need to continue experimenting. I am currently wearing a continous glucose monitor (CGM) and getting labs done this morning. I am still dealing with the issues. I need to do a better job of experimenting with more foods because initially adding in those carbs (I mentioned in the video) worked, but now I need to do more than that or add in more foods to continue sleeping and having less hunger problems. I have noticed so far (since wearing the CGM) that I've had some instances of hypoglycemia at night when eating carnivore, but it doesn't happen every time. I'd have to consistently eat carnivore for a week probably to get accurate results. It's a struggle to test because I want some sleep! I hope things improve for you!

[@alexishi2000]

@@LifeDIY I discovered your video the day I left my comment and had started adding some carbohydrates in my diet. I make sure I will let you know how things are going. I will also do my blood test after a while to see my cholesterol and triglycerides value improvement. I hope our experiment will save many carnivore people in the future. I will e-mail you the details the next time to contact you. I am 50 yr old female Japanese living in Japan.

[@LifeDIY]

That would be great to hear any updates! I really hope you find something that works for you. I too really want to help others by sharing any answers and solutions. This seems to be such a huge issue for a lot of people. Feel free to email and reach out anytime - thank you!

[@janapeony8561]

I had exactly the same issues with sleep. Now eating some macadamians ,avocado,and taking red/ infra red light before sleep and it helps alot.Thanks for your very helpful vids, wishing you all the best .

[@sleepdepot9790]

Thank you for sharing this information. Everything you have said is matching up to my experience when I was eating a low carb diet. I added more carbs gradually and I sleep better without the 2-3am wakeup and having a hard time falling back asleep. The food sensitivities you have is most likely coming from gut problems. Possibly leaky gut. Your IFM Doc should be able to help you with that.

[@futuresoundtrek8298]

Thank you for making this video. With 2 physicals over 2 years I can verify myself as a LMHR. I am low-carb, not Keto. 50 - 60 grams of carbs daily. Age 46, 6’1, 150 lbs., weight train and sleep about 5 1/2 hours a night.

[@LifeDIY]

Wow, thanks for sharing this! And, the 5 1/2 hours of sleep is enough?

[@futuresoundtrek8298]

@@LifeDIY I have never really had a long history of sleeping more than 6 hours, even when I didn't practice low-carb. However, I do feel well-rested compared to the same amount of sleep on a the SAD (Standard-American-Diet). Years back, a theory was postualted that due to the fact that a low-carb diet is less inflammatory, the brain/glymphatic system requires less cleanup time and therefore less sleep is required. Not my theory.I would have to find the research as it has been awhile.

[@MadDestructionChaos]

I introduced carbs a few months ago, wheat toast, 1 piece to soak up my egg yoke, and I was sleeping soundly for 6-7 hours, I was ( didn't have much work) walking 5 miles a day. I fasted for 18 hours. Sleep great. Now with the toast, and doing manual labor work and sweating my butt off. My sleep is off. I'm awake at 3:00 a.m. I fall back asleep.... Then up at 5am. Consistency was my key i believe. Imma change a few things up. 5' 10.5" , Went from 185lbs to 170lbs in a matter of months a few years ago, I'm built like a BSH now! 💪 Just want some good sleep. I do feel refreshed when starting my day. I work too hard for only a couple hours of sleep. Thx for sharing.

[@futuresoundtrek8298]

I endeavor to be built like a BSH.

[@MadDestructionChaos]

@@futuresoundtrek8298 you can do it. Push ups until failure every night. And plank for 1 min, then 2 mins, then eventually 3 mins. That's all I did differently other than eating carnivore. Push every night before. Set alert on phone, and make yourself do them.

[@daviddaygame]

Do you drink coffee ? Or anything with caffeine?

[@KeishaKiger]

Thank you for this !!! Very helpful! Gives me confidence and an understanding of what I’m going through as well

[@LifeDIY]

You're welcome! Are you having the sleep issues or hunger?

[@MyLongevityExperiment]

Hi Holly, an excellent video, so much useful information! And more proof that people should not just listen to their MD, there is no way an MD would have taken the time and care you did during your N=1. I can't imagine what it was like eating so much meat and still feeling hungry.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you so much, Vince! I agree that you have to take care of yourself and do your own research. I am still working through the hunger issues, but it is so dampened when I add in some carbs, even the smallest amount. I can eat way more than my 19-year-old son! Since adding some carbs back in now I am noticing more energy to workout and do more, which is great. :)

[@Habanero777]

In my first 6 weeks of starting carnivore, I ate a lot. And then when I got to the 2 month point she'll now I get so full so fast. My desire to eat as much as I was in the beginning is definitely gone. So stick with it, you, you young man, you and your desire to eat as much as you're eating right now. We'll work itself out.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing this! I too had even more intense hunger in the beginning, but I stuck with it for 11 months and it worsened for me. I am really glad it's working for you though!

[@johnmacgregor324]

Very cleverly researched & well explained.

[@M_freedomOfSpeech]

I have everything you mentioned, and my LDL cholesterol is over 704 total, but the HDL is high 98 and the TRIGLYCERIDES are low 67. I get up twice a night. I'm 58 years old!

[@LifeDIY]

Wow, that's a high LDL! Hopefully you can fall back asleep after the wake-ups. :)

[@YasminA-jm9zs]

I experienced the same on carnivore and I went back to keto. I never have sleep issues, mood problems, or hunger on keto. My body composition is better on keto as well.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing this, Yasmin! I am happy you found what works for you. I'm feeling a lot better as I've added some things back in. The smallest things are making the biggest difference so far.

[@Fresh_N_Fit]

What carbs and how much do you include on keto?

[@shanhare76]

Yes what do you eat on keto exactly?? I've been carnivore for 3 years now and it's not quite working. I'm wanting to add some carbs in but not sure what...

[@katebanfield7229]

Fascinating topic. Thank you for sharing. I went carnivore a year ago… and slapped a freestyle on. Long story short, 4 months into I was diagnosed with insulin suppression. my insulin suppression was exacerbated by carnivore. I took my freestyle results to a new endocrinologist who let me know that my hiatal hernia surgery (and all bariatric surgeries) actually cause insulin suppression. Because of that, carnivore had me crashing to 50/60’s if I drank a glass of red wine. So now I have to modify to ensure I get enough carbs to stabilize low swings. My A1C is back up to 4.9 (it was 4.6 six months ago). And since I’ve been doing this… I’m sleeping soooooooo much better.

[@LifeDIY]

Wow, thank you so much for sharing this. Many doctors aren't aware of insulin suppression - just insulin resistance...My CGM I'm currently wearing has also been showing that I'm getting hypo at night in the 50s. I've had to shut my phone off or else it will beep like crazy sometimes to alert me. I'm still having it though I'm trying to add in more carbs. I think it will take time to correct it. I've become so burnt out from the sleep issues - though sometimes they aren't too bad - the sleep just isn't stable like it used to be. Do you mind me asking how old you are? And, wow that is the lowest I've ever heard of for an A1C - and even 4.9 is incredible. Your glucose must have been quite low.

[@katebanfield7229]

I’m in my early 50’s and the surgery was 8 years ago. When I pull up the graph of historical A1C on my lab’s app, I can see it steadily decline since the surgery. CGM’s are not meant for sleeping positions. I thought I was crashing too, but then I got a normal glucometer and took a reading when it went off in the middle of the night. My glucose was ok, and nowhere near the need for the alarm to go off. Then I laid there and moved my arm in different positions and watched the freestyle app go nuts (up and down) depending on the position my arm was in. I’ve tracked up to a 30 point variance with the a finger prick vs the CGM. I’ve also clocked matching numbers too. This new endo is not a fan of long term use of CGM, as it’s not as accurate as the finger prick. And for my glucose crashes…. She has me keep a stash of small bottles of coke in the car and house (since juice can’t store in a car). I’ve had to use a coke about 4 or 5 times since my diagnosis.

[@lynn8524]

I am 5 weeks today eating strictly carnivore. I mostly eat beef, butter, salt and eggs, and I also have butter and heavy cream in my coffee. I quickly lost four pounds but have gained two of those back. I am measuring ketone levels with urine strips which vary from low to moderate ketones. I eat around one pound of meat daily with 5-6 T of butter/fats, 4-6 eggs, some bacon on some days. I was eating one ounce of cheese daily but have stopped that. Why am I not losing weight? I was diagnosed with having hypoglycemia 30 years ago. I feel very good on this diet and plan on staying on it.

[@LifeDIY]

Hi Lynn! I'm not a total carnivore expert but I have learned a lot from others on this topic, so I'll share some ideas. When you say low to moderate ketones, what is that level generally? To raise the numbers, it could help to go longer in between periods of eating. Normally when I've heard stories like this, it's often related to people consuming dairy. If someone has weight to lose and they're incorporating dairy when eating carnivore (heavy cream, cheese, etc.) I think that can sometimes slow down the weight loss and sometimes stall it for people. You could always try to cut down on some of that, but you still want to make sure you're getting enough fat from the meat. You might want to check out some videos by Dr. Cywes on kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHaxpWp3qrWLsLc as he has several videos on how much fat to consume and I found it really helpful and interesting. I'm so happy you're feeling great on carnivore!

[@sophiapetros7602]

I just saw a video of dogs pulling radishes out of the ground and eating the radish with some dirt. And people say dogs only eat meat. Not true.

[@LifeDIY]

Interesting! :) This is kind of the opposite but deer are supposed to be herbivores and I saw a video on KZbin of a deer eating a bird!

[@NourishmentRedacted]

Fantastic presentation, Holly. This is all so very interesting and I am so glad that your insomnia is fixed. I had never heard of the term "insulin suppression" before and now I want to learn more about it. I still haven't gotten my blood work done since being a carnivore for over a year due to problems with my insurance. I am working on that. Hopefully it'll be resolved soon. I really liked that you show some stills of your actual meals. When people think about adding rice or carrots to their meals they might think of a much bigger portion. Yours are so small and I think showing that is so relevant. It doesn't take much of those carbs to feel some relief. I currently sleep very well on carnivore, but if there is a problem in the future I'll now have some idea of what might be going on. Thank you so much.

[@LifeDIY]

Ellie, thank you so much for stopping by and watching!🙏 I really appreciate all of your feedback, especially about the photo of the food. That is such a good point you made about how people might assume I'm having a big bowl of veggies. I actually should have shown more examples than that. You are 100% right that it doesn't take much to make a difference. The smallest add-in seems to really help with the hunger issues I was having. I'm really not used to adding in many foods or carbs as I am so used to eating just meat. But, it is nice to have some other little things. Sorry to hear about the insurance coverage issues with bloodwork. I also sometimes get labs done where I pay for them out of pocket through UltaLabs. I think their cholesterol panel is $21 www.ultalabtests.com/test/lipid-panel and they often have coupons too if you check the site or elsewhere (usually 20% off). I love using that site. You just pay for the labs, their doctor signs off and you go to a local Quest or Labcorp to get the blood drawn. Then the results are emailed to you. If you ever want to check it out, just check if you have any local lab draw locations first. I don't have anything near me, so I have to drive almost 2 hours for that. I live in the boonies and I don't have much around here. :) Anyway, I am so glad to hear that you don't have any sleep issues! .

[@andredaedone5]

When I quit coffee and just drink water, I started sleeping 9 to 11 hours a day and I dream like a madman . I am Carnivore and just graduated to Lion. Fatty beef, lamb ,salt and water is all I consume . I dont buy what that doctor says. Just quit all liquids except water and work out. I havent had a carb in 10 months.

[@LifeDIY]

That's awesome it's working for you. Everyone is so different.

[@FarqueKnowsWhere]

Wow, a lot of points and information, I’m OMAD, 90% animal based and 10% junk. I’m having similar sleep issues but not the hunger issues. I’ve slept the best all night deep an uninterrupted by eating around 11am with some veg in my meal, pumpkin, cauliflower, sweet potato, so I’m going to try 70% animal based and 5% junk😚..Great video.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing this. I wonder if it might help to eat more than once a day?

[@FarqueKnowsWhere]

@@LifeDIY thank you, I drive farm machinery mostly for work so I don’t need lots of food and if I eat more than omad I start putting on weight. Even my omad isn’t huge. Info from Dr Mindy’s YT video has me thinking cortisol might be the perpetrator and even give alternate day fasting a go, gee I’d have to find some projects to keep me busy. Thanks Holly..

[@LifeDIY]

That make sense. And, cortisol can cause a lot of issues. I had my level tested and mine is quite low.

[@justsaying7065]

Thank you for all the research! Great video.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you!

[@silverback7348]

Love this. Grellin is also associated with eggs. One thing to also tie in here through Dr Cywes is the body utilizing protein to create sugars. The key difference is that the byproduct N (Nitrogen) is a waste product created via urea/Uric Acid and BUN numbers are impacted in the bloodwork. All can contribute to the sleeplessness/fatigue.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you!

[@edl653]

One extreme, no carbs or the other lots of carbs, minimal fat can both cause issues. Need to balance, and carbs with fiber (not a bad word), adjust slowly over time. Avoid Fructose as much as possible and in natural form an apple, not apple juice. Very good advice for a non-medical person.

[@FieryArdent]

Have you tried grounding/earthing? I'm on carnivore and it helps me with my circadian rhythm and staying on a normal sleep schedule in relation to the dusk and sunrise of where I live.

[@kavabean]

Great and informative video. Thank you very much for posting this.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you. 🙏

[@leebonfiglio]

I have been Carnivore for 2 years and I was experiencing terrible abdominal cramps while exercising. I added a couple table spoons of honey or organic cane sugar ketchup and the craps are gone.

[@Silentmind369]

I totally agree with this video. I also had to add some berries and a couple of tablespoons of good olive oil and avocado. I'm definitely going to try some tomatoes soon.. My sleep is getting better.. I was a hard-core carnivore for almost 2 years, and my sleep and dry mouth at times was/is horrible!

[@jtzutube]

Dear Great Value Kate Beckinsale (compliment), You do great work, here. TY.

[@MP-uq3zr]

I do eat high fat but occasionally add in very small amounts of carbs like fermented sauerkraut or cooked veggies, and I’m okay about once a week eaten real fermented sourdough bread, half a slice.

[@sonicaudio777]

Thanks Holly , still trying to figure this all out

[@cocjeanie]

Fascinating information! Thanks for sharing. I'm sure that this will really help some people. :)

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you! 🙏

[@Travlinmo]

O am surprised you did not relate salt into this issue. As I improved my salt intake and, specifically, electrolytes from magnesium, my sleep and hunger all seemed to normalize. You grelin discussion reminded me of why when I get 1.5-2 miles walking I get just super hunger and would kill for food

[@mariomenezes1153]

Excellent video! Thank you for the detailed analysis. You are correct in that each of us are different. If you are not that interested in ketosis, try eating a bit of dark chocolate through the day. I feel it is pretty benign and will rev up the insulin production so the body remembers how to do it at short notice.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you!

[@PhilosopherScholar]

Thank you for sharing your insights!

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for taking the time to watch this. 🙏

[@jennwatson8035]

This video explains my issue for the last several years; poor sleep, waking up in middle of night. Just recently, got a CGM (paid for myself without insurance), blood sugar was dipping into 50s several times a night! Two tablespoons of Peanut Butter (Cadia Organic PB: just peanuts and salt) about 2 hrs before bed and it did the trick, slept for 6hrs straight but for a few weeks only. Will try the carrots, butter, bone both like I've been reading in these comments.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I might get a CGM too so I can see what's going on before my wakeups. That is super low. That's really great you figured your issue out and took the initiative to get a CGM. I hope you keep us posted!

[@brycefbarnes]

The information presented here is very interesting. We have so much evidence that eating high fat satiates people.. and reduces hunger cravings... You are presenting information that goes against people's common experience. Not saying this was incorrect information.. But it runs counter to what so many people experience. Carbohydrate diets lead people into constant hunger states.. so what gives? I think you need to address this discrepancy..

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you, Bryce. I will look for more human studies on this topic. I used to work with a research scientist and I could also hire her for a few hours to look into it if needed. The main point I was trying to share with one of the studies was that in the study, higher fat intake caused faster gastric emptying versus carbohydrates. Other than that, some other research showed that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats were more satiating than saturated. I find this all really interesting so I will try to do a followup on this. Thank you!

[@terryolay4613]

I agree her experience is the exact opposite of what most people are having but it goes to show the variability in our physiology. It's not a one size fits all.

[@rochelles.8387]

Have you considered adding fermented foods into your diet? I'm glad you pointed out that one diet doesn't fit all and how we are each different. The carnivore is a very strong elimination diet and should be looked at as such. It can be great as a way to heal but might not be great long term for everyone.

[@LifeDIY]

Thank you for being so open-minded to that fact that everyone is different. It's so refreshing because some people get really angry with someone changing from carnivore to adding things in, etc. That's an excellent question about fermented foods. I want to add them in, but it will be a slow process for me (esp with cabbage/sauerkraut). If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thanks!

[@bonniemeads6056]

Interesting, but where does that leave the benefits of fasting or time restriction eating?

[@k41418]

Sarah kliener talks about carb cycling on keto to deal with sleep issues and other concerns some have when too low carb for too long.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks. I will look into this! My doctor said the same thing to me months back.

[@raph151515]

Biphasic sleep was very bad for me, I had it for one or 2 years and it was the worse time of my life in terms of energy. I was on no special diet.

[@andrewrivera4029]

58 year young man and I’m feeling great on OMAD carnivore, I get the dawn effect where my morning glucose is 103ish, I’ve got tons of energy so much so I really need to burn it off yet my A1c has been trending down to 5.2 from 5.5! My fasted insulin is 4.6 and as an aside my testosterone is 711, let’s just say my blood flow feels like I’m back in my 30’s and my sleep is marginally better. I’ll eat a little vege as my wife isn’t carnivore I suppose that makes me meat. Just goes to show everyone is different, my lipids also put me in LMHR too.

[@LifeDIY]

That's awesome to hear how well you're doing on it! And, the A1C dropping down is massive. It's interesting to hear about your insulin levels too. You sound really healthy. Very interesting you're an LMHR too.

[@my2cworth4U]

Interesting video. I found similar results and after 90 days on cnvr blood levels were totally normal so I added strawberries and olives every day to keep my blood sugar up. Now experimenting with other foods but only a tiny amount.

[@whatthefunction9140]

Nothing wrong with some slow carbs early in the day.

[@pmccord9]

I feel better with less than 8 hours of sleep. I'm carnivore, 73, and especially if I close the eating window early, I go to sleep and stay asleep for about six hours. Also, I like my high cholesterol. The numbers I'm interested in are trig/HDL (43/85), and inflammatory markers, all low. Statins make me sick. They're mitochondrial toxins after all.

[@privatetatum]

How freaking pretty are you?!! Look at your amazing mane! You win, ok? ;-)

[@wtpwtp]

My diet consists of brown basmatti rice, mixed veggies, herbs, avocados & 2 eggs every day. I sometimes add beans (black, pinto or lentil). I will also add in a meat (usually chicken or bison every once in a while). On this diet, I am never hungry after eating & actually have to remind & make myself eat something so as to not loose too much weight. In the evenings, I will sometimes boil potatoes cut into cubes & season them with salt, pepper & herbs to snack on. My substitute for potato chips.:) I eat no processed food (pasta, oils, cereals, etc.) And, I eat no sugar, even from fruit & or high sugar veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. (which causes me a lot of problems). I sometimes will have one piece of fruit once every several months. I am very thin on this diet. This is why I don't believe that carbs cause one to gain weight. It is processed food, those prepared in oils, & fried, etc. that cause people to gain weight. It's not at all the carbs themselves that will cause any weight gain. I started this whole food diet after experiencing a number of autoimmune issues 15 years ago. Several years of experimenting with food elimination & keeping a food elimination diary led me to this diet. On this diet I experience no physical symptoms at all any more. It is so great to feel so healthy, so the price of a very boring diet is worth it. At least I don't have to really ever think about what I am going to eat.:)

[@LifeDIY]

That is awesome to hear how well you're doing and how you've honed in on exactly what works well for you. It's interesting that potatoes are fine but not carrots or sweet potatoes. I think carrots are lower in sugar than regular potatoes....but, I could be wrong. I only mention that because I am fine with carrots (but I just have a few) but I have a huge spoke in glucose from potatoes and it causes me issues and more hunger. Just goes to show how everyone reacts differently to things. I was listening to Dr. Cywes on KZbin and he said that no one gains weight by eating vegetables. It's all the other junk (processed). So I think you're accurate about that. That's very smart you monitored things for years with a food journal to figure out what you could eat or not eat. That's awesome. I learned a lot from eating carnivore and it helped me to do the same.

[@CarnivoreKipp]

I got excited when I saw that Remingungton gun safe. America baby 🇺🇸

[@LifeDIY]

Yes! It's in my office/old bedroom. So funny you noticed that! :)

[@CarnivoreKipp]

@@LifeDIY I’m from the country so of course I would hahaha

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

I have grilled onions with my steaks, and there is enough carbs in onions, btw!

[@terised]

Yum! Garlic and onions sautéed in butter then poured over steak is superb.

[@jimfurr81]

How in the world do you get to sleep at 7:30 pm - especially with the sun still shining until about 9pm! Wish I could sleep that early.

[@LifeDIY]

Great question! It is pretty crazy I am sleeping when it's still bright out. Somehow it works. Since the weather started to warm up and the days got longer, I've been able to go to bed around 8 instead of 6. :) It's been nice because I like working outside when it's really cold around 5 or so, before the bugs come out. Anyway I am hoping with the long days that I can go to bed closer to 9. :))

[@jimfurr81]

@@LifeDIY Thanks! Wish I could but I'd roll around for hours!

[@my2cworth4U]

Having a drink of bone broth when I wake up too early, always puts me back to sleep.

[@hanspoell]

I'd be very concerned about the long term health consequences of a carnivore diet. Not just with regard to insomnia. But with regard to the aging biology and cardiovascular health in particular. When one looks at the biomarkers and some of the observed cases out there (So far mostly anecdotal). It seems like dangerous long term (or short term) experiments that are unlikely to end well. I'd try to be objective and take an honest look at what evidence says about what these biomarker changes are indicating..

[@Daniel-pr4uk]

Girl, i also suggest looking into your stress levels and possibly also psychological injury. To me, the tone of your voice and behavior seems extermely high strung, as if you're spending most of the time in the sympathetic state of the nervous system (the stressed fight/flight mode) rather than in the restorative parasympathetic mode of the nervous system which is where want to spend most of our time. Such sympathetic dominance of the nervous system is usually an indication of an underlying unresolved trauma in the system, so it might be worthwhile to look into that. Said with deep respect and much love.

[@its-movietime]

Great video and very informative, although I'm nowhere near a LMHR to apply to me, yet. For me, carnivore did help with my sleep, after some injury and back pain that I couldn't sleep properly for almost 2 years. A bit of a late question that was in my head all day. Have you experimented with some rich in magnesium foods? I think there have been some concerns with carnivore people that only eat red meat, as magnesium might be low. So probably dairy, that are problematic for some, sea food, or even greens might help. I personally supplement with Mg because my doctor said my bones lack minerals and I find it interesting that I get sleepy after taking it. I guess it might help, with food or supplements. There are like 7 or more kinds of magnesium supplements, like some for bowels and it's the cheapest, some for hearth and other stuff, and some more expensive ones for brain. The regular ones, the cheapest, do nothing for me.

[@onthatdirtroad]

Ever go w/ the BodyBuilder life/meal plan?? Everyone wakes up for night feeing. Regardless of your method, as you get into better condition you will wake up to FEED!

[@masterpep7218]

There is zero relationship between what TYPE of food you eat and the 2-3 a.m. waking up. Almost all 40+ people I know get this and they all eat differently. I'm on a mixed diet with meat and a lot of carbs (veggies and sugars for workouts) and when this started for me around 40, there was no change in my diet. Some years after I changed my diet (no more processed food, cut out all sugar during meals but introduced more carbs during exercise), but this changed nothing about the sleeping patterns. In my case it is related to stress mostly. I can also fall asleep pretty fast IF I get up, instead of twisting and turning in bed.

[@doncastella2814]

23:42 I am Carnivore with cultured dairy. I recently had sleep issues as I was recovering from a stroke. In addition, I was getting early (5 AM) blood draws that showed Blood Glucose in 100 -130 range. I ascribed these high values to Dawn Effect Cortisol spikes. I consume no Carbs. I have good hunger and Satiety signals. I tried taking a natural Sleep Remedy (Doc Parsley's) and have experienced better sleep but with some grogginess upon waking after 8 hours.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks sharing this. I am sorry to hear about the stroke. I hope things improve for you soon. Do you also test your ketones? I know some poeple do experience these higher morning glucose levels, like you said, due to the Dawn Effect. But, I imagine it could be troubling and concerning. One other helpful sleep supplement is glycine.

[@tongeerts7427]

I have had this interupted sleep for years. I started the carnivore diet 3 months ago. Before that I haven changed my diet several times to try to get healthier, but the interupted sleep around 3 am was there befor I changed diets. So to me the foor does not have anything to do with this. However, I have learned from several speakers like Wayne Dyer, that it has tot do with the spiritual realm. Our angels and guides may want our attention at a time when there is quiet time and the hactics of the day are at its lowest.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing this! This is interesting. I am not sure how old you are, but I have heard similar stories from people in their 60s. My doctor mentioned it too that as people get older they tend to need less sleep and often wake up at that time. I do wonder if that topic has been researched - when it comes to aging and early wake-ups. It's interesting what you mentioned about the spiritual realm as this morning I heard a clip of Jordan Peterson saying that God wakes us up at that time if we've done something wrong and it's on our conscience. I've heard many others talk about it as something spiritual in general.

[@brycefbarnes]

By the way.. 3am wakeups can have so so many causes. You have not proven that this is a carnivore problem.. your sleep issue has not resolved and you are diagnosing it as a sleep pattern later in the video. Have you explored all the other reasons why you might not be sleeping at night?

[@jonathanberry9502]

🎯 Key points for quick navigation: 00:00:00 *🛌 Exploring sleep disruptions on low carb diets* - Understanding challenges with disrupted sleep on carnivore and keto diets. - Many individuals face issues waking up between midnight and 3:00 a.m., possibly diet-related. - Exploring the concept of biphasic sleep and its relevance. 01:22 *🍽️ Investigating insulin suppression and its effects* - Insulin suppression theory: prolonged low carb diets leading to low insulin levels. - Lean mass hyperresponders (LMHRs) and their unique cholesterol profile. - Importance of insulin in regulating not just glucose but also protein synthesis and autophagy. 06:27 *🍔 Exploring insatiable hunger on carnivore diets* - Challenges with insatiable hunger despite consuming high calories on carnivore diets. - Role of fat intake and insulin levels in hunger signaling. - Impact of hormones like ghrelin and GLP-1 on hunger and satiety. Made with HARPA AI

[@andrewrudge7534]

Hi, the “I’m staving” post says their on day 3 of carnivore, they need to give it a month for there body’s to adjust. Regards

[@phatboom]

interesting. I have actually been considering sleeping in this manner that you called biphasic. I did not know that there was a term for it, but I work very early in the morning. I have to be awake at 2 AM and it is very hard to live life when you have to go to bed at 4 PM I have two kids at home that I have to take care of so it’s really hard for me to go to bed early. it always seems like once I get five hours of sleep I am wide awake, but then I am exhausted about 10 hours later. This has been a regular pattern . I think I will actually try sleeping in two separate phases that would actually work very well for my schedule.

[@thomassaddul]

Carnivore 2+ years. Everytime I eat full, I feel sleepy in about 30 mins. Maybe you need to eat more?

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing! I'm surprised I never really had that sleepiness after eating. I was eating A LOT yet always hungry - also had enough fat. I always eat more than my 19-year-old son. :) Someone else commented that when he added just a very small amount of carbs in, he felt full again and didn't feel the intense hunger anymore. So the amount of calories he was consuming was less with the added carbs, but he felt satiated, full, etc. I have had that exact experience.

[@RizaMarhaban]

Add/ eat fruits when carnivore. Mimicking hunters gather life. Adding honey once a while is also good, Imo.

[@sgill4833]

Carnivore is good for a max of 3 to 6 months, then you need to normalize. Before pancreas forgets what its beta cells are for. The opposite of diabetics who lose use of alpha cells.

[@dwytehexican9634]

Liked. I vhad sleep problems, but I improved my sleep with a sleepmask and bedtime. Prior to carnovore I did never had breakfast and sometimes lunch, After carnivore I had no problems with cravings. I think my body was in decades close to homeostase. Peeple who jump to carnivore need time and fixes like this until l they can eleminate all what is not needed.

[@stuartist]

Women do need glucose to produce progesterone, and prolonged fasting can mess up our hormones. Wish I knew this sooner. 😟

[@LifeDIY]

I have heard this about fasting recently. Thanks for sharing this. I need to look into it more. 🙏

[@monnoo8221]

This is very interesting, because it could have scientific standards. But unfortunately you don't show enough data. About LMHR: I am biologist, and i think that the theory presented by Nick Norwitz and Dave Feldman, which coined the term LMHR, is incomplete, and thus arguing into a wrong direction. What you show here confirms my stance. May I ask, how was your body fat percentage over the whole time, also before the carnivore phase? How much fat did you eat? Yet, at @20:34 you show your lipid panel. Ohh my dear, your triglycerides are extremely high! LMHR is defined by LOW triglycerids ,

[@LifeDIY]

I shared all my updated labs, but you must have missed that. My recent triglyceride level was 51. The higher triglyceride level was due to me being sick prior to that lab test and my sickness was a result of eating too much fat from pork belly. I was sick for days before that. All my other triglyceride levels in the past are in normal range. A glucose of 80 is not an issue for me. I have had symptoms of hypoglycemia in the 70s. I also shared my insulin and c-peptide in the video. In addition to that, I have low cortisol levels and taking that into account with a lower level of insulin, it makes sense that I could have glucose regulation issues and symptoms.

[@MichaelEdwardWright1]

Excellent that you are carnivore. What happens if you eat only beef for months or years when you are so hungry?

[@markobudjevac3848]

I remember people geneticly having problem with holding on to Calcium. Low Calcium thus raising Cortisol to drive up Insulin, to be able to hold on to Calcium. So i would recommend some Cheese. Edit: Also low Salt intake can do that. Dont know if you take in enough Protein compared to Exercise & enough at once to raise Insulin.

[@njaimerod]

fiber is a nutrient blocker so therefore you'll be a better customer to the medical industry. most diseases and problems are caused by nutrient deficiencies.

[@roymeryman8098]

A grounding mat for my bed and grounding pillow case helped me sleep through except for a quick pee at around 4 or 5.

[@flyingsaucer1268]

My (dirty) carnivore diet includes a handful of nuts (4 different) every day. Almonds for example contain 7,5% carbs (5% pure sugar). Hope this is enough to trigger a tiny amount of insulin, daily.

[@jonathanmarsh8119]

Remember that carnivore is just about the protein. You need to make sure that you are getting about equal quantities of fat in grams to protein in grams. Just bumping protein is a bad thing, you can get protein poisoning. Note in 100g of 70% beef to 30% fat ground beef gives you about 150g protein and 150g fat. Then note that fat is 9 calories per gram and protein and carbs are only 4 calories per gram. I am 180cm so I should be eating 180g of protein and 180g of fat per day. That would mean I need to eat 1150g of the 70/30 ground beef, and that hits around 3800 calories. Don't try to eat less than you should in the beginning, you need the protein, you need the fat. Once you have been on the diet for a couple months you will be able to listen to your body and eat more or less as your body needs. Finally, look at having 2 meals within 6 hours of each other, preferably 8am and then 2pm. Make the 8am meal the bigger of the two as well as you need to push your body to produce insulin without carbs. This will mean you are getting 18 hours of fasting every day. This is important as your body needs a minimum of 8 hours of fasting, and after that you are getting the maximum benefits for your stomach and digestive system.

[@LifeDIY]

For me, the two meals at 8 AM and 2 pm - works pretty well, as long as I eat enough with those meals (especially like you said, eating more with the first one). But, everyone is different. This is some helpful advice. Thanks for sharing it.

[@charlielamb4606]

same issue, i sleep 5 maybe 6 hours. however i wake up ready to go. imo

[@mattizzle81]

Eat more protein in one sitting. No need for carbs smdh 🤦

[@lananeedham]

It helps me to eat a big high fat meal before be. Best Sleep Ever!

[@themblan]

Last year, I experimented with carbs. Whenever I woke up, I drank a little shake I made with whey, macadamia-nuts, and honey. I certainly got back to sleep, but it didn't help more than not ingesting anything would have. I just got fatter. So it's not worth it for me. I think we need to rethink the initial assumption that having a nice, long single night of sleep, after which we feel refreshed, is ideal. Maybe it isn't. Don't people drink alcohol to go to sleep? Is that good for you? No. We started carnivore for a reason; I don't want to list them. My point is that we need to believe in it and see beyond temporary discomfort. See beyond the numbers. We don't understand the full meaning of these numbers. The most people seem to get from them is "Bigger number good," or "Smaller number good.". Doing whatever it takes to get a number up or down is exactly the stupidity that the general populace participates in. Reading studies and basing your life around them is exactly what the general populace did and got us into this mess. Dump the numbers, dump the studies. Eat meat from regeneratively-raised animals. Love and honor yourself, other people, animals, plants, and the planet in general. Heal the world; make it a better place -- for you and for me, and the entire human race.

[@LifeDIY]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! For me, the discomfort of sleep disturbances has been going on for 10 months and causing my son sleep issues too. It's very disruptive to an entire home. It's not normal for so many people who used to sleep well, to now wake up at 12-3 AM. If someone feels great with that - good. But, many of us do not, so we're looking for answers and solutions.

[@danielwillover]

I slept really good when I was a vegan for 6 and 1/2 years and that's only because I was tired all the time been carnivore for 2 years I wake between 1:00 and 2. :00 in the morning. Tried extra fat, tried carbs. Nothing seems to work. Tried to stop drinking water 3 hours before bed. Not too worried about fixing it. I still get really good sleep The only thing that really helps me with my sleep is exercise

[@LifeDIY]

How many hours of sleep are you getting? That sounds rough. I managed by going to bed ridiculously early.