Many thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Michael Greger for this copy. This is a fascinating look at how pandemics arise (through intensive animal farming practices) and how fortunate we are that Covid-19 is in fact a relatively mild virus... Greger puts a very convincing case that we should consider the current pandemic a trial run for the future, when we will almost certainly experience far more serious viruses on a frequent basis, threatening to entirely wipe out humanity. As a vegetarian of more than 30 years I was delighted to see he proposed a plant-based diet as the solution to both the intensive farming and to the reduction of risk factors for viruses (obesity, diabetes etc - all of which are far less common in vegans and vegetarians). All in all, a great book that everyone should read, especially politicians in charge of agricultural policies.

I thought this book would be about actually how to survive a pandemic but rather it was about general knowledge of pandemics. It was still interesting to read about pandemics but most of the other information in the book was not new to me.

I follow Dr. Greger on nutrionfacts.org, where he - and his team - read every scientific paper on nutrition that is published. I trust him to be telling the truth. This book is timely with us all just coming out of lockdown due to Covid-19. We in the UK have much stricter rules with animal agriculture than the USA. Cattle are fed chicken litter, calves - unable to have their mothers' milk as humans are seen to need it - are fed blood from slaughtered cows. In the USA animals are fed other animals waste quite happily. Animal agriculture has managed to win court cases when human health advisors want to stop salmonella rife chickens being sold and such.

A frightening read. We don't need nuclear, animal agriculture is going to kill us - and make the planet unhabitable due to climate change.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinions.

I’m a big fan of Dr. Michael Greger and his nutritionfacts.org website, and have learned many useful insights from him. Dr Michael Greger is one of a coterie of experts who do not receive funding from industry bodies and who highlight scientific studies which identify how to achieve and maintain a long and healthy life.

A previous book How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease is one I've owned for years and still refer to regularly, and I also recently read and appreciated How Not to Diet: The Groundbreaking Science of Healthy, Permanent Weight Loss.

Although Dr Michael Greger is best known for his nutritional expertise, it transpires that he also studied infectious diseases for many years and this knowledge is brought to bear on Pandemics and the current global Covid-19 pandemic.

How to Survive a Pandemic is an exhaustive and frankly terrifying read. You might not be surprised to learn that most viruses and pathogens have been a consequence of farming and other similar ways that humanity has changed the environment. Needless to say industrial scale meat and dairy production, and Chinese type wet markets dealing in live animals, are the biggest culprits. It’s enough to make anyone weep.

Covid-19 should be a fundamental wake up call because, for all the death and misery it is causing, if we don’t make some profound changes to food production and our stewardship of the environment there will be far more deadly and virulent viral strains coming down the line.

I was expecting a reiteration of Dr. Greger’s usual remedy of a diet rich in wholefood and which includes fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds etc and low in meat, dairy and processed foods. However, many deadly viruses actually turn our immune system in on its self, so an optimally functioning immune system might be counter productive. How terrifying is that?

How to Survive a Pandemic is an exhaustive (and sometimes exhausting) look at the history of pandemics, Covid-19, what we need to do to avoid worse outbreaks in the future, and what to do should the worst happen. It’s an essential read, and a call to arms.

5/5