The Human Being Diet
My Honest Review of the Human Being Diet
I’ve been meaning to write this post for ages, but January has been a whirlwind. I started the Human Being Diet (HBD) on January 3rd, after first hearing about it from friends in London back in November. If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember I posted about starting it on December 21st.
What really piqued my interest was the woman behind it—Petronella Ravenshear. Her approach stood out to me, especially because one of her biggest influences is Leo Pruimboom, a Dutch professor whose work fascinates me. I had the privilege of hearing him speak at the Functional Medicine Conference in Galway last November, and his insights left a lasting impression. Petronella calls him a "maverick genius of a scientist," and I can see why. She completed his two-year diploma in Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology—a field that beautifully connects the dots between the mind, nervous system, immune system, and overall health.
Getting Started
The advice is to buy Petronella’s book and read it twice. She also has a cookbook, which I bought as well.
I sent out a message to a few friends and some of the ladies from my morning classes, and we set up a WhatsApp group to support each other. Having that group for accountability and encouragement was brilliant.
The diet itself has four phases over 12 weeks and is based on 10 golden rules. The first two days involve eating only vegetables and doing an Epsom salt cleanse. Then, for 14 days, you follow a low-calorie plan with three meals a day.
Why Did I Sign Up?
Mainly for hormone balancing. I was feeling jaded and wasn’t eating as well as I should have been. The nature of my work means I’m constantly on the go—teaching, planning, managing my website, creating content, seeing Reflexology clients, working with Age & Opportunity, studying… the list goes on. My diet had taken a back seat.
Yes, I had put on a few pounds over Christmas, but that wasn’t my main driver. I know most people turn to HBD for weight loss, but for me, health means far more than how you look.
How Did I Get On?
I found the first 15 days moderately hard, but I wasn’t fully back at work, which helped.
The recipes were great—I genuinely enjoyed them all (though I’m not a fussy eater in the slightest!). Having a meal plan meant I didn’t have to think too hard about what to eat.
The support from the group was invaluable.
I made it to Day 15, when I had my first ‘cheat meal’—which is actually introduced in Phase 3 as part of the plan.
But that cheat meal opened the floodgates for me. It gave me a taste for the foods I’d been avoiding, and since I have a major sweet tooth, that was tricky. Add a glass of wine, and my willpower went straight out the window!
What Did I Love About It?
✅ Three meals a day. I had gotten into a habit of fasting until lunchtime, just drinking black coffee all morning. I knew it wasn’t right for me, especially since teaching multiple classes requires energy.
✅ Five-hour gaps between meals. Learning to be okay with hunger was eye-opening. We were always told, "snack, snack, snack to keep your metabolism up," but that’s outdated advice. The benefits of this approach? Lower insulin levels (meaning better fat-burning), improved gut health, reduced inflammation, and a healthier digestive system.
✅ No drinks other than water between meals. I often avoided snacking by making a tea or coffee, but that also meant I wasn’t drinking enough water.
✅ Protein first. A couple of bites of protein before anything else helps keep insulin levels stable. I also wasn’t eating enough protein before this—especially on busy days when it’s just easier to grab a sandwich.
✅ One type of protein per meal. Combining multiple protein sources can reduce absorption.
✅ No oil for the first 16 days. This phase is called a ‘liver holiday,’ which made sense to me. I saved so many hidden calories by skipping oils. Dr. Coy’s clean stock was a lifesaver!
✅ No sugar. I’ve always had a serious sweet tooth, so this was a big one for me. Sugar is an anti-nutrient—it depletes Vitamin C, magnesium, chromium, and B vitamins, damages gut lining, and increases inflammation.
✅ Weight loss. I won’t dwell on this because I find weight talk a bit boring, but yes, I did lose some weight, and it felt good.
✅ Calmness. I tend to get stressed easily, but I can’t quite explain this one—I just felt calm and handled my never-ending to-do list much better.
✅ Deeper sleep. I’ve always been a good sleeper, so this didn’t change much for me, but others in the group noticed huge improvements.
✅ Hydration focus. You have to drink loads of water. Unfortunately, I was rubbish at this.
What I Struggled With
❌ No exercise. This was obviously difficult for me as a fitness and yoga instructor. I understand the reasoning behind it (to avoid triggering the fight-or-flight nervous system), and I see this issue in so many people—high stress, high cortisol, intense exercise, and yet their health is out of balance. I reduced my exercise, but technically, that was still ‘cheating.’
❌ Morning breath… but worse. Several of us noticed that we smelled a bit odd in the mornings. Detox? Low carbs? Who knows, but it was not pleasant!
❌ Lack of fruit. I actually craved mandarins—who knew?!
❌ The cheat meal. I get why it’s there, but for me, it flipped a switch and made it harder to stay on track.
❌ Constipation. Not fun. Some struggled more than others.
Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely. It’s not just a weight loss plan—it’s a way to reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and support hormone balance. I hear so many stories from clients about unexplained pain and discomfort, and the women who are still following HBD are feeling brilliant—with less aches and pains.
What Now?
Strictly following HBD just isn’t realistic for someone who exercises regularly, but the principles are fantastic. So, I’ll definitely be carrying many of them forward into my everyday life.
I’d love to hear from others—have you tried HBD? What was your experience like? Let me know!
Thanks for reading. x
The 2 Books