Joy Villa is a Billboard-charting singer, actress, and political commentator who spent 25 years following a vegan lifestyle. In this episode, she opens up about her powerful journey of transitioning to a carnivore-based diet — and the dramatic improvements it brought to her health and well-being.
We dive into:
- Why she left veganism behind after decades
- What happened to her body and energy after eating meat again
- The science and logic that led her to embrace animal-based nutrition
- Her thoughts on mainstream nutrition and the cultural shift toward whole foods
- Joy brings honesty, passion, and firsthand experience to the conversation — offering insight - for anyone questioning the standard dietary narrative or curious about the carnivore lifestyle.
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Joy Villa, a former vegan for 25 years and a personal trainer, shares her health and fitness journey. In a candid conversation with Dr. Anthony Chaffee, she discusses her switch to a carnivore diet after experiencing poor health outcomes as a vegan. They explore the nutritional deficiencies of veganism, the pushback she received from the vegan community, and the benefits she’s found in eating meat. The discussion also touches on societal views around diet, health, and the importance of individual experimentation in finding what works best for one’s body.
Key Points
Joy Villa’s Background and Veganism
Joy Villa opens up about her past as a vegan for 25 years, where she actively promoted a plant-based lifestyle through her fitness company and music career. She discusses the challenges and controversies she faced while identifying as a vegan.
Transition to Carnivore Diet
Joy describes her gradual shift from veganism to a carnivore diet, citing health struggles and a revelation about the deficiencies and strictness of veganism. Her switch involved listening to her body’s needs and truly questioning her previous dietary beliefs.
Pushback from the Vegan Community
Upon announcing her transition to carnivore, Joy faced significant backlash from the vegan community, encountering harsh criticism and personal attacks from former supporters. She examines the ideological rigidity that often characterizes veganism.
Nutritional Insights
Throughout the podcast, Joy and Dr. Chaffee discuss the nutritional benefits of a carnivore diet, highlighting the potential deficiencies in plant-based diets. They explore how the body needs certain nutrients that are primarily found in animal products.
The Importance of Individual Experimentation
A key message in the conversation is the importance of trying different diets to understand personal health needs. Both Joy and Dr. Chaffee emphasize that individuals should experiment with their diets and make informed decisions based on their own experiences.
Cultural Perspectives on Diet
The podcast touches on the wider societal views surrounding diet, including the stigma against meat consumption. The hosts challenge the popular narratives promoted by the health industry, encouraging listeners to explore the natural human inclination toward meat consumption.
This community gets a bunch of hate for just existing (look at the community mod log - I had to automate it) , I can only image how they would attack Joy. (She wasn’t a true vegan, she was doing it wrong, etc). There is so much anger in that diet camp, it’s a bit toxic.
I’ve noticed some people say transitioning to keto and carnivore should be done slowly over weeks, this is to avoid gut discomfort. I switched overnight and I had some gut issues, but I’m very happy I made the switch quickly.
Dr. Chaffee really has a elegant way with words