In this episode of the Plant-Free MD podcast, Dr. Anthony Chaffee interviews Sami Tugano, who shares her compelling journey with the carnivore diet after suffering from various health issues, including cancer. Sami recounts her early life as a vegan, which began due to skin issues diagnosed in childhood. She endured malnutrition and developed severe eating disorders lasting 24 years, including self-induced vomiting and laxative abuse, which ultimately led to her cancer diagnosis.
Sami details how she initially adopted a ketogenic diet in 2017 after discovering its antiseizure effects, which helped alleviate her eating disorder but did not resolve her gastrointestinal problems. In 2018, she transitioned to a carnivore diet, which she found to be transformative. Her bloating disappeared, her energy levels soared, and she gained muscle, which significantly improved her overall health and well-being. This dietary change also made intermittent fasting easier for her.
Despite the improvements, Sami faced a setback in 2021 when she was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer, which had metastasized to her liver and lymph nodes. She underwent extensive surgery and chemotherapy but experienced new metastases in her liver. However, Sami remained confident due to her knowledge of the ketogenic diet’s benefits for cancer management, specifically its impact on glucose and ketone levels, which she diligently monitored.
Sami emphasizes the importance of consuming ruminant animals like beef, which have detoxifying properties due to their multiple stomach chambers, unlike monogastric animals like chicken and pork. She discusses how eating high-protein diets and incorporating non-ruminant animals affected her cancer management negatively. By returning to a strict beef-only diet, she successfully lowered her glucose-ketone index (GKI) to optimal levels, aiding in her cancer management.
In conclusion, Sami Tugano’s story highlights the potential benefits of the carnivore diet for managing chronic health issues and cancer. She now helps others with cancer through free consultations, emphasizing the importance of proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. Dr. Chaffee underscores the significance of evidence-based practices over guideline-based medicine, advocating for dietary interventions as powerful tools for health optimization.