Who should not follow this protocol

This page exists because a ketogenic or carnivore diet is narrow, a four-food elimination protocol is narrower still, and narrow diets carry real risk for some people. Read it before the protocol guides, not after.

Do not start without medical supervision

• Type 1 diabetes. Insulin requirements change quickly and unpredictably when carbohydrate intake collapses. This needs a clinician managing doses, not a guide.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Nutrient demand is high and a diet this narrow can miss folate, vitamin C and iodine.
• Chronic kidney disease. Very high protein intake may be inappropriate; this is a nephrology conversation, not a blog post.
• On warfarin or other vitamin K-sensitive anticoagulants. Large swings in leafy-green and liver intake change INR.
• On statins, antihypertensives, or diabetes medication. Doses may need adjustment as weight and blood markers move. Never change a dose yourself.
• History of disordered eating, or a history of gallbladder disease / no gallbladder.
• Under 18. Growth and micronutrient needs are not compatible with unsupervised elimination diets.

Known nutritional gaps to plan for

Beef, bacon, butter and eggs supply no vitamin C and no fibre. Scurvy is rare but not extinct, and constipation is the most commonly reported early problem. Liver supplies vitamin A, copper and folate in useful amounts; without it, a diet of only these four foods is harder to defend nutritionally. Bacon is a processed meat. Treat it as a seasoning, not a staple.

Track, don't trust

Before cutting anything, ask your GP for baseline bloods: full blood count, ferritin, HbA1c, a lipid profile, kidney and liver function, vitamin D, B12 and folate. The NHS lipid profile reports total cholesterol, HDL, non-HDL and triglycerides in mmol/L. It does not include ApoB, and a GP practice is unlikely to order it on request. If you want ApoB you buy it privately, either on its own or inside a wider cholesterol panel. UK options include Nuvivo (from £49), Omni Lifestyle through a Randox lab (£79), Medichecks (around £89 for a profile that also carries Lp(a)) and ARC Medical (£102). Prices checked in October 2026. Retest at eight to twelve weeks. Numbers beat vibes, and they are also what makes an N=1 write-up worth reading.

If you feel unwell with dizziness, palpitations, persistent cramp, unusual fatigue, new visual changes, stop the protocol and see a doctor. Electrolyte problems are the usual early cause.