Olivia Ponton Developed Hemochromatosis After Yearlong Carnivore Diet

‘Sports Illustrated’ Model Olivia Ponton Reported Burglary at NFL Star Joe Burrow’s Home

Olivia Ponton is booked, blonde and too busy to be dealing with her old diet.

The Booked, Blonde & Busy podcast host revealed that she had to stop her meat-heavy diet because she developed hemochromatosis, a genetic condition which causes the intestines to absorb too much iron from food.

“I was a carnivore for 365 days,” she explained in a June 20 TikTok. “I only ate red meat and then I developed hemochromatosis.”

The disease—which is passed down genetically within families—can damage organs and increase risk of liver disease, heart conditions and diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. As a result, the 24-year-old has had to diversify her daily meals.

“I had to teach myself how to like chicken,” she said while showing off her dinner, which included chicken, buttered noodles, a salad and cherries. “So this is my favorite little chicken dinner.”

But her diet isn’t the only way Ponton—who has been romantically linked to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow—prioritizes her health. In fact, after she was present for a burglary reported at Burrow’s home in December 2024, she revealed some of the tools she’s implemented to boost her overall wellbeing.

“I very much lack gym motivation 99% of the time,” the Sports Illustrated model said in a TikTok a week after the break-in, “so some kind of energy [or] caffeine, chef’s kiss.”

And while she keeps her relationship with the NFL pro private—other than stepping out for a date night in New York City in June 2025, they’ve remained mum on their suspected romance—Ponton has previously been open about the criteria she looks for in potential partners.

Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images

“When you’re dating, try not to care about whether they like you. You should be thinking, ‘Do I like them?’” she told Elite Daily in November 2025. “You need to flip that switch in your brain. For me, if someone starts to play a game, I’m just like, ‘Well, you lost me. Goodbye.’”

And as Ponton embarks on a new wellness journey, read on to learn about some other stars who have experienced surprising health scares…

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