Gwyneth Paltrow is using an 'intuitive fasting' diet to treat lingering COVID-19 symptoms

• Gwyneth Paltrow said she's using keto and intermittent fasting to treat lingering COVID-19 symptoms.

• The "Intuitive Fasting" plan comes from her health advisor Will Cole to improve metabolism.

• Experts say Cole's claims go beyond what evidence shows, despite some supporting research.

• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

In a recent blog post, Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow said she used an intermittent fasting diet to shake off the long-term side effects of coronavirus infection, including fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation. Her health advisor, functional medicine practitioner Will Cole, details how to try a similar intermittent fasting technique for yourself in his new book "Intuitive Fasting."

While experts don't recommend fasting as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms, Cole says the practice will help people develop metabolic flexibility, improving their ability to burn fat, maintain a stable blood sugar, and reduce inflammation.

"It's a kind of yoga for your metabolism," Cole told Insider.

Intuitive fasting combines gradually longer periods of not eating with a high-fat, low-carb diet

In his book, Cole said people who are new to intermittent fasting can benefit from a gradual approach to the practice by starting with shorter fasting periods. For the first week, he recommends a 12-hour fasting window, increasing to an 18 hour fast in week two, and then incorporating 20-22 hour fasts every other day.

Cole combines this with a high-fat, low-carb eating style rich in plant-based foods, based on his previous book about vegan and vegetarian ketogenic diets. This includes foods like avocados, olives, coconut, leafy greens, and nuts and seeds, along with the option of having eggs, butter from grass-fed cows, and wild-caught seafood.

Neither of these strategies are specifically advertised to treat any disease. Both the fasting and the high-fat diet are intended to help stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings, allowing allow people to cut back on processed foods like refined carbohydrates.

The end goal, Cole said, is for people to naturally develop habits of healthy eating without having to force them.