Chapter III
What it has healed.
A reasonably comprehensive — and necessarily caveated — catalog of conditions that have been reported to improve, remit, or fully reverse on a carnivore diet. None of this is a guarantee. All of it is worth knowing.
A necessary caveat — The plural of anecdote is not data, but when anecdotes number in the tens of thousands and align with plausible biochemical mechanisms, they warrant attention. None of the below replaces medical care.
§ 01
Digestive
- IBS / IBD
- Removal of FODMAPs, fiber, and plant antigens stops the cycle of fermentation and bloating. Crohn's and ulcerative colitis case reports are increasingly common in the literature.
- GERD / Reflux
- Reflux is rarely too much acid — usually too little, plus carbohydrate fermentation pushing gastric contents upward. Carnivore typically eliminates symptoms within 2–4 weeks.
- SIBO
- Bacteria require fermentable substrate. Remove the substrate, starve the overgrowth.
- Diverticulitis
- Contrary to dogma, fiber is not protective. Many patients report complete remission.
§ 02
Autoimmune
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Mikhaila Peterson's well-documented recovery is one of thousands. Mechanism: removal of plant lectins and gluten cross-reactive antigens.
- Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
- Goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables and gluten cross-reactivity are major drivers. Antibody titers frequently normalize.
- Psoriasis & Eczema
- Skin is a downstream signal of gut inflammation. Heal the gut, clear the skin. Often dramatic within 60 days.
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Anecdotal but compelling. Dr. Terry Wahls' protocol — though not strict carnivore — points to the role of saturated fat in remyelination.
- Lupus
- Reports of full symptom remission with a strict Lion-style approach.
§ 03
Mental Health
- Depression
- Stable blood glucose, abundant cholesterol (the precursor to every steroid hormone), saturated fat for myelin, B12 and choline for neurotransmitter synthesis.
- Anxiety
- Caffeine and sugar are the two largest dietary triggers. Carnivore eliminates the latter and most adapters reduce the former naturally.
- Bipolar Disorder
- Ketogenic and carnivore approaches are emerging as serious adjunctive therapy — see the work of Dr. Chris Palmer at Harvard.
- ADHD
- Many adults report needing less or no stimulant medication after 90 days.
§ 04
Metabolic
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Carbohydrate is the only macronutrient that requires insulin in significant quantities. Remove it and most type 2 diabetics see full reversal — often in under 6 months.
- Obesity
- Fat-adapted metabolism plus appetite normalization. The 'eat less, move more' paradigm is replaced by hormonal correction.
- Fatty Liver (NAFLD)
- De novo lipogenesis from fructose and excess carbohydrate is the cause. Remove the cause, the liver heals.
- PCOS
- Insulin-driven. Resolves in tandem with insulin sensitivity restoration.
§ 05
Other
- Migraines
- Often histamine-, glutamate-, or carb-driven. Many sufferers become migraine-free.
- Chronic Kidney Stones
- Almost always calcium oxalate. Remove dietary oxalate (spinach, almonds, chocolate, sweet potato) and the stones stop forming.
- Acne
- Driven by insulin and IGF-1. Carnivore lowers both.