In this conversation on American Thought Leaders, Dr. Shawn Baker outlines the therapeutic logic behind ketogenic and carnivore diets as tools for addressing chronic disease. Drawing from clinical experience, evolutionary biology, and patient-reported outcomes, he argues that carbohydrate restriction and animal-based nutrition can stabilize energy metabolism, reduce inflammation, and improve conditions ranging from obesity and insulin resistance to autoimmune disease, joint pain, and certain mental health disorders. Modern ultra-processed foods disrupt appetite regulation and metabolic health, while dietary simplification can improve adherence and reduce addiction-like eating behaviors.

Baker also engages the major controversies surrounding low-carb and carnivore approaches, including fiber exclusion, cholesterol risk, microbiome diversity, and long-term cardiovascular safety. He emphasizes clinical pragmatism over ideology—advocating individualized experimentation, medical monitoring, and tools like CAC scans to assess risk. Baker calls for a shift away from symptom-focused pharmacology toward lifestyle-based interventions rooted in food quality, metabolic health, and personal agency.