Valerie Anne Smith's journey is a testament to resilience, transformation, and the power of dietary change in overcoming severe health challenges. Diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at 14, Valerie endured a harrowing 40-year battle with multiple mental health diagnoses, including schizoaffective disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, OCD, and body dysmorphia, compounded by extreme physical health issues. Despite numerous interventions, including inpatient treatment, psychiatric medications, and dietetic guidance that focused on high-carb, low-fat diets, her mental and physical health continued to deteriorate, reaching a critical point with a BMI of 11 and a weight under 80 lbs for most of her adult life.

In 2018, at the brink of despair and after decades of suffering, Valerie's relentless pursuit of knowledge led her to explore the healing potential of a carnivore diet, focusing on nutrient-dense foods like beef, salt, and water. This radical dietary shift, initially met with personal resistance due to years of conditioned fear and restrictive eating habits, gradually quieted the debilitating mental turmoil and reversed her numerous physical ailments. Six years into her carnivore journey, Valerie has not only achieved complete remission from her mental and physical disorders but has also embraced a fulfilling life as a wife, mother, and health advocate.

 

In this episode, Dr. Brian, Dr. Tro and Valerie talk about…

• (00:00) Intro
• (03:14) Valerie's history of struggling with mental illness, anorexia, and metabolic dysfunction
• (08:26) The horrible nutrition standards in eating disorder clinics and the nutrition lies plaguing our society in general
• (10:19) Valerie's upbringing and medical history
• (11:52) Valerie's frustrating experience with doctors trying to treat her many issues with meds
• (16:01) Body dysmorphia and the differences between fasting and starving
• (20:06) The horrible nutrition prescribed by hospitals and served to their patients
• (23:36) The incredible and heartbreaking story of how Valerie finally discovered the link between diet and mental health
• (37:36) The evolution of Valerie's diet as she began transitioning to carnivore and how her doctors reacted
• (45:45) Valerie's blood markers when she ate no meat and how she started to rebuild her body
• (51:03) How Valerie's family reacted to her new diet and lifestyle
• (53:08) The many health benefits that Valerie has experienced since becoming carnivore
• (57:05) Advice for those struggling with anorexia and mental disorders
• (01:01:31) Factors other than diet that have been HUGE for Valerie

 

For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening!

 

Links:

 

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Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• The Anorexia Case Study that Valerie Participated In: https://journalofmetabolichealth.org/index.php/jmh/article/view/84/254#:~:text=Contribution%3A%20This%20case%20series%20is,nature%20of%20the%20disease%20itself

 

Valerie Smith:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valerieanne1970/
• X: https://x.com/valerieanne1970
• Links: https://linktr.ee/valerieanne1970
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559029245657

 

Dr. Brian Lenzkes: 

• Website: https://arizonametabolichealth.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianLenzkes?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

 

Dr. Tro Kalayjian: 

• Website: https://www.doctortro.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorTro
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctortro/

 

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