Dr. Anthony Chaffee: The Neurosurgeon Championing a Carnivore Diet for Chronic Disease Reversal
As the global conversation on nutrition evolves, few voices have been as bold or as disruptive as Dr. Anthony Chaffee— an American medical doctor and neurosurgical registrar practicing in Australia.
As the global conversation on nutrition evolves, few voices have been as bold or as disruptive as Dr. Anthony Chaffee— an American medical doctor and neurosurgical registrar practicing in Australia. With over two decades of research into optimal human nutrition, Dr. Chaffee argues that many modern chronic diseases are largely preventable — and in some cases, reversible — through a return to a species-appropriate, animal-based diet.
His central belief? That the standard modern diet is misaligned with human biology — and that what we don’t eat may be just as harmful as what we do.
Who Is Dr. Anthony Chaffee?
Dr. Chaffee began university at the age of 16, studying Molecular & Cellular Biology with a minor in Chemistry, a path that later led him to earn his MD from the Royal College of Surgeons. Today, he works in neurosurgical training in Australia while also educating the public on what he describes as nutritional miseducation at the core of many modern illnesses.
Criticism and Controversy
Naturally, Dr. Chaffee’s views are controversial — especially in contrast to decades of nutritional guidelines that promote plant-based eating. Critics argue that long-term carnivore diets may lack fiber, certain micronutrients, or pose cardiovascular risks due to saturated fat intake.
However, newer research is beginning to challenge these assumptions, especially studies showing that LDL cholesterol alone may not be the best predictor of heart disease and that metabolic syndrome — driven by high carbohydrate intake — is a stronger risk factor.
Dr. Chaffee insists that real-world outcomes, including lab improvements and patient-reported health reversals, speak for themselves.
20+ Years of Research — and Growing Influence
Dr. Chaffee’s clinical experience is backed by two decades of personal research and nutritional experimentation. In recent years, he has become a sought-after speaker and podcast guest, using digital platforms to explain complex medical science in plain language.
His growing YouTube channel, lectures, and interviews emphasize:
- The evolutionary biology of human nutrition
- The dangers of sugar and seed oils
- How plants evolved chemical defenses (anti-nutrients)
- Clinical examples of patients reversing diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune conditions using a carnivore diet
He also collaborates with other thought leaders in the ancestral health and metabolic medicine and nutrition movement, challenging public health authorities and pharmaceutical-centric models of chronic disease care.
Chronic Diseases and the Role of Diet: What Dr. Chaffee Claims
According to Dr. Chaffee, diseases like type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and even some forms of cancer are not inevitable. Instead, they may be largely driven by modern dietary habits that include:
- Excessive carbohydrate intake
- Consumption of seed oils and ultra-processed foods
- Over-reliance on plant-based foods with anti-nutrients (like oxalates, lectins, and phytates)
Supporting Data:
- The CDC reports that 6 in 10 U.S. adults have a chronic disease, and 4 in 10 have two or more.
- A 2023 BMJ Nutrition study found that ultra-processed food intake was directly associated with increased risk of inflammatory diseases, including IBD and metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Chaffee’s assertion is that by removing these dietary stressors and returning to a meat-based, evolutionarily consistent way of eating, patients can restore metabolic function, reduce inflammation, and in many cases, reverse disease.
Dr. Chaffee’s Core Belief:
“Most of the so-called chronic diseases we treat are not actually diseases — they’re the body’s natural response to a biologically inappropriate diet.”
What Is the Carnivore Diet — and Why Does Dr. Chaffee Recommend It?
The carnivore diet is an animal-based, zero-plant food protocol that emphasizes nutrient-dense animal products such as:
- Red meat (especially ruminant animals like beef and lamb)
- Organ meats (liver, kidney, heart)
- Eggs
- Animal fats (tallow, butter)
- Bone marrow and bone broth
Unlike ketogenic or paleo diets, which may allow low-carb vegetables or nuts, the carnivore diet completely excludes plant foods, based on the belief that they may contribute to chronic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and autoimmune issues in susceptible individuals.
Starring in the Groundbreaking Documentary Reversed: Carnivore
Dr. Chaffee’s influence reached new heights in 2024 with his appearance in the acclaimed health documentary Reversed: Carnivore, which is available for streaming exclusively on Ravoke.com. The film follows real individuals struggling with obesity, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and other chronic illnesses — and their attempt to regain health through a carnivore diet protocol.
Author of The Human Diet
Building on his decades of research and clinical observations, Dr. Chaffee authored the book The Human Diet, a comprehensive guide to understanding how humans evolved to eat — and how straying from that diet has fueled modern epidemics of disease. The book explores:
- The biological evidence for carnivory in human evolution
- How plant-based foods may contain harmful anti-nutrients
- Case studies of individuals reversing disease on an animal-based diet
- Detailed critiques of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and modern nutritional guidelines
The Human Diet is not just a call to rethink food — it’s a challenge to redefine medicine through diet-first prevention.
The Case for a Species-Appropriate Diet
Dr. Chaffee posits that humans are obligate carnivores, and that the rise in obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and even neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s are largely driven by:
- Ultra-processed foods
- High carbohydrate consumption
- Industrial seed oils
- Plant-based foods that contain anti-nutrients like oxalates and lectins
He asserts that eliminating these elements — and focusing instead on nutrient-dense animal products — can restore metabolic function, reduce inflammation, and reverse many symptoms commonly treated with medications.
According to the CDC, 6 in 10 U.S. adults have at least one chronic disease, and poor diet remains the leading cause of preventable death in the country.
A Radical Approach With Real-World Results
Dr. Chaffee’s approach may be controversial, but it’s rooted in both biology and clinical outcomes. Thousands of people now credit his guidance with helping them:
- Reverse type 2 diabetes
- Lose over 100 pounds
- Resolve autoimmune flare-ups
- Eliminate chronic pain and inflammation
- Improve mental clarity and emotional health
Rethinking What It Means to Be Healthy
Whether you view Dr. Anthony Chaffee’s message as revolutionary or radical, one thing is certain: he is pushing the conversation forward. His appearances in Reversed: Carnivore, his book The Human Diet, and his educational outreach are challenging a system that has long relied on pills instead of prevention.
For those navigating chronic disease or seeking to optimize performance and longevity, Dr. Chaffee’s philosophy offers a simple — though not easy — question:
What if everything we’ve been taught about food is wrong?
By Ravoke News Desk for Ravoke.com
