1/10 Someone asked me today what nutrition has to do with Covid-19! So let's talk about how nutrition & hydration is fundamental in the fight against Covid-19 - and how key workers everywhere are involved in supporting food/ nutrition provision for the entire nation.

2/10 Firstly if we don't or can't eat or drink, we can ultimately die! Nutrition and hydration are important not only for life but to protect against physical disease- there is evidence to suggest that malnutrition can reduce lung function by 30% for e.g

3/10 Secondly, nutrition and hydration are massively important in recovery and rehabilitation, psychological health and quality of life. Food and nutrition provision and support is a massively collaborative sector which I'm proud to be a part of

4/10 In this crisis, I have seen so many individuals and companies come together to ultimately ensure the nation is fed - and all deserve our support. From those who produce food e.g farmers and factories, those who package this food to ensure it's kept safe,

5/ those who transport the food to the shops and food establishments, those shops who sell the food and restock shelves to ensure that people can continue to gain access to food, those who are involved in mass catering services to ensure food provision to the most vulnerable,

6/10 those healthcare workers nationwide supporting those vulnerable people with diet and fluids, those highlighting nutritional and hydrational concerns including swallowing issues, those speech and language therapists who can identify safe consistencies of diet & fluids

7/10 those dietitians who recommend appropriate interventions to ensure nutritional requirements are met to allow for recovery, those nutritional supplement companies who manufacture oral sip feeds or enteral/ parenteral products for those who can't eat,

8/10 pharmacists who make the parenteral products, those healthcare workers who administer the enteral/ parenteral products, those council workers who provide food boxes, those education/research specialists researching how dietary adjustments may benefit us all as we isolate

9/10 those food establishments who are delivering food e.g takeaway services to ensure quality of life, those physiotherapists and occupational therapists who are providing suitable aids and improving appetite through their rehabilitation methods,

10/10 and lastly those chefs/ celebrities who are teaching people how to cook virtually while they themselves stay socially distant. I thank you all for your contribution and support to everyone, all the time and especially during this pandemic