The Carnivore Diet – Harmful or Healing?

If you thought the Ketogenic diet was a strict eating plan being low in carbs and high in fat, meet its next of kin – the Carnivore Diet – which is based 100% on animal products. Some people may have a vegetable here and there but not in any sort of abundance and most on the diet eat no plant foods of any kind. When I first heard of it I thought it was just a dangerous fad diet. No plants? What about vitamins and minerals? What about fibre? How would anyone on this diet ever have a healthy bowel movement?

At least the Ketogenic diet recommends lots of vegetables and a small amount of fruit. Chia and flax are sometimes suggested as low carb fibre alternatives to grains and legumes. Technically, people could follow the Keto Diet as a vegetarian or even vegan if they really wanted to (and that would still be less extreme than a Carnivore Diet IMO).

When I saw Mikhaila Peterson talk about this diet and how it helped her, my thoughts about it changed. I still think it’s very extreme and not suitable for most people, but there are some people for whom the benefits may outweigh the risks.

Since age two Mikhaila has been plagued with a horrible autoimmune condition. At age seven she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which affected 37 joints. In grade four she was the first kid in Canada to be given the immunosuppressant drug Enbrel. At age 17 she had both an ankle and hip replaced because her joints were disintegrating. She suffered from serious depression, hypersomnia, skin rashes and more during her teens and early adulthood.

In August 2018 Mikhaila appeared on the Joe Rogan show talking about her health issues and the various foods she eliminated to try and get her symptoms under control. She did not start out on the Carnivore Diet but ended up there when it turned out that meat was the only food she could eat without serious suffering. But even the Carnivore Diet was not strict enough for Mikhaila’s symptoms. The diet allows all animal products but she could not eat dairy or eggs and had to limit her meat to only ruminant animal varieties (beef, lamb, bison, goat etc.). The only seasoning she could have was salt.

Check out her story in the video clip below. Contains a bit of coarse language. Viewer discretion advised.

The full 1 hr & 55 minute show can be found on Joe Rogan’s YouTube channel.

Mikhaila has gotten off a long list of medications and claims she is now thriving on her version of the Carnivore Diet (what she calls The Lion Diet). When she tried it she had been through such an ordeal with her health that she felt she had nothing to lose. She created a website called Don’t Eat That as a means of reaching out to others who might have the same health conditions and food sensitivities as she does. She did find others like her and now has a support club online for those that want to try the Carnivore or Lion Diet. Many of her followers are doing well on the diet and finding relief from various autoimmune conditions. Her father Jordan has also gone on the diet and has recovered from some of his health issues. Mikhaila acknowledges that the diet is very new and very challenging. She views it as an extreme elimination diet and does mention that some people who benefit from it are eventually able to re-introduce other foods. Unfortunately, Mikhaila herself has not been able to do this. Her attempts have only caused reactions that take two to three weeks to clear up and with a toddler to care for she is wary of having to go through those trials over and over. Since this show aired she has been eating a meat-only diet and is continuing to experience positive results.

Mikhaila posted her blood work on her website for a while. I was hoping to see it myself but unfortunately it is no longer posted. I found one website that had copied some of her results and commented on them, mostly on her LDL cholesterol levels which are at a good level:

• Her LDL-P is 684
• LDL-C is 67.
• Triglycerides 41.
• Total cholesterol 133.
• Lp(a) – 6 nmol/L
• HbA1c – 5.2

The site is My Gene Food and the writer believes that her healthy LDL level is due to genetics and not everyone trying the Carnivore Diet will have that result. Indeed, from my own research some people do report having elevated LDL. Body building enthusiast Steve Rimmer of SHREDucated.com is one such person. He tried the Carnivore Diet for three weeks and his bloodwork revealed a substantial increase in his LDL level. Another notable change was his testosterone level going down 22.5%. That said, he did have some positive benefits from the diet including increased energy, reduced fat mass, increased productivity and better mental clarity.

Here is a clip of Steve Rimmer discussing his blood work and other results from being on the Carnivore Diet.

Other body builders trying the diet report similar positive benefits. Some such as Frank Tufano go on to advocate the diet as healthier than other diets. He has a YouTube channel where he frequently criticizes vegans and their “What I Ate Today” videos. Vegan YouTubers in turn are criticizing the Carnivore Diet. A couple of notable names are Vegan Gains and Unnatural Vegan. Nutrition experts have concerns about cholesterol, uric acid as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies. People in general wonder about the long term effects of this diet.

I am not a nutritionist but have been interested in diet for years and have a read a lot of books and articles about nutrition. Here is my take on the Carnivore Diet:

Yes . . . some body builders are seeing benefits . . . but they are a subculture unto their own . . . always seeing what new exercise, food or supplement will enhance their bodies and workouts. This doesn’t mean everyone should get on the bandwagon. The diet is strict, challenging and not well studied. There are risk factors that need to be taken into consideration. I imagine it also interferes greatly with one’s social life.

When it comes to really severe autoimmune conditions where less strict elimination diets have already been tried (without success), I think the Carnivore diet is a treatment option one could discuss with their medical practitioner. Some people on this diet are not getting regular blood work done and I think this should be done as well as talking to your doctor beforehand about your diet plans. My hope is that those trying this diet to treat a serious illness will eventually reach a level of recovery where reintroducing other foods is possible. Hopefully Mikhaila will one day be able to do so. For now though, she is pain-free and off her long list of medications and that is a good thing. 🍏

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Above feature photo of Carnivore Diet allowed foods by Fascinadora / Shutterstock.com.