Hey there!  Last week’s post introducing the Madcap Diet for Narcolepsy – Diet Basics Series generated quite a buzz in Facebook Land and hopefully got you primed and ready to get your engine revving.  That’s fantastic!  To get an engine revving it takes fuel, right?  Lemme tell ya, a great fuel for PWN is the glorious MCT oil… High Octane all the way baybee.

What is MCT oil anyway?  It’s basically a highly refined version of coconut oil.  Now I could go into all the science-y stuff about it but I know you are tired and brain fogged so instead, when you are ready or interested, go to this link and read up about it.  Here’s what it is not.  This stuff is not like a medication.  You are not going to feel it “taking effect” like you do a medication.  It is more subtle.  After you have built up to a full dose (more on this in a minute), you will notice less brain fog, more mental clarity, and a slight evening out of your energy levels.

Why use MCT oil?  If you’ll recall from my previous post, MCT oil turns into ketones even without other dietary changes. This means we get some of the benefit from a full on keto diet without doing all the those pesky diet changes all at once.  Since we have narcolepsy and focusing on and learning new things can be difficult, I start my clients and followers with MCT oil because it will help with mental clarity and brain fog.  You can then apply that new clarity to learning the new diet stuff later on.  An added bonus is that MCT oil will help curb your appetite.  Curb your appetite and give you energy?  Yep, so can stop reaching for those snacks and sodas next time you need an energy bump and reach for some MCT instead.  ***To be super clear… THIS IS THE ONLY DIETARY CHANGE YOU HAVE TO MAKE RIGHT NOW.  Seriously.  Trust me.***

How do you use it?  The goal is to build up to a full tablespoon at least twice a day.  The most popular way is to put it in your coffee with a pat of unsalted butter or heavy cream.  This is called Bulletproof Coffee (aka BP Coffee or BPC) and is named after the most popular brand of MCT oil (Bulletproof Brain Octane).  But there are other ways to enjoy it:

• Bulletproof Coffee (blend together coffee, MCT oil, 1T of unsalted butter or heavy cream… can add a sweetener of choice)
• Bulletproof Tea (blend together hot tea, MCT oil, 1T of unsalted butter or heavy cream… can add a sweetener of choice)
• Just swallow it down undiluted by anything else
• Mix into a smoothie or shake
• Mix with melted butter and pour over veggies
• Mix with your favorite salad dressing
• Use as part of the fats in a fat bomb (Go to Google and run a search for “Keto Fat Bombs“.  These yummies are part of a future step in the Madcap Route but you are more than welcome to start integrating them into your routine now.

Now remember I said this is an OIL?  If you dump this stuff into your beverage and then try to drink it, itsa gonna be nasty!  Like trying to drink through an oil slick.  Ugh.  The stuff MUST BE blended.  Either in a bullet blender, full size blender, or with a whisk.  My favorite one is a portable latte whisk since they are cheap and small but still get the job done.  Like this one (it’s especially cool because it has a storage container for when you are on the go).

When should I use it?  I’ve actually listed those methods up there in order of effectiveness.  Bulletproof Coffee/Tea or swallowing it down all by itself are the best methods BUT there is an even better way to use this new tool of yours.  Use a Bulletproof Coffee/Tea as a meal replacement in the morning or the afternoon.  When we are in a semi-fasted state, our orexin/hypocretin is in the ON position and we are more wakeful.  Not eating is fine for some but I get hangry.  So to stave off the hunger but remain in the semi-fasted state, you do a Bulletproof Coffee/Tea and nothing else.  The MCT will give you greater energy/focus while the butter will keep you feeling satiated and full.  *If you use a sweetener make it an artificial one so there are no carbs.  I have many clients and followers that use this in the mornings to jumpstart their day at a time when they would normally be dragging.  They also use it in the mid/early afternoon when they typically have a drop in energy.

Where do I get it and which ones are the best ones?  Not all MCT oils are equal.  We need the kind that gets us the biggest bang for our buck.  The ones that are BEST for us PWN are the MCT oils with +90% C8’s.  MCT oil is highly refined coconut oil, but C8’s are an even further refinement where they are pulled out separately.  The C8’s are the HIGH OCTANE part of MCT oil because these, and these alone, turn to ketones when ingested.  There are a lot of MCT oils out there but when you read the fine print you’ll see that most of them have a blend of the other “C’s” (C6, C8, C10, & C12).  These blends are cheaper but they take twice as much to get the full impact.  Also, the most effective and potent versions are the oils, not the pills or powders.  There are four brands that I’ve tested personally, with my clients and followers, and within the Keto PWN Facebook group.  They are:

• Bulletproof Brain Octane
• Kiss My Keto MCT Oil Brain Fuel C8 version
• Clean MCT Oil
• Perfect KETO Pure C8 MCT Oil

*I’m not an affiliate of any of those companies and I receive no compensation for promoting their product.  These recommendations are strictly from first hand use and knowledge.

Still not sure about all this?  Here’s what other PWN have said about it:

BC says “I think it’s important to note that it’s unlikely you’ll feel the same ‘jolt’ as you do with a stimulant. It’s more of an overall alertness in our brains. If you’re unsure if you notice anything, go without it and see. I notice a huge difference when I go without!”

KG says “I use Bulletproof Brain Octane. I put 2 tbsp of MCT in my coffee in the morning and slowly sip on it throughout the day. I’ve noticed my mental clarity is better on the days I take it vs. when I forget.”

RR says “I notice a change in the way my energy is consistent throughout the day with the MCT, rather than a burst of energy.”

JS says “MCT helps allow me to fast during the day and not feel like I’m starving or lacking energy. I have 1tbs in my BPC and I try to add another tablespoon during dinner.”

Are you getting excited yet?  YES?

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!  Not yet… I have to share one more thing with you.

START.  SLOW.

I am soooooooo not kidding here folks.  If you started taking the full 2 tablespoons a day you would spend the day in the bathroom cursing my name and shaking your fist at the mere mention of MCTs.  MCT oils can have a strong digestive impact when you go too quickly and ingest too much at once.  Therefore, please follow this step up plan that has been tested and is the most gentle build up I’ve found.

• 1 teaspoon total a day for 2 days
• 1 teaspoon twice a day for 2 days
• 2 teaspoons in the AM and 1 teaspoon in the PM for 2 days
• 2 teaspoons in the AM and 2 teaspoons in the PM for 2 days
• 3 teaspoons (equals 1 tablespoon) in the AM and 2 teaspoons in the PM for 2 days
• 3 teaspoons (equals 1 tablespoon) in the AM and 3 teaspoons (equals 1 tablespoon) in the PM for 2 days

If you step up to the next level and get digestive upset, step back and do each step for a week instead of 2 days.  Remember that your goal is to have 2 tablespoons a day, preferably one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  This step up process will take you approximately 2 weeks.  Then give me an additional 2 weeks at the full dose.  During your step up period, come back here as I detail the 3R’s (REPLACE, REDUCE, REMOVE) and get you set up for the next step in the Madcap Route.

That’s it folks!  Take a step of faith with me and make this one, single, solitary, itty bitty change and get on the path toward symptom relief.  Later!

Your Madcap Miss (a.k.a. Gina Dennis)

Need a quick guide for getting started with MCT oil?  Check out the next post:  Guide to Getting Started with MCT Oil:  The PWN’s High Octane Fuel Source.

Let me be totally up front here…I AM NOT A DOCTOR, nor am I a nutritionist, I only have a tiny amount of formal training in such things as a Health Coach.  But I am a person with narcolepsy who uses dietary and lifestyle changes to mitigate my narcolepsy symptoms.  I’ve been experimenting with these changes since July 2011 and have successfully maintained a high level of narcolepsy symptom management since that date.  And so has my family with narcolepsy.   This website contains our personal stories, failures, and experiments.  In this website I will share with you the information that I have found most credible and some practical ideas for mitigating narcolepsy symptoms.  I beg you to check with your doctor before initiating any of the dietary changes I speak of, especially if you are taking any medications.

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