The Holistic Performance Institute

6x short on protein. 2.5x short on calories. Zero omega-3s.

That's the vegan diet I was sent when I challenged people to feed an 85kg masters athlete with systemic nickel allergy syndrome and Crohn's disease.

I give full credit to the one person who actually responded - nobody else did. But good intentions don't change the numbers.

If someone followed this plan, we'd be looking at hormonal collapse, severe anaemia, gut dysfunction, and chronic fatigue.

This isn't about being anti-vegan. It's about being honest that for some people, a vegan diet isn't just difficult - it's medically contraindicated.

Nutrition has to be built around the individual. Always.

Nearly 30 years prescribing ketogenic diets and a PhD in ketosis - and my biggest critics are the carnivore bros. 🤣

Why? Because I say this: a carnivore or keto diet is not the best approach for everyone...

Here's what the research actually shows:

Plants are not trying to kill you. If they were as harmful as some claim, we'd see it clearly in long-term data. We don't.
People eating more vegetables, fruits, and berries consistently live longer and healthier lives.
The "fibre is useless" argument falls flat when isolated fibre and resistant starch supplements also show real health benefits in controlled trials.

The truth is nuanced. Some people genuinely improve their symptoms on carnivore, and it's an area I'm actively researching. Just because something works well for one person doesn't mean it's the best approach for everyone. The truth is a lot more nuanced than that!