Living with Pollution/Weather in Beijing/China (for Athletes and New Comers):

This is sort of a section for the Athletes and new comers. Pollution is very bad in China. If you are staying long term in China, expect it to take a few years off your life. I won’t get into anything technical here, because telling you how many particles per million or billion is useless to me and most likely to you as well.

This isn’t a section on how bad the pollution is or a rant about environmental damages. This one is about how to cope with it.

I have an independent air filter system at home in Beijing. If you have the money, you can get a combo with a air moisturizing system add on which can be a god send in Beijing.

1. Get an air filtering system. Or if you have an AC, change its filters often(HEPA if you can get it).

2. Get used to it. The US Olympics team has decided to stay in Korea and will only go to Beijing in the last minute to compete. BAD mistake. Your system needs that critical first week to adjust to the new environment. If you don’t do this, the pollution crash(with asthma or flu like symptoms) will be horrid.

3. Drink a lot of good water. Enough said.

4. Choose a living quarter away from the Main streets. In the west, everyone wants a view, don’t they? In China or Beijing in particular, getting a view can mean that your windows can have constant (depending on where it’s facing) winds blowing pollutants INTO your house. You will also have less noise.

5. Keep up your Ritual. Keep up your daily ritual of waking up at 6 am, brushing, and/or your favorite breakfast of sunny side eggs. This will keep you emotionally stable, so you and your immune system will be better prepared for the onslaught.

6. Do some experiments before coming. Here is an interesting experiment to try: Don one or two surgical masks, and go out and run for 5-10 kms. Can you handle the thinner air? Is your body still getting adequate amount of oxygen?

7. Be prepared for HOT, and DRY heat. If you are coming for the Olympics for any reason. Beijing is extremely hot in the summer. A lot of people don’t know that Beijing has desert weather. The fact that we are situated near the corner of Gobi Desert also helps. We don’t usually get sand storms in summer, but these days, you’ll never know. Pause for a second and Imagine a sand storm in the 50 degree C weather. You can get back to me later. Take your time. …., back? Unpleasant? Uncomfortable? Downright Nasty? You bet. AC can be your best friend in this season, but if you stay too long in it, you will get AC disease.

As for Athletes, stay off the sun, and keep hydrated. I am sure you don’t need me to say that.

8. If you are rich, you can get a place near the Summer Palace. This is one place in Beijing with a lot of water nearby and lots of old trees that are actually localized. Of course, you could stay/rent a farm house out there for cheap, but I am not sure if any westerners can actually survive that.

9. Honey with Grapefruit, Honey with Lemon, Grapefruit tea or a tiny bit of ginger tea can be a god send.

To be continued.