Did you know that only ten percent of teenage girls in the USA get enough calcium? Even here in China, the average calcium intake is less than half the recommended amounts. Most infants now have no problems with their calcium, thanks to breast milk and formula.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Nutrition
What’s Your Toddler’s Best Source of Milk?
What’s the best milk source for your baby after 12 months? Breast milk is still the preferred choices, and whole milk the next option — but many people in China prefer toddler formula. While milk safety in China is a legitimate concern, most pediatricians and nutritionists don’t feel this is the best choice.… Read the rest
Don’t Like Dairy But Need Your Calcium? Eat These
Did you know only 10% of teen girls in the USA get enough calcium? That’s an astonishingly depressing stat from the American Academy of Pediatric’s fascinating position paper on calcium (available here for free). Let’s show that graph right now:
This graph clearly shows a couple points:
- Most infants are doing great with their calcium, thanks to breast and formula milks.
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
Chinese Spring Festival Eve: As Unhealthy As Thanksgiving?
Next week’s Spring Festival will already be my sixth here in Beijing, and Spring Festival Eve is always one of the highlights of my year. My wife and I spend a wonderful evening with our Chinese in-laws, and all two dozen of us will gorge for hours on endless rounds of dumplings and snacks, drink all types of alcohol and juices, and happily shout at the TV screen as another awful performer lip syncs yet another tacky ballad. … Read the rest
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