A health optimization physician's unconventional "living carnivore diet," which includes claims that truly healthy bowel movements should require no toilet paper and can feel "nearly orgasmic," has reportedly been embraced by several high-ranking officials within President Donald Trump's administration. Dr. Sean O’Mara, an emergency medicine physician now working in health optimization, has attracted attention for his unique dietary philosophy and the endorsements it has received from prominent figures.
"When you start eating healthy, you don’t need toilet paper." — Dr. Sean O’Mara, Health Optimization Physician
According to recent reports, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vice President JD Vance are among those who have adopted Dr. O'Mara's eating regimen. The diet, which Dr. O'Mara has followed for approximately a decade, emphasizes grass-fed meats alongside fermented foods while strictly eliminating heavily processed foods, added sugar, and alcohol. Specific foods incorporated into the regimen include eggs, berries, yogurt, pickles, and fermented items like kimchi and sauerkraut, as well as certain cheeses such as Parmesan and Gorgonzola.
Dr. O’Mara has made striking claims about the digestive benefits he attributes to his diet. He told the New York Times Magazine, as reported by the New York Post, "When you start eating healthy, you don’t need toilet paper." He further elaborated on his belief in an optimized digestive system, stating that it should produce bowel movements that are fast, virtually odorless, and leave little to no residue, asserting that "Animals in the wild have no residual stool on their anus." The physician has also described an ideal bowel movement as "nearly orgasmic." To illustrate the efficacy of his regimen, Dr. O'Mara offered a graphic description: "I could have a bowel movement behind a sheet at a dinner party in the corner of the room," he said, "and nobody would know."
Health Secretary Kennedy, 72, reportedly began following the diet last year after meeting Dr. O'Mara. He has publicly credited the regimen with helping him lose approximately 20 pounds and improving chronic aches, along with symptoms he attributed to atrial fibrillation. Vice President Vance subsequently tried the diet earlier this year at Kennedy's recommendation during Lent and has reportedly continued with it. The dietary trend has apparently extended further within President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also reportedly adopting the diet, according to earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal.
Dr. O'Mara claims his diet can improve digestion and the gut microbiome, in addition to helping reduce visceral fat, which accumulates deep within the abdomen around internal organs. Interest in digestive health and the gut microbiome has surged in recent years, leading to increased popularity for fermented foods such as sauerkraut, which can provide prebiotic fiber and beneficial microorganisms. Researchers continue to study the potential role of fermented foods in supporting digestive health.
However, Dr. O'Mara’s more extraordinary claims about bathroom habits have met with considerable skepticism from outside medical experts. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist, expressed concerns about the potential effects of a meat-heavy diet lacking adequate fiber. "Fiber adds bulk and holds water in stool, which is what keeps things moving; without it, transit time slows and stools tend to become harder and less frequent," Sethi told HuffPost. Conversely, Sethi noted that some individuals consuming high-meat diets might experience the opposite problem, including frequent loose stools, potentially linked to difficulty absorbing fat or the body’s response to high fat intake. He concluded, "Neither extreme is a marker of good colon health."
Other health experts have also voiced concerns regarding diets with large quantities of red meat and animal fat, particularly when such regimens are highly restrictive or nutritionally unbalanced. Dr. O'Mara himself recommends a gradual introduction of fermented foods, advising clients to start with small amounts before working up to approximately half a cup. For those seeking his private consulting services, the cost reportedly amounts to $18,000. For federal officials like Kennedy, Vance, and others reportedly embracing Dr. O'Mara’s unconventional eating philosophy, the promised benefits appear to extend beyond mere weight loss to a fundamental redefinition of digestive well-being.
