Removing chemicals from our food | Jiang Gaoming – China Dialogue. The excellent environmental website China Dialogue has the above article discussing chemicals and pesticides on foods, and steps we can take to alleviate this problem. This issue got stirred up a bit last April from a Greenpeace China investigation which found that only 5 …

Are you as lazy as I am? Do the words “gym membership” fill you with terror? Are you one of the many expats who say, “well, doc, um, since I’ve been in China my exercise routine is way down”? 加油! I can vouch that I fit that category! And of course, I have a host …

I’ve added to the Resources section a new page, with a review of Beijing pharmacies.

China Presses Swine Flu Quarantine – NYTimes.com. I didn’t see this July 27th NYTimes article until yesterday, but it’s a good review of China’s quarantine protocol and how it has affected tourists over the summer. Does anyone have their own tale to tell?

Chinese netizens applause government’s hospital appointments proposal_English_Xinhua . Anyone who has been to Chinese hospitals, even most VIP centers, knows that there is no real appointment system for doctor visits. This is most chaotic in the most well regarded hospitals, and some patients camp out for hours each morning and still are not guaranteed a …

It’s already mid-August and schools are restarting. The H1N1 flu story has overshadowed many events, especially summer plans — thus our new poll question below. PREVIOUS POLLS: How’s the Beijing air, one year post-Olympics?

BMI CALCULATOR Your Weight: 22.7 kg / 50 lbs23.1 kg / 51 lbs23.6 kg / 52 lbs24.0 kg / 53 lbs24.5 kg / 54 lbs24.9 kg / 55 lbs25.4 kg / 56 lbs25.8 kg / 57 lbs26.3 kg / 58 lbs26.7 kg / 59 lbs27.2 kg / 60 lbs27.6 kg / 61 lbs28.1 kg / …

Link: Interest in organic food on the rise in China – Los Angeles Times. Hopefully most expats have discovered Lohao City, the organic food store with seven local branches. I was thrilled to discover it two years ago and instantly felt right at home (earthy-crunchy San Francisco). It was, by far, the most well thought …

Summer camps cancelled to prevent spread of H1N1. I’ve started to see a lot more flu-type illnesses in my clinic over the last few weeks, and I expect a wave of new cases over the next month or two — especially after school restarts. Right now, there are reports coming out detailing H1N1 flu outbreaks …

Beijing launches action plan to improve residents’ health_English_Xinhua . The Beijing Ministry of Health just announced a great 10-year public health plan, with an ultimate goal of extending life expectancy from 81.2 to 82 years, as well as a host of other goals. Check out the link above for more details. Their goals are ones …

People come from all over China to see the doctors at Beijing’s most reputable specialty hospitals. Fortunately, most hospitals also have a VIP section, with English speakers, and a usual doctor fee starting around 200RMB (instead of their usual fees of 5-20RMB!). I have made an interactive map listing the major specialty clinics in Beijing. You …

http://www.myhealthcheckup.com Heart disease is the #1 killer in most of the world. The main culprits causing heart attacks are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Most of these diseases are easily picked up during an annual physical with basic lab tests. But sometimes it’s very difficult for doctors to impress upon patients what …