Is it truly possible to reverse a lifelong autoimmune disease with a single radical dietary change? For over 24 million Americans battling autoimmune conditions, often told there's no cure, the story of Mikhaila Peterson Fuller offers a compelling, albeit controversial, perspective. Mikhaila, health influencer, founder of the Lion Diet, and daughter of Dr. Jordan Peterson, recounts her journey of putting a lifetime of chronic illness into remission through a meat-only diet. This article explores Mikhaila's experience, the science (and lack thereof) behind the Lion Diet, and what it means for those seeking alternative approaches to autoimmune management.
Mikhaila Peterson's Story: A Lifetime of Suffering and Transformation
Mikhaila Fuller's journey began in childhood. At age 2, she started limping, and by 7, she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affecting 37 joints. By 8, she was on injectable immunosuppressants. As if that wasn't enough, at 12, she was diagnosed with severe depression and started antidepressants. At 14, idiopathic hypersomnia, characterized by chronic fatigue, left her barely able to get out of bed. The severity of her arthritis led to hip and ankle replacements at age 17. She spent a year on OxyContin, struggling with pain and fighting suicidal thoughts.
At 23, Mikhaila drastically changed her diet, eliminating processed foods and focusing on whole foods, primarily meat. This dietary change brought rapid improvements. She described it as stepping out of hell and into heaven. However, discontinuing her medications, particularly antidepressants, led to severe withdrawal symptoms.
Following childbirth, her autoimmune symptoms and depression resurfaced. Desperate for relief, she experimented with an even more restrictive diet: beef, salt, and water only, what she now calls the Lion Diet. Within six weeks, her arthritis went into remission, and her depression subsided after five months. For the past seven years, she has maintained this diet of primarily beef and lamb to keep her symptoms at bay.
The Lion Diet: A Plant-Free Ketogenic Approach
The Lion Diet is a plant-free ketogenic diet, an extreme and limited version of the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet has a long history of success in treating chronic conditions, particularly epilepsy. Before the advent of medication, it was the primary treatment for epilepsy.
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Mikhaila believes that increased intestinal permeability, often resulting from modern diets high in processed foods and carbohydrates, contributes to inflammation and psychiatric illness. In a healthy digestive system, the gut lining acts as a barrier, selectively allowing nutrients to pass through while blocking harmful substances from entering the bloodstream. However, high-carbohydrate diets and processed foods can damage this barrier, leading to "leaky gut," where particles escape into the bloodstream. The Lion Diet, by eliminating plant-based foods, aims to reduce inflammation and promote gut health.
The Carnivore Diet: An Overview
The carnivore diet is an all-animal-product diet that includes meat, fish, eggs, and sometimes dairy, while excluding all plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. It is often described as an extreme elimination diet, aiming to reduce potential dietary triggers of inflammation.
Potential Benefits for Rheumatic Diseases
Rheumatic diseases are often driven by chronic inflammation and autoimmune responses, leading to joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue. By eliminating plant-based foods that may contain anti-nutrients (e.g., lectins, oxalates), the diet may lower inflammation for some individuals. Some individuals, like Mikhaila Peterson, Dr. Shawn Baker and Dr. Paul Saladino have reported significant symptom relief from autoimmune condition after adopting the carnivore diet, though these are anecdotal and not supported by large-scale clinical trials.
Criticisms and Considerations
While Mikhaila's story and the experiences of others in online communities are compelling, it's crucial to approach the Lion Diet with caution. The medical community largely remains skeptical due to the lack of rigorous scientific evidence supporting its long-term safety and efficacy.
Nutritional Deficiencies
A significant concern is the potential for nutritional deficiencies. Eliminating entire food groups increases the risk of lacking essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. While meat provides certain nutrients, it lacks others found in abundance in plant-based foods.
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Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms living in our digestive tract, plays a vital role in overall health. Plant-based foods, particularly fiber, are essential for feeding beneficial gut bacteria. A meat-only diet can drastically alter the gut microbiome, potentially leading to negative health consequences.
Long-Term Sustainability
The long-term sustainability of such a restrictive diet is questionable. The lack of variety can make it difficult to adhere to, and the social limitations can impact quality of life.
Lack of Scientific Evidence
The primary criticism of the Lion Diet and carnivore diet in general is the absence of large-scale clinical trials. Most evidence is anecdotal, based on individual experiences rather than controlled studies. While these experiences can be valuable, they don't provide the scientific rigor needed to recommend the diet as a standard treatment.
A 7-Day Sample Menu for the Lion Diet
In general, you will estimate how much meat and calories you need per day, according to the FAQ. For example, Mikhaila says she’s 5 feet 6 inches tall and eats 1.5 pounds (lbs) of meat per day. She adds that a 6-foot-tall man should eat 2.5 lbs of meat per day, though you’d adjust based on your hunger level. At the outset, if eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat is unpleasant, she recommends eating lean cuts of meat.
In the FAQ, Mikhaila says she ate two ribeye steaks per day for the first months of the diet and now eats mostly lamb, though you do not have to do the same. Your choices are based on what makes you feel the best. Purchase the highest quality meat you can afford, though she says that beef patties (make sure there’s no pepper) from fast food restaurants are just fine.
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Below is a sampling of what types of meats you might eat on the lion diet on a day-to-day basis, though the specific type of meat, number of meals or snacks, what time you eat, and how much is up to you (that is, the diet doesn’t detail portion size recommendations). The most important thing is that you’re eating only the allowed meats.
Mikhaila's Call for Research
Mikhaila advocates for government funding to support research on ketogenic and plant-free ketogenic diets as potential treatments for autoimmunity and psychiatric disorders. She highlights the lack of studies in this area due to limited funding. She points to a study showing remission and treatment of Crohn's disease, a severe intestinal autoimmune disorder, and another demonstrating remission of anorexia.
Mikhaila believes that many people with autoimmune and psychiatric disorders could find relief through dietary interventions, ranging from low-carb to ketogenic to plant-free ketogenic diets, depending on the severity of their illness. She argues that if dietary interventions were prioritized and the food pyramid emphasized meat and low-carb whole foods, America could become healthier and reduce healthcare costs.
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