I doubt many readers know that next May 19 is World Family Doctor Day, but it means a lot to me. I’m spending more of my clinical time teaching China’s first generation of family doctors, and it’s an honor to be a part of this momentous change in China.… Read the rest
Yoga Helps Prevent Heart Disease
I’ve written a couple of times about yoga’s health benefits, but I just had to share a brand new study which convincingly shows some great news — yoga may help reduce heart disease as much as moderate exercise! Yes I know, it’s a bit hard to believe, as we always hear that you need moderate exercise — getting out of breath — to prevent heart disease, and most yoga classes don’t provide this cardiac burst.… Read the rest
Did Beijing’s Pollution Cause My Asthma?
Now that months have passed and I’m basking in our summer sun, I can safely confess that I had a miserably unhealthy winter.
It started in November with my first ever broken bone, a silly bike-vs-oil-patch accident which broke my clavicle and brought me surprisingly distressing pain for more than a month.… Read the rest
Can E-Cigarettes Save Your Life?
One of the most challenging patient encounters for any family doctor is a discussion with long term smokers about quitting. Not because we don’t realize how bad smoking is — of course both doctor and patient know it’s a deadly habit.… Read the rest
UHT Milk: Is It Safe — and Nutritious?
When I moved to China eight years ago, I was quite shocked at seeing milk in small boxes piled high on store shelves — at room temperature! With expiration dates longer than six months! How could this be safe — and nutritious?… Read the rest
Fatherhood, Year Two
As I celebrate my second father’s day as a dad, I’ve been thinking more and more about my own father, who died over ten years ago. When I travel back home to Boston I always drive down the spartan Cape Cod highway to the Veterans Cemetery.… Read the rest