If you are reading this, you or a loved one have probably been told by your doctor that you have abnormally high sugar levels. The doctor may have called it Impaired Fasting Glucose or Impaired Glucose Tolerance, but both of those are just fancy medical words for prediabetes.… Read the rest
Yearly Archives: 2013
The Science of Fatherhood
I recently experienced a wonderful thing — my first Father’s Day as a father. It was a glorious test of real fatherhood, from a 4 am feeding to a doctor’s visit to us all taking a long afternoon siesta, his drool soaking my Sunday best shirt.… Read the rest
Are Chinese Healthier Than Americans?
During these hot summer evenings, my wife and I love to bike around Beijing’s hutongs. On every street corner and in every park, generations of families, friends and neighbors dance en masse, sing along to a classic tune, and chat away while walking — often backwards.… Read the rest
“Leaves Of Three, Let Them Be” — Avoiding Poison Ivy and Oak
“Leaves of three, let them be.” Sounds familiar to many of us, yes? This quote refers to the dreaded poison oak and poison ivy, plants which line the hiking trails and woods of much of the world. To protect themselves from being eaten, these hardy weeds have developed a very effective defense: their shiny leaves are coated in an incredibly reactive oil which causes a severe local, swollen and weeping rash, which often burns but mostly is incredibly itchy.… Read the rest
Has Social Media Made Me A Better Doctor?
This month I hit a milestone on my Sina Weibo microblog; I finally reached 10,000 fans. It took more than two years, and I suppose I could have sped it up by paying for fake zombie fans. However, I preferred to earn this honor with good old fashioned hard work.… Read the rest
Natural Ways To Prevent H7N9 And Other Viruses
What can you do right now to prevent getting the flu? As H7N9 continues to dominate our health headlines, I thought I’d continue my refresher course on prevention of this and other viruses. I’ve already discussed the specific tips for preventing H7N9 bird flu as well as getting a good night’s sleep; now let’s go over the actual evidence for the many herbal and non-prescription methods to prevent colds and flu.… Read the rest