I’ve previously discussed outdoor pollution, a common worry for expats. Less commonly discussed but possibly more concerning is indoor air pollution. It’s important to realize that a poorly ventilated house can have more dangerous air than outdoor air — especially if a smoker lives there. Someone (thanks, Liora!) passed along to me an outstanding review …

Soy milk has been popular in Asia for thousands of years, and is much more common than cow milk here. Are there different health effects? There is a lot of differing information out there, but some recent scholarly reviews help to find some answers. There’s a terrific 2006 review from the American Heart Association – here …

Finding a good ayi — and keeping her — is a big undertaking for expats. It’s important to make sure she is well trained; some agencies claim to train their staff, but honestly I’ve found those ayi’s very inconsistent as well. There are some basics about safety and hygiene which you should make sure she …

The Hong Kong Center for Food Safety has a monthly Food Safety newsletter; this September has a good article about pesticides and fruit. One of their comments: Advice to the Public Fruits are an essential component of a healthy diet. Members of the public are advised to take a balanced diet and eat a variety …

There has been a lot of controversy since 1999 regarding the MMR vaccine and an alleged link to autism. Fortunately, the best studies have shown no relation, and now again there is a new study to corroborate this. It’s a UK NHS study which found the same rate of autism among adults as in children. …

Many people already know about the annually updated Organic Guide from Greenpeace’s local chapter. It’s always available for free here from their website. They also have a very cool, interactive map of Beijing’s organic scene. It’s a nicely done visual aid to quickly find organic farms, stores, organizations, etc. Check it out here.  

The New England Journal of Medicine is one of the most highly respected journals in the world, and many famous papers have been and continue to be published there. This is a doctor-level website, so it’s not very approachable to the layman. But, for those willing to dig into it, especially teachers and researchers, their …

So was your mother actually correct in telling you to finish your chicken soup because it’s good for you? Perhaps. Chicken soup has been considered an aid to the common cold and flu for centuries, by many cultures. In 2001 an interesting research paper (link at bottom of post) showed that chicken soup actually slowed …

There are many different schools of thought regarding the best way to raise a child. Many approaches are cultural; some concepts change every few years with a popular new book. One major debate regards conditional versus unconditional parenting. Now, as a fascinating New York Times article discusses, there is new research that shows how conditional …

Today, Septemer 28th, is World Rabies Day. It’s an international event designed to increase awareness about rabies. I’ve mentioned rabies in a few posts, including one about a great new website for children to teach them about rabies. I also had a post about the rabies vaccine , which includes an excellent PDF file from Beijing’s International …

I discussed in an earlier post that parents may want to consider ibuprofen (Motrin) as the first line medicine over acetaminophen (Tylenol) for their child’s pains and fevers. Now, there’s a new study comparing ibuprofen to a Tylenol-codeine combo for pain, and ibuprofen was just as effective. Here’s the comment from JournalWatch: These findings should …

Here’s a warning shot across the bow for those workaholics and students who are chronically sleep deprived. I’ve mentioned in my slide show about the common cold, as well as my accompanying article, that there are a lot of preventive things you can do to fight off colds and flu viruses. And it may seem …