Carnivore Diet 101
Over the past several years a new dietary trend has come into the spotlight that promises boundless energy, the resolution of chronic health issues, weight loss, pain reduction, and depression. If you guessed paleo or keto — you’re close, but not quite. The popular eating plan I’m referring to is known as the carnivore diet.
Similar to keto, the aim is to reduce carbohydrates to such a low level that you enter into a fat-burning state of ketosis. If paleo and keto are referred to as “low-carb”, carnivore is considered “zero carb” as it relies entirely on animal products, such as red and organ meats, along with fish, chicken, eggs, and low lactose dairy. As with any dietary program, there are variations within the above parameters to custom-tailor the diet. Fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, alcohol, legumes, plant-based oils, and sugar are strictly avoided on a carnivore diet.
While many would agree this kind of diet is one of the most difficult to sustain for the long-term, for our purposes here we are going to examine specifically how it impacts gut health and the microbiome.
Why is gut health important?
As the foundation of both physical and mental health, the gut and microbiome are surprisingly influential. Not only do both play a role in digestion and the absorption of essential nutrients, but they also are linked to whether or not you develop an autoimmune disorder, depression, anxiety, or another mental health concern, as well as the strength of your immune system, including your resiliency against developing cancer, and much more. Because of this, it is important to keep both in top health. Here are my favorite methods to do just that:
- Reduce stress
- Exercise regularly
- Cultivate a garden
- Avoid refined sugar
- Use red light therapy
- Eat plenty of fiber, prebiotics, and plant-based foods
My Balanced Gut Blend is also helpful for promoting a robust microbiome and exceptional gut health. More on this down below. But first, let’s take a look at a fascinating study that examined the impact a carnivore diet has on your gut health.
How a Zero-Carb Diet Influences the Microbiome and Disease
Research published in the journal Nature found the type of food you eat radically changes your microbiome in a very short period of time — within a day or so.1,2 For the study, gut bacteria of the participants were observed for 4 days before the introduction of either an animal product diet (meat, eggs, and cheese) or a whole foods, plant-based diet (vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruit) — and for 6 days after each diet arm. Subjects were instructed to eat normally during both the baseline and washout periods. Stool samples were collected each day and a daily diet log was also kept.
The first diet consisted solely of animal products — eggs and bacon, ribs and briskets, salami and prosciutto, and pork rinds, along with an assortment of cheeses. Once this dietary leg was finished after five days and they completed a six day break, the participants consumed a plant-based diet of granola, jasmine rice, cooked onions, tomatoes, squash, garlic, peas, and lentils. They had bananas and mangoes for snacks.
After analyzing the volunteers’ microbiomes before, during, and after each eating plan, lead researcher Lawrence David noted:
“The relative abundance of various bacteria species looked like it shifted within a day after the food hit the gut. The kind of genes turned on in the microbes changed in both diets”.3
Not surprisingly, the gut bacteria that love bile (Bilophila wadsworthia) began to dominate the microbiome when participants ate the animal product diet. This is an important point as this microbe is known to cause inflammation and is associated with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in animal models. Normally, it is part of a balanced microbiome, but when the bacteria becomes overly dominant, it causes dysbiosis and may become problematic — particularly for those with an intestinal disease. This dietary phase also lowered the levels of SCFAs butyrate and acetate, increased antibiotic resistance in the gut, and there was an uptick in the production of secondary bile salts that are known to cause colon and liver cancer.
In other words, eating a carnivore diet encourages “bad” bacteria while reducing the “good” bacteria that keeps inflammation in-check; lowers health-promoting SCFAs; and sets the stage for bowel diseases, cancer, and antibiotic resistance.
Powerful Healing, Designed by Nature
Even if you consume a healthy diet with an abundance of vegetables, fruit, fiber, and whole foods, there is still a good chance your gut and microbiome are less than ideal. Exposure to pollution, toxins, and antibiotics, along with a fast-paced lifestyle all contribute to poor gut health. This is why many times we need an extra level of support.
My Balanced Gut Blend has been life-changing for many. It was specially formulated to contain potent extractions of lion’s mane, turkey tail, and reishi medicinal mushrooms to calm inflammation, promote a healthy microbiome, and promote healing. Plantain, slippery elm, and marshmallow help form a protective layer in the gut so that it can regenerate and heal.
A TRUE BLESSING OF HEALTH
“I started taking the Balanced Gut Tincture on Feb 28,2023. I’ve had severe gut issues since I had my appendix out. I developed IBS-D, which altered my going places and eating foods I loved. I did a lot of research and tried many things to no avail, until I stumbled onto Nicole’s website.
This is the first I have tried and I immediately felt something going on in my gut that was unusual, so I went along with it. Until I got up in the morning to find some real normalcy. To this day I haven’t had one episode, not one. I was going to cancel my vacation, but I think I will be fine. I take the tincture twice a day.
Thank you Nicole for helping so many of us. You are a Godsend and a blessing. May God Bless You in your journey to heal many.” -Robertine M.
While many today struggle with poor digestion, leaky gut, and compromised health — it doesn’t need to be this way. Help is just around the corner — stop by the apothecary today to learn more!
Nicole Apelian
Nicole’s Apothecary Products in this Post
Balanced Gut Blend Tincture
References
- David, L., Maurice, C., Carmody, R. et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature 505, 559–563 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12820
- David, L. A., Maurice, C. F., Carmody, R. N., Gootenberg, D. B., Button, J. E., Wolfe, B. E., Ling, A. V., Devlin, A. S., Varma, Y., Fischbach, M. A., Biddinger, S. B., Dutton, R. J., & Turnbaugh, P. J. (2014). Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature, 505(7484), 559–563. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12820
- “Chowing Down On Meat, Dairy Alters Gut Bacteria A Lot, And Quickly” Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR: Eating and Health, December 11, 2013. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/12/10/250007042/chowing-down-on-meat-and-dairy-alters-gut-bacteria-a-lot-and-quickly
