Jenn Todryk is trying something new to see if it will offer her some relief from the symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease.
In the second episode of season two of her podcast “You, Me & Mike” with husband Mike Todryk, the HGTV star revealed that she’s on a mostly “carnivore” diet that she decided to try for three weeks to see if it would improve the symptoms of her Hashimoto’s Disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Hashimoto’s is an auto-immune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack its own thyroid gland.
Symptoms include fatigue and sluggishness, increased sensitivity to cold, sleepiness, dry skin, muscle weakness and aches, joint pain and stiffness, depression, problems with memory and concentration, brittle nails, hair loss, enlargement of the tongue and a puffy face.
Three weeks turned into three months, and now Jenn’s carnivore diet seems to have become a way of life for the “No Demo Reno” designer.
Jenn Todryk Says Hashimoto’s Is a 24/7 Battle
For Jenn Todryk, Hashimoto’s has been a constant battle. She revealed, “I am struggling with that all the time, with Hashimoto’s. And so it’s something that I’m very actively going through 24/7. It’s part of my identity, it’s part of my every single day. I think about me having Hashimoto’s every single day.”
Jenn explains, “My body is attacking its own thyroid, so I am in a constant state of inflammation.. I get sick a lot more often. So how do I feel about that? It sucks but it’s not something that I’m like ‘why me?’”
“It just feels like you have pregnancy exhaustion.. or you’ve worked like 12 to 16 hour shift… it’s to the point where your eyes are so heavy and you have to like think about stuff or slap yourself in the face to keep yourself awake.”
Jenn Todryk’s Mom Inspired Her to Change Her Diet
Jenn’s mom, Cathy Marsh, has been eating a strict carnivore diet for 16 months now.
According to Harvard Health, a person on a strict carnivore diet eats only “meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products, and water.” The diet excludes all vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
And in an Amazon Live, Cathy said bloating and GI problems she had dealt with for 30 to 40 years disappeared within 48 hours of her switching to a strict carnivore diet.
But in her Instagram Reel labeled “Ketovore,” Jenn revealed that her doctor advised against strict ketovore for her. Jenn explained that the last time she went on such a restrictive diet, she was filming “No Demo Reno. She tried cutting out all gluten and dairy, but she lost weight very rapidly and nearly got under 100 pounds.
So Jenn now modifies her version of the carnivore diet to include nuts, avocado, olive oil and “a few bites of vegetables” along with her meat, eggs and cheese.
“I have a very high metabolism. I have a hard time keeping weight on. And I think that’s just genetics,” she said in the reel. Jen explains that the rigors of filming “No Demo Reno” during that time kept her too busy to make sure she ate enough protein, so the gluten and dairy-free diet wasn’t good for her at the time.
In the reel’s caption, she writes, “Filming was all-consuming and lunch was eaten standing sometimes.”
Jenn Todryk Explains Goals for ‘Ketovore’ Diet
Jenn Todryk was quick to explain to followers that this isn’t a weight loss plan for her. In fact, just the opposite.
Jenn says she doesn’t want to be in ketosis, which is the goal of a strict Keto diet. But she also can’t do strict carnivore. She hopes her modified carnivore diet that she’s nicknamed “ketovore” will do three things:
- Help her build muscle
- Improve her inflammatory markers caused by Hashimoto’s Disease
- Teach her to eat more protein
Jenn says she’s already learned one lesson: when switching to a carnivore diet, start slowly. “I am an all or nothing girl, so I ate 60 grams of protein at lunch on day one. My stomach had lightning bolts!”
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