Low carbohydrate dietary considerations for COVID

Ketones (spefically beta-hydroxybutyrate) have shown to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which is a key pathological mechanism in COVID-19. But should we all be adopting a full ketogenic diet? The answer is no…

As we think to apply this in the context of our current pandemic, we’re not usually recommending a full-tilt ketogenic diet, especially for those who haven’t used it before. Instead, we recommend avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugary foods, lowering consumption of other high-carbohydrate foods (rice, legumes, most fruits), increasing healthy fats (especially olive, flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds), and considering some gentle intermittent fasting (such as avoiding food intake between 7pm and 7am daily).

Eating plenty of colorful plant foods is a must, even as we ‘lean’ towards a touch of ketone production with the above practices. When we use a low-carb or keto diet, we pack in plenty of phytonutrients and fiber. This isn’t about eating a rotation of just steak, bacon, eggs, and cream.

– Romilly Hodges, Nutrition Programs Director

Author: Romilly Hodges, MS CNS

https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/

Romilly Hodges, CNS CKNS CDN IFMCP mBANT CNHC, is a clinical nutritionist and Programs Director for Dr. Kara Fitzgerald. Romilly has written peer-reviewed publications, book contributions and many online articles. She is the author of the book Immune Resilience; The Breakthrough Plan to Protect Your Body and Fight Disease published in 2022 by Avery, a division of Penguin Random House. She has contributed to professional training courses and supervised practice programs for functional medicine and nutrition professionals. Romilly has also worked in clinical research, including designing the study diet for the first-of-its-kind epigenetic diet study run through the National University of Natural Medicine, as well as follow-up clinical research. She currently serves on the Board of the Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional Education. We have both the opportunity and responsibility to change the trajectory of chronic disease through targeted, personalized nutrition, lifestyle and environmental interventions.

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Low carbohydrate dietary considerations for COVID

Author: Romilly Hodges, MS CNS

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