Coughing is one of winter’s inevitable symptoms for all families. As viruses pass back and forth, the usual runny nose and cough can be very disruptive, especially if it’s keeping both you and your child awake all night. For cough relief, we all have our favorite cough syrups — but which ones actually work?… Read the rest
Yearly Archives: 2012
Can A Child Be Too Clean? Some Bacteria And Probiotics are Healthy
It usually feels like we live in a toxic world here in Beijing, bombarded daily from the air and what we eat and drink. But what about the other extreme of being too clean? In our zeal to protect our families from toxins and germs, could we be harming as much as helping?… Read the rest
Websites for Wellness: Health Information in the Digital Age
Which websites do you turn to for health information? There are thousands of healthcare sites offering advice, but a sizable portion are either trying to sell you something you don’t need or simply do not provide evidence-based recommendations. I’ve researched many websites throughout my career as a physician, and I’d like to share with you my favorite websites for health and wellness information.… Read the rest
Getting Some Sun — Without The Cancer
Did you know that as much as 80 percent of your lifetime exposure to sunlight happens before the age of 18? This early sun exposure slowly causes DNA damage and puts us at risk for skin cancer later on. One of the biggest risk factors for developing melanomas is the frequency of sunburns as a child.… Read the rest
TCM and Kids: Which Therapies Are Safe — And Effective?
Many of us have delved into China’s most famous traditions of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but it’s difficult to know not only which treatments are effective and safe, but which are suitable for your condition. I practice allopathic Western-style family medicine, but I also trained with many alternative medicine doctors in the hippie enclaves around San Francisco, so I am familiar with these complementary medicines.… Read the rest
Pain Relief For Kids: A Guide To Proper Dosing
Treating a fever in a child still uses the same two medicines for decades: ibuprofen (Motrin, 布洛芬) and paracetamol/acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol, ). But dosing is actually really tricky, as there are different concentrations for infants and toddlers, and it’s all too easy to give too much or too little.… Read the rest