What About Vitamin C?
The USDA says that meat doesn’t contain vitamin C. However, it does. If you go back to the source, the USDA states that they don’t measure for vitamin C when assumed it has none. Also, when consuming a low-carb diet, your need for vitamin C is lessened. That’s because glucose and vitamin C use the same receptors and so without glucose in the body, the same receptors for vitamin C won’t have to fight off glucose from the bloodstream in order to nourish the rest of the body.
Additionally, pork belly, salmon, salmon roe, and other meats have vitamin C. In fact, six ounces of salmon will give you about seven percent of your daily value of vitamin C. Don’t worry, you won’t get scurvy. There are carnivores that have been eating this way for over 10-20 years and there haven’t been any reports of scurvy yet. Learn more about the nuances behind vitamin C and the carnivore diet here.
Can Individuals With Histamine Intolerance Eat a Carnivore Diet?
Individuals with histamine intolerance not only can eat a carnivore diet but also can benefit from the gut-healing benefits of this way of eating. One of the root causes of histamine intolerance is severely impacted gut function. If you’re still digging deeper for the root cause (eg mold illness), a carnivore diet can be a great anti-inflammatory approach for helping you on your healing journey. There are special considerations for those with histamine intolerance when eating carnivore– you’ll need to avoid processed meat including sausage and jerky. For those with more significant histamine issues, you may need to source unaged meat. Meat quickly develops more histamines the longer it’s refrigerated or at room temperature. It must be frozen in order to stop its histamine content from increasing.
Other foods you may need to avoid include egg whites, organ meats, fish eggs, and bone broth. For those with severe histamine issues, you may need to also temporarily limit foods high in collagen, glutamine, and glycosaminoglycans.
Isn’t Dairy Inflammatory?
Dairy can be inflammatory but this is very bio-individual. Many people feel better when they eliminate dairy. Generally, dairy can have a place in the carnivore diet but shouldn’t be the main course of any meal. Pasteurized and low-fat dairy are not ideal options. We always recommend full-fat and raw dairy if possible. Those with sensitivities may find that they tolerate raw dairy better than conventional pasteurized.
Isn’t a High Cholesterol Diet Bad for Your Health?
As of 2015, there is no longer an upper limit from the USDA for cholesterol and dietary fat. Heart disease was rare before the 20th century, yet today, an estimated 17 million people globally die from cardiovascular heart disease every year. The body requires cholesterol. 25% of all cholesterol is in the brain, making the brain 60% fat. If the body has too little cholesterol, it will die. More than 80% of the cholesterol in the body is made by the liver and not from food consumed.
The body needs cholesterol to support muscle repair and other cell functions. That’s why increased cholesterol levels are present when there’s cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol isn’t there causing further damage but plays a vital role alongside other nutrients to combat these issues. Good dietary fats and cholesterol don’t cause atherosclerosis. It’s caused by chronic, out-of-control inflammation from metabolic syndrome due to poor food and lifestyle choices. High LDL markers don’t matter in isolation. If LDL is high but HDL is also high, the risk of cardiovascular events lessens.
Is There An Adaptation Period for the Carnivore Diet?
You may have heard the terms “low carb flu” or “keto flu”. The symptoms experienced during this adaptation period are the body’s natural response to carbohydrate and fiber restriction as well as the elimination of addictive agents, chemicals, and plant anti-nutrients such as oxalates. These symptoms can include chills, headache, brain fog, GI issues, irritability, bad smell, bad breath, dry mouth, cravings, rapid heart rate, insomnia, night sweats, and nocturia, as well as decreased performance, energy, and drive.
The main drivers for these temporary symptoms are:
- Fluid rebalancing: As insulin levels drop from eating fewer carbs, the kidneys naturally release sodium from the body. Weight loss from water loss can be common from this.
- Sugar-to-fat transition: As your body adjusts to ketosis, it will begin burning fat for energy rather than sugar. The severity of your symptoms caused from this driver will be based on what diet you’re coming from and your metabolic health. Going from SAD to carnivore will result in more symptoms than transitioning from a keto or paleo diet.
- Hormone rebalancing: Cortisol levels can increase during the transition as the body looks for sugar. Other hormones can also react, causing withdrawal symptoms from certain foods and sugar.
During this adaptation period, be mentally prepared for the potential symptoms you experience and know that it’s only temporary. For most people, these symptoms last between one to two weeks. For really sick individuals, it can last longer and require additional supports and guidance to help with the transition.
Make sure you’re eating enough meat– it’s better to overeat than undereat as your body is probably deprived of many nutrients, especially if you’re coming from a highly-processed diet.
There are also supplements you can take temporarily to help with your body’s transition to the carnivore diet.
- Hydrochloric Acid (HCl):Many Americans suffer from low stomach acids. This can be a result of various lifestyle factors, medications such as PPIs, chronic conditions, and more. HCl is a great supplement for ensuring proper digestion of the proteins and fats found in the carnivore diet.
- Ox Bile:Temporary fat supports may also be needed, especially for those transitioning from a low-fat diet. Ox bile can help support fat digestion while your gallbladder adapts to a higher-fat diet.
- Immunoglobulins and Probiotics:For individuals who need toxin removal and healthy gut barrier function support, immunoglobulins and spore-based probiotics can also be great options to explore for helping with the transition to the carnivore diet.
