Bella, known online as SteakandButtergal across YouTube and other social media platforms, says she left behind her vegan diet and went fully carnivore.
She did this in hopes of tackling her autoimmune conditions, which include eczema and psoriasis, as well as improving her skin, mental health, and energy levels.
The carnivore diet, which Bella follows, is based solely on animal products like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy foods.
Facing criticism from those who worry about the toll this could be taking on her body, Bella decided to directly address some of the most common concerns raised by her followers.
Among the big questions she answered were how she has managed to avoid heart problems and diabetes despite her unusual butter-heavy diet.
She also pointed out: “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.”
She shared: “I’ve been eating butter daily for the past five years and here’s a look at my bloodwork.”
She highlighted that her HDL cholesterol is now at 98, while her triglycerides have dropped to 15. She added: “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.'”
Doctors at Indiana University School of Medicine have recently warned that following this diet long-term may increase the likelihood of developing kidney stones.
Additionally, Harvard Health Chief Medical Editor Howard E. Lewine has weighed in, suggesting that carnivore diets, which fall under the keto diet umbrella, might carry serious health risks.
“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.”
Supporters like podcaster Joe Rogan also claim the diet has helped them shed pounds and ease chronic health problems.
