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	<title> &#187; Wellness</title>
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		<title>Winter Is Coming! Oh, Right, It&#8217;s Here. Here&#8217;s How To Stay Warm.</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/11/winter-is-coming-oh-right-its-here-heres-how-to-stay-warm/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/11/winter-is-coming-oh-right-its-here-heres-how-to-stay-warm/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:07:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=5540</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Suddenly, winter has arrived, and my half-hour bike commute to BJU clinic is a lot less fun. So I’m dry cleaning last year’s new toy: a ginormous below-the-knee down coat I had made at Jingkelung for only 500 RMB. I also tricked out my bike with those fluffy handle mitts, plus a pair of pleather <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/11/winter-is-coming-oh-right-its-here-heres-how-to-stay-warm/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Suddenly, winter has arrived, and my half-hour bike commute to BJU clinic is a lot less fun. So I’m dry cleaning last year’s new toy: a ginormous below-the-knee down coat I had made at Jingkelung for only 500 RMB. I also tricked out my bike with those fluffy handle mitts, plus a pair of pleather knee warmers. I am also stocking up on one of wintry life’s little pleasures: heating pads from Japan that you stick to your clothes to keep your body warm for over 12 hours. These <em>nuanbaobao</em> (暖宝宝) are now sold everywhere: 7-11, Watsons, local pharmacies, etc.</p>
<p>These are two of a handful of necessities I use to survive Beijing’s long winters. Here are my other favorites:</p>
<p><strong>Use baby oil for smooth skin:</strong> Beijing’s winters are dry, dry dry. Get yourself a hygrometer to monitor for yourself; indoor air is most comfortable at 40-60%, but in winter is usually 15-20%. That’s almost airplane-cabin dry, and you instantly feel it on your skin and lips. The best way to prevent dry, itchy skin is a good moisturizer after your shower. I like Neutrogena, but this year I discovered an even better therapy for me: baby oil.</p>
<p><strong>Put an ec0-fireplace in any room.</strong> There truly is nothing like coming home to a warm fire. And yes, you can have a real fire in <em>any</em> apartment complex, in<em>any</em> room, if you use a special metal box that burns clean 95% alcohol without any special needs for ventilation due to its clean burn. I bought these <a href="http://www.ecosmartfire.com/" target="_blank">Ecosmart bioethanol fireplaces</a> from <a href="http://www.lartetlamatiere.fr/cha/index2ch.php?cible=5" target="_blank">L’art Et La Matiere</a> in Beijing, and we installed it into a custom fireplace in our living room. The flame is smallish but it’s real, and it’s lovely and warming.</p>
<p><strong>Use a foot soak every night.</strong> Now that you’re in front of your real fire, go to the next level and buy yourself one of the dozens of Chinese-made foot soaking machines. They are sold everywhere: Carrefour, Walmart, Suning, Taobao etc etc. It’s a treat to come home and soak a bit.</p>
<p><strong>Turn on the humidifier.</strong> This is even more crucial than the daily baby oil, since a good humidifier can pump up the humidity to nice indoor levels of 40-60%, which will instantly help your skin, your throat, your sleeping, and your wood furniture. I’ve always preferred the Yadu brand.</p>
<p><strong>Put up the Christmas tree now</strong>. Why wait for December? Just put it up now! And don’t take it down early; we keep ours up until after Chinese new years in January/February. I always love that Christmassy glow of the lights and decorations. You can buy live Christmas trees at the Liangma flower market (the smaller one, behind the Kempinski) or you can get a fake tree on their second floor winter wonderland, stacked with holiday decorations at amazing prices.</p>
<p><strong>Eat lots of warm chestnuts and yams.</strong> This tradition is one of downtown Beijing’s charms: the multiple vendors selling delicious warm yams for 2RMB from their big metal barrels, as well as the many stores roasting fresh chestnuts. Get in line, pay 10-15RMB a bag and enjoy!</p>
<p><strong>Go to a local hot spring resort</strong>. Beijing’s suburbs are blessed with some excellent hot springs resorts, and I love to check them out every few weeks, especially on those bitter cold days. The one just across from Ikea is also very nice.</p>
<p><strong>Snuggle with your true love.</strong> All of the above tips are nice to follow, but if I came home to my foot soak and my fireplace –  and if my house was empty of my wife, then I would feel an enormous, cold empty hole inside me. I truly feel lucky to have her in my life, and that love is what warms my days more than anything else. I hope all of you have someone special like that. If not, keep looking — everyone deserves it!</p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/12/are-you-ready-for-winter/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/00/69/006903_300bf9ef.jpg" alt="Are You Ready For Winter?" title="Are You Ready For Winter?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/12/are-you-ready-for-winter/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Are You Ready For Winter?</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/10/beijingwinterdry-skin-are-you-ready/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.keithv.com/blog/photo/africa_scans2/cracked_mud_nimb.jpg" alt="Beijing+Winter = Dry Skin. Are You Ready?" title="Beijing+Winter = Dry Skin. Are You Ready?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/10/beijingwinterdry-skin-are-you-ready/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Beijing+Winter = Dry Skin. Are You Ready?</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/11/ricola-cough-drops-are-here/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.shanghai-kobayashi.com/html/image/%E5%8F%AF%E8%B4%B41%E7%89%87.jpg" alt="Walgreens-Style Shopping For Winter Aids&#8230;" title="Walgreens-Style Shopping For Winter Aids&#8230;" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/11/ricola-cough-drops-are-here/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Walgreens-Style Shopping For Winter Aids&#8230;</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=5540&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Now A Toddler: MyHealthBeijing Is Two Years Old</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/08/now-a-toddler-myhealthbeijing-is-two-years-old/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/08/now-a-toddler-myhealthbeijing-is-two-years-old/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:53:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=5016</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So my little baby is now a toddler; as of this week, MyHealth Beijing is two years old. Looking back on this surprisingly fast time, I&#8217;m really pleased with the response I&#8217;ve gotten from many in the community, and I&#8217;m deeply thankful to all of you for your support. The number of visitors have been <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/08/now-a-toddler-myhealthbeijing-is-two-years-old/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So my little baby is now a toddler; as of this week, MyHealth Beijing is two years old. Looking back on this surprisingly fast time, I&#8217;m really pleased with the response I&#8217;ve gotten from many in the community, and I&#8217;m deeply thankful to all of you for your support. The number of visitors have been steadily climbing this year:</p>
<ul>
<li>54,857 Visits (up 229% from last year) from 174 countries</li>
<li>185,064 Page views (up 266%)</li>
</ul>
<p>As you can see from these graphs below, a surprising amount of readers are not from China. In fact, the top country is not China, but the US. Here&#8217;s a visual map (darker green = more visitors):</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-5019" href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/08/now-a-toddler-myhealthbeijing-is-two-years-old/picture1-2/"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5019" title="MyHealthBeijing.com Stats 2011" src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Picture1-550x314.png" alt="MyHealthBeijing.com Stats 2011" width="550" height="314" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As for the readers in China, they are mostly in Beijing &#8212; but an incredible 172 cities visited the site. Here&#8217;s a visual map of visitors (bigger circles = more visits):</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-5020" href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/08/now-a-toddler-myhealthbeijing-is-two-years-old/picture2/"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5020" title="MyHealthBeijing.com China Stats 2011" src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Picture2-550x346.png" alt="MyHealthBeijing.com Stats China" width="550" height="346" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Most Popular Articles of Year Two</strong></p>
<p>Major blog themes this year continue to revolve around public health issues, especially air pollution and food safety. But the most popular pieces &#8212; by far &#8212; were my articles about radiation. During those initial, uncertain days everyone was looking for credible online information, so I kept people updated with the facts of radiation as well as issues around salt and potassium supplements. So here is a list of the top most popular:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/">Radiation Plume Is Moving East, Over the Pacific — Not Towards China</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/finally-an-official-forecast-for-japanese-radiation-plumes-path/">Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume’s Path</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/air-pollution-how-bad-is-it-really/">Air Pollution: How Bad Is It, Really?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/02/using-the-beijing-air-quality-index-aqi-%e2%80%93-part-i/">Using the Beijing Air Quality Index (AQI) – Part I</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/09/blueair-vs-iqair-and-the-winner-is/">Blueair vs. IQAir Purifiers: And The Winner Is…</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/02/whats-different-about-practicing-in-china/">An American Doctor In China: What’s Different?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/12/how-good-are-masks-for-pollution/">How Good are N95 Masks For Pollution?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/01/plants-can-improve-indoor-air/">Plants Can Improve Indoor Air</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/10/beijingwinterdry-skin-are-you-ready/">Beijing+Winter = Dry Skin. Are You Ready?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/08/what%e2%80%99s-your-favorite-chinese-medicine-here%e2%80%99s-my-list%e2%80%a6/">What’s Your Favorite Chinese Medicine? Here’s My List…</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The Next Year?</strong></p>
<p>My goals for the next 12 months really are focused more on broadening this blog&#8217;s information to a much wider audience &#8212; all of China. I would love to translate these 400+ articles into Chinese, and my Weibo site has really started to take off in the Chinese community.</p>
<p>What about my long-term fans; what would you like to read more about this year? Please leave comments below? And thanks again for all your support!</p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/finally-an-official-forecast-for-japanese-radiation-plumes-path/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/frames-47-550x332.png" alt="Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path" title="Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/finally-an-official-forecast-for-japanese-radiation-plumes-path/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/12/top-ten-new-posts-of-2010/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/smallMHBJ.gif" alt="Top Ten New Posts of 2010" title="Top Ten New Posts of 2010" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/12/top-ten-new-posts-of-2010/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Top Ten New Posts of 2010</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-191816-galleryV9-nhjp.gif" alt="Radiation Plume Is Moving East, Over the Pacific &#8212; Not Towards China" title="Radiation Plume Is Moving East, Over the Pacific &#8212; Not Towards China" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Radiation Plume Is Moving East, Over the Pacific &#8212; Not Towards China</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=5016&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A New Chapter Begins: My Family Medicine Clinic Moves To BJU</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/a-new-chapter-begins-my-family-medicine-clinic-moves-to-bju/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/a-new-chapter-begins-my-family-medicine-clinic-moves-to-bju/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 May 2011 01:56:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Clinics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4669</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After a bit of relaxation (Jiuzhaigou national park is spectacular), and a touch of Chinese language immersion (never enough), I have finally started work at my new family medicine clinic at Beijing United Family Hospital. Moving my practice to BJU is a very natural extension for me; in my four years taking care of children <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/a-new-chapter-begins-my-family-medicine-clinic-moves-to-bju/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After a bit of relaxation (Jiuzhaigou national park is spectacular), and a touch of Chinese language immersion (never enough), I have finally started work at my new family medicine clinic at <a href="http://unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/">Beijing United Family Hospital</a>. Moving my practice to BJU is a very natural extension for me; in my four years taking care of children and families in Beijing, I have always considered BJU as the go-to place for any serious specialty or surgical consults, and I frequently sent sick patients to their emergency room.</p>
<p>So it was natural for me to join their excellent group of family medicine doctors, but what also sweetened the pot was their offer to give me a dual role as their new national Director of Clinical Marketing and Communications, to help all of their facilities with social media. I started writing this blog almost two years ago to fill a void in the Beijing community for easy to read, evidence-based health information, but I still feel that <em>all</em> the Beijing clinics can do a much better job online, providing their patients as well as the community much-needed advice on health issues.  I hope I can help to satisfy this unmet need.</p>
<p>I hope that my long-term readers understand by now that I&#8217;ve worked hard to be very non-partisan and open-minded on this blog, and I absolutely want to continue having this &#8220;street cred&#8221; in the community. Having said that, I honestly feel that when it comes to regular primary care medicine, Beijing has a handful of clinics with excellent family doctors who can all easily take care of the bread-and-butter routine visits. But when it comes to serious illness, emergencies or surgeries, I continue to believe that BJU is the best choice in Beijing. Let&#8217;s put it another way: if I or my wife and loved ones were very sick, there&#8217;s only one place I would consider going to: BJU.</p>
<p>Also, many readers may not realize that BJU and their sister hospital in Shanghai have obtained international certification by the highly-esteemed gold-standard<a href="http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/"> Joint Commission International</a>; this is incredibly difficult and expensive to achieve but it ensures that the equipment, level of care and patient safety are absolutely top-notch.</p>
<p>If you want to see me in clinic, please call the main number at 5927.7000 for an appointment. I will have family clinics in their main hospital in Lido as well as at their <a href="http://unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/facilities/satelliteclinics/0/0/799.html">clinic in Shunyi</a> (Tuesdays and Saturdays) and at <a href="http://unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/facilities/satelliteclinics/0/0/787.html">the new Liangma clinic</a>, in the Grand Summit building next to the US Embassy (Thursdays). You can find clinic maps and other information at their main website at <a href="http://unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/">http://unitedfamilyhospitals.com/en/bj/</a>.</p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/07/hey-docs-want-to-work-in-china-heres-how/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/smallMHBJ.gif" alt="Hey Docs, Want To Work in China? Here&#8217;s How." title="Hey Docs, Want To Work in China? Here&#8217;s How." width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/07/hey-docs-want-to-work-in-china-heres-how/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Hey Docs, Want To Work in China? Here&#8217;s How.</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/07/new-map-beijing-expat-clinics/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/smallMHBJ.gif" alt="New Map: Beijing Expat Clinics" title="New Map: Beijing Expat Clinics" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/07/new-map-beijing-expat-clinics/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">New Map: Beijing Expat Clinics</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/11/is-primary-care-doomed/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sfSpan.jpg" alt="Is Primary Care Doomed?" title="Is Primary Care Doomed?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/11/is-primary-care-doomed/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Is Primary Care Doomed?</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=4669&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Air Pollution &amp; Kids: Reviewing The Best Evidence</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/air-pollution-kids-lets-review-the-best-evidence/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/air-pollution-kids-lets-review-the-best-evidence/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Apr 2011 16:16:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Indoor Air Pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4649</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve discussed many wellness topics on my expat health blog, but the major interest &#8212; by far &#8212; is air pollution. Beijingers are thirsty for quality information about air quality, especially regarding how could it affect their children. Let&#8217;s review the data now and also talk about healthy steps. In terms of health risks, there <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/05/air-pollution-kids-lets-review-the-best-evidence/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve discussed many wellness topics on my expat health blog, but the major interest &#8212; by far &#8212; is air pollution. Beijingers are thirsty for quality information about air quality, especially regarding how could it affect their children. Let&#8217;s review the data now and also talk about healthy steps.</p>
<p>In terms of health risks, there is accumulating research that air pollution does cause both long-term and short-term risks, and children are considered more at long-term risk mostly because their lungs are still developing. For girls, lungs finish developing at 18 years, while a boy&#8217;s lungs mature by their early 20&#8242;s. The Academy of Pediatrics has an official position paper in 2004 (<a href="http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/114/6/1699">http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/114/6/1699</a>) which details the health risks and recommends an aggressive community approach, led by pediatricians, to ensure children&#8217;s health. One of most concerning research findings is from the USC Children&#8217;s Health Study (<a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/chs/chs.htm">http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/chs/chs.htm</a>), following thousands of kids in smoggy Los Angeles over 9 years, from 4th to 12th grade. The results showed a worsening of lung function over those years of exposure in those children who had the most exposure to air pollution. In Los Angeles, the average annual Air Quality Index is around 50, which is almost 3 times lower than here in Beijing.</p>
<p>So what can we do about this? I think community action plans, especially in schools, are important. As for guidelines, I think it&#8217;s useful to model the air pollution action plans from places such as Los Angeles, which is the most polluted city in the U.S. For example, California law calls an AQI over 200 (a PM10 level &gt;350 ug/m3) as a Stage 1 Episode and asks that &#8220;outdoor physical education (PE) classes, sports  practices, and athletic competitions should be re-scheduled or canceled if practicable&#8221;. AQI levels above 300 and 400 are considered Stage 2 and 3, and they recommend &#8220;all children discontinue all outdoor activities&#8221;.</p>
<p>Many schools in Beijing are now following their own action plans using similar criteria, and most are following the air pollution numbers from the US Embassy&#8217;s particle monitor in Chaoyang, near east third ring. The best way to access this feed is from the website at iphone.bjair.info. The Chinese government now has a new website which also lists hourly pollution numbers from all over China, including many spots in Beijing. You can access this information at their official website at<a href="http://58.68.130.147/air/"> http://58.68.130.147/air/</a>. It&#8217;s a bit complicated to use, but schools and parents all over China now can get the AQI for their area and make informed health decisions for their family.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s important to remember that we all spend about 80-90% of our lifetime indoors, so it&#8217;s also good to protect your indoor air, which often has similar pollution levels as outside. I do feel that indoor air purifier systems are very effective, whether it&#8217;s a stand-alone machine or built-in HVAC filters in your home vents and air conditioning units. Such machines, especially in bedrooms, are very effective in lowering indoor air pollution levels. Indoor plants also help a bit.</p>
<p>And when people must be outside on bad days (which I would say includes any AQI over 200 AQI), I recommend using a good protective mask. The key is to find a good mask, and industrial-grade commercial masks that say &#8220;N95&#8243; are the best. &#8220;N95&#8243; means that mask eliminates 95% of larger air particles; this theoretically would bring down an AQI day of 500 to a healthy 25 AQI. You can usually find good masks, especially made by the 3M company, at the local expat stores like April Gourmet or Jenny Lou&#8217;s. These masks became more available all over China after the recent H1N1 scare. Many masks are uncomfortable, especially for kids. The Totobobo company has comfortable and less awkward-looking masks made of comfortable transparent plastic. These can also be cut down to fit the smaller faces of your children. They currently are available only from their website but soon should have local distribution.</p>
<p><em>(This article was originally printed in the April printed edition of <a href="http://www.beijing-kids.com/">Beijing Kids </a>magazine. <a href="http://www.beijing-kids.com/magazine/Dr-Richard-Saint-Cyr">You can click here </a>to read the rest of my &#8220;The Doc Is In&#8221; columns.)</em></p>
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		<title>My Favorite Websites For Health Information</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/04/my-favorite-websites-for-health-information/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/04/my-favorite-websites-for-health-information/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:24:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4407</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Which websites do you turn to for health information? There are literally thousands of sites offering advice, but a huge proportion of them are either trying to sell you something or simply don&#8217;t provide evidence-based recommendations. So here are my favorite websites for parents to find the best health advice for their family. My #1 <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/04/my-favorite-websites-for-health-information/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Which websites do you turn to for health information? There are literally thousands of sites offering advice, but a huge proportion of them are either trying to sell you something or simply don&#8217;t provide evidence-based recommendations. So here are my favorite websites for parents to find the best health advice for their family.</p>
<p>My #1 favorite parent-friendly website is <a href="http://www.familydoctor.org">www.familydoctor.org</a>, run by my medical board, the American Academy of Family Physicians. This easily searchable and readable website has hundreds of user-friendly and informative tips on most health topics. Many are available as a PDF file you can print and share with others.</p>
<p>The American Academy of Pediatrics has a new, excellent family-friendly website at <a href="http://www.healthychildren.org">www.healthychildren.org</a>. This website focuses mostly on wellness and prevention at different ages. The Pediatric Academy&#8217;s main website, at <a href="http://www.aap.org">www.aap.org</a>, also has a big list of &#8220;Health Topics&#8221; which provide authoritative answers on many basic questions.</p>
<p>Those of you looking for vaccine information should avoid all distracting websites and go straight to the source: the Centers for Disease Control. In the U.S., it is available at <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines">www.cdc.gov/vaccines</a>. Here you can find the latest official schedules for vaccines at all ages, as well as valuable information on vaccine safety. Those of you from other countries can simply Google-search for your child&#8217;s vaccine schedules; all European vaccine schedules can be found at <a href="http://http://www.euvac.net">http://www.euvac.net</a>.</p>
<p>The Centers for Disease Control is also an outstanding and credible source for all general health information, including their special &#8220;Parents&#8221; section at <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/parents">www.cdc.gov/parents</a>. You can also find official, evidence-based articles from another U.S. governmental site, sponsored by the National Ministry of Health, called MedlinePlus, at <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenshealth.html">www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenshealth.html</a>.</p>
<p>There are very few large commercial websites that I recommend for general health due to their commercial slant, but I often like the famous Mayo Clinic&#8217;s website at <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com">www.mayoclinic.com</a>. They provide well written and very user-friendly articles, videos and slide shows about thousands of topics. I also like their emphasis on wellness and prevention.</p>
<p>Parents who want more doctorish-level articles can find outstanding patient handouts from the UpToDate group, at <a href="http://www.uptodate.com/patients">www.uptodate.com/patients</a>. The UpToDate website is probably the medical world&#8217;s #1 esteemed source for medical information and is, by far, my most valuable website for my practice. Their patient handouts are free and very detailed, although it&#8217;s a bit less user-friendly than other websites. Parents can also find free doctor-level articles at the physician website <a href="http://www.medscape.com">www.medscape.com</a>, which is an umbrella group of the consumer-oriented WebMD.com.</p>
<p>Those of you who want the top-level evidence may be interested in paying a bit of money to use the physician-oriented websites at <a href="http://www.uptodate.com">www.uptodate.com</a>, or peruse the world&#8217;s top collection of evidence-based reviews at the Cochrane Collaboration&#8217;s website at<a href="http://www.cochrane.org/cochrane-reviews"> www.cochrane.org/cochrane-reviews</a>. You can get a free 30-day trial at UpToDate.</p>
<p>What about other websites, or your favorite website? Does your favorite website pass screening by its medical peers? There is one famous international non-profit organization called Health on the Net Foundation which screens all popular medical sites and has their own certificate of validity, which you can search at their website at www.hon.ch.</p>
<p>Those of you looking for Beijing-specific health and wellness information can check out my own website at www.myhealthbeijing.com. It&#8217;s an easily searchable collection of hundred<a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com"></a>s of articles focusing on evidence-based tips for wellness and disease prevention for expat families. I&#8217;m very proud that my website is officially certified by the above-mentioned NGO Health on the Net Foundation as a trustworthy source of health information.</p>
<p><em>This article was originally printed in <a href="http://www.beijing-kids.com/magazine/Dr-Richard-Saint-Cyr">my &#8220;The Doctor Is In&#8221; column</a> in <a href="http://www.beijing-kids.com">Beijing Kids</a> magazine&#8217;s March 2011 edition.</em></p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/01/top-ten-health-information-sites/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://lpsc.local-e.nsw.gov.au/files/2076/File/information.gif" alt="My Top Ten Health Information Sites" title="My Top Ten Health Information Sites" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2010/01/top-ten-health-information-sites/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">My Top Ten Health Information Sites</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/which-health-websites-do-you-trust/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/internet.jpg" alt="Which Health Websites Do You Trust?" title="Which Health Websites Do You Trust?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/which-health-websites-do-you-trust/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Which Health Websites Do You Trust?</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2012/01/my-essential-websites-in-china/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Internet_map_1024.jpg" alt="My Essential Websites In China" title="My Essential Websites In China" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2012/01/my-essential-websites-in-china/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">My Essential Websites In China</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=4407&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Meatless Mondays?</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/meatless-mondays/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/meatless-mondays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:13:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[China public health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nutrition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prevention]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4549</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I love meat. Looooove it. I would never consider going full vegan. At least, I&#8217;ve always said that, until&#8230; &#8230;until a couple weeks ago when I was in Carrefour&#8217;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 <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/meatless-mondays/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://meatlessmonday.com/wp-content/themes/meatless/MeatlessMondayHeader.png"><img style=' float: right; padding: 4px; margin: 0 0 2px 7px;'  class="alignright" title="meatless monday" src="http://meatlessmonday.com/wp-content/themes/meatless/MeatlessMondayHeader.png" alt="meatless monday" width="185" height="101" /></a>I love meat. <em>Looooove </em>it. I would never consider going full vegan. At least, I&#8217;ve always said that, until&#8230;</p>
<p>&#8230;until a couple weeks ago when I was in Carrefour&#8217;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. And then I looked around at the other displays: the pig heads, the huge piles of cow spines and ribs &#8212; and suddenly it all seemed so, well, <em>inhumane</em>. The raw depravity of it is so blatant here in Chinese markets, and I actually prefer the sheltered ignorance from my American sanitized supermarkets, where you are so separated from the slaughterhouse that you completely lose touch with the process of farm-to-table. In American markets, you would never, ever see a head or eyes on any meat, even on most fish. I much prefer not to have my dead meat staring back at me, thank you very much.</p>
<p>So I am now facing a typical liberal&#8217;s guilt/dilemma: humans are biologically adapted to be meat-eaters, but with modern food technology we no longer <em>have </em>to eat meat. And it is more and more clear that humanity&#8217;s appetite for meat has a massively negative impact on our environment. And I am also increasingly uncomfortable with most livestock farms&#8217; depraved living conditions, as well as the way most animals are killed, which obviously involves pain. There are also clear health reasons for avoiding the most common cow meat, as this red meat has been shown to lead to more heart disease and other illnesses (<a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/theres-good-meat-and-theres-bad-meat">I&#8217;ve mentioned a few of these studies before</a>).</p>
<p>So, I&#8217;ve made a personal decision to cut back on meat &#8212; not totally, just a bit for now, and let&#8217;s see how things go. I chose first to stop eating meat on Mondays after I discovered one website, called<a href="http://www.meatlessmonday.com"> Meatless Mondays</a>, which started as a public health campaign from Johns Hopkins. They ask people to not eat meat on Mondays as a not-too-intrusive way for all of us to start thinking more about the negative impacts of eating meat. They also have<a href="http://www.meatlessmonday.com/spread-the-movement/"> a good collection of PDF toolkits</a> for communities and schools. I think one day a week is easy for all to do, and I think this is a healthy debate for all of us to consider. What do you all think? Who wants to join me?</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter" title="meatless monday poster" src="http://www.meatlessmonday.com/images/photos/2010/10/posters/byf/byf1.jpg" alt="meatless monday poster" width="263" height="170" /></p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/theres-good-meat-and-theres-bad-meat/" rel="bookmark"><img width="50" height="50" src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cow-150x150.jpg" class="crp_thumb wp-post-image" alt="There&#8217;s Good Meat, And There&#8217;s Bad Meat" title="There&#8217;s Good Meat, And There&#8217;s Bad Meat" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/09/theres-good-meat-and-theres-bad-meat/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">There&#8217;s Good Meat, And There&#8217;s Bad Meat</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/10/black-chicken-healthier-than-regular-chicken/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/01/16/dining/17chicken600.1.jpg" alt="Black Chicken: Healthier Than Regular Chicken?" title="Black Chicken: Healthier Than Regular Chicken?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2009/10/black-chicken-healthier-than-regular-chicken/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Black Chicken: Healthier Than Regular Chicken?</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/09/antibiotic-washes-are-a-waste-good-vs-bad-meats-this-weeks-podcast/" rel="bookmark"><img width="50" height="32" src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/100125beijinghour12-e1312938246326-150x98.jpg" class="crp_thumb wp-post-image" alt="Antibiotic Washes Are A Waste, &amp; Good Vs Bad Meats: This Week&#8217;s Podcast" title="Antibiotic Washes Are A Waste, &amp; Good Vs Bad Meats: This Week&#8217;s Podcast" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/09/antibiotic-washes-are-a-waste-good-vs-bad-meats-this-weeks-podcast/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Antibiotic Washes Are A Waste, &#038; Good Vs Bad Meats: This Week&#8217;s Podcast</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=4549&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Radiation Plume Is Moving East, Over the Pacific &#8212; Not Towards China</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:06:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[China public health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4506</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let&#8217;s counter recent SMS misinformation with real facts, shall we? I found one website (click here) which posts hourly updates of the radiation numbers in each prefecture in Japan. Also, here are three images below from Austria’s Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, which show a time-lapse estimated projection of the Japanese radiation exposure headed mostly <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-plume-is-moving-east-over-the-pacific/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Let&#8217;s counter recent SMS misinformation with real facts, shall we? I found one website<a href="http://www.targetmap.com/viewer.aspx?reportId=4870"> (click here)</a> which posts hourly updates of the radiation numbers in each prefecture in Japan. Also, here are three images below from <a href="http://www.zamg.ac.at/aktuell/index.php?seite=1&amp;artikel=ZAMG_2011-03-15GMT08%3A26">Austria’s Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics</a>, which show a time-lapse <em>estimated projection</em> of the Japanese radiation exposure headed mostly <em>east</em>, over the Pacific, and <em>not </em>westerly towards China. Please note that this is not actual radiation data (as I had initially thought), it is a meteorological estimation. Winds can change anytime, of course, so please keep an eye on the news. I believe that the <a href="http://www.mep.gov.cn/">Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection</a> will also be providing twice-a-day updates. (thanks to Olivia Lee, Beijing&#8217;s <a href="http://nutritioneer.net/">Nutritioneer</a>, for giving me the below map on <a href="http://t.sina.com.cn/daniudaifu">my Sina Weibo account</a>).</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 852px;  border: 1px solid #dddddd; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin: 10px; text-align:center; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-191816-galleryV9-nhjp.gif"><img title="Japan radiation plume MArch 11-16" src="http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-191816-galleryV9-nhjp.gif" alt="Japan radiation plume MArch 11-16" width="842" height="596" /></a><p style=' padding: 0 4px 5px; margin: 0;'  class="wp-caption-text">Japan radiation plume MArch 11-16</p></div>
<p>Here is another image showing the radiation plume as it crosses the Pacific, towards the US:</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px;  border: 1px solid #dddddd; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin: 10px; text-align:center; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><a href="http://www.aeronomie.be/multimedia/video/daiichi1-bira-iasb-animated.gif"><img title="Radiation plume from Japan" src="http://www.aeronomie.be/multimedia/video/daiichi1-bira-iasb-animated.gif" alt="Radiation plume from Japan" width="600" height="345" /></a><p style=' padding: 0 4px 5px; margin: 0;'  class="wp-caption-text">Radiation plume from Japan</p></div>
<p>Here is yet another time-lapse map. Not how all three show <em>no </em>plumes heading westward, towards China:</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 852px;  border: 1px solid #dddddd; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin: 10px; text-align:center; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><a href="http://www.zamg.ac.at/pict/aktuell/20110315_fuku_Cs-137-glob_12.gif"><img title="Japan radiation plume global map" src="http://www.zamg.ac.at/pict/aktuell/20110315_fuku_Cs-137-glob_12.gif" alt="Japan radiation plume global map" width="842" height="596" /></a><p style=' padding: 0 4px 5px; margin: 0;'  class="wp-caption-text">Japan radiation plume global map</p></div>
<p>Again, these main images apparently are coming <a href="http://www.zamg.ac.at/aktuell/index.php?seite=1&amp;artikel=ZAMG_2011-03-15GMT08%3A26">from an Austrian site here</a>, from Austria’s Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG).</p>
<div id="crp_related"><P><B>Share this:</b><span class='st_facebook_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_twitter_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><span class='st_sina_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Weibo'></span><span class='st_linkedin_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Linkedin'></span><span class='st_email_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='Email'></span><span class='st_sharethis_buttons' st_title='<?php the_title(); ?>' st_url='<?php the_permalink(); ?>' displayText='share'></span><P><HR><center><table width=95%><TR bgcolor=#436FC3><TD colspan=3><h4><B><font color=white>Check Out These Related Articles:</font></b></h4></td></tr><TR bgcolor=cccccc><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-update-still-nothing-headed-towards-china/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/20110321_fuku_I-131.gif" alt="Radiation Update: Still Nothing Headed Towards China" title="Radiation Update: Still Nothing Headed Towards China" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-update-still-nothing-headed-towards-china/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Radiation Update: Still Nothing Headed Towards China</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/finally-an-official-forecast-for-japanese-radiation-plumes-path/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/frames-47-550x332.png" alt="Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path" title="Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/finally-an-official-forecast-for-japanese-radiation-plumes-path/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Finally, an Official Forecast for Japanese Radiation Plume&#8217;s Path</a></b></td><td align=left bgcolor=cccccc valign=top width=33%><b><a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-hits-china-in-harmless-amounts-what-level-actually-is-harmless/" rel="bookmark"><img src="http://english.mep.gov.cn/News_service/news_release/201103/W020110329339096051540.jpg" alt="Radiation Hits China &#8212; In &#8220;Harmless&#8221; Amounts. What Level Actually is &#8220;Harmless&#8221;?" title="Radiation Hits China &#8212; In &#8220;Harmless&#8221; Amounts. What Level Actually is &#8220;Harmless&#8221;?" width="50" height="50" border="0" class="crp_thumb" /></a> <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/radiation-hits-china-in-harmless-amounts-what-level-actually-is-harmless/" rel="bookmark" class="crp_title">Radiation Hits China &#8212; In &#8220;Harmless&#8221; Amounts. What Level Actually is &#8220;Harmless&#8221;?</a></b></td></tr></table></center><P><HR></div><img src="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?ak_action=api_record_view&id=4506&type=feed" alt="" />]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What Is Potassium Iodide?</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/what-is-potassium-iodide/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/what-is-potassium-iodide/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:45:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/?p=4493</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been a hectic couple days, but at least for today there is no radioactive cloud approaching Beijing. But this certainly is bringing up a good debate about what to do in case this actually happens. Usually, if a community is exposed, people are given potassium iodide to take just before and during exposure. Things <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/03/what-is-potassium-iodide/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s been a hectic couple days, but at least for today there is no radioactive cloud approaching Beijing. But this certainly is bringing up a good debate about what to do in case this actually happens. Usually, if a community is exposed, people are given <em>potassium iodide </em>to take just before and during exposure. Things are very fluid here in Beijing, but as of now I believe that the public health departments would be responsible for such a program. As far as I understand it, as of now, the local clinics will not be dispensing this medicine until it is needed. My clinic, the IMC, does not stock such a medicine. But tomorrow (the 16th) we should get more clarification. Again, things are very fluid and all the clinics are actively monitoring this issue.</p>
<p>If you want more information about potassium iodide, you can read the entire Q&amp;A <a href="http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/KI.asp">from the U.S. CDC website</a>, which I cut and paste in full here:</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>What is Potassium Iodide (KI)?</strong><br />
Potassium iodide (also called KI) is a salt of stable (not radioactive) iodine. Stable iodine is an important chemical needed by the body to make thyroid hormones. Most of the stable iodine in our bodies comes from the food we eat. KI is stable iodine in a medicine form. This fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives you some basic information about KI. It explains what you should think about before you or a family member takes KI.</p>
<p><strong>What does KI do?</strong><br />
Following a radiological or nuclear event, radioactive iodine may be released into the air and then be breathed into the lungs. Radioactive iodine may also contaminate the local food supply and get into the body through food or through drink. When radioactive materials get into the body through breathing, eating, or drinking, we say that “internal contamination” has occurred. In the case of internal contamination with radioactive iodine, the thyroid gland quickly absorbs this chemical. Radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can then injure the gland. Because non-radioactive KI acts to block radioactive iodine from being taken into the thyroid gland, it can help protect this gland from injury.</p>
<p><strong>What KI cannot do</strong><br />
Knowing what KI cannot do is also important. KI cannot prevent radioactive iodine from entering the body. KI canprotect only the thyroid from radioactive iodine, not other parts of the body. KI cannot reverse the health effects caused by radioactive iodine once damage to the thyroid has occurred. KI cannotprotect the body from radioactive elements other than radioactive iodine—if radioactive iodine is not present, taking KI is not protective.</p>
<p><strong>How does KI work?</strong><br />
The thyroid gland cannot tell the difference between stable and radioactive iodine and will absorb both. KI works by blocking radioactive iodine from entering the thyroid. When a person takes KI, the stable iodine in the medicine gets absorbed by the thyroid. Because KI contains so much stable iodine, the thyroid gland becomes “full” and cannot absorb any more iodine—either stable or radioactive—for the next 24 hours.</p>
<p>Iodized table salt also contains iodine; iodized table salt contains enough iodine to keep most people healthy under normal conditions. However, table salt does not contain enough iodine to block radioactive iodine from getting into your thyroid gland. You should not use table salt as a substitute for KI.</p>
<p><strong>How well does KI work?</strong><br />
Knowing that KI may not give a person 100% protection against radioactive iodine is important. How well KI blocks radioactive iodine depends on how much time passes between contamination with radioactive iodine and the taking of KI (the sooner a person takes KI, the better), how fast KI is absorbed into the blood, and the total amount of radioactive iodine to which a person is exposed.</p>
<p><strong> Who should take KI?</strong><br />
The thyroid glands of a fetus and of an infant are most at risk of injury from radioactive iodine. Young children and people with low stores of iodine in their thyroid are also at risk of thyroid injury.</p>
<p>Infants (including breast-fed infants): Infants need to be given the recommended dosage of KI for babies (see How much KI should I take?). The amount of KI that gets into breast milk is not enough to protect breast-fed infants from exposure to radioactive iodine. The proper dose of KI given to a nursing infant will help protect it from radioactive iodine that it breathes in or drinks in breast milk.</p>
<p>Children: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that all children internally contaminated with (or likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine take KI, unless they have known allergies to iodine. Children from newborn to 18 years of age are the most sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of radioactive iodine.</p>
<p>Young Adults: The FDA recommends that young adults (between the ages of 18 and 40 years) internally contaminated with (or likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine take the recommended dose of KI. Young adults are less sensitive to the effects of radioactive iodine than are children.</p>
<p>Pregnant Women: Because all forms of iodine cross the placenta, pregnant women should take KI to protect the growing fetus. However, pregnant women should take only one dose of KI following internal contamination with (or likely internal contamination with) radioactive iodine.</p>
<p>Breastfeeding Women: Women who are breastfeeding should take only one dose of KI if they have been internally contaminated with (or are likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine. Because radioactive iodine quickly gets into breast milk, CDC recommends that women internally contaminated with (or are likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine stop breastfeeding and feed their child baby formula or other food if it is available. If breast milk is the only food available for an infant, nursing should continue.</p>
<p>Adults: Adults older than 40 years should not take KI unless public health or emergency management officials say that contamination with a very large dose of radioactive iodine is expected. Adults older than 40 years have the lowest chance of developing thyroid cancer or thyroid injury after contamination with radioactive iodine. They also have a greater chance of having allergic reactions to KI.</p>
<p><strong>When should I take KI?</strong><br />
After a radiologic or nuclear event, local public health or emergency management officials will tell the public if KI or other protective actions are needed. For example, public health officials may advise you to remain in your home, school, or place of work (this is known as “shelter-in-place”) or to evacuate. You may also be told not to eat some foods and not to drink some beverages until a safe supply can be brought in from outside the affected area. Following the instructions given to you by these authorities can lower the amount of radioactive iodine that enters your body and lower the risk of serious injury to your thyroid gland.</p>
<p><strong>How much KI should I take?</strong><br />
The FDA has approved two different forms of KI—tablets and liquid—that people can take by mouth after a nuclear radiation emergency. Tablets come in two strengths, 130 milligram (mg) and 65 mg. The tablets are scored so they may be cut into smaller pieces for lower doses. Each milliliter (mL) of the oral liquid solution contains 65 mg of KI.<br />
According to the FDA, the following doses are appropriate to take after internal contamination with (or likely internal contamination with) radioactive iodine:<br />
Adults should take 130 mg (one 130 mg tablet OR two 65 mg tablets OR two mL of solution).<br />
Women who are breastfeeding should take the adult dose of 130 mg.<br />
Children between 3 and 18 years of age should take 65 mg (one 65 mg tablet OR 1 mL of solution). Children who are adult size (greater than or equal to 150 pounds) should take the full adult dose, regardless of their age.<br />
Infants and children between 1 month and 3 years of age should take 32 mg (½ of a 65 mg tablet OR ½ mL of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing infants and children.<br />
Newborns from birth to 1 month of age should be given 16 mg (¼ of a 65 mg tablet or ¼ mL of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing newborn infants.</p>
<p><strong>How often should I take KI?</strong></p>
<p>A single dose of KI protects the thyroid gland for 24 hours. A one-time dose at the levels recommended in this fact sheet is usually all that is needed to protect the thyroid gland. In some cases, radioactive iodine might be in the environment for more than 24 hours. If that happens, local emergency management or public health officials may tell you to take one dose of KI every 24 hours for a few days. You should do this only on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials, or your doctor. Avoid repeat dosing with KI for pregnant and breastfeeding women and newborn infants. Those individuals may need to be evacuated until levels of radioactive iodine in the environment fall.</p>
<p>Taking a higher dose of KI, or taking KI more often than recommended, does not offer more protection and can cause severe illness or death.</p>
<p>Medical conditions that may make it harmful to take KI<br />
Taking KI may be harmful for some people because of the high levels of iodine in this medicine. You should not take KI if<br />
• you know you are allergic to iodine (If you are unsure about this, consult your doctor. A seafood or shellfish allergy does not necessarily mean that you are allergic to iodine.) or<br />
• you have certain skin disorders (such as dermatitis herpetiformis or urticaria vasculitis).</p>
<p>People with thyroid disease (for example, multinodular goiter, Graves’ disease, or autoimmune thyroiditis) may be treated with KI. This should happen under careful supervision of a doctor, especially if dosing lasts for more than a few days.</p>
<p>In all cases, talk to your doctor if you are not sure whether to take KI.</p>
<p><strong>What are the possible risks and side effects of KI?</strong><br />
When public health or emergency management officials tell the public to take KI following a radiologic or nuclear event, the benefits of taking this drug outweigh the risks. This is true for all age groups. Some general side effects caused by KI may include intestinal upset, allergic reactions (possibly severe), rashes, and inflammation of the salivary glands.</p>
<p>When taken as recommended, KI causes only rare adverse health effects that specifically involve the thyroid gland. In general, you are more likely to have an adverse health effect involving the thyroid gland if you take a higher than recommended dose of KI, take the drug for several days, or have pre-existing thyroid disease.</p>
<p>Newborn infants (less than 1 month old) who receive more than one dose of KI are at particular risk for developing a condition known as hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone levels that are too low). If not treated, hypothyroidism can cause brain damage. Infants who receive KI should have their thyroid hormone levels checked and monitored by a doctor. Avoid repeat dosing of KI to newborns.</p></blockquote>
<p>The same CDC website has more information on radiation exposure here (<a href="http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/factsheets.asp">http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/factsheets.asp</a>). MyHealth Beijing readers can also read the official potassium iodide guidelines for doctors from the FDA (a PDF file):  <a href="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM080542.pdf">http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM080542.pdf</a></p>
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		<title>Happy New Year!</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/02/happy-new-year/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
		<comments>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/02/happy-new-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:33:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I wish you all a relaxing, restful Chinese new year! I will be taking a bit of a break as well. I personally had a great Year of the Tiger and look forward to next year&#8217;s adventures here in Beijing! Share this:]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I wish you all a relaxing, restful Chinese new year! I will be taking a bit of a break as well. I personally had a great Year of the Tiger and look forward to next year&#8217;s adventures here in Beijing!<br />
<a href="http://www.orientalfood.com/gif/rabbit.gif"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter" src="http://www.orientalfood.com/gif/rabbit.gif" alt="" width="295" height="182" /></a></p>
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		<title>Escape From Dàhán At A Beijing Hot Spring</title>
		<link>http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/01/fight-mid-winters-cold-at-a-hot-spring/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rss</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:30:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Richard Saint Cyr</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Just For Fun]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Today, January 20th, is dàhán (大寒), &#8220;big cold&#8221; on the Chinese solar calendar. This is traditionally considered the coldest day of the year, and I won&#8217;t argue with that &#8212; it&#8217;s darn cold. So, on these deep winter days, I thought I&#8217;d share with my readers my favorite relief: a trip to a local hot <a href='http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/2011/01/fight-mid-winters-cold-at-a-hot-spring/'>...</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today, January 20th, is <em>dàhán </em>(大寒), &#8220;big cold&#8221; on the Chinese solar calendar. This is traditionally considered the coldest day of the year, and I won&#8217;t argue with that &#8212; it&#8217;s darn cold. So, on these deep winter days, I thought I&#8217;d share with my readers my favorite relief: a trip to a local hot springs. Last year I raved about <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/resources/weekend/flesh-eating-fish-fun-or-insane/">the Longxi hot springs</a>, but this year I&#8217;ve already experienced three others (at over 33% off,<a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/resources/just-for-fun/tuangou-are-you-addicted-yet-oh-you-will-you-will/"> thanks to tuangou!</a>), and Longxi is now only #3 on my list. Here&#8217;s my update&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Spa #1: Shunjing. </strong>The closest spa to Beijing is definitely<strong> Shunjing spa</strong> (shùnjǐng wēnquán 顺景温泉, <a href="http://www.shunjingwenquan.com">www.shunjingwenquan.com</a>, 5827.1888), as it is literally across the highway from Ikea on east 4th ring. Shunjing claims to be the world&#8217;s biggest spa, and indeed the place is huge. More importantly, it&#8217;s very plush, clean and relaxing. Spread out underneath a series of skylights, the indoor section has quite a few different types of soaking baths, at different temperatures. There are many corners here, and even a fake cave section in back that kids would love. The outdoor spas are a bit small, especially compared to Fengshan spa &#8212; but it&#8217;s too cold anyway right now.</p>
<p>The food buffet is our favorite of the 4 spas we&#8217;ve seen, and at 60RMB extra is a pretty good deal.</p>
<p>All the good spas have important extras like a relaxation room and heated floor mats. Shunjing&#8217;s relaxation room is excellent, with dozens of reclining chairs where you can lazily nap for a couple hours. However, it did not have the heated floor mats, which are a big plus at Fengshan and Longxi.</p>
<p>Another good thing about Shunjing is that it is relatively cheap, at ~198RMB for normal price; we only paid 130 per person from tuangou.</p>
<p><strong>Spa #2: Fengshan Hot Springs Resort.</strong> I think Fengshan hot springs resort is still my favorite, overall. Fengshan (凤山温泉度假; 6071-1188; <a href="http://www.fsdj.com.cn">www.fsdj.com.cn</a>) is a solid hour north of Beijing, just at the foothills of the Ming Tombs off Badaling highway. Fengshan has two enourmous enclosed sections with dozens of soaking spas &#8212; and many of them are fun, including water jets and tropical rain showers. Also, their outdoor saunas are definitely the best of the four, with multiple levels and a lovely view of the mountains in the background.</p>
<p>I was also a big fan of their heated floor section; we fell asleep on them while getting a foot massage and having our faces covered in cucumber slices. Upstairs, they have a large relaxation room and a nice cafeteria with basic foods.</p>
<p>I think their usual price is in the high 200&#8242;s, but again we got our tickets first on a tuangou website for at least 40% off.</p>
<p><strong>Spa #3: Jiuhua Hot Springs Resort. </strong>Jiuhua, less than an hour away straight north, is an older resort &#8212; and it shows. We got a tuangou ticket here for about 98RMB but we would not plan to go back. The indoor section is relatively small, in a dark basement with no skylights. Their outdoor section was larger but not well designed, especially when compared to the next-generation spas nearby.</p>
<p><strong>Revisiting Longxi Hot Springs Resort:</strong> Longxi is still a very nice place to relax, as they have a great collection of spas under a large sunroof. Also, their swimming pool by far is the largest I saw. And they have an excellent heated floor section where you can nap. Also, they have unique items like the Turkish flesh-eating fish and a salt scrub area. But their lunch area is smallish and I don&#8217;t remember any relaxation room.</p>
<p><strong>My Bottom Line</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Best overall: </strong>Fengshan &gt; Shunjing/Longxi &gt;&gt; Jiuhua</li>
<li><strong>Best food:</strong> Shunjing &gt;Fengshan &gt; Longxi/Jiuhua</li>
<li><strong>Best Indoor Area:</strong> Fengshan &gt; Shunjing/Longxi&gt;&gt; Jiuhua</li>
<li><strong>Best Outdoor Area: </strong>Fengshan &gt;&gt; Longxi &gt; Shunjing &gt; Jiuhua</li>
<li><strong>Best Relation Rooms/Heated Floors</strong>: Fengshan &gt; Shunjing/Longxi &gt; Jiuhua</li>
<li><strong>Best For Weekend Overnight</strong>: Fengshan &gt; Longxi</li>
<li><strong>Best Normal Price: </strong>Shunjing; BUT <em>always check first</em> on a tuangou website! You will save at least 1/3 off regular price. Don&#8217;t know about tuangou yet? <a href="http://www.myhealthbeijing.com/resources/just-for-fun/tuangou-are-you-addicted-yet-oh-you-will-you-will/">Please read my tuangou article for the details</a></li>
</ul>
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