The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic shutdowns have severely disrupted and spotlighted weaknesses in the U.S. food system. Farmers, food distributors and government agencies are working to reconfigure supply chains so that food can get to where its needed. But there is a hidden, long-neglected dimension that should also be addressed as the nation rebuilds from the current crisis.

As scholars who study different aspects of soil, nutrition and food systems, were concerned about a key vulnerability at the very foundation of the food system: soil. On farms and ranches across the U.S., the health of soil is seriously compromised today. Conventional farming practices have degraded it, and erosion has shorn away much of it.

Iowa has lost about half the topsoil it had in 1850. Since they were first plowed, Americas farmland soils have lost about half of their organic matter the dark, spongy decomposed plant and animal tissue that helps make them fertile.

The soil that produces our nations food supply is a weakened link slowly failing under ongoing strain. This breakdown isnt as dramatic as what happened in the 1930s during the Dust Bowl, but it is just as worrying. Human history holds many examples of once-thriving agricultural regions around the world where failure to maintain soil health degraded entire regions far below their potential agricultural productivity, impoverishing the descendants of those who wrecked their land.

We believe there is an urgent need to rebuild soil health across the U.S. This can help maintain harvests over the long run and lay a solid foundation for a more resilient food system. Investing in soil health will benefit environmental and human health in ways that are becoming increasingly apparent and important.

Soil is the foundation of the U.S. food system. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and oils come directly from plants grown in soil. Meat, poultry, dairy products and many farmed fish come from animals that feed on plants. Wild-caught fish and shellfish, which provide a tiny fraction of the typical American diet, are virtually the only exception.

As populations around the globe ballooned over recent centuries, so did pressure to force more productivity out of every available acre. In many parts of the world, this led to farming practices that degraded soil far beyond its natural fertility.

In the Southeastern U.S., for example, agricultural erosion stripped soil from hillsides a hundred times faster than the natural rate of soil formation. Today farmers in the Piedmont, from Virginia to Alabama between the Atlantic coast and the Appalachian mountains, coax crops from poor subsoil rather than the rich topsoil that early European settlers praised.

Researchers, government agencies and nonprofit groups recognize soil degradation as a national problem and have started to focus on rebuilding soil health. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Natural Resource Conservation Service helps farmers improve the health and function of their soils. Nongovernment organizations are recognizing the need to restore soil health on agricultural lands. And the 2018 farm bill directed new attention and funding to soil health programs.

Beyond growing food, soils support human, public and planetary health. Well before the current pandemic, experts in public health and nutrition recognized that modern agriculture was failing to sustain consumers, the land and rural communities. This insight helped spur the emergence of a new multidisciplinary field, known as food systems, that analyzes how food is produced and distributed.

But work in this field tends to focus on the environmental impacts of food production, with less attention to economic and social implications, or to links between farming practices, soil health and the nutritional quality of food. Many studies narrowly focus on greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture when addressing soils and sustainability, without including the many ecological benefits that healthy soils provide.

To be sure, man-made climate change is a major long-term threat to human and planetary health. But soil health is just as critical in its own right. Human actions have already harmed agricultural productivity in areas around the world. And when soil is degraded, food production systems are less able to weather future challenges that we can expect in a changing climate.

The study of soil health can also have its own blind spots. Often agricultural research focuses solely on crop yields or the impact of individual conservation practices, such as adopting no-till planting or planting cover crops to protect soil from erosion. Such analyses rarely consider linkages driven by dietary demand for specific foods and crops, or the effects of farming practices on the nutrient content of forage and crops that sustain livestock and humans.

Food systems experts have called for transforming food production to improve human health and make agriculture more sustainable. Some researchers have proposed specific diets that they argue would accomplish both goals. But fully understanding connections between soil health and public health will require greater collaboration between those studying food systems, nutrition and how we treat the soil.

Now that COVID-19 has deconstructed much of the national food supply network, it would be a mistake to pour efforts into simply rebuilding a flawed system. Instead, we believe it is time to redesign the U.S. food system from the ground up, so that it can deliver both soil health and human health and be more resilient to future challenges.

What would it take to do this? The foundation of a revised system would be adopting regenerative farming methods that integrate multiple soil-building practices, such as no-till, cover crops and diverse crop rotations to restore health to land. It would also take creating and expanding markets for more diverse crops, as well as expanding regenerative grazing and promoting reintegration of animal husbandry and crop production. And it would require investing in research into the linkages between farming practices, soil health and the nutritional quality of foods and what that all could mean for human health.

Laura Lewis, Associate Professor of Community and Economic Development at Washington State University, and Dave Gustafson, project director at the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, contributed to this article.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

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It's time to rethink the disrupted US food system from the ground up | The Conversation - The Morning Journal

Vivo Lifes nutritionist, Charlotte Cliffe, explains the science behind building muscle on an entirely vegan diet.

One of the key factors in building muscle is your diet. The amount of protein you consume, for instance, is crucial. Many people think this equates to how much meat you eat, as meat and fish are a great source of protein. However, they are not the only source. With a solid understanding of the science behind how you build muscle, you can easily bulk up even on an entirely vegan bodybuilding diet!

Firstly, its important to understand how you build muscle. Muscle growth or hypertrophy, to give it its technical name comes from an increase in a certain type of long protein (myofibrils). This increase can be stimulated through working out. Weightlifting, for example, can stimulate this increase by damaging the muscle tissue on a small scale. It is not the damage that causes hypertrophy, but rather, the recovery process.

Our body goes through several changes during exercise; minute muscle damage is just one of them. It can also lead to an increase in temperature, dehydration, and a disruption to the nervous and cardiovascular system. This is because exercise puts the body under stress. Having the right diet ensures that you recover from these things efficiently. You should also take other steps to encourage recovery, such as stretching, drinking lots of fluids, and getting sufficient rest.

As mentioned, protein is key. But protein is a complex term that encompasses many different amino acids. Some of these amino acids are essential meaning your body cannot produce them itself. Others are non-essential meaning your body can produce them. It is important that your diet includes the essential amino acids your body cannot synthesise itself. These essential amino acids are:

One reason meat is often considered essential for muscle growth is that it contains all of these essential amino acids. Many plant based protein sources, such as nuts and beans, do not. However, by carefully researching vegan bodybuilding recipes, you can ensure you do get the amounts you need. Soy, buckwheat, and quinoa all contain these amino acids with soy being the most efficient per portion size.1 You can also eat a mix of incomplete sources, as long as, between them, they provide all the essential amino acids.

Soybeans contain essential amino acids

Protein alone is not enough to ensure muscle growth. As with many biological processes, it is a complex balance. Other important nutrients include:

Most people think of calcium as being related to strong bones and teeth (which it is), but it is also important for building muscle. This is because it contains actin and myosin which can stimulate muscle growth. A lack of calcium can cause your body to store more fat than it should. Dark, leafy greens are a good source of calcium in plant-based diets particularly spinach.

Iron helps ensure your body can maintain energy levels during exercise. It helps get oxygen to your muscles, as well as assisting in the repair process. Like protein, most people think of meat as the best source, but it is possible to have a sufficient iron intake on a plant-based diet. Again, dark leafy greens like kale or spinach are good sources, along with lentils, nuts, and seeds.

Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron more effectively. If you are getting your iron from plant sources, then this is even more important. You want to be absorbing the iron you are getting as efficiently as possible! Luckily, plant-based diets excel at containing vitamin C fruit and vegetables are key here.

Vitamin D is not as directly impactful as the above three, nonetheless, it still has a role to play in muscle growth and many people are deficient without realising. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight, but in some areas of the world this can be hard to obtain. There are not many foods containing high amounts of vitamin D, and most of them are meat-based oily fish, liver and red meat. However, its very easy to add a supplement to your diet for this. Many vegan supplements will contain Vitamin D sourced from lichen.

B12 is often overlooked, but it helps your body produce red blood cells. These, in turn, help bring oxygen to your muscles. This is one nutrient that is not usually found in plant-based foods, but that does not mean you need to add meat to your diet. Instead, fortified yeast or breakfast cereals have high levels of B12 and are easy to incorporate into your diet.

It is possible to build muscle on a plant-based diet it just requires a little more research and careful meal planning, but there is plenty of help available!

It is important to make sure your nutrition is spread regularly throughout the day, so eating five or six meals instead of the usual three can help with this. Switching to snacks with high levels of protein or other vital nutrients can ensure your intake is high. Pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and other nuts and seeds are good for this.

Whilst eating meat does have health benefits eating fish and poultry can be associated with a lower risk of heart disease and strokes, for example so too, does a plant-based diet. In fact, it can help you achieve improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure.

The most important thing is to eat a healthy, balanced diet with all the essential nutrients, regardless of whether it is meat or not! But those looking to investigate plant-based diets can certainly still work on building muscle.

References

Charlotte Cliffe

Charlotte Cliffe is the marketing manager and in-house nutritionist at the leading plant-based protein and vegan supplement brand, Vivo Life. The company was voted as the UKs best vegan superfood and supplement brand in the VegFest awards.

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Do you really need meat to build muscle? - New Food

Because you like Fauda and False Flag, your first stop should be Hulus Prisoners of War (Hatufim), the Israeli series on which Homeland was loosely based. Two soldiers return to Israel after 17 years as hostages, but what should be a joyous reunion is also tainted by suspicion and violence.

For something with more visual flair, there are two recent mini-series adapted from novels by John le Carr that fit the bill: The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie, and Little Drummer Girl, starring Florence Pugh and Michael Shannon. Each follows a new recruit a former soldier, a young actress who gets sucked in to a world of international espionage, and glamorous, dangerous globe-trotting ensues. (Both shows aired on AMC; Night is streaming on Amazon, and Drummer is on Sundance Now.)

Theres The Heavy Water War, a Norwegian series set during World War II and based on real events (available on Amazon Prime). Its a little less of the heart-pounding tension and little more of the search for morality.

After all that, you might want a foreign spy comedy, in which case, try Netflixs A Very Secret Service, a French series set in the 1960s that has a sort of Archer-y vibe.

I am intrigued by survival content. I loved All is Lost the first time I saw it years ago and recently watched it twice. Life of Pi and Arctic were also hits. I devoured all the seasons of Alone, and I am even willing to go a bit off course, and let a few interlopers in, as when I enjoyed The Terror mini-series, and Shackleton documentaries. So what could be next? Abby

One of my favorites, and among my most-recommended shows, is The Last Alaskans, a documentary series on the Discovery Channel about the few people still allowed to live in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. While its not strict solo survivalism, its close, and the stunning cinematography is unmatched in unscripted television.

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What Should I Watch After Ive Binged Dead to Me? - The New York Times

Losing weight is not an easy process. It requires discipline, exercise, and change in diet. For getting the body of your dreams, a lot of work is needed to be done. Fat burning doesnt not happen overnight. It takes hell lot of time. The only thing you can do about it is to speed up the process through certain hacks and diet. There are a few kitchen ingredients that are associated with effective weight loss. These home remedies work wonder when it comes to losing weight. Lets know about them. Also Read - Weight Loss: Eat at These Specific Times of The Day to Get The Body of Your Dreams

Mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and sip it daily in the morning. Doing this can help you lose weight effectively. This drink is low in calories and effective in fat burning. Having it daily can detoxify your body by flushing out all the toxins that are associated with weight gain. Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid and it has anti-inflammatory properties. Notably, inflammation is linked to obesity. Also Read - Weight Loss: Roti vs. Rice, What's Healthier to Eat When You Are Trying to Shed Those Extra Kilos?

Using a tablespoon of coconut oil daily to cook food is a healthy way to lose weight. This oil is thermogenic in nature. This means, it can speed up the fat-burning process and help in effective weight loss. Also Read - Weight Loss: Consume Jaggery With Warm Water to Detoxify Your Body And Shed Those Extra Kilos

Ginger is a kitchen staple that is known to have an array of health benefits. It does not only neutralises free radicals in the body but also helps in improving digestion by speeding up your bodys metabolism. For effective weight loss, you can prepare a cumin-ginger drink and have it every morning empty stomach. It is a detox tea thats quite helpful.

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Weight Loss: 5 Effective Spoonful Ingredients That Can Help You Shed Those Extra Kilos - India.com

The necessary closure of much of the UKs food and hospitality industry has left large quantities of fresh produce at risk of going to waste. Vegetables that would usually be bought by pubs and restaurants remain unsold, while ongoing travel restrictions have meant there is an excess of seasonal produce that needs picking.

The UK fishing industry, which usually exports much of its catch overseas, has also been dramatically affected. But, despite these obstacles, there are still key ways we can come together to help support the local food industry right now

Theres plenty of vegetables that are being harvested in the UK right now from aubergine and broad beans to beetroot, spinach and summer squash that could go to waste without the right demand.

Seasonal veg such asparagus, cucumbers, courgette and tomatoes are ready now (Alamy)

Scott Watson (pictured above), a radish grower at Gs Growers in Feltwell, Norfolk is encouraging the public to eat more of this healthy vegetable.

"With the challenges of lockdown, it is more important than ever that we try to eat a healthy balanced diet and ensure we are at least trying to get our five portions of fruit and veg per day. Snacking on radishes is a healthy choice as they are a source of Vitamin C, and if you eat a third of a standard 240g pack it counts as one of your five a day," Watson says.

The majority of our sales go through major UK supermarkets, where you can typically buy our radishes in 240g bags at circa 55p a bag. This works out at 18p per portion great value. We also supply radishes to the box schemes for inclusion in stir-fry recipes and expect to see more of our radishes on fruit and veg markets as they reopen.

If youre needing a little inspiration, youll find lots of delicious ideas from the likes of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Amanda Grant at vegpower.org.uk plus, why not share your favourite recipes using #SeasonalVeg on social media

Robyn Philip has swapped London for Essex to workon New Moor Farm

The Pick For Britain initiative which encourages fit and healthy people looking for job opportunities to work on fruit and veg farms across the the country has been launched by the Government to help keep the industry moving.

Whether youre a furloughed employee whose contract allows you to take on additional work, or a student on summer holidays, there are plenty of vacancies nationwide from forklift and tractor drivers and plant husbandry, to pickers and packers.

Robyn Philip, a stylist from London, has been living and working on New Moor Farm in Southminster, Essex. Right now, I live on site on the farm, in one of the caravans in the orchard its nice, she says. The community is amazing. There are many different characters on the farm. Everyone is really friendly and were all here for the same reasons to help and to work.

Madeline Owen lives locally and works atNew Moor Farm

Madeline Owen, an A Level student, lives locally, so is able to get her mum to drop her off at New Moor Farm at six each morning.

Definitely do it; 100% definitely do it, urges Owen. Its a great way to get out. Ive met so many people that have all got stories and different things to tell me that Ive learnt from, and its definitely worth it. Its good fun.

The growing season is only just getting started, so from now until September, bringing in the harvest will require an extraordinary effort. If youd like to help out, visit pickforbritain.org.uk to find out more

Due to different international tastes, much of the Fish caught in UK waters is exported to Europe, but the pandemic has all but stopped this trade. Also, higher-end produce is no longer being bought by restaurants because of necessary closures.

Getty images

One way to help the UKs vital fishing industry an integral part of our economy is to try new things. There is a host of different fish and seafood from UK waters that much of the country dont often cook. Some fisherman now offer home deliveries, while great produce can be found at retailers and fishmongers across the country.

Supporting a local supplier is a good place to start, find one near you at fishisthedish.co.uk. And, if youre looking to brush up your fish know-how, youll discover how to buy, store and cook seafood, together with plenty of tasty recipes from spiced coconut mussels to crab and trout risotto

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"With the challenges of lockdown, it is more important than ever that we try to eat a healthy balanced diet" - Evening Standard

In Wake of Pandemic, Jersey City Set to Launch 1st in the Nation Comprehensive Inner City Vertical Farming Program

Initiative to Focus on Food Deserts, Inequity with Food Access, and Education on Healthy Eating; Program is a Partnership with AeroFarms & World Economic Forum

Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced this week that the City of Jersey City will be moving forward with the 1st in the nation municipal vertical farming program. The program will be in conjunction with AeroFarms, the world leader in vertical farming, and the World Economic Forum (WEF) who recently selected Jersey City as their first partner in the Healthy Cities and Communities 2030 Initiatives.

As we work through our municipal budget that has been decimated due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are making choices on what programs to keep. said Mayor Fulop. It is clear that the virus has had a disproportionate impact on people with pre-existing heart conditions, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes which is directly linked to a persons diet, and as a result we feel it is more important than ever to focus on food access and education.

The Vertical Farming Program is moving forward as the city rebounds from the impact of COVID-19. The virus has impacted Jersey City at a scale larger than many states across the country as the city has experienced to date more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 400 COVID-19 fatalities, with a disproportionate amount impacting more economically challenged areas of the city.

We know diet is a key predictor of life expectancy and the Coronavirus has made clear the huge inequities on food access and food education that exists in different communities said Stacey Flanagan the Director of Health and Human Service for Jersey City.

The Vertical Farming Program will consist of 10 vertical farms throughout Jersey City located in senior centers, schools, public housing complexes, and municipal buildings. The 10 sites will grow 19,000 pounds of vegetables annually using water mist and minimal electricity. The food will be free to the public, the only requirement being that residents participate in healthy eating workshops and agree to quarterly health screenings.

The citys Health and Human Service Department will run the program with a health-monitoring component to track participants progress under a greener diet in the areas of blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Crops will be integrated with other Healthy Food Access initiatives including senior meal programs.

The program is part of the broader initiative from the World Economic Forum towards partnerships with cities. Earlier this year the World Economic Forum selected 4 cities (Moscow, Mumbai, Austin, Jersey City) to launch the Healthy City 2030 initiative, which will target measurable changes to the health of each community.

The Healthy Cities and Communities initiative is a flagship effort of the World Economic Forum. In collaboration with both private-public sector stakeholders, the initiative aims to catalyze new ecosystems that will enable socially vibrant and health and well-being centric cities and communities, said Mayuri Ghosh, Head of the Healthy Cities and Communities initiative at the World Economic Forum. Establishing a secure supply of nutritious food via locally sourced vertically farmed greens in collaboration with Aerofarms has been a key accomplishment of the Forums partnership with Jersey City. The shared insights will be incorporated into efforts underway in other global cities.

The vertical farming program with AeroFarms and the World Economic Forum is the latest and broadest initiative Jersey City has launched around food access including more than 5,000 food market tours for seniors to educate on healthy eating, and the grant program on the Healthy Corner Store initiative.

The Mayor and I were both selected as Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum and while we have known each other for years Im excited to work with Jersey City in this formal capacity, said David Rosenberg CEO of AeroFarms. Societies structural food problems have become more clear with COVID-19. The world needs more distributed, localized food production systems. We also need new ways to get healthy food to our most disadvantaged members of society. I am honored to work to work with Mayor Fulop and the people of Jersey City to find better solutions.

This partnership will allow us to provide thousands of pounds of locally-grown, nutritious foods that will help close the hunger gap and have an immeasurable impact on the overall health of our community, Mayor Fulop said.

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests.

About AeroFarms

AeroFarms is widely considered the world leader in Vertical Farming. Headquartered in New Jersey, the companys mission is to grow plants for the betterment of humanity. AeroFarms enables local food production and therefore makes it possible for people to enjoy freshly harvested food. AeroFarms grows without pesticides, not organic pesticides, but zero pesticides so food is healthier to eat.

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In Wake of Pandemic, Jersey City Set to Launch 1st in the Nation Comprehensive Inner City Vertical Farming Program - InsiderNJ

You must have come across little round seeds floating on the drinks and smoothies, which must have really grabbed your attention, but did you know these seeds were silently helping you shed some weight! Yes, those little seeds with transparent membranes were sabja seeds, which can effortlessly help you lose weight. They are packed with nutrients like proteins, carbs, fibre, essential fats and omega 3 fatty acids. These seeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which are present in omega 3 fatty acids that help in accelerating the fat burning hormones. Moreover, the high fiber content keeps you satiated for a long time and helps in curbing odd hunger pangs.

There are several ways you can add sabja seeds to your diet, but the best way to lose weight would be by making a simple detox water with sabja seeds, lemon juice and mint leaves, keep it overnight and sip it throughout the day. You can also add soaked sabja seeds to your puddings, yoghurts, salads, shakes, lassi to name a few.

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Want to lose weight quickly? These seeds will make it easy - Times of India

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If youre looking to improve your heart health, it may be worth adding almonds to your snack mix, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers found that replacing typical snacks like chips and cookies with almonds lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and improved endothelial function (which involves the membrane inside the heart and blood vessels thats responsible for clotting, relaxation, and contraction).

Looking at a four-day food diary from 6,802 adults, researchers found that those who ate almondsthe median amount of almonds eaten was five grams, or about four almonds, dailyhad fewer markers for cardiovascular disease risk and a healthier diet overall, including higher intakes of protein, vitamin C, and fiber, according to lead study author Wendy Hall, Ph.D., head of the Nutrition Metabolic Research Unit at Kings College London.

The takeaway is that this is a very simple dietary strategy, involving replacing typical snacksother than fruitwith whole almonds, she told Runners World. It improves that capacity of arteries to relax in response to increased blood flow, an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease.

In terms of why, she added that there isnt one sole reason, but likely a combination of two major effects. One is that replacing those other snack foods would lower your consumption of salt, sugar, and saturated fat, she said. The other is that almonds are nutritionally dense foods that are high in fiber, good-for-you plant compounds (like polyphenols, which are packed with antioxidants), and full of micronutrients like magnesium, vitamin E, and riboflavin, which have all been shown to improve vascular function, Hall said.

A caveat here is that the trial was funded by the Almond Board of Californiawhich doesn't automatically throw the findings into question, but as a 2018 research review in the American Journal of Public Health suggests, corporate interests and industry involvement are important to highlight.

That said, the study does seem to rigorously avoid the correlation doesnt equal causation trap. Observational nutritional studies can be notoriously tricky in this regard because its challenging to prove causation when so many other factors are at play. For example, if a group of runners all get faster eating a certain food during training, that doesnt necessarily mean that specific food causes an increase in speed; it may be that being timed and observed is what motivates them to run faster, and what they eat is simply correlated with those performance improvements.

[Run faster, stronger, and longer with this 360-degree training program.]

But this studys use of a randomized, controlled trial does demonstrate causation, Hall said, because almond intake was tracked over the four-day period, as well as nutrient levels and cardiovascular disease risk indicators. When it came to body fat, though, there was some correlation involved there.

Those who consumed the whole almonds during the four-day period were more likely to have lower body fat, Hall said. This does not show that almonds caused lower body fat, but instead, that health-conscious individuals are more likely to eat whole almonds.

It should be noted, though, that consuming more than 42.5 grams of almonds, or about 35 almonds, is not effective for weight loss, per a 2018 meta-analysis.

Previous research on the impact of almonds on heart health has yielded similar results. For instance, a 2014 study published in Free Radical Research found that eating almonds can reduce the risk of heart disease by keeping your blood vessels in top shape. (The antioxidants in almonds help reduce blood pressure and improve blood flow.)

That association, along with this recent 2020 study, suggests that consuming almonds, particularly when theyre bumping less-healthy options from your diet, can be part of other healthy strategieslike exerciseto reduce the risk of heart disease.

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Snacking on Almonds Could Improve Heart Health - runnersworld.com

Leading dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton says Scots add risk upon risk upon risk amid calls for obesity levels to be tackled.

One of Scotlands most prominent dietitians says the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the health risks Scots face through poor diet, heavy drinking and inactivity.

Mortality rates from the coronavirus in the UK have been among the highest in the world.

The government has been accused of not implementing lockdown fast enough and of failing to protect care home residents who account for a large proportion of the fatalities. But there is also evidence to suggest high levels of obesity and related conditions in Scotland and the rest of the UK could have played a role.

Dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton believes poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles put us at an increased risk from coronavirus. She said: Im seeing a lot of people blaming the government, saying they should have shut down the country earlier, organised more PPE [protective equipment] and I do sympathise and agree, but I also think, What about all of us?.

If you look at countries where they havent had so many deaths, were looking at healthier populations, lower rates of obesity. Look at Greece, a poorer country compared with us, but they do better because they have a better diet, more sun, more outdoor and less sedentary work, so theyre less overweight. We have to have a real look at our weight and our diets and ask, What changes could I make to protect myself from health threats in the future?

A study of 99 countries by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found obesity is the biggest risk factor for death from coronavirus among under-50s and those aged between 50 and 64.

Covid-19 patients in England with type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to being overweight or inactive as well as family history, account for around 31%. In Scotland, figures suggest almost of fifth of deaths were linked to diabetes, though there isnt a breakdown between types 1 (which is not preventable) and type 2, linked to lifestyle.

Last week the charity Obesity Action Scotland said tackling the nations weight problem must be central to the Scottish Governments recovery plans when it comes to the pandemic. Epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector, of Kings College London, also said recently: Obesity and poor diet is emerging as one of the biggest risks factors for a severe response to Covid-19 infection that can no longer be ignored. Dr Ruxton agrees.

She said: Scotland has the biggest obesity problem in the world after America. We have a culture where people dont tend to do a lot of exercise at all so theres a huge amount of inactivity, a huge amount of obesity which causes type 2 diabetes, we have a drinking culture we go to the pub and neck it back theres so much going on there.

Ill health is multi-factorial and [unhealthy lifestyle] adds layer upon layer upon layer of risk. You dont eat fibre, fruit and veg, you dont exercise, you smoke, youre adding risk upon risk upon risk. Theres a solution there. Try and scrape off some of those layers of risks dont smoke, drink moderately, eat more fruit, veg and wholegrains, be more active it will help.

Its about having a healthy weight not skinny malinky, but in a healthy range and staying active. You can still be quite big and healthy. People shouldnt think, Im a size 16, Ill never be a size 8 so Ill give up. If you are a size 16 and youre active and eating better and you drop down to a size 14 thats going to make a difference.

Dr Ruxton, who is a dietitian with the Health and Food Supplements Information Service, says the best starting point when it comes to what we eat is to move towards a diet high in fibre and rich in vitamins and minerals.

There are two key areas. Theres the fibre, the non-digestible carbohydrates like inulin [a type of dietary fibre found naturally in plants], that feed the good, positive bacteria in the large intestine.

Then there are polyphenols, plant compounds found in foods including red wine, dark chocolates, orange juice, tea and they arent absorbed in the small intestine, they go to the large intestine and get broken down by the bacteria there and absorbed into the blood. Polyphenols are linked with protecting against cancer and heart disease and even the effects of aging.

Other important aspects of the diet are the vitamins and minerals, and they often get forgotten about. In rich Western society we talk about over nutrition and we say, Eat less of this and avoid that, but we dont say anything about vitamins and minerals. If you look at the Scottish diet theres considerable numbers of people who arent getting enough vitamins and minerals.

Take vitamin D; the Government advice has always been to consider a supplement from autumn to spring but people arent doing it. People in care homes should be given routine vitamin D supplements and that isnt happening. People should be saying to their grandparents to take vitamin D and this [pandemic] has raised awareness like never before.

Studies show that 54% of people in Scotland on average do not have sufficient vitamin D levels by the end of winter, a figure that is significantly higher among those in deprived areas.

Dr Ruxton added: Obesity makes a lot of vitamin D in your body unavailable. Your fat cells trap it, so it doesnt go into your blood to be used. Overweight and obese people can increase levels simply by losing weight. These things need to be highlighted more.

She also points to common low levels of important minerals such as zinc (thought to help regulate immune function) and selenium (which has antioxidant properties with multiple health benefits) in the general population.

Eating frequently, smoking, high-fat diets, these increase free radicals in the body, and our body deals with them by having antioxidants in its back pocket so when we have illnesses or inflammation our body can re-balance it again. If youre not eating those things, if you dont have fish or brazil nuts [good sources of selenium] much, then you will have a lack of antioxidants and your cells get damaged.

With vitamin D [derived mainly from sunlight] natural food sources are oily fish, eggs and some mushrooms, but supplements are highly effective and if you take the recommended amount of 10mg a day you will increase your vitamin D levels. We want people to get outside too, so its about having a look at your overall lifestyle.

If you dont eat oily fish things like mackerel, herring, trout then think about an omega 3 supplement. Theyre an anti-inflammatory and from an immune function perspective they have an important role in keeping the balance right in your body. If I caught an influenza or another bug, my immune system reacts and in reacting it creates a burst of inflammation in our bodies which can be damaging in itself.

The aches and pains are caused by inflammation a by-product of the virus and omega 3s calm that down. Theyre a very helpful nutrient so I think thats important. If youre looking for a vitamin D and Omega-3 supplement, ask your pharmacist because you could get a combined supplement. Cod liver oil is very inexpensive and has vitamins D, A and Omega-3 all together so you might not have to take another supplement on top.

If you know your diet is rubbish then something like a multivitamin and mineral is good and thats a good idea for teenagers who can be very resistant to healthy eating for a period of time.

Should you take vitamin D during the pandemic? And what are the best food sources? Your questions answered

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Coronavirus: Why the pandemic has to be a wake-up call for Scots when it comes to diet - The Courier

"You would be very focused on what you ate," Phillips says.

She advises cooking almost all your meals from home; eating until you're 80 per cent full; reducing alcohol intake to one or two days a week, and limiting it to spirits in zero-calorie soda and carefully managing your protein levels (eating around 1-1.5g per kg bodyweight) to preserve and build muscle.

"Say goodbye to calorie-dense, nutrient-poor food such as fried food, pasta, pizza, desserts, and say hello to buddha bowls, veggies, legumes, lean meats, eggs and rice," she says.

Follow those two simple steps to a six-pack. Thanks for reading!

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But of course, "simple" isn't the same thing as "easy" despite what Instagram's led you to believe, a six-pack is a devilishly hard thing to earn and maintain.

I've battled to get a six-pack, and can tell you that the extreme calorie restriction makes you obsessed with the foods you're not allowed to eat. And you can't even turn to your friends for relief from your punishing ab quest.

"Often your social life may suffer because it's no fun eating out when you can't have what you really want!" says Phillips.

While rippling abs are taken as a sign of peak fitness, the ultra-low body fat it takes to get them can have seriously unhealthy side effects: Phillips says they include fatigue, a compromised immune system, vitamin deficiencies, muscle wastage, and organ shrinkage in severe cases.

Women, who naturally carry more body fat than men, may experience added consequences when it falls too low.

"Loss of period aka amenorrhea is one telltale sign that body fat has dropped below healthy levels and obviously leads to fertility issues," Phillips warns.

"Think of it as the body saying it is not capable of supporting the demanding nutrient needs of a growing baby," she says. "Chronic amenorrhea can lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis, high cholesterol and premature aging."

And they're just the physical side effects.

"There are also psychological risks such as body dysmorphia, disordered eating patterns, orthorexia, and anorexia nervosa," warns Phillips, who hosts the podcast Healthy Her.

Amelia Phillips, who hosts the podcast Healthy Her.

Precision Nutrition's internet-famous infographic The Cost of Getting Lean breaks down how incredibly high that cost actually is.

And take it from someone who has put in the hard work to get a six-pack (my lowest ever body fat checked in at 4 per cent): it's not really worth it, and it won't make you happy.

Phillips agrees.

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"I don't think it's worth all the effort, focus and deprivation. I would rather someone put that energy towards getting healthy," she says where healthy means staying within a normal body fat range; eating a diet that's low in processed foods, high in fruits, veggies and legumes; and cooking more from home.

She shares Boot Camp's philosophy of training and eating to feel better, not just look better.

"Set physical challenges such as a fun run, learning a new sport or skill, and do some mindful work on loving and respecting your body warts and all," she says. "Your body will respond way better, and you'll feel amazing."

A version of this story first appeared on Executive Style.

According to Sam Downing, the secret to good health and wellbeing is pretty simple: keep it simple. Sam is a qualified personal trainer, fitness instructor and nutrition coach.

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How to get six-pack abs and a solid reason why you might not want them - Sydney Morning Herald