when i decided to try the carnivore diet, i didn’t expect it to completely change how i looked and felt. as someone who’s focused on health, wellness, and healing after years of living with sickle cell, this diet was an experiment that gave me more wins than i could’ve imagined. i experienced incredible transformations in my body, mind, and energy, but i also came across a few challenges.

if you don’t have time to watch my hour-long video, this blog post is for you. i’m sharing 12 amazing benefits of the carnivore diet and 3 cons that made it hard for me to stick with long-term. whether you’re curious about carnivore or looking for inspiration on your own health journey, i hope this helps.

pro #1: vanity wins – glowing skin, strong nails, and hair growth

one of the first things i noticed on the carnivore diet was how it transformed my appearance. i’ve always had weak, paper-thin nails that break so easily, but after a few weeks on carnivore, my nails became stronger than ever. for the first time in my life, i realized that my nails weren’t destined to be weak—they just hadn’t been getting what they needed.

my hair also grew like crazy, and my skin was completely luminescent. the more butter i ate, the more my skin glowed. i’ve always had dark circles around my eyes, but those vanished on carnivore, leaving me looking more beautiful than i ever thought possible. this diet taught me how deeply nutrition can affect outward beauty.

pro #2: learning the importance of blood calcium

before starting the carnivore diet, i had no idea how important blood calcium levels were or how they could impact overall health. for years, my blood calcium levels had been high, but i didn’t know what that meant until i joined a carnivore community support group on facebook. i posted my lab results, and a woman in the group pointed out my high calcium levels and gave me a ton of helpful information about it.

she explained how high blood calcium could affect my parathyroid and overall health. this was a huge wake-up call for me because, all my life, i had prided myself on not drinking milk. i used to brag about how i had never touched milk since i was a baby on my mothers breast. i made my own nut milks—cashew milk, almond milk, and coconut milk—and thought i was doing something great for my body.

if it weren’t for going carnivore and sharing my labs in that facebook group, i would have never discovered the importance of calcium. this experience changed how i viewed nutrition and opened my eyes to how diet can reveal underlying health issues. i had high blood calcium for YEARS and no provider had ever caught that.

pro #3: discovering raw milk and colostrum for immunity and bone health

one of the biggest wins on my carnivore journey was discovering raw milk and colostrum, which have completely transformed my immune system and bone health. for as long as i can remember, i’ve struggled with severe flu symptoms every year, often ending up in the emergency room with a fever as high as 103. this cycle had been my reality for over a decade, but everything changed when i started drinking raw milk and incorporating colostrum into my daily routine.

colostrum, which is the first milk a cow produces after giving birth, has been a literal godsend for me. i take two to four tablespoons of colostrum daily, and since starting, i haven’t gotten sick—even when exposed to people who were coughing and sick around me. over the holidays, i flew on airplanes multiple times and spent hours around sick people, including a bride who was extremely ill, and i didn’t get sick once.

in addition to improving my immunity, drinking raw milk has strengthened my bones like never before. as someone who has experienced premature ovarian failure and early menopause, i’ve always been concerned about my bone density due to low levels of estrogen and progesterone. increasing my raw milk intake has helped protect my bones and made them stronger than ever. i’ve also noticed that those little white spots on my fingernails have significantly decreased since adding raw milk to my diet.

the immunity boost, improved bone health, and overall benefits i’ve gained from raw milk and colostrum are undeniable, and i wish i’d known about them sooner.

 

pro #4: relief from anxiety and depression with carnivore diet

another major win on the carnivore diet was the complete shift in my mental health. after years of dealing with extreme anxiety and depression, i noticed that the moment i cut out carbs and sugar, it felt like a heavy cloud lifted from my mind. i stopped feeling so anxious and realized that my brain had likely been severely deficient in b vitamins for years.

before carnivore, i had always believed what the media and documentaries like netflix told me—that a plant-based diet was the healthiest option. whenever i craved meat, i’d ignore it and stick to the meals i had prepped, like dal, fruit, or salads. i had convinced myself that eating meat was bad for my body. but when i finally introduced nutrient-dense foods like beef liver, ground beef, bison, and other meats into my diet, everything changed. my anxiety started to melt away, and for the first time in years, i felt calm.

there was a time when i wouldn’t leave the house without carrying cbd oil, lemon balm, ashwagandha, or valerian root in my purse, just to keep my nervous system from spiraling. but once i started carnivore, my panic attacks completely stopped. i mean, completely stopped.

before this, whenever my anxiety or depression would get really bad, i thought it meant i wasn’t eating enough vegetables. i would rush to the store and buy carrots, kale, beets, radishes—whatever i could find—and juice everything, from ginger and apples to spinach, turmeric, and celery. i thought juicing all those vegetables was the solution, but the truth was, my body was starving for b vitamins, not vegetables.

even now, since coming off strict carnivore, i’ve noticed that when i eat too many carbs or sugar, my anxiety and even panic attacks can return. this has shown me the undeniable correlation between my carb and sugar intake and my mental health.

the carnivore diet taught me how powerful nutrition is for healing anxiety and depression, and i’ll never forget how transformative this experience was for my mind and body.

pro #5: discovering the power of organ meats and the truth about MTHFR

one of the most unexpected and transformative parts of the carnivore diet was my introduction to organ meats. when i had beef liver for the first time, it was like nothing i’d ever experienced. i felt an overwhelming sense of euphoria—pure happiness coursing through my veins. that weekend, after eating beef liver, i was dancing around the house like mary poppins. it wasn’t just in my head; my body felt truly alive.

as i began researching organ meats, i came across information about a gene mutation called mthfr. something about it immediately clicked with me, so i brought it up to my provider and said, “i think i might have this mutation.” they ran the test, and sure enough, the results came back homozygous, meaning i had a double mutation of mthfr.

to explain mthfr in simple terms, it’s a gene that helps your body process folate, or vitamin b9. folate is critical for so many functions, like making dna, repairing cells, and helping your body detox. when you have an mthfr mutation—especially a double mutation—it means your body can’t efficiently convert folate into its active form (methylfolate). instead, the synthetic version of folate, called folic acid, builds up in your system and can create toxic byproducts. this can lead to deficiencies in key nutrients and contribute to anxiety, depression, inflammation, and other health problems.

here’s where my story gets even more personal. i was born with sickle cell disease, and my entire childhood, i was prescribed penicillin and folic acid. no one ever tested me for mthfr, so i had no idea that the very folic acid i was taking was acting like a poison in my body. as a kid, i had constant panic attacks, and now i realize it was because my body couldn’t process folic acid due to my mthfr mutation.

things only got worse after my bone marrow transplant. i was put on methotrexate as part of the chemotherapy protocol before the transplant. what i didn’t know at the time was that methotrexate is one of the most toxic drugs for someone with mthfr. so for years, i not only took folic acid, but i also consumed it in prenatal vitamins and foods enriched with folic acid, all while unknowingly harming my body further.

it wasn’t until i started carnivore and added organ meats like beef liver and beef heart to my diet that i began to understand what my body truly needed: real, bioavailable nutrients like methylfolate (the active form of folate) and b12. the euphoria i felt from eating these nutrient-dense foods was a direct result of finally giving my body the tools it had been craving all along.

if you’ve never been tested for mthfr, i can’t recommend it enough. this genetic mutation is more common than people realize, and if you have it, you should avoid foods enriched with folic acid entirely. instead, focus on getting the active form of folate—methylfolate—through supplements or nutrient-dense foods like organ meats. this knowledge has been life-changing for me, and i hope it can help others who may be struggling with similar issues.

organ meats are now a permanent part of my diet, and i can’t imagine ever going without them again.

pro #6: my iron levels finally came up

one of the biggest changes i noticed on the carnivore diet was that my iron levels improved dramatically. as someone who was born with sickle cell anemia, i’ve always been predisposed to low iron and the symptoms that come with it. one of the worst symptoms for me was constantly feeling cold. my husband would always say, “it’s not cold in here,” but for me, it didn’t matter—I was always freezing.

when i went carnivore, especially after introducing organ meats like beef liver and beef heart, i finally started getting the iron my body desperately needed. the extreme coldness stopped. while i’m still naturally a little colder than my husband, i no longer experience that constant freezing sensation that made life so uncomfortable.

it’s incredible to me how many women out there struggle with low iron, and most don’t realize how much their diet can help. if you’re someone who’s always cold or has low energy, iron deficiency might be the reason. organ meats are one of the most bioavailable sources of iron, meaning your body can absorb and use it better than the iron found in plant-based foods or supplements.

the carnivore diet gave me the tools to finally address my low iron levels, and it’s been a game-changer for my overall comfort and health.

pro #7: joint pain disappeared with the carnivore diet

one of the most miraculous transformations during my carnivore journey was the disappearance of my joint pain. ever since my bone marrow transplant, i’ve dealt with extreme pain in my wrists, hands, knees, ankles, and elbows. i was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in those areas, and there wasn’t a single day where i didn’t feel pain. it was so bad that i honestly thought i was destined to live the rest of my life feeling like a 90-year-old woman.

even after having knee surgery, the odd, persistent pain sensations throughout my joints remained. but when i cut out vegetables, carbs, and sugar on the carnivore diet, something incredible happened—the joint pain completely went away. i couldn’t believe it. it felt like a miracle.

what really blew my mind was learning about oxalates, something i’d never even heard of before starting carnivore. as a gardener, it made sense from a botanical perspective: plants produce oxalates as a natural defense mechanism. but what i didn’t realize is that oxalates can wreak havoc on the human body, contributing to joint pain and inflammation.

while i do still enjoy vegetables now and then, i’ve noticed that whenever i reintroduce them—or grains—into my diet, the joint pain returns. it’s a clear, undeniable connection. when i was eating strictly carnivore, my body felt free of pain for the first time in years. it was such a powerful reminder of how much food can impact our health, especially when it comes to inflammation and pain in the joints.

pro #8: all my inflammation disappeared

another incredible benefit of the carnivore diet was that all my inflammation went away. it was like my body transformed overnight. my face looked chiseled—like i had been professionally contoured for the gods. any puffiness or bloating that had been lingering on my body completely disappeared. my stomach was flat, my cheeks were defined, and my entire body looked slimmer, even though i wasn’t actively trying to lose weight.

it was so noticeable that my mom called me on facetime one day and asked, “how much weight are you trying to lose?” i wasn’t even working out at the time, and i told her that i wasn’t trying to lose weight at all—it was just happening naturally from eating meat and fat.

the way inflammation impacts your body is wild, and most people don’t realize how much bloating or puffiness they’re carrying until it’s gone. for me, the carnivore diet worked wonders in this area. my body finally felt light, my face was sculpted, and i didn’t feel swollen or bloated like i had for years.

getting rid of inflammation not only made me look better, but it also made me feel better. it was proof of how powerful a diet focused on simple, nutrient-dense foods can be for your health and appearance.

pro #9: my husband stopped snoring

this might seem like a small thing, but for me, it was a huge win—my husband completely stopped snoring while we were on the carnivore diet. before carnivore, his snoring was so loud and disruptive that it made it hard for me to get a peaceful night’s sleep. but as soon as we switched to carnivore, his snoring stopped entirely.

it’s so interesting how what we eat affects even things like snoring. we’ve noticed that whenever my husband eats carbs or sugar now, the snoring comes back almost immediately. it’s a clear correlation between what he eats during the day and how he sleeps at night.

while we’re not as strict with carnivore anymore, this is something we’ve become really mindful of. knowing how much his diet impacts his snoring—and my ability to sleep in peace—has been such an eye-opener for both of us.

carnivore didn’t just improve my health; it improved my quality of life in unexpected ways, like helping me get better sleep simply because my husband stopped snoring.

pro #10: cravings disappeared, and I always felt satiated

one of the most life-changing benefits of the carnivore diet was that my cravings completely disappeared, and I always felt satiated. it was such a different experience compared to how I used to feel on other diets, where I’d often find myself going to the refrigerator, opening it, and looking for something—even though I didn’t know what I wanted. on carnivore, that constant hunger or search for a snack just stopped.

when I prioritized protein, especially meals like steak and eggs with butter, I never felt hungry. eating red meat and fats like butter was incredibly satisfying, and my husband experienced the same thing. we naturally ended up eating one meal a day (OMAD) because we were so full and satisfied after eating steak, eggs, and butter. this was also especially true on days where i consumed organ meats.  (maybe there is a reason the lions can go days without eating after having eaten the organs of a kill)

lighter meats like chicken or salmon didn’t have the same effect, but when I stuck to red meat and fat, it was like the ultimate satiation. I even watched a YouTube video by Dr. Boz where she explains this concept. she tells her patients that if they want to understand true satiety, they should go eat a stick of butter. and honestly, she’s right. while some people eat butter on the internet for clickbait, butter truly does kill cravings. if I ever thought I wanted a cookie, I’d eat butter instead, and the craving would completely disappear. it was almost frustrating because I’d think, “but I wanted to wantthat cookie!” but the butter worked every time.

this experience taught me the importance of prioritizing protein and fat to feel full and satisfied. now, even though I’m not as strict with carnivore, I still make protein the main focus of my meals. and if I do still have a taste for something—like an orange—I’ll listen to my body and eat it. carnivore taught me about intuitive eating and how to pay attention to what my body is asking for. if I’m craving something like an orange, it’s probably my body signaling that it needs vitamin C or another nutrient.

but overall, by prioritizing protein and fat, I avoid snacking, stay full longer, and no longer feel like I’m constantly thinking about food or my next meal. this freedom from cravings has been one of the biggest wins of the carnivore diet for me.

pro #11: my husband’s lifelong allergies almost disappeared

another unexpected benefit of the carnivore diet was the impact it had on my husband’s lifelong allergies. ever since he was a kid, he was constantly blowing his nose, dealing with excessive mucus, and struggling to breathe through his nose. it was such a constant issue that it just seemed like a normal part of his life.

when we went on the carnivore diet together, something amazing happened—his allergies almost completely went away. by eliminating black pepper, vegetables, grains, and other common irritants, there was a huge decrease in how much he was blowing his nose and struggling to breathe. the change was so noticeable that I called his mom to tell her, “hey, your son actually has food allergies.” she was shocked, but it was undeniable. after years of him visiting allergists and endocrinologists and being tested for everything, it was incredible to see such a clear correlation between his diet and his allergies.

this wasn’t just a win for him—it was a win for me, too. I hate seeing my husband suffer, so watching his symptoms improve on the carnivore diet was a huge relief. it showed me how powerful food can be in addressing issues that we often think have no solution.

now that we’re not as strict with carnivore, we’ve become much more mindful about what he eats and how it affects his body. the carnivore diet gave us the knowledge and tools to make better choices for his health, and it’s made a world of difference for both of us.

pro #12: improved blood health after years of living with sickle cell disease

the carnivore diet has had an incredible impact on my blood health, and this hits close to home for me because I was born with sickle cell disease. while I no longer have sickle cell thanks to a bone marrow transplant at age twenty-six, the first twenty-six years of my life were filled with pain crises and hospitalizations.

for those unfamiliar with sickle cell disease, it’s a genetic blood disorder where red blood cells are crescent-shaped instead of round. this shape makes it difficult for the cells to travel through veins and deliver oxygen throughout the body. the result is extreme pain, frequent infections, anemia, and other complications.

growing up with sickle cell, I was constantly in and out of the hospital. my childhood and teenage years were marked by pain crises that could last days or weeks, and I spent so much of my life bedridden. back then, my diet didn’t include red meat, milk, or organ meats—foods that are essential for building strong, healthy blood.

coming to the carnivore diet and seeing what it’s done for my hemoglobin, hematocrit, and overall blood counts has been nothing short of amazing. I realized that if I had been eating red meat as a child, my hospitalizations might have been far less frequent because my hemoglobin levels could have been higher.

another thing I’ve noticed since going carnivore is how much easier it is to get my blood drawn. because of my medical history, I’ve always been a very hard stick, meaning it was difficult for doctors to find my veins and draw blood. but on carnivore, the blood just flows. every time I go to the fertility clinic or hospital for labs, the process is smoother, and I truly believe this is because my blood health has improved so much on this diet.

the carnivore diet has been a revelation for me, not just in healing past deficiencies but in helping me thrive in ways I never thought possible. it’s a reminder of how deeply food can impact our health, especially when it comes to something as critical as blood.

con #1: inability to sleep on the carnivore diet

as much as the carnivore diet was improving so many aspects of my health, the biggest drawback for me was that I simply couldn’t sleep. my cortisol levels were through the roof, and no matter how much I tried to close my eyes and rest, I couldn’t fall asleep.

this wasn’t just an occasional sleepless night—it was every single night. I turned to the carnivore community for advice, and the most common response I got was, “you’re not eating enough fat.” I took their advice to heart and started eating more fat, even going as far as eating a stick of butter before bed. but despite my best efforts, nothing worked. I still couldn’t sleep.

at the time, I wasn’t drinking raw milk because I hadn’t yet introduced it into my diet. now that I’m following a more animal-based diet, I’ve found that raw milk with honey before bed helps me sleep so much better. raw milk contains natural carbohydrates, which I wasn’t getting on strict carnivore. looking back, I think the lack of carbs played a big role in my inability to sleep on the carnivore diet.

this realization has shown me that carnivore might have worked better for me if I had included raw milk as part of my routine. but since I didn’t experiment with that at the time, the sleepless nights were a major challenge, and it’s one of the main reasons I eventually decided to step away from being strict carnivore.

con #2: heart arrhythmias from electrolyte imbalances

another significant challenge my husband and I faced on the carnivore diet was dealing with frequent heart arrhythmias. it seemed like no matter how many electrolytes we consumed, we couldn’t stop experiencing those unsettling heart jumps and irregular rhythms. it was a scary feeling, and it made us both very uncomfortable while on strict carnivore.

at the time, we weren’t drinking raw milk, so we weren’t getting any carbohydrates, which may have been a factor. looking back, I believe the heart arrhythmias were caused by electrolyte imbalances. we were constantly trying to tweak our electrolyte intake, but we struggled to figure out the right balance. even when we sought advice from doctors, it was difficult to get a clear understanding of the difference between having too few or too many electrolytes.

these arrhythmias also got me thinking about my grandmother and the older generations who seemed to thrive on simple, balanced diets. my mom currently takes care of a man who is 102 years old, and he follows a Middle Eastern Mediterranean diet. his meals are very balanced—he eats fruits, vegetables, protein, and starches, but he doesn’t snack between meals. seeing his longevity and health made me reflect on the wisdom of those older generations who always felt that meals needed a veggie, a starch, and protein.

A balanced diet is important

this realization made me question the idea that being strict with a diet equals longevity. while carnivore was beneficial in many ways, it showed me that prioritizing protein and fat doesn’t have to mean cutting out other nutrient-rich foods entirely. electrolytes, for example, can be found in foods like bananas, watermelon, peaches, or even kale, which is rich in magnesium.

ultimately, this is why we decided to move forward with a more balanced diet. we still prioritize protein and fat, but we’ve added other whole, nutrient-dense foods that help us avoid the extreme electrolyte imbalances we experienced on strict carnivore. it’s been a much more sustainable approach for both of us.

con #3: the carnivore diet took the joy out of cooking

while the carnivore diet added so many benefits to my life, one of the hardest things for me was how restrictive it felt when it came to cooking. I love being in the kitchen. I love taking simple ingredients and transforming them into something beautiful and delicious. it’s one of my greatest joys to cook a meal, share it with people, and hear them go “ooh” and “ah.”

but with a diet that’s just meat and salt, that joy started to fade. it felt like carnivore was infringing on one of the things I love most—creating, experimenting, and finding happiness in the process of cooking. it’s not that I was using food to feed my feelings or anything like that; I just genuinely love the art of cooking. the creativity, the flavors, the textures—all of that was lost when my meals became so simple and repetitive.

don’t get me wrong—I understand the importance of health and simplicity in a diet, and I’ve carried those lessons forward. but a life where all I could have was meat and salt felt downright depressing. there are so many incredible foods and culinary ventures out there in the world, and I want to enjoy them.

ultimately, while the carnivore diet taught me so much about healing my body and simplifying my diet, it also made me realize how important it is for me to enjoy food. now, I focus on keeping things simple and nutrient-dense while still allowing room for creativity and variety in the kitchen. for me, that’s the perfect balance—health and happiness on my plate.

watch my testimonial video here: