Dr. Anthony Chaffee interviews Lee, also known as Kent Carnivore, who shares his emotional and deeply personal journey through severe ulcerative colitis, total colectomy, and eventual healing through the carnivore diet. Lee begins by recounting how he initially followed conventional dietary advice — eating high-fiber plant foods, whole grains, and lean meats — after being diagnosed with colitis in his 20s. Despite following medical and nutritional guidance and taking prescribed drugs, his condition worsened over five years, eventually leading to emergency surgery to remove his entire colon.
Post-surgery, Lee describes the physical and emotional toll of living with a stoma and bag, feeling alienated from his body and burdened by constant discomfort, dietary issues, and loss of independence. He tried to manage his mental health through therapy and a clean lifestyle, but still fell into a severe, suicidal depression. He explains how even “healthy” plant-based meals caused pain, bloating, and blockages in the stoma, and he developed a love-hate relationship with food. Despite desperate efforts to manage symptoms, nothing brought relief or a sense of normalcy.
Everything changed when Lee stumbled upon Michaela Peterson’s story and decided to try the carnivore diet — starting with a 30-day Beef, Butter, Bacon, and Eggs (BBB&E) challenge. Almost immediately, he noticed improvements in digestion, skin, acid reflux, and most notably, his mental health. By day 21, he had an emotional breakthrough where his depression lifted, and he felt energized, joyful, and at peace for the first time in years. Lee’s testimony emphasizes the powerful effect of dietary choices on both physical and mental health, especially for those with autoimmune and digestive issues.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Chaffee and Lee challenge mainstream narratives about fiber, the microbiome, and autoimmunity. They discuss how indigestible plant matter exacerbated Lee’s condition, while meat — which digests efficiently in the small intestine — caused no issues with his stoma. Dr. Chaffee also questions the autoimmune model of disease, suggesting that many so-called autoimmune responses might actually be triggered by foreign substances like plant toxins or food antigens, similar to gluten in celiac disease. Their discussion points toward dietary triggers as the true culprits behind chronic inflammation.
In closing, Lee offers advice rooted in ancestral living: eat as your ancestors did, avoid modern processed foods and artificial light, drink mineralized water, and stick to locally available animal-based foods. He encourages others to ditch standard nutritional guidelines and embrace a common-sense approach to healing rooted in nature. His YouTube channel, Kent Carnivore, shares more of his experiences and aims to support others who are navigating similar health journeys with humor, relatability, and honesty.