Meatstock 2024: How 1,400 Carnivore Diet Fans Defied Mainstream Medicine

Over 1,400 people gathered in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, for Meatstock, a three-day convention celebrating the carnivore diet. Attendees, who eat mostly or only animal products, shared stories of improved health and scepticism toward mainstream medicine.

The event drew high-profile speakers, including allies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has publicly supported the diet’s benefits.

Lisa Moss, 57, attended the convention with her husband Phil. Like many others, they followed the carnivore diet and believed it had healed long-standing health problems. Some attendees spoke of overcoming arthritis, diabetes, and mental illness by cutting out plant-based foods.

Speakers included Calley Means, Zen Honeycutt, Vani Hari, and Alex Clark—all connected to Kennedy’s health advocacy. Serena Musick, a carnivore influencer, told the crowd she refused to return to a ‘normal’ diet if it meant poor health. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Veronica Eggleston explained she had adopted the diet in high school and now carefully monitored everything she consumed. The event had a strong sense of community. Some attendees carried cutting boards for others to sign, while discussions often turned to distrust of conventional medicine. Many argued that doctors and drug companies profited from illness rather than promoting diets like theirs.

Meatstock highlighted the growing movement of people rejecting traditional health advice in favour of animal-based diets. Attendees left with reinforced beliefs in the diet’s benefits and a shared distrust of mainstream medical practices. The convention also strengthened ties between carnivore advocates and political figures like Kennedy.