As we continue to learn more about COVID-19, we continue to see a pattern in those more at risk. People who aren’t metabolically healthy (think obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension) are much more likely to experience severe complications if they are to get the virus. And to put that in perspective, only 1 in 8 Americans are considered metabolically healthy. That means a lot of us are at risk during this already alarming time. We can start changing that today, though, and create a newfound health baseline while creating a greater level of resilience when it comes to chronic disease and future situations like this.
The US isn’t the only place dealing with an epidemic of obesity and other metabolic diseases. The UK and other parts of the world are also struggling, thanks to the spread of the ultra-processed food and a sedentary lifestyle. On this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, I’m joined by Dr. Aseem Malhotra to talk about the impact COVID-19 is having on the UK, the risks that metabolic diseases pose with the virus, and much more. Dr. Aseem Malhotra is a founding member of Action on Sugar and was the lead campaigner highlighting the harm caused by excess sugar consumption in the United Kingdom, particularly its role in type 2 diabetes and obesity. His first book, co-authored with Donal O' Neill, The Pioppi Diet, has become an international bestseller.
*For context, this episode was recorded on April 24, 2020
yes we do need to eat healthy
YES! Thanks for this Mark and Aseem. Such an important message. Shared on Facebook.com/theprimalnutritionist.
50:00 awareness, knowledge, skill. All so important.
Health and food doesn’t mean spending a lot of money.
PSA for example
Very informative
Great conversation Dr. Hyman and Dr. Malhotra! Thank you for everything that you have shared and I really do hope we see that silver lining you discuss come to fruition.
This is such a clear headed, straight forward, and information packed video. Thank you.
And do you notice they are giving away a lot of junk food for free (donuts) to healthcare workers, we need fresh fruits and vegetables not donuts
I wish our doc’s would stop pushing pills and push good diet training instead.
You’re right. I wish someone would give Malhotra some good diet training too.
Why don’t you train yourself stop relying on the your doctor his not god
@Leonardo D’amico I don’t rely on doctors for anything other than antibiotics when needed. I was thinking about all those people with a daily diet of pills.
Very soon no more pills it will be vaccine
I love this message! Too many sick people are unaware of the great impact good food can have on the quality of life. My metabolic age is 35, and I’m 52 years young.
I was sick in Feb and eating fast food. My roommates were very sick, but I had started working on my diet, but still eating fast food here and there. Fasted at onset, used herbs, it lasted only a week for me. But I had lingering lung inflammation in upper chest with no cough. It felt weird. I didn’t know what it was then. Now I think I do. Ive had chronic bronchitis most of my life, some bouts of pneumonia, but this felt different. Finally switched my diet to mostly vegan and it went away. The time I was sick before that lasted only 2 days from onset to fully well, as my diet was good. Still struggling with dairy every few weeks but Ive decided yesterdays was my last. But take away, I changed my diet, and the weird lung inflammation went away!
I think it needs mentioning that the results of poverty, stress, and trauma all contribute to metabolic syndrome.
I agree with Malhotra about junk food. Unfortunately his research is rich in industry-funded studies, contradictions and retractions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpUYd7_YBUs&t=5s
Incredible video. Thank you.
can I add, even with a good diet and moderate exercise, if a person is a caregiver of a chronically ill person, the stress will increase, life shorting cortisol and in turn produce more fat in the mid waist. nothing will get rid of it. I can say that from experience. I use to ask myself why am I getting fatter when I ate healthy and walked 3 football field laps regularly /5 days a week average. When I learned about the role of stress and it effects OH MY, yes many people over stressed and in turn get heavier.
Dr you got to talk about people having trouble putting weight on
This info on how high blood sugar affects the outcome of the virus. This is a big eye opener for people to avoid eating lot of carbs and sugar.
am so inspired to hear your views.. am wishing there was some way to get involved at ccf in the public to allow these views to be heard and firmly implanted in the newer models of medicine.. blessings to both of you. a place to start would be to have Starbucks cut back on their high sugar and cream drinks where i see the nurses flock to for their breaks. this last year the er vending machines have also gotten less healthy. if they did not sell well, find a way to make it look more appetizing.. health begins at home and ccf feels like home to me.
I just spent a week in the hospital. I couldn’t believe what they wanted me to eat. I’m trying to calm an infection/inflammation and they are giving me everything processed and inflammatory they could find. Unreal.
How do we get the Pioppi Diet book in the US? There are very few vendors online who seem to have it. I’m extremely interested in purchasing one.