Christina Mathewson Naturopath

Day 1 of my 30 days of the Lion’s Diet Experiment.

Here are my whys and what fore’s

Let’s see how I go.

30 Days Lions Diet - Day 1
https://youtu.be/MzH8uCLaLdI

Episode 26

This week's episode of Carnivore Conversations features John Pirrotta (JohnSharon Pirrotta )Pirrotta, who lost 40 kg and reversed his Chronic health issues.

Living with chronic illness is a constant battle, as John has experienced for over 30 years. John has struggled with obesity, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, sleep apnoea, acid reflux, diverticulitis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and more.

For as long as He can remember, He followed mainstream medical advice and treated the symptoms with medication, which made me sicker over time.

However, things changed when, a week before his 60th birthday, he was diagnosed with diabetes. This disease was the straw that set him on a path where he discovered the keto diet.

The keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has recently gained popularity. The goal of the diet is to get your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or sugar.

He first heard about the keto diet from YouTube doctors or influences. After much research, he decided to give it a try.

Implementing the keto diet was easy and so worth it.

At first, he had to completely overhaul his diet and remove all sugar, carbs, seed oil and processed foods. John started eating healthier fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil and more protein-rich foods like meats, cheese, and eggs.

One of his biggest challenges was becoming fat-adapted rather than carb-adapted. For example, he couldn’t eat anything with sugar, starchy vegetables, grains, or highly processed foods, which meant giving up many of his favourite snacks and drinks. He stuck with it, and after a few weeks, he noticed some incredible changes.

John first noticed that he had more energy throughout the day. He wasn’t constantly feeling sluggish and tired like he used to. His sleep apnea also improved, and he started getting better-quality sleep. He even started to lose weight, which was a bonus! He lost 40 kg in 12 months and has kept it off.

But the most significant change was the progressive reversal and remission of his chronic illnesses.

The first to leave was diabetes, which was healed within weeks of starting this lifestyle. His psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis improved greatly, and he plans to wean himself off of the immune suppressant medication that he has been on for years. He has been dealing with psoriasis for all his adult life. His acid reflux, diverticulitis, high blood pressure, and gum disease were all improved and progressively healed.

John was amazed at how quickly the keto diet worked, and he couldn’t believe the results he was seeing. It was as if his body was healing itself from the inside out.

After 12 months on the keto diet, He decided to go hard-core keto/carnivore, Eating only animal products.

John can honestly say that it has changed his life. Dropping all carbohydrates helps eliminate my addiction to sugar and binge eating.

The keto/carnivore diet has been a game-changer for him. It’s given him his life back.

Reversed My Chronic Illnesses with the Carnivore Diet: John Pirrotta Episode 26This week's episode of Carnivore Conversations features John Pirrotta, who lost 40 kg and reversed his Chronic health issues. Living with chronic i...

The Lion's Diet... are you joining me? - https://mailchi.mp/1261d47d5a63/the-lions-diet-are-you-joining-me

Have you been thinking about trying out the Lion Diet's version of the Carnivore diet and wondered if you can do it and how you might go?

I'm starting a 30 day experiment for myself and anyone else that would like to join me, kicking off of the 19th of August... Together lets see how we go.

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Here are my thoughts on Intuitive Eating and some of the things to consider when going down that pathway.

https://youtu.be/xu_4TXxHhEs?si=8U1oM47MB6hWsNFE

Remember to like and subscribe

There are always going to be haters… don’t let them dictate your healing!

You’ve got this!

Does anyone else have this problem?

I need some new pants👖 and I’m not quite comfortable in the next size down, and all the ones in my current size are super long.

Like literally I could pull them up to my armpits.

Some of the challenges of weight carrying extra weight, losing it and wanting to dress nicely, however not quite there yet with your weight goals

I feel like sometimes working with me should come with a warning... I'm not like lots of naturopaths, and I slaughter lots of the well-held holy cows of the field ... simply with my belief that your body isn't broken or stupid... it allows things to take place for a reason... and my job is to reverse engineer the reason and as WHY?

So then we can listen and resource it well to do what it knows how to do.

Your body will always have why more information about what it needs to do in the Chronic health space than what we can... so learning to listen, getting out of its way and nourishing it like crazy, makes a massive different.

Do you have this problem?

I just have to look at the cake and I gain weight…

I’ve been carnivore for 2 years now… here is my update on how it’s going, things that I’ve learnt and more.

2 years on the Carnivore diet I’ve been carnivore now for 2 years and here is how it’s gone so far. Https://www.christinamathewson.com/appointments

I've just got a ticket to this event with Dr Anthony Chaffee. Let me know if your going, I'd love to say hi.

The Carnivore Revolution: Transforming Health with Animal-Based Eating Join us for an exclusive event with Dr. Anthony Chaffee on the carnivore diet. Get your questions answered and gain insights!

2 years Carnivore!!!

And what have I learnt?

A whole heap.

1. That most of what we are taught is rubbish designed to keep up sick, running other peoples agendas.

2. Weight loss is so not calories in versus calories out… there is a ton more to it.

3. That we need to unpack the emotional drivers, physical drivers, retrain our behaviours and response to create a new life.

My journey so far that been a big deep dig into me and paving the pathway for others to heal as well.

5 things you might not known about me❓

If you’ve been in my space for a little while you probably will know most of these things… but if you new, here we go.

1️⃣ I’ve died on an operating table… and came back. Using 89 units of blood to stay alive.

2️⃣ I have 7 children, whom have been homeschooled from the beginning.

3️⃣ My families health journey has shaped my career and how I work with my clients.

4️⃣ I’m totally a crash course student, If there is something I don’t know, I deep dive fast into it and have powerhouse memory for the moving parts.

5️⃣ I rarely take the road most travelled… I’m normally the one asking why would we walk on this road, where does it go, what about another way.

All of which helps me to work with some of the most challenging cases because I have the ability to think dynamically.

What are 5 things other maybe don’t know about you?

One of the many things that I’ve learnt about myself over the last couple of years is… that I’ll do the hard things.

I don’t necessarily shy away from them.

It might take me time to figure out how to do it, I might need to have some practice to do it… but if I believe ultimately that it’s form my greater good and that of the people I love… I figure out how to do it.

I never used to have that kind of fortitude when I was younger and before I went through some of the challenges that life holds for us.

And something I’ve learnt from those challenges is that if you’re willing to allow it, it can make you stronger, sharper, more compassionate, more willing to forgive, essentially grow… when you allow it.

And the allowing part… that’s where the work is, because it’s definitely not easy, and often only a few are walking the road, and it requires a lot of healing, love and grace to get there.

But it is worth it in the end.

The hair analysis is one of the services I offer my clients to help them on their road to recovery.

I love how it makes things clear and helps to create a pathway for those that aren’t necessarily wanting to jump into extensive dietary changes or elimination protocols.

At the beginning of next month, the cost for this analysis is going up, as the lab are increasing the price, so there is brief opportunity to get this done in the next couple of weeks at the current price of $275

*plus the consult fee when the results are complete.

If you would like to take advantage of this send me a message and I’ll get you sorted.

Let’s talk about Mast Cell Activation and some of the lesser known things to consider when dealing with it.

https://youtu.be/UxxVe1CcZ_I?si=6sebdq6hNZrrcy2S

One of the many things I talk about with clients as they reclaim their health is being prepared to see people fall away.

Whether it be physical, mental or emotional health, as you get healthier those around you will fall generally into several categories.

The Cheer Squad - you know the friend who’s going to celebrate the heck out of you, with you.

The Team Mate - the person who joins you in The journey… walking the mile with you.

The Opinionated - Criticising you from the sidelines… but aren’t on the ground with you.

The Offended - The walking wounded, where your healing almost offends them. And really it’s because they see your doing something they maybe they should but won’t commit to themselves to do.

One of the things that I often explain is that those around you will often either ship up or ship out.

You’ll inspire them on their own journey or they will fall or pull away.

Now there are many reasons for that, some of which is because they person they have known departs… and someone else takes up that space.

And what I mean by that is, as you heal, your less reliant, you have less conversations about your challenges around the area of sickness and you become stronger, more self motivated, etc

It’s not that the essence of you goes… your still you, but your expression of that changes.

And this is one of the many reasons that people sabotage their own healing because of the fear of loosing their loved ones, or the perceived fear of that, along with the fear of no longer fitting within the life they have previously created.

It’s certainly not the only reason… it’s one of many many many reasons… but it’s common enough to mention.

What is the worst advice you’ve been given?

As I thought about this question myself this week, I landed on the following;

The worst piece of advice that I have been given, was to ignore my instincts and trust the medical system completely to make the best decisions.

Through out my life there have been several times when something along those lines where said to me…

1. When I was pregnant with my first baby… I had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes… and came across a research that stated that there was an increased risk of still birth in mothers using insulin in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy.

And I shared this with my doctor at the time, as to why I wouldn’t be automatically going on insulin.

That yes I understood they would monitor me more, but my opinions was that if there are things I can do to avoid this risk altogether, I was going to do it.

There response was to belittle me, saying that I was a bad mother, I was just scared of needles etc etc. in order to just get me to do what they wanted.

Me being me… I decided to go my own way, and figured out how to help reduce my blood glucose levels and have an insulin free pregnancy.

2. The next big one was her birth, and kick myself for trusting the system and not empowering myself enough about birth.

Because trusting the system and ignoring my natural desire there was an unnecessary c-section where the anaesthetic wore off half way through and I felt them cutting my baby out of me.

3. Was when it came to vaccinations. I wanted to be a good mother and do the best I could for my baby… and I was told that was to inject her with substances that came close to costing us her life.

My instinct was that we shouldn’t do it, but at the time i couldn’t put my finger on why? And I hadn’t done enough research to look at all the sides and angles.

As I reflect on these moments, I’m not saying I don’t use or listen to the advice of those professionals… but I no longer just trust it, instead I always investigate, are these the only options, what information are these opinions based on, who benefits from it… and instead, I bring a critical thinking mind to the table.

Welcome to the 1st of the financial year and the first day of the second half of the year.

It’s a great time to reassess and check back in with your 2024 goals.

How are you going?
Are you making progress?
Are the goals still the same or have they changed?

Do you need a a reset?

If so this is the time!

It’s the perfect time to leap back into these goals… and remember that any progress is progress, you don’t have to be all the way there to celebrate 🥳.

Celebrate each step as you take it.

Are your blood glucose levels healthy and stable?

Is your insulin levels balanced or high?

Do you know the answers to these questions?

While they aren’t the only factors in health, they are big ones that under pin a number of health issues, or an indicator as to other issues like mitochondria disfunction… and are part of the road map to recovery.

Sunday… one of the few days of the week that I purposefully don’t do work, work.

I might do around the house type of work, but I avoid client emails, messages, etc so I can rest, let the previous week fall out of my head before stepping into the next week.

So this morning as I sit with my fatty chai latte for my fat fast and get the fire going, I take the time to rest, reflect, and reconnect both with myself and my family.

What are you up to on this last Sunday of June.

Ps. My EOFY sale ends at midnight tonight, if you want to take advantage of it, message me.

I’m definitely no 20 something… I don’t have the amazing slim trim, unscarred, untouched by life marketing photos… and really I’m never going to,

…. because I’m not twenty something and I’ve lived a life which challenges, struggles and near death experience.

All of which come together to help me be a better practitioner and coach.

Not only do I have the book knowledge, I have the lived experiences. I know what’s it’s like to balance your health goals around the challenges of work, schooling, children and life.

I know life isn’t perfect, so we do the best we can in our imperfectness.

I know emotional work, because I’ve lived it, I’ve worked the path and continue to walk the path.

I know the social challenges of doing and being something different, because I’ve walked that too.

So while I’m not the beach ready perfect bodies 20 something, I have 20 something years of experience and there is a lot more knowledge and wisdom that’s behind my eyes, from a life walking it out and working it out.

Message me if you’re ready to start walking and working it out too.

It’s winter in Australia, and now currently living in the snowy mountains 🏔️ I build a fire 🔥 most days.

And if you regular build fires you know the basics are start with things like paper, stick and then as it takes off logs. 🪵

This morning as I watch the fire take off, I was reminded of how it’s similar to the metabolic system… when you give the fire the right things at the right stage, it takes off and burns well, keeping your body warm.

Same with your body… when you feed it right for where you’re at in your stage of health, it builds and supports you… keeping you warm, energised and functional.

However when you don’t, it’s like putting two big logs together with not coals and no sticks and trying to get them to burn… you might eventually get there, but you’ve had to give up more resources, time and energy to do it.

When if you match the right foods and eating timings with your body and stage of health… you can improve the performance that it gives you in return.

The big element is knowing what suits you when, and learning to listen to the language of your body.

And that’s what I get to do.

Healing just happens… yes and no.

If you get out of the bodies way and resource it well… it will work to heal.

See the “IF”

And it’s that IF that is challenging for most people.

For many reasons.

1. The world is full of information about what resourcing the body means. Some think it’s found in medicating the symptoms. Some in supplementing it.

And others like myself think it’s primarily in feeding it up with nutrients, and possibly using some supplements to boost and support, while working to eliminating and reducing medications.

2. Food is no longer just food.

Even if we remove all the packaged “food” we still have issues with the production of whole foods.

Ie most Apples for example, are harvested before that are completely ready, which means they still contain higher amounts of plant toxins, they are then put in cold storage, until needed, and then when they are needed exposed to gases to help ripen them.

Depending on where you live and where you buy, even organic is no longer organic.

For example, when you live in places like Tassie or Western Australia, there food importing rules require any product that is brought in to be sprayed.

So if you live in Tassie and are buy organic food that is grown in New South Wales, then it is sprayed before it reaches you, but still carries the label of being grown organically.

And then we have all the other engineering that is happening.

3. The marketing is out to get sales.

We are marketed too very aggressively as everyone fights for your buying dollars, thus paying for studies that are contrived to say what they want to trick you into buying their product and believing their propaganda.

4. The mindset work!

For many of us we have bonded with food, through our social conditioning. Ie someone we loved gave us food that wasn’t good for us, like a sugary treat. When they gave that to us, our brain released oxytocin the bonding hormone… and we bonded with the foods that make us sick.

And the list could go on.

Part of my job is to help people untangle the fact from the fiction, and retrain their body and minds for their greater good.

Which requires work… it doesn’t just happen.

Adults are just big kids.

I’ve pondered this statement that I heard this week, because I disagree on many levels.

Trauma training teaches us that if an adult is stuck in the ways of a child…

… then it’s likely that some trauma happened around the development age they living out of and they stopped progressing into Adulthood.

There body didn’t but their developmental mind did.

*** I want to add that Trauma isn’t always big things like your house burning down, being attacked, abused, the death of people you love…

it can be…

However it can also be something like being a poor site reader and being made to read out loud in front of the class.

It could be all sorts of things… it’s not the level of trauma that’s important, it’s the impact and affect of that event.

There are things that are normal for children;

- having little to no responsibility (for the most part, we are meant to grow into it)

- see the world through the lens of joy and magic and lack the ability see the slight of hand to see through the tricks and yes we want to take some of this with us, however we also want to develop to see the motives for the benefit of us and protection of those we love.

- being egocentric, meaning they generally think about themselves … and then as they develop mentally the capacity to think of others grows.

- independence and choice … there are things in our lives that are withheld until we reach certain ages, simply because our brains aren’t yet developed to the point of make life long decisions and understand the risk to benefits ratio as children.

And I could go on and on.

However I have several points,

1. No Adults aren’t big children, while they might like to take some child like things like joy and play with them into future… their capacity is to be for more.

2. If an Adult is still running the patterns and strategies of a child… and lack the ability to see things from multiple perspectives… then likely some development was stunted at some point.

3. There are a lot of children walking around in Grown up bodies, but are emotionally stunted… the walking wounded.

4. Children in Adult bodies quickly take on the role of victim, look for someone else to blame (because they don’t take responsibility for actions), use strategies like lying by omission, lack communication skills, struggle to articulate emotions, listen to others, have empathy and at the can have signs of narcissistic traits and at extremes are narcissists.

Some choose to stay in that space and other choose to do the uncomfortable work of reclaiming their growth and power.

And this is what I do with clients in our personal coaching sessions… we start walking through the healing process and learn new skills to deal with life in the Adult world.