Health experts to follow on Instagram to keep you feeling calm and well-informed

We are in the middle of a global pandemic and while it's an incredibly important time to stay informed, thanks to the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, we are more exposed than ever to the spread of misinformation which can be extremely dangerous, especially in times of crisis.

It's a time to question who you follow, listen to and how often, to keep you calm in these unprecedented times of self-isolation.

Fortunately there are sensible voices out there on the 'gram, and in particular, a growing community of qualified doctors who are using their platform to debunk health myths in their fields.

While they're not allowed to give personal medical advice via social media, they offer a refreshing, anti-pseudoscience approach to wellness. This generation of doctors feels relatable – they're writing digestible books and producing engaging podcasts. Think #mythbusting explainers, mouthwatering nutritious recipes, and the occasional scrubs selfie.

Here are a few accounts to add to your feed.

Dr Zoe Williams @drzoewilliams

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update 🦠 As of 2pm on 4 March, a total of 16,659 people have been tested in the UK, of which 16,574 were confirmed negative. 85 were confirmed as positive/ (I am writing this at 7pm and there have been a further 2 cases reported since in the news, bringing the total confirmed to 87). In almost all UK cases it is known who/where they contracted the virus from (mostly links to Italy) but in 3 cases it in unknown where they got the virus, and these ‘non-chained’ cases raise concern that community transmission could now be taking hold. As far as the government is concerned at this exact moment in time the virus is still in what is called the ‘Containment Phase’. This is based on the number of cases being so few and the transmission lines being mostly known, with contact tracing in full effect. When a virus is in this ‘Containment Phase’ it is fair to predict that catching it from the person you’re next to in the supermarket queue or on the train is almost zero. HOWEVER, the scientific experts that advise the government have warned that it is likely that in the coming days and weeks WE are likely to enter the next phase, which is called ‘Sustained Community Transmission’. At this point an epidemic is likely to occur as the virus can no longer be contained. REMINDER – For the vast majority of people who get coronavirus, this will be a mild disease with symptoms that lasts approximately 7 days. If widespread most people will be able to stay at home until they recover and not require medical assistance. Complications are predominantly seen in the elderly and those with pre-existing health problems. In those that do develop serious symptoms, which are mostly breathing related/pneumonia-like, these tend to occur at around day 7/8 of the illness. Learning is ongoing regarding this virus, and I’m sure you will have lots of additional questions – so please ask these in my coronavirus Instastory and I will do my best to answer what I can and find out what I can for you from the official sources. WHAT’S THE CURRENT ADVICE Continues on comments

A post shared by Dr Zoe Williams (@drzoewilliams) on Mar 4, 2020 at 12:35pm PST

Dr Zoe Williams is a GP for the NHS who regularly appears on This Morning. She uses her Instagram to address (and myth-bust) the latest health headlines and has been reposting NHS and Public Health England advice and explainers amid the coronavirus outbreak in a digestible way.

Otherwise, you'll find her at her favourite fitness classes and championing the role of physical activity in helping patients to live healthier lives.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee @drchatterjee ​

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I appeared on @bbcbreakfast this morning to discuss the latest updates on Coronavirus and to answer some common questions from the pubic. As part of that discussion, I mentioned the incredible resiliency and hard work of many people within the NHS. As always, the incredible NHS staff are facing up to this new challenge, despite many of them feeling scared and uncertain themselves. One week ago, the Maltings Surgery in St.Albans where my dear friend @drayanpanja is a partner, showed incredible leadership - they sectioned off areas of their building into zones. Reception staff stayed in the green zone manning the phones. In the red zone, patients with fever and upper respiratory tract symptoms were seen by medical staff wearing protective clothing and, where possible, other consultations were moved to telephone or video. They also posted their comprehensive action plan online so that other practices could benefit from what they had implemented. Of course, there are many challenges ahead, but I just wanted to share some of the amazing work that is being done by frontline healthcare professionals who are committed to keeping their staff and their patients safe. Would love to hear your thoughts below. . . . #coronavirus #covid19 #covid_19 #nhs

A post shared by Dr Rangan Chatterjee (@drchatterjee) on Mar 16, 2020 at 10:54am PDT

With his almost 20 years of practice, GP, TV presenter and author of both The Stress Solution and The Four Pillar Plan, Dr Rangan Chatterjee is a pioneer of lifestyle medicine.

In light of recent events, he has been regularly appearing on BBC One to discuss things like the effects of loneliness due to self-isolation may have on people's mental health.

Tune in to his 'Feel Better, Live More' podcast for a simplified approach to health, featuring guest experts and easy wellbeing-focused life hacks.

Dr Chris George @dr.chris.george

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The C Word... . In clinic today, I’ve seen a huge number of people struggling to deal with anxiety around coronavirus. With so much information on the TV, radio, news, social media etc it’s easy to understand why we’re struggling to set boundaries. I thought it would be useful to go through some ways to ensure that we manage the uncertainty of coronavirus in order to improve our emotional health. . 1. It’s ok to ask friends, family and colleagues ‘can we talk about something else’. . 2. Try and limit your exposure to the news by setting time limits watching TV or listening to the radio 📺 📻 . 3. Always use trusted resources to avoid misinformation. Check out www.nhs.uk and 111 📞 . 4. Try meditation apps and breathing practices (e.g Headspace/Calm) 💨. 5. Continue physical activity especially when working from home (walks in the park and running rather than group activities) 🏃‍♂️. . 6. Take care of your physical health. If you’re in isolation take a look on YouTube for some videos on stretching, yoga and home workouts 🧘‍♂️. . 7. Make time to unwind - try and do the things you love to ensure that you get time to switch off 💡 . . 8. Connect with others - make time to call friends and family to talk about any concerns your have ☕️ . By taking care of yourself, your friends and your family you will be able to cope with stress. Helping others cope with stress can also make your community and you stronger 💪🏽. . #community #strongertogether #emotionalhealth #coronavirus

A post shared by Dr Chris (@dr.chris.george) on Mar 17, 2020 at 9:54am PDT

Dr Chris George is an NHS doctor working in general practice, with a passion for all things health and fitness-related.

Follow him for bitesized tips on how to make small lifestyle changes to improve your emotional health, including a recent post on how to manage anxiety amidst the uncertainty of coronavirus.

Dr Hazel Wallace aka The Food Medic @thefoodmedic

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#LunchboxClub 🎒Halloumi Traybake. During this uncertain time, it feels a little odd continuing with normal routine but for many people routine is very important to help feel a sense of security and level of control. So #LBC will continue. This recipe is not just for lunchboxes and can be enjoyed as a family meal or simply batch cooked and portioned out in the week. One recipe serves 3. INGREDIENTS 300g sweet potato (diced) 1 red pepper (diced) 1 yellow pepper (diced) 1 courgette (sliced and halved) 1 red onion (cut into chunks) 1 teaspoon of ground cumin 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 block of halloumi Sprinkle of cumin seeds 3 handfuls of fresh spinach METHOD 1️⃣Preheat oven to 180c and scatter the sweet potato chunks onto it. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 2️⃣Once the time is up add the peppers, courgette and red onion to the same tray. Sprinkle over the ground cumin and the other tablespoon of olive oil and give everything a stir to ensure the veg is evenly coated. Place back into the oven for 10 minutes. 3️⃣Now add the slices of halloumi onto the tray, sprinkle them with cumin seeds and place the tray back in the oven for the final time for 10 minutes. 4️⃣Line your lunchboxes with spinach and then load up with the halloumi and veg. #traybake #mealprep #veggielunch #sundaylunch #lunchideas #mealprepideas #halloumi #healthylunchideas

A post shared by Dr Hazel Wallace BSc MSc MBBCh (@thefoodmedic) on Mar 15, 2020 at 5:23am PDT

NHS medical doctor and registered nutritionist Dr Hazel Wallace – aka The Food Medic – uses her platform to bridge the gap between traditional medicine and new developments in nutrition – she's also a personal trainer and runs a popular podcast.

Her feed is usually full of delicious, healthy lunchbox inspo, all of which is useful if you're looking for batch cooking recipes at the moment.

Dr Joshua Wolrich @drjoshuawolrich

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That face you make when during unpredictable breaks in the middle of 12hr weekend hospital shifts, you not only shut down an illicit drug dealing IG account, but also prevent half-a-million members of the public endangering their health by believing supplements can stop the coronavirus... only to have someone threaten to get your medical license removed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remind me again how karma’s meant to work?! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ PSA: DO NOT SEND HATE/ABUSE ON MY BEHALF TO ANYONE ON INSTAGRAM. Please and thank you. You know I have never and will never condone that. I know the vast majority of your don’t, which is why I love the community that we have here, but it still needs to be said. Otherwise my days of being able to specifically call out dangerous medical misinformation online, whilst still being a doctor, might come to an end. That would, without a doubt, be an massive loss.

A post shared by Dr Joshua Wolrich MBBS MRCS (@drjoshuawolrich) on Mar 1, 2020 at 1:11pm PST

Dr Joshua Wolrich is an NHS surgical doctor who is a serial mythbuster having declared his own war on "#nutribollocks" and recently has been posting explainers and diagrams on the latest government coronavirus advice.

He also has his own podcast, Cut Through Nutrition, which you can catch up on now.

Dr Rupy Aujla @doctors_kitchen

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Although there is nothing more panic inducing than watching the news at present, let me try and be helpful by suggesting ways in which to induce a sense of calm especially if you're rightly choosing minimise non urgent travel and work/stay at home at present. . 👉Deep breathing exercises for 2 minutes (I personally find box breathing helpful. 4 second intervals) . 👉Playing a board game with your loved ones at home. . 👉Looking through some old photos and reminiscing on positive memories. . 👉Taking this opportunity to focus on goal setting, visualisations and the other tasks you've been putting off due to lack of time. . 👉Trying new recipes using store cupboard staples (plenty on the website!) Please do share below what you are doing to reduce your stress 👇 . . . . . #WhatTheDoctorOrdered #Mindfulness #StressManagement #Stress #SelfIsolation #thedoctorskitchen #doctorskitchen #eattobeatillness #Wellness #LifestyleMedicine #anxiety #MentalHealth #StressRelief #Selfcare #Health

A post shared by The Doctor's Kitchen (@doctors_kitchen) on Mar 17, 2020 at 3:25am PDT

Health food guru Dr Rupy Aujla is an NHS GP who started The Doctor's Kitchen to teach people about how nutrition can heal and improve health. If you're understandably in need of some comfort food recipes right now, this the account for you.

Follow Dr Aujla for inspiring colourful recipes made from accessible and, crucially, affordable ingredients - he'll offer ingredients alternative in case you're struggling to pick up certain items in supermarkets at the moment, too.

Dr Sarah Vohra @themindmedic

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Mellow yellow. What’s in a colour? I often find that trying to put into words how you are feeling can feel like a near on impossible task. Wouldn’t it be great if you could say how you are feeling to someone and they just get it without insisting on song and verse. If you’re an OG follower, you will know I love to communicate in traffic lights particularly with the young people I see: RED, AMBER and GREEN. I have since developed this one step further and use the wellbeing thermometer to think about how each of us may cope or struggle with particular life experiences. We may find ourselves a blue when it comes to screen use but saying no may see us firing up to red. How do we restore that balance? I will do a post on the wellbeing thermometer that pops up throughout my new book ‘The Mind Medic’ tomorrow but for a quick overview head across to my stories. #wellbeingthermometer #themindmedic #the5sensestoolkit #mellowyellow #mentalhealth #mentalwellbeing #wellness #wellbeing #calm #happy #healthylifestyle #healthymind #tuesday #tuesdaymotivation

A post shared by Dr Sarah Vohra (@themindmedic) on Feb 10, 2020 at 11:54pm PST

Dr Vohra is a consultant psychologist and author of Mental Health in Children and Young People, who frequently speaks out about issues such as eating disorders and the impact of social media on our mental wellbeing.

She regularly posts about coping with issues like PMT, SAD and panic attacks, and has written a series of coronavirus-specific posts, including one on how to talk to kids about Covid-19 and tips to follow if you're self-isolating.