Nutrition & Lifestyle

We’ve put together this beginner’s guide to implementing a carnivore lifestyle to outline the importance of:

Slow and Gentle Transition

Welcome to the Carnivore Club. Although relatively new in Australia, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are enjoying a carnivore lifestyle. Here’s some tips to help with your transition.

Aim for a slow and gentle transition in, this will minimise transition symptoms. Take as long as you need – there are no prizes for going cold turkey! Not everyone is suited to 30 day challenges and that’s ok. If you’re coming from a place of poor health, all the more reason to go slowly.
Start by simply increasing your general meat and seafood intake. This will help to naturally displace some of the unwanted foods. Get to know your meat isle and have a chat with your local butcher.
Start consuming electrolytes and keep yourself hydrated.
Slowly reduce processed foods, refined sugars, gluten, sodas, coffee/tea, alcohol, vegetables and fruit etc. Take as long as you need. If you’re struggling to transition, remove temptation foods from your house and refrigerator (if possible), delete food delivery apps, and avoid going out to the shops for the first few days after any significant diet changes (if that will help). Sugar addiction and cravings are REAL and your stomach bacteria will put up a hell of a fight. When a sugar craving comes on, some people find that consuming fat and/or salt are great ways to bypass it.
Next add organs to your diet. Beef liver is by far one of the best organs for you, but it can take a little while to enjoy the taste and texture. So start with the easier organs such as minced beef heart, or incorporate a beef liver mince mix into your diet (80:20, beef mince : beef liver mince) or by cooking and freezing half-pill sized portions of liver to take frozen with water. And if you’re just not mentally ready for organs, that’s ok, start a good quality beef liver supplement like the Primal Energy beef liver supplement. Most seasoned carnivores crave organs like beef liver, so give yourself time, it’s only early days.
Then replace one meal to entirely carnivore, we suggest that dinner is a great place to start. Initially, you will probably increase your food intake as the transition can bring about a feeling of being hungry or famished. This is completely normal, go with it, eat when you are hungry and it will eventually peter out. You may find after a period of time that having an entirely carnivore dinner results in no hunger on waking, go with it and don’t eat for the sake of it being breakfast. Stay hydrated though!
Then move to transition your lunch meal to carnivore.
Eat when hungry and eat until full. Let satiety be your guide. Don’t restrict portion sizes, don’t calorie count, don’t count or track macro-nutrients, don’t worry about protein versus fat ratios. If you are hungry, you eat.
If you are no longer hungry for lunch, drop it entirely but stay hydrated. Every person’s carnivore journey is different. Some still consume 3 meals a day, others 2 meals a day (2MAD) or only 1 meal a day (OMAD). Others practice Intermittent Fasting (IF) and prolonged fasting. You do not have to. Let your body be your guide. Once you cut out all the ‘noise’ created by inflammatory foods, it’s fascinating to be able to truly connect with your body and mind and hear its true hunger cues and cravings.
There are different degrees of carnivore, find what works for your body and lifestyle.

Nutrition

Not all meat products are created equal, read labels.
Avoid processed meats (pre-cut sandwich meats, salami, polony etc).
Avoid marinated and spiced meats.
Get to know your local butcher, they are very helpful. Melbourne Carnivore, Declan Woods, has been compiling an Australia-wide “Best Butcher’s” Map to help you locate the butchers that other Aussie-Carnivore’s use and recommend here.
Cook in animal fats and eliminate vegetable and seed oils.
Limit dairy intake, until you know if your body can tolerate it. Sometimes the only way to truly know is to eliminate it completely for 6 weeks. It shouldn’t form a major part of your diet, that’s reserved for meat and fish.
Eat the fat. Fat is delicious and it fills you up and fuels you longer. If you’ve had prior gut issues, go slowly.
Aim for free range eggs from a quality local supplier. Don’t go overboard with eggs. Elimination for a period of time and reintroduction is a good gauge if you truly tolerate eggs.
Embrace nose to tail. Aim for fresh organs/ offal from good quality sources. If you’re just starting out, or need the convenience of an organ supplement, ensure it’s from a good quality source, such as the Primal Energy beef liver supplements. Check out The Carnivore Kitchen for more ideas on incorporating organs into your diet.
Embrace bone broth. Nothing is better than homemade bone broth. If you’re just starting out, or need the convenience of an instant broth, ensure you buy a good quality product, such as Gevity Rx Natural Unflavoured Bone Broth Body Glue.
Embrace seafood (if not allergic). And consider a good quality Unfermented Cod Liver Oil such as Rosita’s Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil.
Hydrate with water! Try and reduce, or better still, remove caffeine. Some people find that the transition is easier with coffee, and later remove it when they’re refining their diet. Others keep it, it’s your decision entirely. Beware the caffeine withdrawal headaches if you are removing it. But bask in the calm after it’s gone!
Electrolytes are ESSENTIAL and so is magnesium! But keeping them in balance is far more important than reaching a ‘total amount per day’. Aim for 2500mg sodium, 4700mg potassium and (5mg per pound of body weight) magnesium daily (adult). Ensure you use a good quality salt and magnesium source, such as Ancient Lakes Magnesium Enriched Natural Lake Salts, Ancient Lakes Natural Liquid Magnesium and Salt of the Earth’s Celtic Grey Sea Salt.
Try to swap out standard beverages for carnivore alternatives, like magnesium water (made with Ancient Lakes Natural Liquid Magnesium) and bone broth. If you’re needing the convenience of an instant bone broth we recommend Gevity Rx Bone Broth Body Glue. This product is a great way to transition away from caffeine.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you only have access to meat from the supermarket, and it’s not from a grass fed, grass finished, organic source, that’s ok. Any Australian meat is better than broccoli! Do what you can with what you have at the time.
Aim for a ruminant heavy diet. This is any animal that grazes on grass. Most carnivores tend to do and feel better when they include ruminant animals as the majority of their diet. Pork, chicken and seafood are all fine to eat (if tolerated) but many carnivores don’t find them as filling because they are not as nutrient dense. Use them for variety if you need it.
Mono-meals are perfectly ok. In fact, they are better than ok. Gone are the days of having 8 different foods of different colours on your plate. Your digestive system with thank you for it. This keeps it super simple as one meat can make a meal.
Avoid snacking on unwanted foods, or replace them with carnivore snacks. After you’ve transitioned, try to avoid snacking if you can and stick to sitting down to mindfully eat a full meal without distraction.
Be kind to yourself! Seek out support if you need it and surround yourself with likeminded people to help make the transition easier. Come and join us on the socials at Carni-Mumma Australia.
Most people contemplating or in the early stages of carnivore think “meat only!”, “what am I going to eat!?!”. You’ll discover that there is SO much variety of meat and seafood that it’s hard to get bored. For simple recipes see The Carnivore Kitchen and basic meal inspiration at Carni-Mumma Australia.
Some people query “how am I going to afford all this extra meat!?”. Firstly, ‘carnivore to your budget ‘in the beginning. Over time, you’ll realise that although your food is more expensive by volume, it’s far more nutrient dense and you end up eating less. You save money by not needing 3 meals a day, plus additional high GI snacks, takeout food and takeaway drinks. And you don’t have all that food wastage from the variety of fruit and vegetables you were told you needed for a ‘healthy diet’. If your budget is tight, definitely incorporate organs, they are the most nutrient dense of all the meat products available and they are often the cheapest! You can achieve high nutrient density on the lowest budget!
With the time that you are going to save in grocery shopping, cooking and even eating, what are you going to do for yourself? Time is so undervalued. This lifestyle redistributes your time to other areas of your life without compromising your health, rather you get the best of both, better health and more time. It’s win/win!

Movement

For some, exercise comes naturally and seamlessly fits into their lives, but for others it is almost a dirty word. No one knows those polar opposites quite as well as parents of a newborn baby. One minute you’re off to soccer and yoga and taking long daily walks with your pooch, and the next you’re somewhat sedentary and sleep deprived, with a little life at the front of your mind and all your time. Some people grew up playing sports, and others only discovered them as adults, or are even yet to (or possibly have no interest ever to). Others have gym memberships, attend PT sessions and love running. Whatever your jam, go with it. There’s no point doing something that you don’t enjoy in the name of ‘exercise’. Aim for MOVEMENT, in whatever form that takes for you. If you’re not use to daily exercise, or are returning to it, walking, stretching, swimming, gardening, chasing your toddler around the park and parking your car furthest from the shop entrance, are all fantastic ways to get movement into your day.

One of the most common complaints we hear from people (typically mother’s) is that they cannot possibly time block 30 minutes of their day for themselves, between extended work shifts, their children’s daily needs and the other demands of daily life. And for some, we would challenge you to say, that if you don’t have time for yourself, what kind of life is that? We make happen what is IMPORTANT to us. You matter and you should be important to you too. Shift your mindset from “I’ll TRY to go for a walk today…” to “I am going for a walk today because it’s important to ME”. But for others, this may be something that cannot change in the short term. For those people, aim for movement in all the in-between moments of your day. If you can’t find a 30 minute block of time for yourself, do it in 15, 2 minute blocks throughout your day.

For those people whose occupation has them sitting at a computer or desk all day, take opportunities to change both your posture and move your limbs throughout the day. Sitting in the same position for hours on end is not good for you. Try to balance the sitting, with some standing and bending. And if you’re working from home, have some extra fun with it. Every email sent is 3 slow neck rolls right and 3 left, every *ding* of a new email is 6 slow shoulder rolls back, and every hour on the hour (set your alarm!) jump up and do a full body stretch toes to fingertips. If you’re heading off to use the bathroom, hit play on your favourite tune and dance your way there and back. There are so many opportunities for movement within your workday, you just have to look for them and start somewhere.

Some people have additional mental health challenges, and we understand that this may make exercise more difficult. But we are confident that a carnivore diet will help you, coupled with adding some small movements into your day. Exercise is a key factor in maintaining your mental wellbeing. Movement creates blood flow. It increases blood flow and nerve connections to our brains which then stimulates serotonin and endorphins. These happy brain chemicals improve your mood, the clarity of your thoughts and attention, your memory and your sleep. It not only reduces depression and anxiety symptoms, but also reduces your risk of other serious illnesses (diabetes, dementia, heart disease and cancer). Finding movement in your day also opens up opportunities to connect with other people. You don’t have to go all-in at an exercise class with 15 other people. A short walk around your neighbourhood often affords you interaction with neighbours and passers-by (and their pets).

One of the best movements you can do for your body is simply stretching. Stretching lubricates your joints, extends your range of motion and reduces muscle tension. Take your time with stretching and focus on your breath. It’s particularly beneficial to those with arthritis, but everyone can benefit.

Find any way, no matter how small, to return your body to its primal movements. Particularly finding any opportunities for short and intense bursts of exercise, exercising in nature, being barefoot and a full range of movements (squatting, bending, lunging, jumping, climbing, crawling, pushing, pulling, twisting/ rotating, lifting and locomotion/ gait). And no matter what your level of exercise/ movement is, embrace your recovery. Enjoying rest is just as important for both your body and your mind.

Mindfulness & Mindset

Modern day life including the environments we live in are so far removed from our basic primal needs. We are overworked, undernourished, sleep deprived, sedentary slaves to technology bombarded with all manner of toxins and pollutants. We have become so disconnected from our innate needs.

It takes acknowledgement and a willingness to create a shift from this norm, to get back to a simpler way of living (of being). We all need to find a healthy balance between what our bodies and minds need to be happy and fulfilled, whilst still existing in today’s society. For some of us, this comes more naturally and for others, we really must parent ourselves. Here are some tips for becoming more mindful and creating a healthier mindset and outlook on life:

Take the focus off finding comfort in food and beverages and onto other things around you (your company, your environment etc). Food is fuel. Mindfully eat and chew your food and mindfully sip your fluids. Enjoy the world around you.
Make mealtimes a time of presence and not distraction. Avoid sitting in front of the television or using other technology (phones, laptops etc) to distract you during eating. Eat at a dining table and make it a tech-free zone. If you live with family, eat with family. Enjoy the quality time with others, engage with them, not with technology.
Set a bedtime for your phone, say 8:30pm. Put it on aeroplane mode, plug it into your charger in the kitchen or somewhere away from your sleeping space. If you need an alarm, buy an alarm clock.
Monitor your screen time and parent yourself! Set limits and don’t exceed them. Within those healthy time limits, you don’t have to use social media less, just use it more intentionally. Follow your passions, connect with your tribe, create genuine and meaningful friendships and follow people who motivate and inspire you. Cut yourself off the minute you recognise any mindless scrolling or negativity. Protect and keep your vibe as elevated as possible and avoid anything on social media that lowers or compromises your vibration.
Take time to spend in nature, like; swimming at the beach and floating in the sea water, gardening barefoot, visit a stream or waterfall, go on bush walks or hikes and go camping). And the less obvious things; enjoy a sunrise and bask in its glow, lay on your back and watch the clouds drift past, go outside each night to search for the moon and stars, sit outside during the day and close your eyes for 1 minute to listen to all the sounds around you, and do the same at night.
Take time in your normal routine to find ways to be mindful by playing with your 5 senses. Play around with closing your eyes to awaken your other senses; close your eyes in the shower and feel the water hit your face and body, close your eyes when you take audio phone calls, close your eyes when you dress and undress, close your eyes or blindfold yourself during intimacy (right from entering the room), close your eyes when you eat a meal or with each sip of your bone broth, close your eyes after every hour behind a screen and breathe deeply, and lay in a warm bathtub of water in the pitch dark. Take time to smell and notice the changing scents around you, when taking the same route to or from work or on your daily walk, focus on different things (the in-between things) and search for patterns around you and in nature.
Take time out of your day to sit in a quiet space with limited distractions and no technology.
Practice meditation or breathing deeply, and give EFT a try!
Experience the extremes in life; hot (showers and saunas) and cold (showers and winter swims), and play with fast and sloooooow.
If you feel overwhelm invading you, in any of its many forms, unplug from the matrix! Unplug from technology, don’t take phone calls and prioritise small mindful practices into your day. Put yourself (and not the needs of others) first!
Teach your children and involve them in your mindful practices. And learn from your children! They are often the best teachers! Slow down to their pace and enjoy the moments with them; rug up and take a walk on a rainy day, splash in a puddle, count cars, lay on your back and find animal shapes in the clouds, examine nature together – bugs and bark and everything in-between and take them outside every night to search for the moon and the stars.
Declutter! Declutter your mind and your space.
Celebrate life’s wins, no matter how small. Get really, really excited! Celebrate yourself!
Find joy in the simple things around you; a sunny day when you expected rain, a perfect merge in traffic (I’m looking at you, Perth drivers), a carpark right near the entrance, or even a carpark furthest from the entrance (opportunity to walk).
Reframe all your daily “chores” as “opportunities”. Doing the dishes is an opportunity to stand up tall, slow down you’re breathing, feel the water and suds on your hands, or an opportunity to put on some music and move a little listening to your favourite tunes, or it could be timeout to listen to that podcast you’ve been really wanting to hear. Opportunities, not chores!
Create joy around you; help an elderly person with their shopping trolley, ask a mother if she wants a hand with her child so she can eat a meal, say hello to everyone you pass, thank the people around you that make your life easier and happier.
Connect with people – people that lift you up. Distance yourself from people who pull you down. Find your tribe!
Learn how to listen to your body and mind! Follow its cues for rest and recovery and don’t ignore them or push through them. Learn to be flexible and adjust your schedule when you need to. Respect your body and mind.
Do more of what makes you happy! Take up and commit to a hobby.
And seek out help when you need it!

Sleep

Good quality sleep is one of the most important pillars of health. It plays a massive role in your mental wellbeing and daily functioning. You need adequate quality sleep to enable your brain to store new information, get rid of toxic waste and for the nerve cells to reorganise. In addition to supporting healthy brain function, sleep enables your body to rest and digest, rebuild and repair cells, restore energy and release molecules like hormones and proteins. So many biological processes happen during sleep. Here’s some tips for improving your sleep practices.

Prioritise sleep in your life. If you don’t, none of the rest of these points will matter. Most people need to parent themselves when it comes to sleep practices, at least until they become habits.
Aim for early morning light exposure. When you wake, go out and expose your face with closed eyes to the morning sun. If you wake before the sun, remember to do this at sunrise. It helps to set your body clock (circadian rhythm).
Aim for exercise earlier in the day to limit stress hormones on going to bed. Try to not engage in strenuous exercise within 4 hours of bedtime.
Limit your screen time during the day. Set limits and stick to them.
Eat dinner early and eat with your children (if you have children).
Try not to eat anything after 7pm. Aim for finishing all meals at least 3 hours before going to bed.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, particularly at night.
Limit your screen time at night. Use blue light blockers where you can. And don’t engage in stimulating activities too close to bedtime.
Put your devices on aeroplane mode or switch them off. Leave them charging in another room. If you need an alarm, buy an alarm clock.
Ensure your bedroom is quiet and comfortable.
Ensure that your bedroom is dark. Not just dark, pitch black! Ensure that not even a slither of light gets through. Some cardboard cut to size is a quick solution. Face all alarm clocks and baby monitors to the wall.
Ensure that your room is cool. Research shows that sleepiness is associated with a drop in body temperature.
Your bed is for sleeping and intimacy only. Avoid being on your laptop or phone in bed and eating in bed. You don’t want your bed associated with ‘activity’.
Have a bedtime ritual, no matter how simple. It might consist of a bath and stretches, or it may just be the order of dressing, doing your teeth and saying goodnight to your pets. Either way, repeat it every night in the same order. A hot bath or hot shower can help with the drop in body temperature needed to initiate sleep.
Aim to get to bed by 10pm. Sleep specialists recommend that the optimal sleep schedule is from 10pm to 6am because it mimics the rising and falling of the sun, so it suits our body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Get a sleep/wake routine in place. Write it down if you need to. Aim to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same times every day, including weekends. Don’t make any drastic changes, set realistic times. If you’re use to going to bed at midnight, bring it back 15-30 minutes for a whole week. Then shift it again and practice it for a whole week.
Don’t ignore your tiredness. Go to bed when your body tells you it’s ready, even if that’s a little earlier than usual.
If you struggle to sleep when going to bed, get up after 20 minutes and try a different location. If that doesn’t work, get up and do something boring, and try again 30 minutes later. Don’t do anything too stimulating.
If you are struggling to reign in your bedtime then avoid napping during the day. You want to wake early and be tired by bedtime.
If you are struggling with night waking, avoid checking your clock or doing any math over how many hours you have left until ‘wake up’ time. And if insomnia persists, don’t accommodate it in your daily routine as that may reinforce it. You want to ensure you’re tired by bedtime.
If you’ve been woken at night by external reasons, such as a newborn or sick child, it’s ok to find opportunities for extra rest during the day provided it doesn’t compromise your bedtime the next night.

Sunlight

Modern life has us exposing ourselves to the wrong lights at the wrong times of day. We live indoors for far greater periods of time than we were designed for, we’ve become dependent on technology and devices that keep us indoors, and we are bombarded with artificial and blue light long after the sun has gone down. It impacts upon our circadian rhythm, hormone production, immune system, gut microbiome, absorption of calcium, bone health, cell growth, mood and mental health, our ability to properly produce vitamin D (a fat-soluble nutrient), and many other bodily functions. Here’s some tips for correcting this massive deviation away from our innate design.

Watch the sunrise every day, even if it is cloudy outside. The red light in the sunrise is critical to your retina’s production of caeruloplasmin, setting your circadian rhythm for the day (hormones, melatonin, body functions etc), and it builds your “solar callus” or preconditions your skin to prepare you for afternoon sun exposure of UVA and UVB. The red light penetrates deepest (10-20cm) through your skin and to your entire gut. Expose as much skin as possible, the sunrise contains very little to no UV. If it is cold outside, even just exposing your gut in Winter is beneficial. The length of exposure doesn’t have to be very long, as it happens instantaneously. If you’ve had any health conditions or issues, aim for longer exposure (up to 30 minutes).
If you can’t meet the sun on rising, do it on waking. The best time of the day is between sunrise and 10am. Morning sunlight exposure (either at sunrise or on waking, but before 10am) with your eyes open towards/ near to the sun (not directly at it). Ensure your eyes are open with no glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses or window tinting. Start with just 1 minute daily and increase the time in line with your comfort level. The sun needs to get into the eye in order to activate the retinol that has been consumed through animal foods (like beef liver and cod liver oil). Expose as much skin as possible (and legal).
After around 10am, UVA kicks in. UVA exposure triggers hormone production and release of endorphins, and is critical in making nitric oxide which drastically boosts mitochondrial energy and memory. But be mindful of your length of exposure without protection. Some skin types will damage after only 10 minutes exposure.
Aim for some daytime sunlight exposure when the UVB rays are most intense, meaning less exposure time is needed to make sufficient vitamin D. Daytime sun exposure for optimal vitamin D synthesis with minimal risk of damaging sun rays (minimal risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma) is for sun exposure typically between 10am and 1pm. As for morning sunlight exposure, aim to expose as much skin as possible. We recommend the “dminder” app that assists in calculating the best time of day and duration for your sun exposure, specifically for vitamin D skin conversion, your body and location. At its most basic level, it will use your geographical location and demographics to guide your daytime sunlight exposure. It has further functionality to include diet and laboratory tests to adjust and update the predictions, however, using it daily at its most basic level is still very beneficial. The app was developed by Dr Micheal Holick (Endocrinologst and author of The Vitamin D Solution) and RobCo, Inc. And remember that the suns UVB rays cannot penetrate through windows, so you need to physically get out in it.
People with darker skin tones have more melanin. Melanin is a compound that protects against skin damage by reducing how much UVB light is absorbed by their skin. As a result, people with darker skin tones will need more time in the sun to make the same amount of vitamin D as a person with a lighter skin tone.
Don’t forget to cover and protect your skin if you are exceeding the amount of time required to obtain beneficial sunlight exposure.
Consume natural sources of vitamin D in your diet such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, beef liver, egg yolks, cod liver oil and animal fats. We do not recommend the supplementation of synthetic vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a hormone (Hormone D) and the best source is naturally via sun exposure and your diet. We do recommend a good quality cod liver oil such as Rosita’s.
Limit using soaps and body wash in the shower to avoid stripping all the natural oils from your skin. You need the cholesterol in your skin to convert sunlight to vitamin D.
Enjoy the sunset. If you can briefly take in the pre-dusk sunlight, it will ensure you’ve sampled the full light spectrum over the course of the day.
Limit your light after dusk and aim to get dark adapted. When the sun goes down, try to limit artificial lighting or aim for low light and use low wattage lamps if you have them. Fire is 5W, so use very low wattage lamp bulbs. If you can’t avoid artificial lighting after dusk, wearing amber, blue light blocking glasses can be beneficial.
Limit your use of technology after dusk. Wear blue light blocking glasses or twilight software for watching TV in the evening, F.Lux or night shift mode for using laptops and computers and blue light blocking apps on your phones.
Near-infared saunas can be of benefit by working with your body’s biology. They use shorter wavelengths to mimic the natural sunlight, penetrating deeply to create radiant heat. Light or phototherapy and heat therapy have been shown to provide many health benefits. If you’re not able to access the natural sun on rising, this may be a good alternative.
For some interesting further reading on light and the microbiome, look up Dr. Jack Kruse (Neurosurgeon).

Nature & Fresh Air

We are living in an age of true disconnection. A disconnection from our innate diet, our biological needs, and our social connection with others. But also, a massive disconnection from ourselves and from nature. Our modern lives are so busy often juggling work, relationships, study and children’s needs. This often leaves self-care and spending time in nature by the wayside. Being connected to nature and natural stimuli can lead to stress reduction, mood improvement, improved psychological wellbeing and mental health. Nature’s calming effect has been observed in EEG testing, proving we have a physical response and connection to nature. It showed that brain waves became more stable and blood flow increased to the amygdala, the organ that controls fear and stress.

Try to cultivate the natural inclination that humans feel towards nature, in whatever way you can. You don’t have to sell up your city home and move to the country or live in isolation to appreciate the nature around you and rebuild your connection with it. If you do live in a city, take breaks away from the hyper-stimulation of your senses, through actively seeking out time in nature.
Simply taking the time to consider how often you currently spend time in nature and think of ways in which you could integrate more time in nature into your current schedule.
Make a daily plan to spend time in nature and benefit from its therapeutic effects. Whether that be by visiting a local garden during your lunch break, a local park with your child, a family picnic, gardening, a bush walk or hike, a splash in a puddle on a rainy day, stargazing, camping, watching a sunrise or sunset, exploring with a curious toddler, or a trip to the beach. Make it a daily commitment to find a way, no matter how small, to connect with nature.
Learn from the little people! Follow them and observe how they explore their surroundings. Studies in the 1980’s by developmental psychologists observed that the tendency to get close to nature is innately present in young children. They hypothesised that we are genetically predisposed to seek out a connection with nature. And whilst the scientific community may not yet fully understand the human-nature affiliation, the benefits cannot be denied.
Take up a hobby that involves and encourages you to be outdoors in fresh air.
Get grounded. Take your shoes off and connect with the earth.
Embrace cold exposure. Our bodies weren’t designed to live in climate-controlled bubbles, rather our feet would have been in connection with the cold ground daily. Practice frequently taking cold showers, a cold dip in a pool or the beach, or walk around on cold ground with no shoes. Cold exposure is linked to an improved immune response, improved sleep quality, improved focus, reduction of inflammation and it speeds up the metabolism. If you’re from a background of ill health, take cold exposure slow.
Take your yoga or stretching routine outdoors.
Open the windows of your home to let fresh air inside.
Meet up with friends in outdoor environments. Try mobile friend dates by going on a walk around a lake together, rather than sitting in a coffee shop.
Park the car and walk instead. For short journeys, try to substitute walking for driving whenever you can.
Bring the outdoors inside. Houseplants are a great addition to your inside world that give both a sense of peace and purify the air.
Take the scenic route. If you have the time, enjoy the drive.
Take ownership over your environment, pick up others rubbish and participate in local environmental initiatives like community tree plantings.

Water

Drinking water quality is a critical factor in health and wellness. Supplying drinking water at the tap to the vast population of Australia is both complex and challenging, involving diverse water sources, significant distances and remote communities. Not dismissing the challenge of water supply in Australia, the two processes of chlorination and fluoridation of the water supply are briefly discussed below. The water authorities have done an outstanding job of getting the water source to our taps, and from there, we can take personal ownership and responsibility before consuming it.

Disinfection of all drinking water supply schemes in WA is undertaken using chlorine or chloramine to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and prevent disease. The chloramination process involves both chlorine and ammonia for a longer lasting disinfectant and is utilised in the extensive pipe networks to the Goldfields and Agricultural water supply scheme. Sufficient quantities are added to ensure a residual disinfection barrier is maintained to the tap. The use of UV light is also employed in locations where there is increased microbiological risks, but it must be used in combination with chlorine or choramine because it cannot provide the residual barrier to the tap. Trihalomethanes are formed as a by-product of chlorination and chloramination and are kept below 0.25 mg/L per the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (expressed as an average long term exposure).
Whilst it is a necessary process in our modern and developed society, it should be noted that chlorinated water is hard on your body’s magnesium and copper, and therefore caeruloplasmin. Chlorine also displaces iodine and depletes vitamin C.
Fluoridation of the water supply is a more contentious issue. It was introduced in WA in 1968 and undertaken as a ‘public health measure’ to reduce dental decay and improve oral health. In WA, fluoridation of the water supply is regulated by the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies Act 1966 which is administered by the Department of Health, overseen by the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies Advisory Committee (who make recommendations to the Minister for Health), and backed by the World Health Organization, the Australian Dental Association, the Australian Medical Association, and the National Health and Medical Research Council. The vast majority of the WA population is supplied with fluoridated drinking water today. It is noteworthy that some regions in WA have high naturally occurring levels of fluoride in the water source, such as Dunsborough, where the water supply undergoes a de-fluoridation process (using fluorsilicic acid or sodium fluoride) to reduce it to the same level as other fluoridated schemes in the South West region. The after-dosing fluoride concentration is set to not exceed 1 mg/L. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for fluoride is 1.5 mg/L for all water supplies (fluoridated and non-fluoridated).
Fluoride is a neurotoxin, 64 studies have linked it with a reduced IQ in children, excessive fluoride exposure can cause osteoarthritis and 97% of Western Europe has rejected water fluoridation. See Video Interview with Dr Bob Dickson “Fluoridation Belongs in the Museum of Failed Medical Practices” and podcast discussing the reaction of the editors of JAMA Pediatrics to fluoridation.
We recommend drinking rainwater or filtering tap water to remove fluoride and chlorine. Please note that activated carbon filters do not remove fluoride. Water filters that do remove fluoride include reverse osmosis (RO) systems, activated alumina and deionizers that use ion exchange resin. However, drinking filtered water devoid of minerals itself can flush the body’s minerals out, so after filtering add back healthy naturally occurring minerals such as those in Ancient Lakes Natural Magnesium Liquid. And only drink water to ‘thirst’ as drinking too much water can also flush critical minerals from your body. The body needs to hold and absorb minerals to utilise them.
After going to great lengths to remove chlorine from drinking and bathing water it’s good to be mindful when using chlorinated swimming pools that they do have an impact on your body. Particularly indoor pools with poor ventilation, where you don’t have to even enter the water as the potent chloramine gas (an oxidised chlorine gas comprising sweat, urine, sunscreens and other chemicals) is inhaled. The American Academy of Pediatrics undertook a study of over 800 children and acknowledged the dangers of chlorine after it concluded that there was a noticeable effect on those children with existing asthma and allergies, and those children without existing asthma and allergies were affected by regular or prolonged chlorine exposure. Bromine can have a similar effect on the body also. Teaching a child to swim is important to prevent accidental drowning and the benefits of swimming for exercise is undeniable. Using outdoor over indoor pools, opting for a salt or mineral system that reduces the chlorine use by up to 50% and balancing your pool use with trips to the ocean (where possible) can help to mitigate some of the unwanted effects of the chlorine exposure.
Use fluoride-free toothpastes and avoid fluoride treatments at the dentist.

Connection

The age of technology may appear to connect us together more than ever before, but it’s often at the expense of our face-to-face meaningful connections. A WiFi connection cannot fulfil all our social needs. We have an inherent need for physical interaction to thrive. Social connection can help us to regulate our emotions, increase our self-esteem, raise our empathy, improve our immune system, and lower depression and anxiety. Research has shown that loneliness is on the rise and that lack of human connection can be more harmful to your health than many diseases and conditions. Some points of reflection and ideas for creating meaningful connections include:

Use technology to enhance your connection with others, and not replace it.
If in the company of friends or family, put your phone away and don’t let it be a distraction.
Set yourself limits on technology if you need them and parent yourself if you need it, until a healthier habit is formed.
Be mindful of the example you set for children. Create balance between the real and online worlds. Show the little people that it’s possible.
Find your tribe! Even if that is online. And then take that step to transfer it to real life interactions and relationships.
If you are an introvert by nature or have other social challenges, it doesn’t mean that you must become a social butterfly. Human connection will look different for different people. Find what works for you and your lifestyle.
Reach out to an old friend or distant family member to say hello.
Get to know your neighbours. Even if you’ve been living next to them for some time without interaction, go and introduce yourself. If you don’t have the confidence to introduce yourself, small acts of kindness like mowing their verge or taking in their bins may be great conversation starters.
Find a new hobby or extend an existing hobby by joining a club or community group.
Volunteer for a cause that touches you.
If you’re at work and typically eat at your desk, take your lunch to a communal space to eat.
Undertake random acts of kindness. You never know what other people are going through, and your one act of kindness may make a massive difference in their life.
Ask people for help when you need it as it’s an opportunity to connect.
Consider that physical connection is an important part of maintaining your overall health and wellness. If you are in isolation due to Covid, this can be particularly challenging. Use the time to be truly present and connect with those in your household. If you live alone, use technology to your advantage, to maintain existing relationships with friends and loved ones.
If you are struggling with connection and loneliness, seek out support.

Raising Children Carnivore

We believe that the carnivore diet is the most nourishing way to eat and live for everyone. We don’t believe that it’s ‘safer’ to feed children differently, rather that it’s critical to ensure they are fuelled and nourished to enable proper development and growth. But we also understand the delicate balance with raising children in today’s society. Raising a carnivore-child goes far beyond diet. Here’s a list of suggestions.

Lead by example. And let them lead you by example too! Children are born with innate instincts and practices; from food selection to posture and movement, to their inclination for exploring nature. The way we live and societal traditions and pressures dulls those instincts. Try and keep their instincts alive, and relive it as an adult too which will reinforce it to them also!
Explain what you are doing and why. Children are infinitely wise an have an innate capacity for learning.
Take everything very slowly, particularly if they are coming from a standard diet to a very different way of eating and being. There is no rush. Increasing meat intake and incorporating some organs is a great start. And if a meat-heavy diet with added organs is as far as you want to go, that’s perfectly fine!
Don’t forbid foods (excepting allergies) and don’t force foods. Encourage and allow your child to explore new foods. Causing stress or distress is not aligned with a carnivore lifestyle. The negative impact of stress may far outweigh any dietary improvements. With toddlers, providing a choice of carnivore foods enables them to retain some control.
In social situations, including for their meals at daycare or school, choose your battles. Educate your child on the risks of sharing foods and drinks. Keep their carnivore meals interesting. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
Involve them in all aspects of providing for themselves, no matter their age; actively involve them in food sourcing and shopping, payment for goods, safe food transit and storage practices (particularly important with animal products), cooking and meal preparation, safe reheating practices and hydration.
Eat meals together and take the time to engage with each other. Teach them mindful eating.
Ensure they are getting enough nutrients through nose-to-tail eating. Beef liver is essential, so finding ways to incorporate it for your child is critical, whether they are carnivore or not. See our Ways to Incorporate Beef Liver for ideas here.
Ensure their fat and salt intake are sufficient. Both have been demonised in the mainstream for decades, both are critical for optimal health.
Consider a good quality cod liver oil for natural vitamin D and vitamin A (retinol). We use Rosita’s Cod Liver Oil, 1/4 teaspoon daily for our 15-20kg toddler.
Encourage sunlight exposure and explain why; to set their circadian rhythm, trigger hormone production, activate the retinol from food, and use the cholesterol in their skin to convert sunlight to Vitamin D.
Encourage play-based learning in nature at all ages. Kick the shoes off and make it a priority to spend time every day in fresh air and nature (including and ESPECIALLY during Winter!). Incorporate primal movements and stretching.
Teach them breathing exercises for overwhelm and anxiety, EFT for emotional freedom and regulation and meditation and mindfulness for being in the present moment.
Encourage nose breathing and resting of the tongue on the roof of the mouth during the day to ensure postural stability and proper jaw and teeth development.
Set clear boundaries surrounding the use of technology (frequency, duration and timing) and always supervise. As with yourself, encourage any social media use to be more intentional, by encouraging them to follow their passions, things that inspire and motivate them, and by using it to create genuine and meaningful friendships. Teach them that mindless scrolling and engaging in negativity is crossing a healthy boundary. Beyond the unnatural nature of their exposure to today’s technology, there are also significant safety and mental health risks. E-Safe Kids is a fantastic Facebook page and website resource for digital wellness and cyber safety. We use and highly recommend their resources.
Connection; surround them with love, kindness and nurturing. You may have heard the saying that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. Aim to surround your child with other children and adults that lift them up and ‘fill their cup’. Limit their interactions and set clear boundaries with people and in situations where their exposure is less than ideal. We firmly believe that there are friends for every child. Help your child to find their tribe!
Teach them that there is a time for play, a time for work, and a time for rest. Help them to recognise when they’ve had a big day and their body and mind need to recover and explain to them the extra rest needed during and after any illness or injury. This includes helping them to recognise times that they may mentally need a break (taking mental health days for the bigger kids is a great way to model this). Teach them how to listen to their body. Teach them to respect their body and mind. They will learn from the example you set with your body and mind!
Teach them from a young age to not aim for success, but to aim for satisfaction. Success is something that is measured by other people’s views and opinions with little regard for their own feelings, whereas encouraging them to aim for satisfaction will ensure that they prioritise their own happiness and fulfilment from within.
Teach them that it is ok to ask for help and that it is ok to say No. Model these behaviours and boundaries for them.
Teach them that they will never speak to anyone more than they speak to themselves in their own heads, so to be kind to themselves in those inner conversations. We love doing daily positive affirmations in the mirror with our Carni-Toddler (pictured).

Support and Professional Help

It may feel a little overwhelming trying to put into practice all these ‘new’ activities within an already overflowing schedule, but it needn’t be. As with the transition into carnivore, take it slow. Choose one thing at a time to work on implementing and give it some time and practice. It takes time to develop new habits. Small and consistent changes now drive momentum and will make a big difference in the future. Do we manage to do ALL the things, EVERY single day?…. no! It’s a juggle. So be kind to yourself!

If you’re looking for some support in your carnivore journey, we’d love to have you join us on Facebook Carni-Mumma Australia. Our Carni-Mindset Monday’s may help you to set your carni-intention for the week and slowly work towards achieving your personal aim.

Please note that all the above recommendations are general in nature and not tailored to the individual reader. The advice and recommendations are not intended as a substitute for consulting with, and supervision by, your health care professional. Please seek out professional services where you require them.