#91 - Eating An Animal Based Diet With Dr. Paul Saladino

In this episode, Nick welcomes on guest Dr. Paul Saladino, leading expert on the science and application of the carnivore diet—or the animal-based approach. Don’t miss this conversation as Paul offers great insight on this diet approach, why he prescribes it, and how it has benefitted numerous patients with autoimmune illnesses. With this unique perspective and amazing information, they dive into the discussion!

Paul gets the conversation rolling as he recounts his own journey, recognition, and need for a new food framework. He shares about moving towards an animal based-diet due to his own struggle with eczema. Providing more information on some autoimmune struggles and chronic illness, Paul asserts that many people are thinking about food incorrectly. Food is a huge performance enhancer, but it has to be utilized correctly. Learn about the Paleolithic diet and where Paul believes this approach gets it wrong. Nick asks Paul about how his medical community responded to his shift full swing into a carnivore diet. With a desire to be able to affect the medical paradigm, and not just help people with symptoms, Paul did not truly blossom until after his residency.

As the conversation continues, Paul shares his next steps in this journey and what impacts he faced from this massive shift. Learn about the challenges with long-term keto, and how his approach changed about 2 years into it. As Paul was humbled continued to grow in personal knowledge and reevaluating his approach, he shifted to version 2.0 with considering the value of carbohydrates in the human diet. Are some parts of plants more favored than others? What are the benefits of honey? Learn about sugar in a whole-food-matrix, not in isolation. Paul touches on the differences between physiological vs. pathological insulin-resistance. From issues of long-term ketosis, to gas, and the ins and outs of glucose, insulin, and fruit sources, Paul dives into countless details.

Moving back in his story, Nick asks Paul about the beginning of his health journey when he was raw vegan. Learn about the issues of excessive gas and why Paul believes this is not the route humans should take. He shares where he is at now with honey and fruit added back in to his diet, along with the issues with bile salts that people experience when removing fiber from their diets. Listen as Paul talks about the spectrum of approaches and the possible usefulness of different stages, depending on your body and issues.

Diving deep into the depths of countless details concerning topics from what a fruit is, to why humans need meat fat, Paul debunks many perceptions that aren’t true. Listen to what a typical diet for Paul looks like on a daily basis—meat, organs, fruit, and honey. He shares more about organ meat and why it is so powerful. They take a look at an animal like a multivitamin and why we should not divorce some parts from others—unique micronutrients that are otherwise missed. Learn why food quality is so much more important than tracking macros, and what nutritional ‘dark matter’ is. They touch on gut health, vegetables, detoxification methods, and plant based. There is a hierarchy of foods for thriving. Butyrate and short chain fatty acids are uncovered in their conversation. Is there a linear equation that more fiber equals more health? Why eat meat fat? Nick understands the desire for flavor, but Paul fills listeners in on the importance of tallow and suet fats. Fat does not make people fat, metabolic dysfunction does. Paul answers it all!

As an MD, Paul shares what issues he has seen patients come in with and how diet can improve them. While no dietary discussions should be made without your physician, it’s important to have a nutrition savvy doctor to guide you! There is no one diet that is perfect for everyone, some individuals have conditions that can prohibit certain levels of proteins or carbs, calling for adjustments. Continuing the discussion, Nick and Paul touch on Paul’s take on game-changers, correlations vs. causation, and the role of evolution. Why not just stick to observational studies? Paul addresses problems with certain studies and how these often prove to be an issue of motivation for pitching something, rather than truly testing a hypothesis with interventional studies. Take a look at evolution and man’s desire for meat—Paul argues that eating meat made us human. 

Nick shifts the conversation to ask Paul about the first steps he takes with new patients to bring them from 0 to 100. How do you make a gradual shift from a diet that harms you, to one that helps? Learn more about linoleic acid and the differences in meat sources. How does Paul go out to eat? Does he ever go off the diet? Listen as he talks about the importance of discipline and how he chooses to make choices with a long term horizon, rather than focusing on possible short term benefits. They briefly chat about regenerative ranching, Roam Ranch, and soil regeneration.

Wrapping up, Nick recalls his own take-aways from this podcast and reminds listeners not to forget to check out places like White Oak, Belcampo, Circle-C, and other farms for great places to get access to organ meat.

Thanks for tuning in and remember to leave a review and share with a friend!

Timestamps:

0:00 - Nick introduces the topic and today’s guest, Dr. Paul Saladino

1:28 - Nick introduces the podcast and its pillars

2:10 - Paul is welcomed on and he recounts his need for a new food framework

11:45 - Full swing with the carnivore diet and how other responded

13:44 - The impact from such a massive shift and challenges with long-term keto

17:05 - A shift in approach and considering the value of carbohydrates in the human diet

25:07 - Issues of long-term ketosis, gas, glucose, insulin, and fruit

31:27 - The beginning of his health journey and going raw vegan

32:56 - Where Paul is at now with honey and fruit added back in; the spectrum or approaches and the usefulness of different stages

36:49 - What is a fruit?

37:32 - Paul’s typical daily diet

45:15 - Organ meat, why it is so powerful, and the micronutrients it has

57:55 - Food quality, tracking macros, and nutritional ‘dark matter’.

59:30 - Gut health, vegetables snd plant based diets.

1:08:52 - Butyrate, short chain fatty acids, and fiber

1:12:03 - It’s more than bacon, steak, and eggs

1:17:23 - Why eat meat fat?

1:28:25 - Issues Paul has seen patients come in with and how diet can improve them

1:33:40 - Paul’s take on game-changers, correlations vs. causation, and the role of evolution

1:47:49 - The first steps Paul takes with new patients

1:50:18 - Linoleic acid and what type of meat Paul eats

1:55:10 - How does Paul go out to eat?

2:01:46 - Roam Ranch and soil regeneration

2:03:29 - Take aways from this podcast episode

2:08:28 - Thank you for listening!

Links:

Learn more about Dr. Paul Saladino and his podcast

Check out Heart&Soil.

Learn more about Nick Bare on his website.

Connect with Nick Bare on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Learn more about Bare Performance Nutrition.