A new study published in September 2020 found that there is a specific diet that can slow viral replication, making it especially effective for COVID-19 and all viruses for that matter. This is incredible news, because contrary to what mainstream media wants you to believe, you do have control over how vulnerable you are to viruses, by changing what you eat and when you eat it.

The study found that  “a diet regimen of ketogenic breakfast along with supplementation with two doses of lauric acid-rich MCTs at breakfast and lunch times, followed by 8–12-h IF and a dinner rich with fruits and vegetables, could be a potential prophylactic strategy and adjuvant therapy to combat SARS-CoV-2 infections.”

Intermittent metabolic switching

Let’s look at how this diet works. Remember, there are two ways that our cells create energy, one is from burning sugar and other is from burning fat. You are meant to go in and out of these two states, which is what we call intermittent metabolic switching. Your body thrives when you are a fat burner the majority of the time. I recommend spending 70% of your time in fat burning mode, with 30% of your time in sugar burning mode, but it is important to go in and out of both.

The study found that certain dietary habits favored viral replication, such as: 

  • Being a sugar burner
  • Eating all day
  • Eating a high carbohydrate diet
  • Consuming high long-chain fatty acids (LCFA)

“Halting intakes of dietary long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and supplementation with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) can result in negative energy balance and weight loss by increasing host energy expenditure and lipid oxidation, which disfavor the microenvironment of viral replication” 

What foods to avoid

Eating all day long, eating a lot of carbs, eating processed foods, bad fats and bad oils, such as canola oil, sunflower, safflower, soy and corn oils, will ensure you are burning only sugar. On top of that, these habits give viruses energy. Bad fats and oils actually invite viruses into the cell, where they can replicate at rapid speed. 

Viruses do not have their own energy burning center. Viruses “rely on the host cell metabolism for the acquisition of raw materials and energy necessary for their biological processes”. In order to stop the replication of the viruses, you must leave the sugar burning state and enter a ketogenic, fat burning state. 

The power of MCT’s

The study found that a protein rich breakfast, eaten with 20g of MCTs, followed by 8-12 hours of fasting, with another 20g dose of MCTs at lunch time, promoted the ketogenic metabolic pathway and stopped the replication of the virus. 

The key to this COVID diet is leaning into more MCTs, medium-chain triglycerides. MCTs can be found in the following foods:

  • Organic raw whole milk or cream
  • Organic ghee
  • Grass fed butter
  • Organic coconut oil, meat and cream
  • Cyto MCT oil

I believe this diet can also work without eating breakfast, for those of you who are comfortable fasting through the morning. This can work by adding MCTs into your organic coffee in the morning. I personally use a little raw cream, CytoMCT oil and cinnamon in my coffee. You can also consume the MCTs straight if you prefer. You’ll do the same 20g of MCTs at lunch as well, either straight or with coffee or tea.

The COVID diet, per the study

  • Protein rich breakfast, with 20g of MCTs
  • Follow that with an 8-12 hour fast
  • 20g MCTs at lunchtime
  • Vitamin and mineral rich dinner   

At the end of the fasting period, the study broke the fast at night with a meal rich in vitamins and minerals. It is so important to lean into good, quality foods that nourish your body, focusing on vegetables, fruits and quality meats. The study found that a dinner with “a balanced diet can provide the required amount of carbohydrates, and fibers from fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals are important for boosting the immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

Could this be a step forward for your health, and out of this pandemic? If you resonate with this, start intermittent fasting, lean into MCTs, learn how to become a fat burner, and share this content with others, so we can all take back power of our health!