When I lived in Beijing (from 2006 to 2016), I got a lot of questions from expats in Beijing, especially bikers and people walking to work, who wondered whether any type of mask was helpful against the air pollution. I also biked to work so I was curious as well.… Read the rest
Soy & Breast Cancer: It May Help, Not Harm
There have been differing opinions whether or not soy products prevent or cause breast cancer. Now, two major recent studies provide reassurance to women that soy is actually helpful, especially regarding recurrence.
This week’s Journal of the American Medical Association reviews a large 5,000 person Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study.… Read the rest
H1N1 Seems Much Milder Than Expected
There’s good news on the H1N1 front; it seems that the pandemic’s severity is less than initially feared. In fact, the worldwide numbers so far show that overall mortality is much less than the 1% we would see in the seasonal flu.… Read the rest
Does Exercise Make You Sleep Better?
This week I already mentioned how exercise can relieve anxiety; now there’s even more good news on exercise (like we needed any). This latest New York Times article examines a recent study that examined children and assessed whether more exercise meant better sleep.… Read the rest
Chinese Medicine and the Flu: I Say Tomato, You Say 西红柿
Everyone knows that there is very little that Western medicine can offer for the common cold and flu. And every Chinese person is similarly convinced that famous Chinese medicines like ban lan gan ke li, yin qiao jie du pian, or gan mao qing re ke li work really well for similar symptoms.… Read the rest
Exercise Makes You Less Anxious
We all know that exercise is crucial for long-term health, and most of us realize that we feel mentally healthier and more relaxed as well. But is there evidence that exercise helps your mental health and relaxes you? Yes, there is!… Read the rest