A man who decided to eat a ‘carnivore diet’ for eight months has claimed his health improved despite experiencing drastic side effects.
The Florida man, who is believed to be in his 40s, ended up in a Tampa hospital after parts of his palms, elbows, and the soles of his feet went yellow.
After speaking to healthcare professionals, the man revealed he had adopted a ‘carnivore diet’, with his daily food intake consisting of sticks of butter, six to nine pounds of cheese and hamburgers.
His case, which was published in JAMA Cardiology earlier this week, stated: “A man in his 40s presented with a 3-week history of asymptomatic yellowish nodules on his palms, soles, and elbows. The patient adopted a carnivore diet approximately 8 months before presentation.

The impact of the man’s diet (JAMA Cardiologym 2024, Marmagkiolis et al)
“His dietary habits included a high intake of fats, consisting of 6 to 9 lb of cheese, sticks of butter, and additional fat incorporated into his daily hamburgers. He reported weight loss, increased energy, and improved mental clarity.”
While the man managed to shed a few pounds, he was left puzzled by the yellow ooze found across his body that was there for a month before he decided to seek treatment.
The research continued: “Physical examination revealed multiple painless yellowish nodules on his palms and elbows. The patient’s cholesterol level exceeded 1000 mg/dL (to convert to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0259), significantly higher than his baseline of level of 210 to 300 mg/dL. A diagnosis of xanthelasma was made.”
According to Healthline, this is when a ‘soft, yellowish, fatty deposit forms under your skin’. While xanthelasma is not harmful, in some cases ‘it may be an indicator of possible heart disease’.
While the research didn’t provide any detail on the man’s outcome, it emphasized the importance of ‘managing hypercholesterolemia to prevent complications’.

The diet is not recommend (Getty Stock Image)
A PhD pharmacy student and fitness coach has previously spoken out and warned about the negative long-term impacts this kind of diet can have on a person.
“You can believe some random influencer, we can believe the entire science community,” Angel said.
“Carnivore diet might put you in a calorie deficit, so you might lose weight. Cool. [But] you could also just be in a regular calorie deficit, flexible dieting, eating chocolate, eating pasta and still having some balance there.”
She continued: “Over the long term, you might have a low fibre intake that will affect your gut. That is not good for you.
“You’ll also get less vitamins and minerals, for example vitamin C. So it might be well and good that you’re getting lots of iron from these meats, but if you don’t have any vitamin C to help you with absorption, you’re actually not going to be getting the benefits you think you are.”
Conversation2 Comments
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R
Not exactly carnivore, no variety of meats, cheese has lactose, he’s principally doing just dairy, small amount is ok but not that much! Needs to be having beef, bacon, lamb etc. and eggs.
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J
Just because you’re eating carnivore doesn’t mean you shout eat that much fat. You can subsist on a steak and a few sticks of celery. Jesus.
Featured Image Credit: JAMA Cardiologym 2024, Marmagkiolis et al
Topics: Health, Food and Drink

Callum Jones

Man who drank 30 cans of Pepsi every day for 20 years reveals shocking effects it had on his body
Andy Currie started his day with a litre of Pepsi

Callum Jones
A man whose Pepsi addiction lead to him drinking a staggering 30 cans of the stuff a day has revealed the shocking effects it had on his body, as well as his bank account.
Andy Currie would start every day with a litre of fizzy pop and would drink a further nine litres throughout the day.
“I’ve always loved the taste of a cold Pepsi. Nothing could beat it and I just got hooked,”Andy, from Bangor, Wales, confessed.
“I work nights so always liked the sugar rush to keep me going. I’d go through four or five two litre bottles of Pepsi every day.

Andy loved a can of Pepsi (SWNS)
“Because I work at Tesco I could just buy it straight after work and take it home.”
‘It cost me a fortune’
Andy would spend a whopping $25 a day on Pepsi, which racked up to around $8,500 a year on his favourite drink.
“It cost me a fortune to be honest. I could have bought a car every year for the same amount I was spending on Pepsi,” he admitted.
“I just needed to have it, as soon as I woke up I’d go to the fridge and pour myself a large glass of Pepsi and just carry on through the day.
“I remember going to weddings and birthdays and while other people had glasses of champagne I’d be toasting people with a can of fizzy pop.”
Andy’s health began to deteriorate after his Pepsi consumption got out of control, and it got to the point where the Brit topped 19 stone and was at risk of developing diabetes.
While he managed to lose two stone through a strict diet, Andy was still struggling to quit drinking Pepsi for good.

The coke lover sought help (SWNS)
‘It became a poison and a crutch to him’
It was London-based therapist and hypnotist David Kilmurry who Andy got in touch with as a result, and he saw results almost instantly.
“David met me online and hypnotised me for about 40 minutes,” Andy said.
He continued: “I don’t know what he said but afterwards I just didn’t want to drink it anymore.
“I’ve still got two cans of Pepsi in my fridge which I was going to have before the session but didn’t have time.
“I prefer water now. My wife Sarah says my skin looks better and I’ve got so much more energy.”
David said: “I was horrified at Andy’s disclosure of drinking 10 litres of Pepsi a day.
“That was by far the worst sugar addiction I’ve ever heard of.
“Resigned to addiction, Andy was overweight, anxious and struggled to get his words out because he was so breathless.
“It became a poison and a crutch to him. Since working with him I am delighted to see him drinking water and healthy drinks.”
Conversation3 Comments
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D
I’m not happy with what I’m doing to my self but I’m also in the same situation I drink Pepsi max 2 litters a day then about 4 cans when Im working then I drink 6 to 8 beers this is pint cans every night and I smoke 20 fags a day my body is suffering I’m in pain all the time I have tried to stop bu…
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Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Topics: Health, Food and Drink

Callum Jones

Dietitian who ate mostly ultra-processed foods for a month reveals the surprising impact it had on her body
Dietitian Jessica Wilson noticed a difference after just two weeks of eating 80 percent ultra-processed foods

Poppy Bilderbeck
This article contains discussion of food habits and calorie counting that some may find distressing.
A dietitian has argued why ultra processed foods can be ‘part of a healthy diet’ after experiencing ‘surprising’ results from making them at least 80 percent of her diet for a month.
With ultra-processed foods often made out to be ‘something we’re supposed to avoid,’ dietitian Jessica Wilson decided to test out whether this ‘entire category of foods’ is really that bad for us.
What the dietician ate
The dietitian made at least 80 percent of her daily calorie intake ultra-processed for a whole month, eating soy chorizo instead of eggs as an example of an ultra-processed breakfast, TIME reports.
Instead of eating something like beans with avocado and hot sauce for lunch, Wilson grabbed a ready-to-eat tamales from Trader Joe’s.
Snacks consisted of cashew-nut yogurt with jam and dinners sometimes looked like chicken sausages with vegetables and Tater-Tots or Costco pupusas.
And after a whole month of at least 80 percent ultra-processed foods every single day, Wilson felt remarkably different – but not in the way you might think.

Dietician Jessica Wilson has weighed in on the discourse surrounding ultra-processed foods (Instagram/ @jessicawilson.msrd)
The results
In a post to Instagram, Wilson said she ‘surprisingly felt better’ after just ‘two weeks’ of the diet.
“At the end of my meal I have no idea what my hunger hormones were doing but it was great not to be hungry in an hour and to go longer periods without having to forage for food,” she said.
She added she thinks she wasn’t actually ‘eating enough’ food before embarking on her ultra-processed diet.
And despite multiple studies over recent years connecting a diet with more ultra-processed foods leading to a rise in anxiety and depression, Wilson told TIME she actually felt less anxious and had more energy – so much so, she didn’t feel the need to drink as much coffee.
And while she may’ve been bored of the ultra-processed foods she was eating by the fourth week, in an interview with Mail Online earlier this month she noted her wife noticed her ‘complaining less and doing more’. And while her weight didn’t change, she did see ‘an improvement in body composition’ with a more toned physique.

Wilson ensured her diet for the month was made up of 80 percent or higher ultra-processed foods (Instagram/ @jessicawilson.msrd)
The debate surrounding ultra-processed food
The dietitian reminds the definition for ‘ultra-processed food’ is still very conflicting, given there are ‘multiple definitions’ from many ‘different researchers and doctors’ – so how can anyone say the whole category of food is ‘bad’?
She argues: “If we look at the Nova classifications for foods, what is supposed to distinguish a category four: ultra-processed food from a category three: processed food it is not always clear.”
Wilson notes the term ‘additives’ – substances often added to processed foods for technical reasons such as helping them stay stored for longer – is often used as a ‘buzz word for what makes something unhealthy’.
However, one example of an additive is ‘egg lecithin’, which has some ‘beneficial properties’ and baby formula sometimes also contains additives too.
Wilson resolved: “There’s a lack of conclusive and comprehensive science and a lot of that comes from a lacking clear definition of an ultra-processed food.
“[…] UPFs can be part of a healthy diet and we need to be having a different conversation.”
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Featured Image Credit: Instagram/ @jessicawilson.msrd
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, Science, Psychology

Poppy Bilderbeck

Identical twins who went on separate carb and fat diet reveal shocking impact it had on their bodies
Hugo and Ross Turner have spent 12 weeks sticking to very different diets

Callum Jones
A pair of identical twins who went on a separate carb and fat diets have revealed the surprising impacts they had on their body.
Hugo and Ross Turner went on separate fat and carb diets in a study in partnership with Loughborough University in the UK.
The 12 week programme saw Ross take on a strict carbohydrates diet, while twin Hugo took on the fat meal plan.
While they were taking on different diets, there were a lot of similarities between what the identical twins were consuming.

The identical twins took on separate diets (Instagram/@theturnertwiins)
They both ate around 3,500 calories every single day, supplied in part by Frive – a ‘delivery service that provides healthy, chef-prepared meals’.
On top of this, the pair had 350 calories of protein shakes and other snacks, which ultimately saw them hit the 3,500 calorie mark.
There was only a 500 calorie difference between the twins’ allowance, with Hugo eating 500 calories from fat and Ross getting his final calories on the board through carbs.
Results published on Wednesday (January 22) found Hugo’s strength had increased by 59 percent thanks to the fat diet, while Ross’ increased by 56 percent.
As you’d probably expect, Hugo’s body mass increased by 2.7kg, versus the 0.2kg seen with Ross’ carb diet.

The twins saw differing results (Instagram/@theturnertwiins)
“In summary, both diets across the 12 week training case study saw physiological improvements in metabolic, cardiac and efficiency markers although VO2max wasn’t improved,” the study’s authors said.
In conclusive thoughts, they added: “A higher carb diet is more beneficial for higher intensity running, lifting and exercise (CrossFit, 10k, half marathon etc.), whereas the higher fat diet is better for lower intensity but longer forms of exercise (walking, hiking, jogging). This backs up the general hypothesis for a higher carbohydrate diet and a higher fat diet.”
To the twins’ surprise, the skin fold test conducted for the experiment saw a drop in both Hugo and Ross’ body fat, but with the use of Bodystat machine, an increase in Hugo’s body fat was recorded.
Previously, Hugo and Ross had gone on separate vegan and meat diets over the course of 12 weeks, and the results were certainly interesting.
Hugo revealed he felt more energetic during the day while Ross said his gym performances were ‘up and down a little bit more’ due to his meat-eating diet.
On the heath side of things, Hugo discovered that the diversity of his gut bacteria had dropped ‘severely’, while his brother’s stayed the same – meaning Ross was less likely to pick up illnesses.
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Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@theturnertwiins
Topics: Health, Fitness, Science, Food and Drink

Callum Jones

8-year-old boy reportedly goes permanently blind after eating common foods as doctor issues warning
The young boy from Kuala Lumpar realized he couldn’t see during a school lesson

Poppy Bilderbeck
A doctor has spoken out online after hearing about a young boy being left with ‘total blindness’ in both eyes as a result of his diet.
An eight-year-old boy from Kuala Lumpur was left ‘blind beyond recovery’ as a result of a crucial nutrient missing from the food he was eating.
And a doctor is now raising awareness of his story on social media as a ‘reminder’ to parents and caregivers.

An eight-year-old found himself unable to see in class (Getty Stock Images)
According to a doctor who shared the story on Facebook, a teacher in a second grade class was suddenly alerted by a student who shrieked: “Teacher, why can’t I see anything?”
The post – shared by Dr Erna Nadia – continues: “[Translation] The whole class was shocked, suddenly she screamed like that. The teacher immediately called the student’s parents and immediately the student was sent to the hospital.
“Total blindness. Vision loss in both eyes.”
And various tests later revealed the cause of the vision loss – Vitamin A deficiency.

The boy’s diet reportedly consisted of lots of nuggets (Getty Stock Images)
The doctor explained it was discovered the child’s diet was made up of ‘only processed foods’ such as ‘nuggets, sausage and cookies’.
Indeed, Cleveland Clinic explains: “Vitamin A deficiency is when your body lacks the amount of vitamin A it needs to function properly. Vitamin A deficiency can cause vision loss and blindness. It can also lead to complications with your skin, heart, lungs, tissues and immune system.”
Specifically regarding the eyes,’ Vitamin A is vital for your vision’ your eyes needing ‘to make specific pigments for your retinas to work correctly’.
“Your eyes also need vitamin A to produce moisture to keep your corneas properly lubricated. If your corneas get too dry, they can become damaged, which can lead to blindness,” Cleveland Clinic adds.

The boy’s diet also consisted of sausages (Getty Stock Images)
The doctor noted the ‘blindness is beyond recovery’ before they continued: “When my friend shared this story, I started to feel angry because of what is the point of being parents but it’s bad like this but in a while when I look at our lives that are always busy to live a comfortable life I feel sorry for them.
“[…] As a mother, if we cannot cook it’s always because we are busy, but we try to buy the right food that is complete.”
The doctor noted she’s not ‘sharing’ the story to ‘condemn anyone’ but as a ‘reminder’ even to herself because she doesn’t ‘cook everyday either’.
But how can you ensure you get enough Vitamin A in your diet?
Well, Cleveland Clinic advises eating green vegetables such as broccoli, alongside orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, liver, beef and chicken, salmon, eggs and dairy products.
And if needed, you can always take supplements too.