How The Keto Diet Helped One Woman Cure Her Chronic Sinus Infections
Constant sniffling, coughing and painful congestion made life miserable for Camille James Harman…and threatened her career as an actor. She tried allergy shots, medications and even surgery, but found no sinus infection cure. So she was shocked when she tried changing what she ate — and found herself finally on the path to healing and happiness. Find out how a change in diet cleared her sinus problems.
She struggled for years without a sinus infection cure.
Since childhood, Camille had been plagued with constant congestion, sore throats, watery eyes and a red, irritated nose that resulted in chronic sinus infections. Her mom had taken her for allergy shots, and her doctor prescribed numerous antibiotics. She’d even had her tonsils and adenoids removed on her 11th birthday. Yet she continued to suffer well into adulthood without a sinus infection cure.
Her sinus issues led to trouble sleeping, leaving her chronically fatigued. They robbed Camille of her dream of becoming a riding instructor because hay incapacitated her, and the constant congestion cost her jobs as she pursued a career in film and television.
Over the years, Camille tried chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, sinus washes and numerous over-the-counter and prescription medicines. Though she feared she was doomed to live this way forever, Camille couldn’t give up. There has to be a solution, she thought.
Then she made a tasty switch!
Camille began scouring the internet for alternative remedies for sinus problems, and she came across a YouTube video made by psychologist Jordan B. Peterson, PhD, talking about the health benefits of a “carnivore diet,” which is a spin-off of the keto diet. (Click through to learn more about the carnivore diet for weight loss and see 5 amazing carnivore diet before and afters.)
Camille had never heard of this type of diet, and when she learned you eat only animal foods, like meat, fish, eggs and certain dairy products, she was skeptical she’d be able to follow it. She also worried she wouldn’t consume the proper amount of nutrients on a diet lacking greens, most vegetables and fruit.
But when Camille did more research and read that most sinus infections are caused by yeast/fungus, and that sugar/carbs feed fungus, she was intrigued. She also learned a person sensitive to gluten will have lots of inflammation when they eat sugar or carbs, which could also cause sinus and nasal issues. And though she hadn’t been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance or a yeast overgrowth, Camille wondered if this diet might help her.
Hopeful, Camille stocked up on ground beef, eggs, butter, tuna, cheddar cheese, and bacon. She was surprised when after just a couple of days on the carnivore diet, the brain fog caused by exhaustion and congestion began to lift. Within a couple of weeks, her postnasal drip improved too.
Even so, adopting the diet wasn’t easy at first, as she initially missed foods like ice cream, nuts and apples. But Camille found fried pork rinds satisfied her craving for a crunchy snack and that eating enough high-fat meat left her feeling energized all day and kept her stomach from grumbling between meals.
In less than six weeks, Camille felt better than ever. A few months later, she was thrilled when blood work showed she wasn’t deficient in any key nutrients. In fact, her doctor told her, “You have the blood of a 16-year-old.”
Today, Camille, 54, still follows the carnivore diet and hasn’t had a cold or sinus infection in three years! Her seasonal allergies have also ceased, and she even shed the pesky 15 pounds she never could before. “It’s so wonderful to no longer have to constantly clear my throat and have a pocketful of tissues,” she says. “I feel great and I am finally healthy!”
All it took was a little research and a new diet for her to cure her sinus infections. If you struggle with the same problems, taking her advice might be the sinus infection cure for you, too!
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
