Warmer weather does not always mean better health

We're trapped in the no man's land between the end of Beijing's dystopian winter and the onslaught of the coming spring. It may be a while before fear of pollen and hay fever allergies set in, but all the Chinese health magazines are starting to run their annual pieces about how March is the worst thing to happen to our health. So we thought we'd try to provide some sensible advice on actual physical problems that you can prevent.

Dust bowl　

If you've been cooped up all winter as any sensible Beijinger should be, avoiding the biting, dehydrating cold, you've probably been hording dust like an obsessive stamp collector. This is not to be confused with asthma, a problematic disease to say the least if you live in this toxic atmosphere of pollution. Dust allergies are normally caused by dust mites, too small to see, but which can create big problems.

The symptoms can be similar to asthma, and also include congestion, runny nose, sneezing and coughing. So if you're feeling like you have a cold every time you walk through a cloud of dust to get to the kitchen, it might be time to see a specialist.

Not coveting thy neighbor's ass

Pet owners will most likely be aware quickly if their little darlings are giving them a life-threatening problem, but for those living in a large compound it might be that neighbors are causing more grief than just noise pollution.

Stray cats are probably high up on the list of allergy causing animals. Cats can cause a reaction similar to that of a food allergy, irritating your body's immune system to irrationally produce too much histamine. Particularly if the animals in your area are unwashed, allergens can collect in the cats fur, although it's substances secreted in their saliva which affect most people.

Next door's dog might be an equal health risk. While not all breeds of dogs can cause allergies to flare up, the shedding of dead skin cells from the animal can cause a severe reaction in humans.

That tastes funky　

If you're one of the millions worldwide that suffers from a nut allergy, and you're reading this in Beijing, you're probably already realizing how impossible it is to avoid ingesting nut products at a Chinese restaurant.

It should be mentioned that there is a clear difference between allergy and intolerance. An allergy is normally a hypersensitivity to a foodstuff, often nuts and seafood, which provokes an over-enthusiastic immune system response that can be very dangerous and sometimes deadly.

A food intolerance is normally more specific to an individual, whose body for whatever reason does not produce the right chemicals or enzymes necessary to digest certain foods. Many people have an intolerance to wheat. Equally, you may most commonly see such symptoms in your Chinese friends, who turn red and fall face down on the table after a small glass of beer. This is because a large ratio of the population does not produce the required enzymes to process alcohol, thus providing them with a small toxic reaction. While some can be managed, an intolerance may mean that you have to avoid the substance completely if possible.

Of course you have to watch out for those who fake allergies though. We're not out to have a pop at anyone, but the Hollywood notion that eating anything other than a few kidney beans causes people to swell up, or become fat as the layman calls it, is a highly dubious notion. To all those people out there who have an allergy to McDonald's burgers or eating too much chocolate, as much as we wish it were true, we know you're lying.

Toxic teas

We're still a couple of months away from seeing any drastic increase in pollen in the air, and even then Beijing isn't exactly renowned for its vast quantity of flowers.

A more likely scenario is that as the weather remains a little bit chilly you could actually find your sense irritated by the contents of some Chinese teas. It's particularly prevalent in the mixed flower teas, which normally come with awful sugar blocks.

Fight back

True allergies tend to react in the same way. They provoke an immune system response which generates an excess of histamine. Hence the use of modern anti-histamines, in serious doses administered in hospitals, and in lower doses found in hay fever and allergy medications available at local pharmacies.

One of the easier to find allergy treatments in China is actually chrysanthemum tea. While hay fever sufferers might balk at the very appearance of a thin yellow liquid full of flowers, tea made from chrysanthemum does seem to work. It can have an anti-inflammatory effect, as well as calming an allergic immune response.

But be warned, some people have also had allergic reactions to chrysanthemum too.

For longer lingering allergy symptoms, acupuncture has a reputation for being able to clear congestion and ease various other respiratory symptoms of an allergic reaction. Check around to find the best licensed acupuncturist.

Of course there is also Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). While it's easy to be skeptical about the witch doctor-like nature of TCM, it's thought that some of the ingredients could prove useful in the case of allergic reactions. Common garden ingredients like magnolia and chrysanthemum are used, as are the slightly more toxic xanthium powder and everyday TCM ingredient woad (isatis root).　

Specifically, bi yan pian has been around for a while and the small pills, which aim to clear out the nasal passages, are worth a try if you are at a loss. Quality and safety testing vary depending on where you buy them, so be sure to visit a reputable vendor like Tongrentang.

Bi yan pian is essentially a herbal mix of decongestants, normally containing chrysanthemum and forsythia. However, it still functions as a strong and potentially toxic herbal medicine, so stick to the dosage recommendations.

Xiang sha liu jun wan is another herbal concoction, which is more focused on curing severe digestive ailments, as might occur from food intolerances or allergies. It contains similar ingredients to bi yan pian, and is thought to be effective for mild symptoms.