Month: May 2019

The so-called “carnivore diet” exploded in popularity after Canadian professor Jordan Peterson raved about it on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast last year, claiming it helped him lose 50 pounds, stop snoring, cured his autoimmune diseases and gingivitis, and helped him overcome depression.

But just what is the carnivore diet? In short, it’s a close relative to the ever-popular keto diet but instead of being very low carb, it’s zero carb and consists of only meat and high-fat animal products — meaning no vegetables, bread, or anything else.

This means you’re only eating fatty meats, cheese, butter, and drinking water, milk, coffee or tea, and if you’re so inclined, heavy cream. Though some people even take it a step further and cut out dairy products too, since dairy is metabolized as sugar.

The diet anecdotally claims to encourage fast weight loss, improve mental clarity, promote easier digestion, improve athletic performance, and alleviate certain health problems, but there hasn’t been scientific research on the diet so there’s not much to back up these claims except word-of-mouth from people who’ve seen these results.

Regardless, there is previous research that might justify these claims. According to a 2013 study published the journal Metabolism, those who ate high-fat and low-carb diets had lower markers of systemic inflammation than those who eat high-carb and low-fat diets. 

One of the main reasons why eating only animal products could potentially lead to specific health benefits is due to eliminating ailment-causing foods, because almost everyone has an intolerance to something. Not eating a specific food that might be causing low-grade but constant inflammation in your body is obviously going to have fantastic benefits.

Another plus is that it may increase your levels of testosterone. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that men who followed a high-fat, low-fiber diet for 10 weeks had 13 percent higher testosterone levels than men who ate low-fat, high-fiber diets, suggesting that the large amounts of fat you’d eat in the carnivore diet might have some manlier benefits than you’d expect.

However, some (or many) may argue that the carnivore diet is completely insane and if humans were meant to only eat meat, we’d be born with a full mouth of only canine teeth to rip apart said meat. But we have grinding molars for a reason: Humans should be eating foods other than animal products.

While our bodies can survive on different diets, it doesn’t necessarily mean we can thrive on just one food source — at least in the long term.

University of Chicago’s Microbiome Center faculty director Jack Gilbert told Big Think:

Your body would start to have severe dysregulation, within six months, of the majority of the processes that deal with metabolism; you would have no short-chain fatty acids in your cells; most of the by-products of gastrointestinal polysaccharide fermentation would shut down, so you wouldn’t be able to regulate your hormone levels; you’d enter into cardiac issues due to alterations in cell receptors; your microbiota would just be devastated.

In other words, the carnivore diet is not healthy for long-term dieting. When you think about it, it’s actually a no-brainer. The human body requires a very wide range of vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients for cells and tissues to work properly, and only some of those are found in animal products. You can’t get the nutrients found in dark leafy greens from a steak.

“There’s so much evidence on phytonutrients from plant foods and how they help with DNA protection,” Brian St. Pierre, R.D., Director of Performance Nutrition at Precision Nutrition explains to Onnit. “If you’re not consuming those things, your guess is as good as mine as to how that’s going to impact you long-term.” 

Furthermore, there’s likely an increased risk of developing colon caner with the carnivore diet. “I would highly suspect that an all-animal diet would increase your risk of colon cancer,” he adds. 

“You wouldn’t be consuming things that help to inhibit colon cancer. So the dose makes the poison. Having a few servings of red meat each week is no big deal, but when you’re eating three steaks a day with nothing else, that’s a different story. You’re changing the equation substantially.”

But again, as a short-term diet plan, it seems to be promising so if you’re considering going on the carnivore diet, here’s a carnivore diet-friendly food list  as put together by Chomped:

Meat: Your main calorie source should come from fatty cuts of grass-fed meat like NY strip steak, porterhouse, ribeye, 80/20 ground beef, t-bone, bacon, pork chops and flank steak. Since you’re restricting carbohydrates, meats with more fat content are preferred so your body can use those fats as a source of energy.

Fish: Salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, and catfish are allowed. Just like meat, aim for the fattiest fish you can purchase.
Eggs. Also known as nature’s multivitamin, eggs are the perfect ratio of protein, fats, and essential nutrients to keep your body performing at its best on the carnivore diet.

Bone Marrow: Bone broth is carnivore-approved and it’s a great protein source that also helps with gut, skin, and joint health.

Dairy: Milk, grass-fed butter, and cheese are technically allowed since they come from an animal but many carnivore dieters try to keep dairy intake at a minimum since a large percentage of the population eventually develops an intolerance.

Fatty meat food products: Use lard, tallow, and other animal-based fats to cook your food instead of vegetable oil.

Condiments: Salt, pepper, herbs, and spices are allowed on the carnivore diet. Stick to simple ingredients that don’t contain any sugar or carbohydrates. If you want some flavor with your meat, consider adding some zero-calorie hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot.

If there’s one vehicle that embodies adventure, it’s the Land Rover. No other automobile in history is so closely associated with exotic and extreme landscapes as the slow, cumbersome, undependable and massively charismatic Land Rover.

And that’s why we love them. Warts and all, we see a little bit of ourselves in these boxy English utility vehicles. Land Rovers represent an indefatigable spirit that’s equal parts bravado and humility. Like the little engine that could, they seem to say, “I think I can, I think I can,” as they trudge down the trail.

Best of all, Land Rovers represent freedom and ambition. It’s not that most drivers will ever drive them into the swamp or across the savannah (or even onto dirt roads, these days), but it’s that they could. 

It’s this possibility that resonates with anyone who likes the concept of unencumbered travel. It appeals to our very core because, as a species, we’ve been migrating in search of the next horizon for millennia.

Despite the fact that the American Jeep was the first four-wheel-drive utility vehicle—and was responsible for liberating the world—it was the upstart Land Rover that’s captured our imaginations.

A Jeep even formed the basis of the very first Land Rover, and the English duo who created it never denied it. They took a good thing and, in their eyes, simply modified it to their needs. 

There was no claim to originality, it was just sensible adaptation through innovation. But what was designed to be an all-purpose farm vehicle exceeded even their wildest dreams. Seventy years later, it’s amazing to contemplate how their creation has conquered the world – literally and figuratively.

I’ve always loved Land Rovers. I was fortunate enough to be raised by parents struck with wanderlust, and as a kid I lived in Central America, West Africa and the American West – places where 4x4s were an absolute necessity. 

It was West Africa where my connection to the go-anywhere English truck would be cemented. Like a trusty dog, Land Rovers were there through thick and thin. And like a family pet, they quickly imprinted on me with their distinct personality and immense character.

Seeing the current rising interest in Land Rovers here in the US, I decided it was time to organize an event to celebrate the iconic adventure vehicle.

While the elite Range Rover has been popular among wealthy American socialites since the 1980s, the Series I-III and Defender models – the workhorses of the brand – have been a relatively new phenomena over here. 

So with classic Land Rovers a growing automotive trend (effectively becoming the “new Porsche,” which in turn had become the new café racer), or what diehards are ruefully calling a hipster fad, some kind of forum needed to be established.

To my way of thinking, this new interest in Land Rovers is a great thing. It means people are appreciating the legacy, design and symbolism of these vehicles. Although very British, they represent the free, optimistic, can-do spirit of America.  I find that very complementary. 

Furthermore, they are, unlike many Porsche models, attainable. That makes them even more attractive.

The result was Trans Terras (Latin for “across lands”). I wanted the event to honor Land Rover’s conquering of the world, from desert and mountain to tundra and jungle, even urban city streets, but in a unique way.

Instead of just a jamboree, I envisioned Trans Terras to be an experiential lifestyle event focused on a curated exhibition of vehicles, both historical and contemporary. 

It was designed to be a celebration of all things Land Rover, where the timeline and bloodline of the marque’s influence could be appreciated. But, more importantly, it would be something that would unite enthusiasts, celebrate shared interests, create camaraderie and provide community. I referred to it as a “Land Rover love-in.”

After scouting several locations in southern California, I chose the historic Old West movie set of Paramount Ranch just over the mountain from Malibu. 

How cool, I thought, to juxtapose safari vehicles with the dusty streets of a fictional 1800s town where every Hollywood cowboy from Gary Cooper to John Wayne – even West World robots – had gun fights. The result of this “British Western” was a smash hit.

Fifty Land Rovers of all models, from Series I, II and III, to first-generation Range Rovers, classic Discoverys and modern Defenders, were on display and placed – like a 3D automotive art exhibition – around the Old West town. 

Most owners and attendees were from Californi,a but some came from as far away as Portugal, and the unanimous response was, “Let’s make this an annual event!”

Tragically, just one week after the inaugural Trans Terras, Paramount Ranch burned to the ground in the infamous Woolsey Fire. Trans Terras, however, was envisioned to be a pop-up event, something that would be hosted in a different location each year so as to keep it fresh and continually provide a unique backdrop. 

New venues, I reckon, will create anticipation and, like Land Rovers themselves, promote discovery. So s has begun for a new locale somewhere in southern California for the second November event.

Regardless of your interest in Land Rovers, or any other overland vehicle, the important point is this: turn off your screen, put away your device, and begin creating a story of your own. There’s an entire world out there to be discovered and adventure awaits.

Note: News and updates for the November 2019 Trans Terras will be posted to the website, transterras.com.

Jared Zaugg—entrepreneur, author, consultant—can usually be found at the intersection of lifestyle, motoring and culture. Follow him on Instagram.