Rewilding Through Diet

Rewilding Through Diet: How Dairy Nutrition and Holistic Grazing Could Pave the Way to a Healthier Planet and Body

Imagine a future where our food choices not only dictate our personal health but also help restore the planet’s climate. What if, by rethinking our diets—shifting our focus toward dairy protein and fats—we could stimulate regenerative practices in agriculture and reverse some of the damage of industrial farming and deforestation? In this blog post, we’ll explore how a move from the typical calorie-focused, grain-heavy diets toward one that emphasizes dairy components might nurture both our bodies and the Earth.

The Nexus of Diet, Hormones, and Health

For many of us, juggling multiple diets over the years has led us to one overriding conclusion: not all diets are created equal. Traditional calorie-counting often brings about a relentless cycle of weight loss and gain, leaving many frustrated. Pioneers like Dr. David Perlmutter and Dr. Ken Berry have challenged these conventional paradigms. Their work has shown that a high-fat, low-refined-carb approach can lead to a more stable insulin response, reducing inflammation and supporting brain health. Many pre-menopausal individuals, for example, report improved mood and satiety when shifting away from high-carbohydrate diets.

I discovered firsthand that shifting to a diet where refined carbs are largely eliminated—and emphasis is placed on high-quality fats—can lead to profound metabolic changes. In my experience, dairy sources of fats and proteins not only deliver sustained energy, but they also help modulate appetite and maintain a steady mood. This refined approach means that even when I occasionally indulge in thousands of calories of fat, I remain in a state of metabolic balance. It’s a testimony to how intricately our bodies work with the nutrients we feed them.

Dairy: More Than Just a Food, A Metabolic Ally

A key insight lies in the difference between dairy carbohydrates and refined sugars. Dairy carbs primarily come as lactose—a disaccharide made up of glucose and galactose. Unlike refined sugars that lead to rapid spikes in insulin and blood sugar, lactose is metabolized more slowly. Moreover, dairy is a package deal: fats and proteins naturally accompany it. This combination slows absorption in the gut and prevents those sudden energy crashes that so many of us have come to dread.

This nuance in dairy nutrition might be why I—and many others—find dairy-based diets more sustainable over the long haul. Not only do dairy fats provide a denser form of energy, but they also seem to support hormonal health. In contrast, when following some pure carnivore regimes that exclude dairy, I found that lean meat simply didn’t deliver the same satiety and steady energy levels. Our bodies, it seems, are designed to thrive on nutrient-dense, high-fat foods that offer more than just protein.

Ecological Implications: Rethinking Cattle, Grasslands, and Climate

It’s one thing to talk about personal health; it’s another to consider the broader ecological impacts of our dietary choices. Here’s where holistic grazing and regenerative agriculture come in—concepts championed by environmental advocates like Allan Savory. Savory’s work on Holistic Management demonstrates how properly managed livestock can help restore degraded grasslands. When cattle graze in a planned, cyclical fashion, they stimulate growth in plants, improve soil structure, and enhance water infiltration. This not only sequesters carbon but also contributes to a cooling effect in local temperatures through increased vegetation cover and evapotranspiration.

The idea is both simple and revolutionary: by increasing the number of cattle on naturally managed, regeneratively grazed pastures, we can foster an environment where plants and soils work together to draw down atmospheric carbon. This approach doesn’t just halt climate change—it could potentially reverse some aspects of it. The implication is that if our food systems lean more heavily on dairy products over lean meats, the resulting demand could drive a shift toward sustainable, regenerative grazing practices. The bonus? We could be addressing both our metabolic health and our planet’s health simultaneously.

It’s notable that traditional systems often prioritized the fattiest cuts of meat for women and children—those who needed denser energy sources for growth and survival. Evolutionarily, fatty and nutrient-rich foods were prized for their ability to support complex bodily functions, including hormone production. This ancestral wisdom aligns with today’s findings, suggesting that a diet enriched with dairy fats might be a more natural fit for many of our bodies.

A Vision for the Future: Diet, Land, and Global Health

So, what happens if we combine these insights? Picture a scenario in which a significant portion of our population shifts its dietary focus toward dairy fats and proteins. This change in demand could encourage:

• Revitalized Grasslands: Increased sustainable livestock grazing supports healthier grasslands, which absorb CO₂ and help stabilize regional climates.

• Improved Metabolic Health: With fewer refined carbs and a stronger emphasis on nutrient-dense fats, people might enjoy improved mood, energy levels, and hormonal balance, reducing the prevalence of metabolic and neurological diseases.

• A Positive Feedback Loop: As healthier grasslands contribute to a cooler, more moist regional climate, it sets off a cascade of environmental benefits—from increased rainfall to enhanced plant growth—all of which further sequester carbon.

This holistic approach positions our dietary choices as a catalyst for broader ecological restoration. It challenges us to consider not just what we eat for personal benefit, but how what we eat can repair our environment. The thought that we could potentially reverse aspects of global warming while simultaneously addressing chronic health issues is both exhilarating and deeply hopeful.

Closing Thoughts

The exploration of how dairy-focused diets and holistic grazing intersect is more than a theoretical exercise—it’s a call to reimagine our relationship with food and the Earth. By shifting away from calorie obsession and through meticulously managed natural systems, we have the potential to create a future where human health and planetary health are inextricably linked.

While much work remains to be done to validate these ideas on a large scale, the preliminary signs are promising. This interdisciplinary dialogue between nutrition science, regenerative agriculture, and environmental restoration might just be the transformative narrative we need in a time of climatic uncertainty and widespread metabolic disorders.

What are your thoughts on merging personal nutrition and ecological regeneration? Have you noticed similar patterns in your own journey? The conversation is just beginning, and every new insight adds another brushstroke to this evolving picture of a healthier, more balanced future.

For further exploration on holistic grazing, metabolic health, and the environmental impacts of our diets, dive into the research and share your observations. Together, we can forge a path that nourishes both our bodies and our planet.