What can you do right now to prevent getting the flu? As H7N9 continues to dominate our health headlines, I thought I’d continue my refresher course on prevention of this and other viruses. I’ve already discussed the specific tips for preventing H7N9 bird flu as well as getting a good night’s sleep; now let’s go over the actual evidence for the many herbal and non-prescription methods to prevent colds and flu.… Read the rest
All posts by Richard Saint Cyr MD
Don’t Want To Get H7N9 Flu? Get A Good Night’s Sleep!
As this H7N9 infection slowly gains steam, I thought I’d continue to post some quick updates, on top of my previous article mentioning prevention. I wanted to again mention a fascinating 2009 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine which proved that getting less than 7 hours of sleep dramatically increased your risk of getting infection from common viruses.… Read the rest
Spring Allergy Misery: What’s The Best Cure?
Springtime is just starting to warm up in Beijing, and it feels great to be putting away those thick down coats and dusting off those pastel shirts and Easter finery. It also heralds an annual spring tradition in my clinic– patients feeling miserable with sneezing, itchy and watery eyes.… Read the rest
Chinese Spring Festival Eve: As Unhealthy As Thanksgiving?
Next week’s Spring Festival will already be my sixth here in Beijing, and Spring Festival Eve is always one of the highlights of my year. My wife and I spend a wonderful evening with our Chinese in-laws, and all two dozen of us will gorge for hours on endless rounds of dumplings and snacks, drink all types of alcohol and juices, and happily shout at the TV screen as another awful performer lip syncs yet another tacky ballad. … Read the rest
Air Pollution 101: Here’s Your Syllabus
Due to the incredible media exposure this week to our emergency pollution, I’ve been inundated with questions from both patients and international media about pollution. There’s still quite a lot of misinformation about pollution, so here are what I consider to be the most high yield, evidence-based and readable articles.… Read the rest
Is PM2.5 From Air Pollution The Same As From Smoking?
I’m facing a bit of a quandary here. Just last week I was bragging about how air pollution isn’t as much a risk factor to health than much less glamorous topics such as overweight and lack of exercise. Since then, of course, we’ve had the biggest public health emergency I’ve seen in my six years here, with air pollution skyrocketing to an astounding 755 AQI and higher in much of northern China.… Read the rest