There are different versions of the carnivore diet, depending on goals, food tolerance and allergies, and preference.
One version is to eat only low carb animal-based foods: Meat, eggs, and very low carb dairy. Honey and milk are not part of this diet because they are too high in carbs.
Another version is eating only meat, no eggs or dairy. Eggs and casein protein in dairy are inflammatory to some people.
The Lion diet includes nothing but meat from ruminant animals (beef, lamb, goat, etc.), salt, and water. Some stick to only beef.
Some carnivores insist you must eat liver and other organ meats daily or weekly in order to avoid nutrient deficiencies, others say it's not necessary, yet others say it's dangerous to eat organ meats often and long term because of the high risk of toxicity from vitamin A and other fat soluble vitamins, copper, zinc, and other minerals.
The carnivores I know who have been doing this for 10-20 years don't eat organ meat and they are doing great. The carnivores I know of who push organ meats usually have been eating like this less than 5 years. Some of those are not even carnivores anymore because they "didn't feel their best", which makes me believe they were suffering from some type of toxicity from eating so much liver and other organs.
All of the above are considered carnivore diets, and they must be done strictly and consistently long term in order to allow the body to adapt, to see and enjoy the benefits. Eating like this only five days a week, or 2 weeks on 1 day off, is not going to allow anyone to enjoy the full benefits, especially for those wanting to address health issues with this diet.
What would possess someone to start eating like this and continue to eat like this for life? The majority, if not all, strict carnivores who have been doing this for 10-20 years started because of some health condition they wanted to address: depression, bipolar disorder or other mental condition, autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, dementia, PCOS, type 2 diabetes, etc. They were in a living hell and the carnivore diet makes them feel like they are now in heaven. They'd hate to go back to that living hell, so they stick to the carnivore diet strictly and consistently for life, and they love it.
Animal-based foods are the best sources of carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, biotin, CoQ10, and other nutrients which are of critical importance for maintaining normal mitochondrial function. Development and progression of many autoimmune disorders, mental illness, neurological disorders, etc. are due to mitochondrial abnormalities. This is one of many ways that very meat heavy ketogenic diets and carnivore diets help people with these conditions.
