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A carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat, fish, and other animal products like dairy and eggs. More recently, it has been brought into the limelight by influencers and social media personalities. In fact, there is a whole community of "meatfluencer" who are sharing their meat-eating plans. One of them is Dr Paul Saladino MD, whose belief that there was no better way to prevent chronic diseases than a carnivore diet prompted him to write books and post videos regarding the same. He believed so much in this eating plan that he became a go-to person for many following the same plan, until recently, when he decided to quit.
Carnivore Diet Disrupted His Sleep
Switching to an all-meat diet isn't always straightforward, especially when it comes to digestion—a lesson Dr Saladino learned firsthand. He experienced sleep disturbances, likely due to the difficulty of digesting high-protein meals. Since protein takes longer to break down, it demands more energy from the body, which can interfere with rest.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, digestion slows by up to 50% during sleep. Additionally, many types of meat contain tyramine, a compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Increased tyramine intake can lead to health issues and also triggers the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that raises heart rate and blood pressure, making restful sleep harder to achieve.
He also experienced hypnagogic jerks—sudden muscle spasms that jolt the body awake. "I would fall asleep but then jerk myself awake like I was falling multiple times. It was stressful and traumatic, leading to poor sleep," he shared in his YouTube video.
Eating Only Meat May Have Triggered Heart Palpitations
Another concerning side effect Dr Saladino experienced was heart palpitations—episodes where his heart felt like it was racing or fluttering. While stress is a common cause, few would immediately link palpitations to meat consumption.
However, a sudden shift to an all-meat diet can lead to electrolyte imbalances. The elimination of carbohydrates lowers insulin levels, prompting the kidneys to excrete more sodium. This disrupts the balance of essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, which are crucial for heart function.
Muscle Cramps Became Persistent
Dr Saladino also suffered from frequent muscle cramps while following the carnivore diet. In a post on X, he emphasized the importance of maintaining adequate magnesium, calcium, and potassium levels to prevent cramping. He initially believed that animal-based foods provided sufficient minerals, but his ongoing cramps led him to reconsider.
"I started to think maybe long-term ketosis is not great for me,” he admitted on the *More Plates More Dates* podcast. “Probably not a great thing for most humans."
His Testosterone Levels Dropped Significantly
Dr Saladino also saw a decline in his testosterone levels after following the carnivore diet for over a year. "At the beginning of my carnivore experiment, my testosterone was about 800. After a year to a year and a half, it had dropped to around 500," he revealed.
The issue likely stems from excessive protein intake, which can elevate inflammation and disrupt hormone levels. A 2022 study published in Nutrition and Health found that consuming more than 35% of daily calories from protein can lead to various negative effects, including reduced testosterone.
He Had Chronically Low Insulin Levels
Because he largely eliminated carbohydrates—except for a small amount of fruit—Dr Saladino developed persistently low blood sugar. In his YouTube video, he explained, "I had very low insulin because I wasn’t eating carbohydrates, and the protein I consumed wasn’t insulinogenic enough."
While some diabetics report improved blood sugar control on the carnivore diet, its effects vary based on individual metabolic responses. For non-diabetics, low insulin can lead to hypoglycemia, causing symptoms like dizziness, confusion, a racing heart, and, in extreme cases, seizures or coma. Mild cases can be managed with fast-acting carbohydrates like juice or candy, but severe episodes require medical attention.
His Blood Test Results Showed Concerning Imbalances
Lab tests revealed that his magnesium levels were low, while his sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was elevated—both potential red flags for long-term health issues.
A magnesium deficiency can cause numbness, tingling, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and muscle cramps. Since cramps often strike at night, low magnesium may also contribute to sleep disturbances.
High SHBG levels indicate an excess of circulating protein in the blood, which can increase the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression. To counteract these imbalances, introducing more magnesium-rich foods—such as leafy greens, nuts, beans, and yogurt—could be beneficial.
He Felt Cold All The Time
Electrolyte imbalances and metabolic disruptions can even affect body temperature, which Dr. Saladino experienced firsthand. "I was always cold,"he shared in his YouTube video.
Upon testing his thyroid function, he discovered that his total T3 and free T3 hormone levels were "not ideal." These hormones regulate metabolism, and low levels can slow down metabolic processes, leading to cold intolerance.
Credit: WHO
Breastfeeding is important not only for babies' health and nutrition but also for protecting mothers from serious diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
It urged governments to strengthen access to services and interventions that support breastfeeding as part of World Breastfeeding Week, observed annually from August 1–7.
The 2026 theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works," focuses on tracking progress, evaluating impact, and scaling proven approaches that improve breastfeeding outcomes.
"Scaling up breastfeeding could prevent almost 400,000 child deaths and around 140,000 maternal deaths each year," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a joint statement.
"Every US$1 invested in breastfeeding promotion generates an estimated US$59 in economic returns through lower health-care costs, improved cognitive development, higher educational attainment, and increased lifetime earnings," they added.
The experts noted that breastfeeding is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect a child's health. It provides infants and young children with essential nutrition, boosts immunity, helps protect against serious illnesses, and supports cognitive development.
For mothers, breastfeeding also offers significant health benefits by reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as breast and ovarian cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
The WHO said breastfeeding rates have improved globally due to sustained investments in policies and programs supporting mothers and families.
Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months increased from around 37 per cent in 2012 to more than 47 per cent today. Over the past five years, the prevalence of breastfeeding up to two years of age has risen from 38 per cent to 50 per cent.
Despite these gains, the WHO said many countries continue to lag behind global targets.
"Coverage of services supporting breastfeeding remains low, policies are inconsistently enforced, and service quality is often inadequate, especially in low-income, fragile, and humanitarian settings," the WHO said.
The agency noted that cost-effective interventions include skilled breastfeeding support within health systems, community-based counselling, maternity protection policies, and protection from the exploitative marketing of commercial milk formulas.
WHO and UNICEF called on governments, health systems, workplaces, communities, civil society organizations, and families to strengthen the "Warm Chain of Support" for breastfeeding.
During World Breastfeeding Week, the agencies urged countries to:
"Breastfeeding is vital. By investing in proven solutions, we can give every child the best possible start in life and ensure every mother gets the care and services she needs," the agencies said.
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A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health–Southeast Asia has found that India accounts for 68% of all childhood cancer cases in the SAARC region.
While the country's large child population contributes to the high numbers, experts say underdiagnosis and incomplete cancer registration may mean the actual burden is even greater.
An international team of researchers, including from the US, India, and Canada, estimated that nearly 37,700 children aged up to 14 years were diagnosed with cancer across South Asia in 2022, with 17,700 deaths reported. India alone accounted for an estimated 25,939 cases and 12,028 deaths.
The researchers noted that because cancer registration remains incomplete, particularly in rural areas, the true number of childhood cancer cases in India could exceed 50,000 annually.
India is home to more than 380 million children, accounting for nearly 69% of the child population in the SAARC region. This naturally contributes to the country's higher share of childhood cancer cases and deaths.
However, experts emphasize that population size is only part of the explanation. Delayed diagnosis, limited access to specialized treatment, and gaps in cancer registration continue to affect both disease estimates and patient outcomes.
Dr. Narendra Agrawal, a leading Hematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician and Senior Consultant and Unit Head of Haemato-Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, told HealthandMe that childhood cancer remains a major public health concern in India.
"Current estimates suggest that around 70,000–80,000 children and adolescents develop cancer each year, although the exact number remains uncertain due to expanding cancer registration systems". The most common childhood cancers in India include:
Unlike many adult cancers, most childhood cancers do not have a clearly identifiable or preventable cause. Dr. Agrawal explained that, in most children, cancer develops because of genetic changes that occur during early development. These changes are usually not linked to lifestyle factors or inherited from parents.
Although the causes of most childhood cancers remain unclear, some well-established risk factors include:
Dr. Agrawal said India's substantial childhood cancer burden is largely driven by its population size. However, improving outcomes requires addressing several systemic challenges.
Key issues include:
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Marketed as a "harmless" alternative to cigarette smoking, vaping is increasingly emerging as a health concern, particularly for lung health, doctors warned ahead of World Lung Cancer Day on August 1.
Traditional cigarettes remain strongly linked to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and several other life-threatening illnesses. However, growing laboratory, animal, and population studies suggest vaping may also damage lung tissue, alter DNA, and potentially increase lung cancer risk—especially among people who both smoke and vape.
A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal ERJ Open Research found that vaping may offer far less protection than many users believe when it comes to cardiovascular fitness, breathing efficiency, lung function, and blood vessel health in young adults.
"E-cigarettes are often advertised as a safer choice and as a way to help people quit smoking. But the evidence behind these claims is weak. We still don't fully know what long-term damage e-cigarettes can do to the lungs, including whether they can cause lung cancer," Dr. Shiba Kalyan Biswal, Head of Pulmonology at Shalby International Hospital, Gurugram, told HealthandMe.
The vapor produced by e-cigarettes contains several harmful chemicals, including substances that can damage cells and DNA—the genetic material inside the body's cells.
Animal studies have found that mice exposed to e-cigarette vapor for about a year developed a type of lung cancer. Ingredients commonly used in e-cigarette liquids, such as propylene glycol and benzoic acid, may also irritate cells and trigger inflammation in the lungs.
"There have also been outbreaks of a serious vaping-related lung disease that has sent people to hospital with severe breathing problems. This shows that the risks of vaping can be unpredictable, especially when products are poorly regulated or contain unknown ingredients," Dr. Biswal explained.
She urged doctors to routinely ask patients about e-cigarette use, particularly those with breathing problems or those at higher risk of lung cancer.
"Since evidence suggests that e-cigarettes add to the risk for people who used to smoke, it may be worth including vaping history when deciding who needs lung cancer screening," she said.
According to Dr. Biswal, lung cancer risk appears to be even higher among people who use both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes, often referred to as "dual users."
Many smokers who turn to e-cigarettes intending to quit end up continuing to use both products rather than switching completely.
"This means they stay addicted to nicotine and may be exposed to even more harmful substances."
Doctors are also reporting more lung cancer cases among young people who have never smoked, particularly women.
Indoor air pollution, biomass fuel exposure, second-hand smoke, occupational hazards, and genetic susceptibility are increasingly contributing to the disease, said Dr. Akshay Budhraja, Senior Consultant and Head of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Aakash Healthcare.
"It's no longer just the lifelong smoker in his sixties—we are seeing younger patients, more women, and a growing number who have never touched a cigarette. Air quality, occupational exposure and genetic predisposition are all playing a bigger role than they used to, and that means our screening approach has to widen well beyond the traditional smoker profile," Dr. Budhraja said.
Experts said early detection through low-dose CT screening remains crucial for high-risk individuals. However, symptoms such as a persistent cough or breathlessness are often mistaken for pollution-related irritation or a lingering infection, leading many people to delay getting screened.
They also noted that lung cancer affects more than the lungs, with potential impacts on men's sexual health and women's reproductive health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer remains one of the world's biggest public health challenges due to its high incidence and mortality. In 2024, it was the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with an estimated 2.6 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths.
Lung cancer develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the lungs. Treatment depends on a person's medical history and the
stage of the disease.
The doctors stressed that avoiding tobacco remains the most effective way to reduce lung cancer risk.
"Smokers face nearly 20 times the risk of non-smokers, though the rising non-smoker caseload complicates that picture," said Dr. Budhraja. "Second-hand smoke is the third leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers; radon gas, seeping in from soil, is the leading one, and home testing kits can catch it."
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