You just finished lunch, headed back to your office for your big meeting, and then it starts. The stomach rumbles. Your IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is acting up again. The rumbles are followed by belly pain and a swift walk to the bathroom in hopes of ridding this inconvenience. Unfortunately, the relief effort takes longer than you expected, and you’re late for your meeting. For many people, this is what IBS can look like. Some experience diarrhea, some constipation, and some even experience a mixture of both. I know someone who had a job interview on the toilet because of how bad their IBS got. Regardless, it can really hamper one’s quality of life.
Many people look for dietary and lifestyle-based strategies to support their IBS. Some people turn to a paleo-like diet, others add in probiotics or digestive enzymes, and some are even turning to a Carnivore Diet to try to help.
I did a carnivore-ish diet for about 2 months, meaning 90% of my diet was animal-based (muscle meat, organ meat, fish, eggs, bone broth, animal fat) and what Carnivore MD, Paul Saladino, considers low-toxicity plant foods (squash, avocado, berries, lettuce) made up the other 10%. Some carnivore folk advocate for only eating muscle meat. That’s right, ground beef and ribeye for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. How could eating all that meat, red meat in particular, help my IBS issues? Are there other, less restrictive options that can work just as well? Can plants really be that bad for my gut?
Plant Elimination
If eating only meat makes your digestion feel better, to me, that means you have an underlying gut issue. A carnivore diet eliminates five of the seven most common food allergies: wheat, soy, dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc). Some even eliminate eggs and all fish (the other two common allergens). It is basically the most extreme version of an elimination diet, specifically for those with IBS, the extreme version of a Low FODMAP diet. The issue is, when you’ve eliminated so much, it’s hard to tell what the main culprit(s) is. For those who want to stick with the carnivore diet long-term (which I would not advise), not really a problem. But if you’re someone who is only using it as an elimination diet, adding foods back can be tricky.
From a carnivore’s perspective, plants have compounds that can be harmful to humans. In Paul Saladino’s book, The Carnivore Code, he talks about the potentially harmful properties of plant compounds such as turmeric, sulforaphane, and catechins (1). If you’ve kept up with the health space over the last several years, you know this opinion is pretty unpopular. Turmeric (a spice) is often touted for its anti-inflammatory benefits, sulforaphane (found in broccoli) is praised for its anti-cancer effects, and catechins (found in green tea) are viewed as having a multitude of benefits for humans.
Carnivores and the Gut Microbiome
Every time we eat, we are affecting our microbiome. If we only eat meat in one meal, we favor the growth of organisms that like to feed off of amino acids, and potentially ketones. If we eat a meal with plant foods and fiber, we favor the growth of organisms that feed off of fiber. If you were to open up a coffee shop, you’d attract people who liked coffee. If you opened a tea shop, you’d attract people who like tea. Opening up a coffee & tea shop would be the equivalent of eating plants & animals, favoring the growth of a large diversity of organisms and attracting a more diverse group of people.
Recent evidence shows that we can have a pretty massive shift in the gut microbiome in just 5 days by switching to a more animal-based diet (2). This means that some people who “go carnivore” can notice differences in how they feel in less than a week. Why would we care to shift the microbiome? One of the current theories behind IBS is an altered gut microbiome, termed dysbiosis (3). Theoretically, if we can shift the microbiome, we can affect one’s IBS. Aside from antibiotics, diet is the quickest way to alter the biome. As researchers have stated: “To observe a profound effect, the dietary change has to be dramatic” (3). I’d say going carnivore and removing all plants is pretty dramatic. Going low FODMAP is also pretty dramatic, but potentially more sustainable than carnivore (more on that later).
Stepwise Approach
If the idea of eliminating all your favorite plant foods scares you, no worries! The best kind of dietary habits is the ones you can sustain. That includes finding the most sustainable elimination-style diet for your lifestyle, kind of an oxymoron, but some may not find a carnivore diet hard to maintain. I like to follow a 3-step approach for elimination diets, from least-to-most restrictive:
- Paleo-Like Diet (Emphasis on meat, veggies, fruit, nuts, and seeds. Removes potentially problematic foods such as grains, nightshades, dairy, legumes, and added sugars)
- Low FODMAP Diet (Removes foods with carbohydrates & fiber that can be difficult to digest, such as yogurt, wheat, cruciferous vegetables, and sugar alcohols)
- Carnivore Diet (Animal-based diet, little-to-no plant intake)
On top of the diet, adding in gut supportive supplements like probiotics, digestive enzymes, herbal antimicrobials, and L-glutamine pack quite a punch for IBS. I like to start the diet by itself for 7 days, then add in the supplements.
The key with any elimination diet is short-term removal (3–6 weeks), and then reintroduction with the goal of reaching the broadest diet possible. This requires a very thorough, planned-out, individual approach, which can be difficult for many people to implement on their own. That’s why I recommend people seek out a Functional Medicine Practitioner, preferably one who specializes in gut and IBS cases. At The HIVE Natural Health Center, we partner with you to take back control of your gut health, and your life.
At this point, in my experience, I don’t think a carnivore diet is one people should stick to for a long time. We just don’t have enough data on the long-term effects of not eating any plant material such as fiber, polyphenols, or antioxidants. But, in the short term, if you find yourself reacting to many plant foods, the diet has some potential applications that we’ve discussed.
I give credit to people who take the initiative and self-responsibility of using diet to help their IBS. Gut health doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple dietary and nutritional support strategies can be very effective and can keep you from taking your relationship with the toilet to the next level.
As always, Trust in Your Gut.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for educational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Do not apply any of the information in this article without first speaking with your doctor.
