The most important thing is do NOT eat for 14 to 16 hrs of each day. Typically, that means skipping breakfast or skipping dinner. Personally, I prefer to skip dinner and eat between 7 am and 3 pm each day. That works out to an 8 hr eating window. Many women seem to do better with a 10 hr eating window per day. This puts our bodies into a semi-fasted state for at least half of each day and slows down our cellular metabolism. Slowing our metabolism means less viral replication if there is a reservoir of persistent virus.
Keeping our cells out of the growth mode is one key to fighting our long-haul infections. The virus wants ‘pedal-to-the metal’, ‘full-speed ahead’ cell metabolism so it can create the maximum number of new virions. To slow metabolism it is important to avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates. Basically anything that promotes growth is good for the virus. By avoiding sugars, we avoid spikes in insulin and insulin-like growth factor that promote cell growth and proliferation. Excess protein also promotes cell growth. This diet is similar to a Mediterranean diet minus pastas and bread.
Best to avoid:
- Sugar in any form (high fructose corn syrup, sorbitol-sweetened “diabetic” foods, sodas &c.)
- Refined flour in bread, pancakes, cookies, breakfast cereals, pasta, spaghetti, corn chips, etc.
- Beer and wine
- Fruit juice
- Potatoes (except lightly boiled yams or sweet potatoes)
- Rice (white, wild and brown)
- Milk and sweetened yogurt or sweetened kefir
- Limit natural sugars to less than 5 or 6 g per serving (unsweetened 5% yogurt, 4% cottage cheese and some cheeses are OK)
So, what can I eat?
The short answer is anything with a lower glycemic index and lower glycemic load.
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/glycemic-index-glycemic-load
For example, lets compare eating rice to eating quinoa.
- Quinoa has a glycemic index of 53 and a glycemic load of 13.
- Rice has a glycemic index of 73 and a glycemic load of 30.
Quinoa has a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load (GL) so it is the better choice. It also wins nutritionally since it as all the essential amino acids. I would say that some quinoa with steamed vegetables is very healthy, but it is at the upper limit of what is acceptable when trying to limit SARS-CoV-2 replication in your cells. While most fruits are OK in season, bananas are above the cutoff point with a glycemic index of 62 and a glycemic load of 11 for a very small banana to 22 for a very large banana. So, OK to eat half a banana now and then, but not an entire banana. It is better to eat quinoa and bananas with other lower glycemic load foods such as nuts and whole vegetables.
A boiled sweet potato has a low GI of 44 and a medium GL of 11. But if baked for 45 minutes, the same sweet potato has a GI of 94 and a GL of 42, both extremely high. Baking has essentially turned the sweet potato into candy. Non-starchy vegetables, most whole fresh fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains and nuts are low to moderate GL and they’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Wasa light rye crispbreads are a good bread substitute. Also pumpernickel bread has the lowest GL of any bread at 7.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/1/glycemicindex.pdf
My personal long covid favorites –
Breakfast:
Steel-cut oats with blueberries, walnuts and 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal. I make this ahead of time with 6 C water and 2 C oats. I boil the water then add the oats and turn off the heat and let sit 15 min. This lightly cooks the steel-cut oats to lower the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. I then cool and add frozen wild blueberries, walnuts and the ground flaxseed meal. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Store in small containers for a quick, easy, healthy breakfast. I always eat with a hard boiled egg or two to further lower the GL of the entire breakfast. The blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and the walnuts and flaxseed contribute anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids.
Hard boiled eggs or fried eggs
Spinach, onion and cheese omelette
Lunch:
Canned salmon with some canola mayo and mustard and pickle relish on a rye crisp with tomato slices.
Natural peanut butter with avocado or tomato slices on a rye crisp.
Kiwi fruit or strawberries
Salads with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sunflower seeds with crumbled goat cheese.
Afternoon Snacks:
Whole apple
Whole orange
Cauliflower or carrots or orange bell pepper slices and hummus
1/2 oz 85% Cocoa or 90% Cocoa Dark Chocolate ( 3 squares out of 18 squares per bar)
Dinner:
Italian vegetable soup with ground beef. Make with Cannelli beans, black beans, riced cauliflower, onions, sliced zucchini, diced tomatoes, and sliced summer squash.
Thin sliced roasted chicken breasts and vegetables seasoned with Parmesean cheese and curry powder.