Can the Carnivore Diet Cause Bags Under Your Eyes? Facts vs. Myths
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The carnivore diet can do a lot of things and most of them are beneficial. However some people have reported that it has caused their bags under their eyes to swell. Is this possible?
Yes and No. In this post we are going to take a look at some of the facts and myths surrounding bags under the eyes.
The Mayo Clinic says that bags under the eyes are usually harmless but you should contact a doctor if the swelling is severe, painful, and/or itchy. Things like thyroid disease, allergies, and infections can be the issue.
FACTS: What Causes Bags Under Your Eyes?
The Mayo Clinic says a number of things can cause bags under your eyes.
Some of the more common ones are:
- Allergies
- Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
- Contact dermatitis
- Fatigue
- Hay fever
- Heredity
- Skin pigment irregularities
- Rubbing or scratching your eyes
- Sun exposure, which prompts your body to produce more melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color
And the scariest and most obvious one is aging! Yep unfortunately aging is a major problem with bags under the eyes. Basically as you age tissues and muscles begin to weaken and the result is bags!
Also the space under your eyes is able to accumulate fluid and this is also a cause.
Mythic Remedies
When treating bags under your eyes there seems to be a lot of myths and misunderstanding. For instance I’ve heard that cucumbers are supposed to help or that hemorrhoid creams like Preparation H will reduce the swelling.
There are even creams that are supposed to do the trick but even these are just temporary fixes and cover-ups and not real solutions.
People also say lasers are great for dealing with under-eye problems but another doctor chimed in and said that it doesn’t necessarily deal with the underlying problem of tissue volume.
Dr. Stephen Bracci says, “While lasers can be used to effectively heat treat various skin conditions and remove layers of skin, they do not address the underlying volume loss under the skin that, in most cases, causes the dark circles underneath eyes.”
Dr. Bracci goes on to also say that getting enough sleep is only part of the solution and it doesn’t deal with the fact that there is a loss of volume in the eye area.
The loss of volume can be another age thing.
Can The Carnivore Diet Make The Bags Under Your Eyes Worse?
I was in a SubReddit and read about a person that was on the carnivore diet for 2 weeks and had reported increased swelling in their bags under their eyes. This person also stated that they drink a lot of water and have a normal load of exercise.
The cool thing about Reddit is that you usually get some interesting responses. Someone noted that it is possible that this person had not been eating fresh meat and that the meat might have been partially aged.
They hypothesized that the aged meat had an increase in histamine which can be associated with increased swelling.
Someone else chimed in and said it could be from eating too much processed meat, too much coffee, or not enough Vitamin C.
There seems to be a lot of speculation and hypothesis surrounding this issue and a doctor versed in low carb diets may have the best answer and solutions.
If histamine plays a role in swelling then Dr. Chris Masterjohn believes beef kidney extracts may help mitigate the problem. He recommends people try Ancestral Supplements Grass-Fed desiccated kidney pills. It is said the diamine oxidase found in kidney supplements can help diminish histamine levels in the stomach.
Also if you are new to the carnivore diet here is a post where I talk about some of the side effects. Check out, “Side Effects From a Carnivore Diet and What to Watch For.”
A Carnivore Dieter’s Perspective
Frank Tufano a man with a wealth of information and in-depth YouTube channel discusses his challenge with bags under his eyes.
He says a lot of people suggest to him that his bags are the result of not having a properly nutritious diet. Frank is on an Ancestral Indigenous diet which is pretty much a carnivore diet. He even wrote a book about it appropriately called, “Ancestral Indigenous Diet.” (Amazon Link)
He explains in this YouTube video what he believes is the cause of his under the eye bags and what he does to remedy the problem.
Hopefully this post was able to provide some decent information or point you in a direction that will help solve your problems.
Are you new to the carnivore diet? Interested in more information? Check out “How To Get Started On the Carnivore Diet | 28 Day Plan.”
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or dietician or nutritionist. Consult with and ask your doctor about any diet or medical-related questions. No information on this site should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.
