Zero Carb Keto: The Zero Waste Life

Zero Carb Keto

The Zero Waste Life

I have been trying for a zero-waste, plastic-free life for about a month and a half now. I've been really happy with my changes!

Here are some of the changes I've made:
-The Keeper instead of menstrual pads
-glasses instead of contacts
-dental pic instead of floss
-baking soda instead of toothpaste
-locally made, paper wrapped hard soap instead of body wash and hand soap
-herbs or washing soda instead of shampoo and dye
-washing soda instead of dish liquid
-100% natural fiber clothes and linens
-reusable cloth bags or paper bags for shopping
-BioBags for composting, for food storage and for compostable waste
-stainless steel compost bin
-paper towels and toilet tissue wrapped in paper
-gave up moisturizers, makeup, and deodorant - don't need them anymore!
-sWheat cat litter in a paper bag, flushable and compostable
-signed up for 100% renewable energy from my utility company

I have just been a little stumped with maintaining a zero carb diet without plastic. Meats and fish always come in plastic, or plastic-lined paper.

I have gone to the fresh meat counter with some BioBag food storage bags, and asked them to use those, and that works.

But the only meat counter that stocks fresh grassfed beef is an hour's drive away, plus the meat comes all the way from Australia. Since I may not be able to make that trip often, I want to find a better alternative, ideally with local meat.

Fresh fish is fine, but I have been having issues with it causing foot cramping every night. I did some nutritional study and found that the potassium to magnesium ratio is much lower for fish than for beef. So I tried adding a little potassium salt ("lite salt") to the fish, and it helped a little bit, but it is not ideal. I had the same issue with canned fish as well.

I have purchased a case of canned grassfed beef that comes from the neighboring state. It tastes good, but the texture is a little unpalatable for just eating straight. However, I was thinking I could try heating it in a simple salt broth, or making a confit with some kind of fat.

I have had trouble finding a good fat source without plastic though.

My favorite fat source is bone marrow fat, but unfortunately I cannot find it available without plastic.

There is Fatworks brand tallows and lard, which they told me is packaged in glass jars and metal lids without plastic seals, and could be shipped on request without plastic.

I believe there might also be a few brands of ghee that come in glass jars with metal lids without plastic seals. There is a local butter that comes in just butter paper and no box.

Oils usually come in glass with plastic lids, and are generally too high in omega 6s.

Also, these fats do not work as well for my gut and/or can cause inflammation for me.

I have decided to order some 100% grassfed goat milk ghee from Fatworks. Maybe that will work better for me than cow milk ghee.

I am able to find locally raised, free range eggs in cardboard cartons, so that is an option. I could fold the canned meat into a simple salted omelet. But I have found that eggs raise my triglycerides.

I think I will start by trying the canned meat in a simple salt broth. If that does not work, then I can try cooking it a confit with goat milk ghee. The same farm that sels the canned beef also sells canned turkey and pork, so that would allow for some variety if I wanted (although pork and poultry are high in omega 6s so I would not eat it regularly, just for variety).

I had mentioned that all of my health parameters are in "athlete" level except for LDL, which I am not concerned about since I have had multiple heart and cardiovascular scans with athlete level results. I did decide to order a genetic test for familial hypercholesterolemia, just to find out if I have an LDL receptor mutation, or am just a hyper-responder to a ketogenic diet. Either way, I feel protected by following a zero carb life. It will take roughly a month to get the results, which I will share!

I really believe strongly in the healing power of a zero carb diet, and for the environmental sustainability of grassfed ruminants. I am going to do my best to live a zero waste life and still stay committed to locally raised, grassfed beef and lamb!

Hair washed with washing soda