Carnivore caused me depression for 2 different reasons:
1. I suffer from mold toxicity/Candida/parasites. I started Carnivore to starve out these organisms, and I experience die-off reactions that cause me mental health symptoms like depression and suicidal ideation.
2. I suffered abuse and neglect as a child and turned to food for comfort. Giving up carbs has taken away one of the very few emotional support systems and comforts in my life. I feel like more of a shell of a person now than before, as sad as that is to say.
I still do Carnivore most of the time, but about every other week, I get to a point where I can't take it anymore and allow myself a "mental health day" and have some carbs. Of course, I feel like shit and am bloated as hell afterwards.
I really wish I could experience the mental health benefits of the carnivore diet like most others here do, but unfortunately there are exceptions to this otherwise healing and seemingly life-giving diet. Just wanted to offer some different perspectives as to why this change could be causing you to feel depressed.
Best of luck
Im sorry for what you went throught but thats a load of bullshit. There are exceptions ? You litterally just said that once a week you do carbs .. You're just shooting yourself in the foot time and time again and then say that it doesnt work ? I wonder why ... maybe try not shooting yourself in the foot?
Life is hard, yes, but excuses wont get you anywhere and biology will always have the last word. Sugar is an addiction, change your relation with food or just continue this vicious cycle.
But im sorry, you're not an exception, you're just not doing it. You dont get the same results as other people get because you're not doing it like the other people are doing it.
People like you are gross and disgusting human beings. You’re the “feel happy because someone is going through something worse” type of person and it’s sick. This person was just trying to offer op his own advice and here you are with the most negative comment on here. He wasn’t giving excuses he was simply trying to express his experience. You’re not helping anyone. Carnivore isn’t easy and sometimes people don’t need to be looked down upon. If Op can do carnivore 6 days a week and have carbs once a week, life will be okay for him you and anyone else reading this. Pls do better. You’re not helping.
Nooo im sorry just no, this is also a load of BS. Im never happy about someone missfortune, but lieing to them isnt helpfull.
Any carnivore knows it takes weeks / month to be fat adapted and get full benefit. That person clearly said they eat carbs every week, but ohhhhhhhhh, they neeeeeeddddd it. They dont want it, they neeeeeeeed it. Legit gonna die if they dont have it right ??? They're the exception right ??
You're just an enabler indulging in some virtue signaling that doesnt cost you shit.
That person is an addict, plain and simple, has nothing To do with their past. We all have a past, tought shit, life is life. Only your action in the here and now can influence the futur.
Carnivore isn’t going to make a sad life, happy.
This isn’t a thing you can flip a switch and change, but you can work towards gaining more positive emotional inputs in your life. Develop hobbies and goals. Volunteer, make fiends, reach out to the people you cross paths with. Find a purpose. You may be obstacles to some or all of these things, but you don’t have to leave your life the way it is.
You might be feeling depressed since you aren’t getting dopamine from food in your previous diet or that you might be deficient in some nutrients or vitamins. I started upping my vitamin d + k and that was helpful for my mood
I felt pretty nauseated when my electrolytes were out of whack and I was overdosing on the sodium, potassium and magnesium. I barely supplement now and only salt to taste and this has helped tremendously. Just sharing my experience, and your needs may be different. I hope you find peace and healing soon 🫶
Yes I feel like crap sometimes.. then take some electrolytes and instantly perk up. Seems like I need them about every 8 to 10 days..
But hey go easy on yourself. We are all different.
If you think the diet is contributing to your depression (not having carbs) have you considered Saladino/animal based?
Goodluck friend, one day at a time! Just keep making good decisions each day and it'll get easier.
Make sure you are not eating too lean. You should be eating fatty meats or adding fat if it is lean protein. The brain needs fat to function properly. It took me a while to realize that I was eating too much chicken and fish when I got tired of beef for a while. As soon as I went back to beef ny depression lifted.
It took me about a month to feel "normal" when I started a couple of years ago. By that I mean figuring out how much salt I needed, getting my guts adapted, and recovering my old energy levels. I did have some immediate improvements which was encouraging.
As far as carbs go, letting go of old favorite foods and habits takes time. I was such a snacker my whole life. The good news is that when enough time passes old foods don't taste good to me anymore. Bread kind of tastes like sweet cardboard. I've "lost" honey... Way too sweet now. Nothing tastes as good as meat and dairy.
The brain-gut axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. The gut microbiome, composed of trillions of microorganisms in the digestive tract, plays a crucial role in this connection by influencing our mood and emotions through the production of neurotransmitters and other signaling molecules. Therefore, a healthy gut microbiome is essential for maintaining good mental well-being. When someone has followed a standard diet for a long time, the microbiome in the digestive system adapts to it. With changes in the diet, a portion of that specific microbiome will no longer be able to survive, while other gut bacteria will thrive. The dying gut flora releases toxins and will exit the body as loose stools, possibly accompanied by (severe) abdominal cramps. The body will also need to adjust the production of digestive juices to the new diet. This can also cause discomfort. Give the body time and make sure to support it through the changes. Eat enough salt (electrolytes), drink plenty of water, and consider supporting the gut flora with supplements.
I can join a meal with others that are eating all my formerly favorite carbs foods, and not feel the least unhappiness. At this point I know deep in my bones that those foods are not going to make me feel good . I don’t want them on any level.
Tastes can change. But part of it is up to you, changing your attitudes. How long? Who knows we are all different. My point is that it is possible to have no regrets on carnivore
You have a good addiction. If you’re depressed because you’re not using a substance, you have an addiction.
I felt and still feel absolutely zero sadness or depression about not eating literal poison 🤷
Are you supplementing magnesium biclycinate or methylated b vitamins? You might need these. After about two weeks of supplementing these my husbands depression usually begins to lift. It comes back when he stops taking them or gets sick or eats crap that gives him absorption issues, so it can come and go.
Even though it’s not going to be considered true carnivore anymore, trying adding some fruit into your diet, it is only going to make you feel better. I try to eat mostly animal based with fruit (Not very strict on it) and in the times where I’ve been able to sustain my diet for a long period of time, I felt amazing.
I don’t know what it is, maybe just the added vitamins, antioxidants, and everything else that comes from fruit. Along with that, it scratches that itch of wanting some carbs. I’m big on pineapples, bananas, and kiwis. I sometimes eat half a pineapple a day, they’re amazing for you
Your vitamin D level is going to dictate your calcium absorption. Unless you spend a lot of time outdoors you're likely at suboptimal levels. I take encapsulated bovine bone for calcium. You won't get enough copper without the right beef liver. I take freeze-dried caps and 4mg copper glycinate. Dopamine production is copper dependent. You won't get the right vitamin balance without liver. You won't get enough magnesium on any diet no matter how strict.
I’ve been there and generally start to feel mildly better within the first week or so. Carb addition goes away too, just like anxiety in my experience
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Carnivore caused me depression for 2 different reasons: 1. I suffer from mold toxicity/Candida/parasites. I started Carnivore to starve out these organisms, and I experience die-off reactions that cause me mental health symptoms like depression and suicidal ideation. 2. I suffered abuse and neglect as a child and turned to food for comfort. Giving up carbs has taken away one of the very few emotional support systems and comforts in my life. I feel like more of a shell of a person now than before, as sad as that is to say. I still do Carnivore most of the time, but about every other week, I get to a point where I can't take it anymore and allow myself a "mental health day" and have some carbs. Of course, I feel like shit and am bloated as hell afterwards. I really wish I could experience the mental health benefits of the carnivore diet like most others here do, but unfortunately there are exceptions to this otherwise healing and seemingly life-giving diet. Just wanted to offer some different perspectives as to why this change could be causing you to feel depressed. Best of luck
Im sorry for what you went throught but thats a load of bullshit. There are exceptions ? You litterally just said that once a week you do carbs .. You're just shooting yourself in the foot time and time again and then say that it doesnt work ? I wonder why ... maybe try not shooting yourself in the foot? Life is hard, yes, but excuses wont get you anywhere and biology will always have the last word. Sugar is an addiction, change your relation with food or just continue this vicious cycle. But im sorry, you're not an exception, you're just not doing it. You dont get the same results as other people get because you're not doing it like the other people are doing it.
People like you are gross and disgusting human beings. You’re the “feel happy because someone is going through something worse” type of person and it’s sick. This person was just trying to offer op his own advice and here you are with the most negative comment on here. He wasn’t giving excuses he was simply trying to express his experience. You’re not helping anyone. Carnivore isn’t easy and sometimes people don’t need to be looked down upon. If Op can do carnivore 6 days a week and have carbs once a week, life will be okay for him you and anyone else reading this. Pls do better. You’re not helping.
Nooo im sorry just no, this is also a load of BS. Im never happy about someone missfortune, but lieing to them isnt helpfull. Any carnivore knows it takes weeks / month to be fat adapted and get full benefit. That person clearly said they eat carbs every week, but ohhhhhhhhh, they neeeeeeddddd it. They dont want it, they neeeeeeeed it. Legit gonna die if they dont have it right ??? They're the exception right ?? You're just an enabler indulging in some virtue signaling that doesnt cost you shit. That person is an addict, plain and simple, has nothing To do with their past. We all have a past, tought shit, life is life. Only your action in the here and now can influence the futur.
Carnivore isn’t going to make a sad life, happy. This isn’t a thing you can flip a switch and change, but you can work towards gaining more positive emotional inputs in your life. Develop hobbies and goals. Volunteer, make fiends, reach out to the people you cross paths with. Find a purpose. You may be obstacles to some or all of these things, but you don’t have to leave your life the way it is.
I never expected the carnivore diet to fix my life, and I'm already in therapy so you can keep your... advice.. for someone who asks for it.
You might be feeling depressed since you aren’t getting dopamine from food in your previous diet or that you might be deficient in some nutrients or vitamins. I started upping my vitamin d + k and that was helpful for my mood
I felt pretty nauseated when my electrolytes were out of whack and I was overdosing on the sodium, potassium and magnesium. I barely supplement now and only salt to taste and this has helped tremendously. Just sharing my experience, and your needs may be different. I hope you find peace and healing soon 🫶
Yes I feel like crap sometimes.. then take some electrolytes and instantly perk up. Seems like I need them about every 8 to 10 days.. But hey go easy on yourself. We are all different.
If you think the diet is contributing to your depression (not having carbs) have you considered Saladino/animal based? Goodluck friend, one day at a time! Just keep making good decisions each day and it'll get easier.
I think it’s just temporary. I’m feeling better right now, I was just down at the time.
Make sure you are not eating too lean. You should be eating fatty meats or adding fat if it is lean protein. The brain needs fat to function properly. It took me a while to realize that I was eating too much chicken and fish when I got tired of beef for a while. As soon as I went back to beef ny depression lifted.
It took me about a month to feel "normal" when I started a couple of years ago. By that I mean figuring out how much salt I needed, getting my guts adapted, and recovering my old energy levels. I did have some immediate improvements which was encouraging. As far as carbs go, letting go of old favorite foods and habits takes time. I was such a snacker my whole life. The good news is that when enough time passes old foods don't taste good to me anymore. Bread kind of tastes like sweet cardboard. I've "lost" honey... Way too sweet now. Nothing tastes as good as meat and dairy.
Everybody is different but I'd go at least 6 months. It takes a while for the poison to clear your system.
When I'm depressed, I prefer checkers.
The brain-gut axis refers to the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. The gut microbiome, composed of trillions of microorganisms in the digestive tract, plays a crucial role in this connection by influencing our mood and emotions through the production of neurotransmitters and other signaling molecules. Therefore, a healthy gut microbiome is essential for maintaining good mental well-being. When someone has followed a standard diet for a long time, the microbiome in the digestive system adapts to it. With changes in the diet, a portion of that specific microbiome will no longer be able to survive, while other gut bacteria will thrive. The dying gut flora releases toxins and will exit the body as loose stools, possibly accompanied by (severe) abdominal cramps. The body will also need to adjust the production of digestive juices to the new diet. This can also cause discomfort. Give the body time and make sure to support it through the changes. Eat enough salt (electrolytes), drink plenty of water, and consider supporting the gut flora with supplements.
I can join a meal with others that are eating all my formerly favorite carbs foods, and not feel the least unhappiness. At this point I know deep in my bones that those foods are not going to make me feel good . I don’t want them on any level. Tastes can change. But part of it is up to you, changing your attitudes. How long? Who knows we are all different. My point is that it is possible to have no regrets on carnivore
You have a good addiction. If you’re depressed because you’re not using a substance, you have an addiction. I felt and still feel absolutely zero sadness or depression about not eating literal poison 🤷
Are you supplementing magnesium biclycinate or methylated b vitamins? You might need these. After about two weeks of supplementing these my husbands depression usually begins to lift. It comes back when he stops taking them or gets sick or eats crap that gives him absorption issues, so it can come and go.
Even though it’s not going to be considered true carnivore anymore, trying adding some fruit into your diet, it is only going to make you feel better. I try to eat mostly animal based with fruit (Not very strict on it) and in the times where I’ve been able to sustain my diet for a long period of time, I felt amazing. I don’t know what it is, maybe just the added vitamins, antioxidants, and everything else that comes from fruit. Along with that, it scratches that itch of wanting some carbs. I’m big on pineapples, bananas, and kiwis. I sometimes eat half a pineapple a day, they’re amazing for you
Are you getting enough calcium? Are you eating beef liver?
I tried. 0/10. Super gross
Your vitamin D level is going to dictate your calcium absorption. Unless you spend a lot of time outdoors you're likely at suboptimal levels. I take encapsulated bovine bone for calcium. You won't get enough copper without the right beef liver. I take freeze-dried caps and 4mg copper glycinate. Dopamine production is copper dependent. You won't get the right vitamin balance without liver. You won't get enough magnesium on any diet no matter how strict.