You’ve probably heard of the “carnivore diet.” It’s a popular plan on which you eat nothing but animal protein – no veggies, no fruit, no plant foods of any type – just meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
And you’re probably wondering: “Is a diet like that even safe?”
My answer is that it can be – if you follow it for short periods of time. I base my answer on some recent research into the safety of carnivore diets. The latest word on this issue appeared last year in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, in which investigators looked into past studies of meat-based diets, plus surveyed people who had recently followed a carnivore diet.
The article pointed out that reports by Arctic researchers and population surveys provide evidence that animal-based diets with little to no plant matter have long been consumed by traditional populations (such as the Inuit) – and are associated with good health and longevity. People who consumed diets containing only meat display no clinical evidence of any nutrient deficiency, with the exception of low calcium.
When the authors of this article surveyed current carnivore dieters, participants reported improvements in chronic medical conditions, general health, and aspects of well-being such as energy, sleep, strength, endurance, mental clarity, memory, and focus. Those dieters with diabetes reported special benefits, including weight loss and marked reductions in diabetes medication usage and HbA1c readings. Those are rather amazing findings, in my opinion. They offer strong proof this rather unique dietary intervention can help you manage obesity and diabetes.
Nutritionally, we know that animal proteins are nutrient-dense foods, loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and other health-building nutrients. In my new book Menupause, I offer my version of a carnivore diet – the Carbohydrate Pause. On this plan, you temporarily pause all carbohydrates for just six days and eat nothing but organic animal proteins. There is no counting of calories or macros or measuring of portions. You eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. That’s it.
Of course, if you’re a committed vegan or vegetarian, this plan is not for you. But for the rest of you, it is an effective way to:
- Smash past a weight-loss plateau and get the scale moving in a lower direction rapidly.
- Quickly resolve bloating that you might experience from eating otherwise healthy but gas-producing ruffage like cabbage or Brussels sprouts.
- Resolve “weight-loss resistance,” meaning you have trouble dropping pounds.
- Help with an autoimmune disease (a 100 percent protein diet has been shown to help with these conditions).
- Prevent insulin resistance, in which your body does not use insulin properly and puts you at risk for diabetes.
- Fight menopause symptoms such as sudden weight gain, hard-to-budge belly fat, cravings, sleep disturbances, frequent bloating, and brain fog.
Yes, the Carbohydrate Pause is a bit restrictive, but you only need to follow it six days at a time, You can do anything for just six days, right?
Plus, you get to enjoy some yummy foods like crispy bacon and eggs, delicate, bite-sized pieces of sashimi, dipped in a little wasabi, juicy beef burgers, and how about steak and lobster at a fine restaurant? Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
If you’re interested in stimulating rapid weight loss, smashing a plateau, or claiming health benefits that are important concerning menopause, get your copy of Menupause today – and start enjoying the benefits of pausing carbs for just six days. You can also get a taste of some of the recipes in this ebook: Recipes for Menopause.
Reference
Lennerz, B.S. et al. 2021. Behavioral Characteristics and Self-Reported Health Status among 2029 Adults Consuming a “Carnivore Diet.” Current Developments in Nutrition 5: nzab133.
