What is the Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore diet has provided countless individuals worldwide with mental and physical healing. And I don’t mean to over-hype it, but it might be one of the most delicious and freeing ways of eating you will ever try. At least that’s been my experience!

In all seriousness, though, the Carnivore diet, or way of eating (WOE), includes all meats (land or sea), animal products like eggs, and dairy, if you can tolerate it. Many carnivores also include a variety of seasonings, tea, coffee, and some sauces, if they can tolerate them.

Carnivore works because it’s an elimination diet, meaning you remove anything and everything from your diet that negatively impacts your health. For some, that means removing all plant products and limiting dairy. However, many find seasonings, dairy, coffee, and even sauces do not trigger any adverse effects.

If this is your first time hearing about Carnivore, you may think it sounds crazy, and trust me, when I first heard about it, I thought the same. However, I suffered from severe constipation, acne, anxiety, depression, disordered eating, mood swings, and weight issues most of my life, and I was desperate to find healing. So, on January 1^st, 2020, I went against everything I had ever been taught about eating healthy and started my Carnivore journey. That month I lost 20 lbs. of fat, my skin looked better than it had in 20 years, my gut started to heal, my mood began to stabilize, and I started to feel happy again. Fast forward three years, and I’m still healthier and happier than I’ve ever been eating, primarily red meat.

I know my story sounds like a fairytale, and to be honest, I did luck out; not everyone’s transition to Carnivore is so easy. Depending on your previous diet, how much healing you need, and how quickly you transition, the process may be anything but sunshine and rainbows. Diarrhea and fatigue are common while the body adjusts to the sudden increase in dietary fat. Cravings can also hit hard, especially when transitioning cold turkey or for those suffering from food addiction. Muscle cramps are common too, but drinking more water, adding electrolytes, and using good-quality salt typically help. And the good news is this transition period only lasts a couple of weeks.

If I haven’t scared you off by now and you’re interested in trying this WOE, here are five quick tips for beginners:

1. You must decide whether you want to transition gradually or cold turkey.
2. Set a realistic goal for yourself. Thirty days seems to be the sweet spot for most people, but if that sounds overwhelming, start with whatever is attainable for YOU.
3. If you succumb to cravings, remember, we’ve ALL been there. Sugar is highly addictive and is not easy to remove from your life.
4. Have a strong why.
5. Eat the meat you like and can afford.

In my next article, 5 Tips for New Carnivores, I will expound on the list above.

Stay Tuned, and thanks for reading!

Jessalyn Randle