"Don?t die of ignorance," is the advice being given to Chinese citizens by Dr. Qi Guoli, a Stanford University graduate and health expert from Beijing Medical University.
In a speech to government officials recently, Dr. Qi advised that people aged thirty to fifty are at higher risk of premature death due to hypertension and hyperlipemia (fat in the blood stream). He went on to say that far too many Chinese have died of disease rather than of old age and that this incidence is abnormal. Dr. Qi wants to publicize health care and disease prevention to all government departments across China.
In terms of world health, the Japanese are said to be the brightest living example with women?s average life expectancy reaching an incredible 87.6 -- twenty years longer than Chinese women. ?This is unforgivable!? remarks Dr. Qi. But in Japan there is a concerted effort to promote health care education through the community and everyone has the opportunity to attend a health care class each month. This is not the situation in China and as Dr Qi says, ?We don?t have that!? The Chinese have an average life expectancy of not more than sixty because of poor awareness on matters of health and disease prevention.
For Dr. Qi, three things will keep you healthy: balanced diet, aerobic exercise and positive emotions.
The Balanced Diet
The doctor?s dietary remedy suggests six healthy drinks that include green tea, red grape wine, soya bean milk, yoghurt, meat broth and mushroom soup. Green tea is known to contain materials that can prevent cancer, is rich in calcium for stronger teeth and prevents blood vessel ruptures. Red grape wine, in moderation, can prevent heart disease and reduce blood pressure. Soya beans are full of protein and prevent cancers such as breast cancer. In this respect soya bean milk is considered more beneficial than animal milk. Yoghurt is said to protect the germ balance of the body while mushrooms stimulate the immune system.
As well as that, Dr. Qi suggests that cereals, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, garlic, black agarics and pollen all have a positive effect on the body.
Aerobic Exercise
In contrast to the traditional Chinese view that exercise is more beneficial in the morning, Dr. Qi disagrees and says everyone should do it in the evening instead. For older people, there can be dangers in over doing it so he says walk, don?t climb or jog. Open your windows at 9 to 11 am or 2 to 4 pm to get the best quality fresh air and exercise early in summer and late in winter. But he warns that older people should only take light exercise.
Positive Emotion
Dr. Qi suggests that anger may undermine all the effects achieved by diet and exercise and bring sickness to the body. Although it has yet to be proved, it is the doctor?s contention that anger, or negative emotion, plays some part in contributing to the development of cancer.
To prevent anger, and control stress, psychologists suggest five management approaches:
Anger Avoidance
-- Repeat others words during conflict and ask for time to consider
-- Remove yourself if you think you will lose your temper or get violent
Substitute Activities
-- Describe the room to yourself in neutral terms
-- Concentrate and look at things not people
-- Concentrate on things you have to do
-- Count to 10 - it really works
Relaxation
-- Change your breathing, holding each breath for 5 seconds
-- Tense and relax muscles, holding for five seconds and releasing
-- Massage yourself, particularly stomach and chest
-- Change postures constantly, roll shoulders
Brain Rhythms
-- Play music to yourself, listening attentively or making it inside your head
-- Take exercise of any form
Anger Management
-- When your anger is justified, use positive self-statements to manage it
Laughing, Dr. Qi says, is the best medicine. Laughing, as a unique human function, plays an important role in maintaining good health. In traditional terms, oriental people have been serious and sometimes stern, even with foreigners, but now that is changing. President Jiang smiles a lot, as do other Party leaders. Laughter may prevent disease like hemicrania or backache and include assistance with sexual disability, respiratory and alimentary canal problems.
The doctor also proposes that to cry is as important as to laugh. So don?t hold those tears back, sob away!
So, if you drink green tea, eat soya bean, sleep well, exercise more and don?t forget to laugh, you will live a long and healthy life.
(China.org.cn translated by Li Liangdu, February 20, 2003)
