11. Mikhaila Peterson on curing autoimmune disease and depression with the carnivore diet

Autoimmune Battle

Mikhaila Peterson's journey with autoimmune diseases began at a young age, leading her to explore various treatments and diets. She initially tried a gluten-free diet, which provided minimal relief, and later experimented with an elimination diet. Despite being on multiple medications, including immune suppressants and antidepressants, her symptoms persisted until she discovered the carnivore diet, which significantly improved her condition 1 2.

I tried everything I could think of and that my mom could think of to try and get my autoimmune condition under control. And I'd gone to a lot of, like, pretty quacky people who probably weren't as quacky as I thought they were at the time.

--- Mikhaila Peterson

Her story highlights the challenges and frustrations faced by those with autoimmune diseases and the potential of dietary changes to bring relief.

   

Mental Health

Mikhaila's mental health struggles were severe, including depression and even hallucinations. She shared a particularly frightening experience where she hallucinated after reintroducing soy into her diet, which led her to rely on marijuana to cope 3. Over time, and with strict adherence to the carnivore diet, she began to experience positive emotions again, a process that took several months 4.

I started getting, like, spikes of positive emotion. I was like, oh, okay. So now things are improving finally.

--- Mikhaila Peterson

Her journey underscores the significant impact diet can have on mental health and the importance of patience in seeing results.

   

Symptom Insights

Mikhaila experienced a wide range of symptoms, from chronic fatigue to severe rashes, which she eventually linked to gluten. Despite extensive genetic testing, she found no clear answers until she cut out gluten, which marked the beginning of her dietary journey 5. She expressed frustration with the medical community for not testing her for celiac disease earlier, which could have prevented years of suffering 6.

I can handle being, like, miserably depressed. I can handle the arthritis and, like, the pain and the itching and the chronic fatigue, but I can't handle, like, a rash on my face.

--- Mikhaila Peterson

Her experience highlights the importance of considering dietary factors in managing chronic health conditions.