THE DIET THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

His 5:2 and Fast 800 diets have helped millions to lose weight. Now Dr Michael Mosley reveals how his revolutionary approach to eating can combat coronavirus in his new book...

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic means life is going to be very different for all of us, with the spectre of infection and illness impacting everything we do. But I believe the best way to go forwards without fear is to respect this deadly virus, follow all the guidance about social distancing and good old-fashioned hand washing. We should take whatever steps we can to shore up our immune systems so we can be in the best possible position to resist its invasion and fight its effects.

Until there are effective vaccines or treatments widely available, anyone who does come into contact with the virus is going to be heavily reliant on their immune system to keep Covid-19’s destructive forces at bay. But luckily, there’s now plenty of good evidence to show that there are steps we can take to support our immune systems immediately and for the long term. It’s nothing complex, painful or expensive. We just need to take heed of sensible evidence-based advice to shift excess weight, support our gut bacteria, reduce stress, be active and sleep well.

All of these have been shown in numerous studies to support your immune system, and I’m convinced that moving in this direction is one of the best ways to protect yourself against the ravages of the disease.

All next week the Irish Daily Mail is serialising my new book which is about Covid19, and I will be giving detailed, researchbased advice about the most effective ways to avoid it and minimise your risk of complications if you do contract the virus. The key is to ensure you are as healthy as you can be. That means keeping fit and, crucially, losing excess weight, since obesity and high blood sugar put extra pressure on the heart and lungs, which need to be strong to help when our immune system battles with the virus.

A healthy and active immune system is critical to fighting off the virus. Which could explain why older people are so much more vulnerable than the young. People like me, who are over 60, tend to have less efficient immune systems and, initially, may be slower to mount an adequate response. Paradoxically, later in the illness an older immune system can be prone to overreact, creating a surge of aggressive immune cells that can damage the lungs and other organs.

So your immune system faces a tricky balancing act. It has to respond to threats, but not go too far. But it’s good to know there are lifestyle changes that can not only keep your immune system in good shape, but even turn back the clock – whatever your age. And the ideal way to effect good health fast, is to address the way you eat.

Start by emptying your fridge of tempting junk food and fill it with fresh fruit, vegetables, yoghurt and lean protein. If you also stock up with pulses and wholegrains, you’ll soon be ready to pile your plate with a super-nourishing assortment of meals packed with natural diseasefighting nutrients. The delicious recipes on these pages have been chosen from ones created by my wife Dr Claire Bailey to help keep your weight steady, feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, encourage restful sleep and to have maximum impact on your health.

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?

I am a huge fan of the Mediterranean Diet, which is rich in healthy natural fats, nuts and fish, as well as veggies and legumes, all packed with disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. It’s how my wife and I eat at home – and I love it! A Mediterraneanstyle diet doesn’t just taste great. There is so much solid scientific evidence that shows adopting this lifestyle will cut your risk of heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, depression and dementia – and it is also a key first step to boosting your protection against Covid-19.

Thanks to recent studies, we know it will improve your sleep and improve the workings of your immune system. One reason this diet is so beneficial is its ability to calm the potentially destructive inflammation process in the body. This is very good news because many experts now believe that chronic inflammation plays an important role

in determining who is most badly affected by Covid-19 and who escapes relatively unscathed. The foods in this diet, such as olive oil, oily fish, legumes and vegetables, contain anti-inflammatory compounds, such as oleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols. Reducing chronic inflammation will not just reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, but it also means you are less likely to suffer that dangerous overreaction of the immune system to Covid-19 that leads to serious damage of vital organs and sometimes to death.

My low-ish carb Mediterranean diet is also a great way to control your weight which could be a matter of life and death right now. If you have a large waist then you are at much greater risk of becoming seriously ill. Why? It is partly because the more overweight you are, the lower your lung capacity. So if Covid-19 attacks your lungs, then you are more likely to end up in intensive care.

Excess fat, particularly around the tummy, also increases chronic inflammation in your body, which in turn makes your immune response less efficient. A large waist often goes hand in hand with raised blood sugar levels, and people with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes (where blood sugars are raised but not yet in the diabetic range) tend to be more prone to infections and complications.

Next week in the Irish Daily Mail I’ll detail one of the best – and safest – way to lose excess weight and reduce your diabetes risk fast, with my Fast800 plan (see thefast800. com). But even if you don’t have excess weight to lose, switching to a Mediterranean diet can still bolster your immune defences. These foods naturally boost levels of the ‘good’ bacteria in your gut. We know these microbes can produce powerful anti-inflammatory agents, as well as compounds which help reduce anxiety and play an essential role in the body’s immune response. Studies have shown changing the mix of bacteria in your gut can reduce the number of coughs and colds you get, as well as the impact of allergenic and autoimmune diseases.

Eating a wide range of different foods, which you will find in our recipes, will lead to a more diverse and resilient microbial gut community. That is because you will be feeding them with the sort of foods they love. By avoiding sugar and junk food you can starve out ‘bad’ bacteria, and by filling your plate with delicious vegetables, pulses and wholegrains you can create the best possible environment for ‘good’ bacteria to thrive.