I’ve been a family doctor for fifteen years, and one of the more dramatic changes I’ve noticed is a big spike in the incidence of prediabetes and diabetes, in all age groups. I had worked in China for ten years until last summer, and all us family doctors at my Beijing clinic weren’t surprised at all with the 2013 paper published in JAMA confirming the frightening reality in China: more than half of all adults in China now are prediabetic.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Food safety
Barbecue and Cancer: Let's Review The Risks
Summer is in full swing, and many of us are enjoying one of life’s favorite past times — eating barbecued foods. Who can’t resist ears of corn, or a burger or hot dog? I certainly can’t, and have no intention of stopping — but I am now more careful about what and where I eat barbecue , as well as how I prepare it. … Read the rest
Meatless Mondays — Can You Handle It?
I love meat. Looooove it. I would never consider going full vegan. At least, I’ve always said that, until…
…until a couple weeks ago when I was in Carrefour’s meat section, doing my usual food shopping. For some strange reason, I kept staring at this messy pile of plucked chickens, with small tufts of hair still sticking out here and there.… Read the rest
Pregnancy and Food Poisoning: What’s Safe To Treat?
Gastroenteritis — diarrhea caused by bacteria from our foods — peaks in the summer but can occur all year. Pregnant women should be especially choosy about where and what they eat, since a bad bout of “gastro”, while usually not serious for mom, can sometimes cause serious problems for her baby.… Read the rest
Produce & Pesticides: Which Are Worst?
Do you know which produce has the most pesticides? The website www.foodnews.org, sponsored by the Environmental Working Group, has a Shoppers Guide to Pesticides which you can download as a PDF. There is also a nice, free iPhone/iPod Touch application called Dirty Produce, which also lists the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.
Gastroenteritis: What You Need To Know
Case study: A 45 year old woman eats leftovers of sushi and salad (1 day in fridge). Two days later, she has diarrhea, stomach cramps, gas, and vomiting…
The Basics
Literally, gastroenteritis means “inflammation of the stomach”. This is the treaded traveler’s diarrhea, also known as Turista.