The COVID-19 epidemic has taken front stage. Health experts have filled print, TV and internet with advice on travel, masks, personal hygiene.

Consensus is that this virus is highly contagious; some have said that virtually everyone will get it. There are probably many asymptomatic cases, but these people might still pass the virus to others. Estimates of mortality vary from less than 1% to almost 3%. So far mortality seems less than the average flu epidemic. It also differs from the flu in that infants are less likely to die. The flu pandemic of a little more than 100 years ago disproportionately killed healthy young adults; this is not so for COVID-19 which is most serious for the elderly and those with chronic disease.

Lifestyle will be critical to avoid serious illness or death in this epidemic since the immune system determines disease outcome in infections like COVID-19. The immune system is dependent on a high nutrient diet- lots of whole plant foods- and sufficient rest. Many parents who raise their children on a whole food plant based diet report no childhood colds or flus. Eating processed foods and lots of animal products are proven ways to depress the immune system. Lack of sleep will also do it.

If estimates that most or all will be infected are correct the only recourse is healthy lifestyle to minimize severity of the disease. Amazing how all roads lead back to the same answer for health.