Doctor's Orders: Five Ways to Stay Healthy in Beijing

Doctor Richard Saint Cyr of Myhealthbeijing.com has a great post on eight tips for staying healthy in China. While some of these tips seem to be just plain common sense, others may be a struggle to incorporate in the lush lifestyles expats get used to. Smoking, drinking, eating unhealthily or in excess, overworking, not exercising enough: these are all issues we struggle with and tend to complain about life in this city.

So, how many of these health routines do you follow? Do you agree with the doctor’s advice?

For starters, I would be the first to agree with the doctor’s tip to cycle in Beijing. For me, and many people I know, biking is key to keeping fit and sane when you have a busy work schedule and are constantly bouncing around town to different events.

Here’s a good portion of the doctor’s advice and some related links for Beijing. You can read the full article here.

Air Pollution — Control Your Exposure 

It’s important to realize two things: First, the relative risk of air pollution causing health problems is much lower than the risk of suffering from other lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, poor nutrition and smoking. Second, you can take steps to avoid the worst of the pollution. Because 90% of our lives are spent indoors, use indoor air purifiers to clean your air at all times, especially in a child’s bedroom. On the worst days, especially when the AQI is over 200, you should consider limiting your outdoor activities. If you or your child must go outside on those bad days, wear an N95-rated air pollution mask.

Related: Breathing Bike Inventor Matt Hope Talks Clean Air
 

Play with Your Food 

Food safety is a major concern all over China, so I recommend sticking to foods, restaurants and markets that you know are safer. Organic food is a good choice because it is more likely to be free of toxic levels of pesticides and chemicals. High prices and availability can be an issue, but the next level of protected foods – called GreenFood (绿色食品) – are often cheaper than organic foods and claim to use fewer chemicals. No matter where you get your produce, always clean and rinse it properly, especially leafy greens. In the summer, be especially careful where you buy your meats and produce because dangerous bacteria can grow quickly on uncovered, un-cooled meats. Don’t forget other basics of food safety: try to use glass containers (not plastic) and polyethylene (PE) cling wrap; make sure your ayi knows how to properly clean and prepare foods; and try to drink water from installed filters and not delivered bottles. (Much of the delivered water and containers are counterfeit or unsafe).

Related: What Does Green Mean? The Eco-Friendly in Winning Restaurants
 

Get Fit – Even Outside!

China shares the same #1 killer as the rest of the world: heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. With exercise, you should aim for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, or 90 minutes of more energetic exercise. You can also try shorter routines called high-intensity interval training (HIIT) three times a week for 15 minutes each. You should do whatever sport you love. Beijing is filled with gyms and public parks, and there are many hiking and biking clubs. Don’t be afraid to exercise outside! As long as the AQI pollution index is reasonable (under 150), exercising outside is still much healthier than not exercising at all. If the AQI is high, especially over 200, you should wear a properly fitted pollution mask when exercising outdoors.

Related: Take Five: Get Fit in Beijing
 

Explore Beijing by Bicycle

Biking in Beijing is a vanishing tradition but continues to be the most convenient mode of transport around many parts of Beijing. Biking is often faster than driving. Plus, you gain immense lifetime value from improved health and fitness, even if you factor in the pollution (wear a mask if it’s very bad that day). I bike to work every day and feel a deep connection to real Beijing. There’s simply nothing as charming as biking through the old hutong neighborhoods, especially at night. Don’t forget to wear your helmet! You may stand out in a crowd, but helmets are lifesavers for you and your children.

Related: Fit For a Wing: Customize a Dream Bike at Wing Fung...For a Price
 

Be Aware of Sexually Transmitted Diseases 

Beijing is not immune to the worldwide problem of sexually transmitted diseases. Thus, there are many reasons for you to practice safe sex. Be careful where you buy condoms; many poorly made counterfeits are sold, usually in smaller stores. You should buy only from the big chain stores or pharmacies. Don’t forget that you can carry sexual infections for many years and feel perfectly healthy — but still infect others. That’s why sexually active men and women should get tested regularly. These tests can give you a lot of peace of mind, especially if you are entering a new relationship.

Related: China AIDS Walk Scales the Wall
 

Myhealthbeijing.com is a website run bu Doctor Richard Saint Cyr, a Beijing online health guru and family physician at Beijing United Family Hospital. Follow him on Weibo for neat tips and news concerning health in Beijing.

Photo: mnn.com