A woman who has been consuming a full block of butter each day for the last five years has provided an update on her health status.
Bella, known as SteakandButtergal on her YouTube and social media platforms, revealed she switched from a vegan diet to a fully carnivorous one in an effort to address her autoimmune issues such as eczema and psoriasis, along with acne, mental well-being, mood, and energy levels.
Those who follow a carnivore diet eat exclusively animal-derived foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, and certain dairy products.
Bella, however, has taken this dietary practice further and regularly features on her YouTube channel consuming a whole stick of butter, a habit she claims to have maintained daily for five years.
She has addressed critics concerned about her health by responding to frequent inquiries.
These inquiries include questions about how her heart remains healthy and how she has avoided diabetes.
Bella stated: “Not only has my heart not stopped, but I now have more energy to work out, play with my dog and be the most amazing partner to my fiance.”
She also asserted: “A high fat carnivore diet contributes to higher HDL (High-density lipoprotein) levels, which is good cholesterol and my HDL shot up from 73 to 98.
“Lowering your triglycerides is also associated with a lowered heart disease risk and my triglycerides went down from 97 to 15.”
In a subsequent video, she claimed her bloodwork has benefited from her butter consumption.
She stated: “I’ve been eating butter daily for the past five years and here’s a look at my bloodwork.”
She reported her HDL is 98 and her triglycerides are 15, adding: “No I’m not concerned about my LDL at all because as board-certified heart surgeon, doctor Philip Ovadia, has said, ‘It’s not about the LDL, it is all about the ratio.’
“When you divide triglycerides by your HDL, anything that is under two is ideal and mine is 0.15,” Bella said with a thumbs up – and of course while eating a block of butter.
Nonetheless, some health experts and medical professionals have expressed concerns about the carnivore diet, which typically excludes fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.
Doctors at the Indiana University School of Medicine have warned that this diet could increase the risk of kidney stones.
Howard E Lewine, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health, also commented on the potential hazards of the diet, which is a variant of the ‘keto’ diet.
“While some keto diets can emphasize the intake of healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats, that’s not the case with carnivore diets,” he stated in a Harvard article. “Animal fat is mostly saturated fat, which is the unhealthiest type of fat because it raises levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
“The disadvantage of all keto diets is they tend to raise LDL cholesterol levels in both the short and long term.
“Other longer-term concerns about keto diets, especially the carnivore diet, include the increased risk of kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis.”
However, proponents like Dr. Shaw Baker MD, author of The Carnivore Diet, claim eating exclusively meat saved his life, while supporters such as podcaster Joe Rogan report benefits like weight loss and relief from chronic health conditions.