How To: Stay Healthy During Winter in Beijing

How To: Stay Healthy During Winter in Beijing
By Mark Turner , eChinacities.com

Balancing a healthy lifestyle in Beijing’s somewhat tough winter climate is a goal which is much longed for but not always realised by many. Here is a helpful how to guide to staying healthy in the Beijing winter.

Take a deep breath…
With many of Beijing’s residential building being heated solely by fossil fuels, namely coal, the airborne particulate count – which is already high all year round – goes through the roof (no pun intended) during the winter time. Pollution plays a great part in detracting from respiratory health for many Beijing residents during the colder months and the sight of people walking the streets or sat on the subway wearing surgical style masks is very common. Although these masks as a barrier aiding the reduction of transmission of viruses and germs, unknown to many they do very little to stop people breathing in the microscopic nasties that are floating in the air and very harmful to the health.

Available online and also at the World Health Store in CBD are Respro masks which are designed specifically for athletes and city commuters; they filter out much of the unwanted pollutants. For those not wishing to go about their household chores wearing mask reminiscent of Darth Vader (as beautiful as they are) there are also air purification options such as the IQAir which is a great option for filtering the air in your home making it a healthier environment.

World Health Store 康美然健康馆View In Map
Add: R 2152, 1 F, A section, North Tower, SOHO Shangdu, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区东大桥路8号尚都SOHO北塔A座一层2152
Tel: 010 5900 2209
Opening hours: 10:30-20:00 Mon-Fri, 11:00-19:30 Sat-Sun
Website: www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

…and relax
Avoiding stress is an important factor in avoiding illness. It is a commonly known fact that an immune system under stress is a compromised and weak immune system. A good way to reduce stress on the weekend or after a hard working day is to take a massage. Luckily for the Beijing expat, the options are broad and begin at humble massage centres to be found in every xiao qu (living area), often staffed with blind masseurs who sometimes have an uncanny knack for identifying health problems or sore points, these places normally have massage services beginning at around 40 or 50 RMB for an hour long back or foot massage. Finding a good masseur however can be a process of trial and error.

For those wishing to splash out some more cash there are high end spas and massage parlours with more decadent surroundings and more elaborate pampering. Two of the most popular ones in town are Bodhi Sense, offering all kind of fragrant massage treatments and Long Island Spa which is a branch of Thai a chain of spas based in Thailand, it is perfect for those that enjoy the gentle bending and stretching incorporated in Thai massage.

Bodhi Sense 菩提View In Map
Add: 2/F Somerset Grand Fortune Garden, 46 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区亮马桥路46号盛捷福景苑2层
Tel: 010 8440 1495, 8440 1496
Opening hours: 11:00-00:30
Website: www.bodhi.com.cn

Long Island Spa (Chaoyang Men Branch) 长岛健身朝阳门店View In Map
Add: B1, Jiahui Center, 6 Jiqingli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 300 meters north of the Huapu Building
地址: 北京市朝阳区吉庆里6号佳汇中心B1层(华普大厦向北300米)
Tel: 010 6551 6112, 6551 6113
Opening hours: 11:00-01:00
Website: http://www.longislandspa.com.cn/

Long Island Spa (Guanghua Lu) 长岛健身光华路店View In Map
Add: 5F Nuoan Building, 14A Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing (SW of the Kerry Centre Hotel)
地址: 北京市朝阳区光华路甲14号诺安大厦5层(嘉里中心饭店斜对面)
Tel: 010 5130 9718, 6591 6247
Opening hours: 11:00-02:00
Website: http://www.longislandspa.com.cn/

Get busy
Exercise and fitness play a major role in maintaining a healthy immune system just as much as relaxation does. Around town there a number venues and clubs which help in providing great outlets for pent up energy that a sedentary job can often leave you with. Yoga is a great way to relax and exercise, increasing flexibility and promoting better breathing. Beijing has a number of great yoga clubs. Fine Yoga is great for small classes and is based in Guomao. It provides an intimate setting in which to receive yoga instruction. Bikram Hot Yoga Club is more tailored to those that like to enjoy the presence of eye candy when they are doing their stretches and is home to some of the city’s youngest, most beautiful yoga practitioners.

Beijing Hash House Harriers are a running club that like to enjoy a beer or two after slogging it out on the streets and in the parks of the capital. They are based at Tim’s Texas Roadhouse and run routes around 8 km in length and serve as a club for broadening social networks as well as in promoting fitness.

For those with an interest in martial arts, Jinghua Wushu is based in Liangmaqiao offer classes on Shaolin Kungfu in both Chinese and English. Wushu is a great way to increase flexibility stamina and self discipline. It is also a perfect way to maintain winter and all year round fitness.

Fine Yoga SOHO 梵音瑜伽View In Map
Add: SOHO New Town, Tower A, 5th Floor, Room 501 (right at the B Exit of the Line 1 subway Dawang Lu stop), Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区建国路88号SOHO现代城A座 501室(正好在大望路(地铁1号线)站的东南出口 (即出口B)
Tel: 010 8589 6474, 5900 3192
Website: http://beifang.fine-yoga.com/

Fine Yoga Shunyi 梵音瑜伽View In Map
Add: 3F, Le Lemon Lake Club House, Shunyi District, Beijing
地址: 北京顺义区后沙裕镇莱蒙湖别墅会所三层
Tel: 010 8589 6474, 5900 3192
Website: http://beifang.fine-yoga.com/

Bikram Hot Yoga 比克拉姆式热瑜伽View In Map
Add: 5/F, Bldg E, Pacific Century Place, 2A Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区工体北路甲2号盈科中心E栋会所五层
Tel: 010 6539 3434
Opening hours: 10:00-11:30 and 18:45-20:15 Mon-Fri; 10:00-11:30 Sat; Sun 17:00-18:30

Jinghua Wushu 京华武术View In Map
Add: Pulse Gym, Kempinski Hotel, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu,
Sanyuanqiao
地址: 北京市朝阳区亮马桥路50号
Tel: 135 2228 3751

Wisdom of the ancients
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has many remedies for dealing with winter ailments. These range from the simple advice of soaking your feet in a bowl of steaming water, helping you to sweat out your cold to drinking boiling hot water and tea in the place of sugar and additive laden beverages such as cola.

One common pearl of wisdom often dispensed by Chinese medical practitioners which sound quite common sense, but is not always strictly observed by many is eat more vegetables. Of course, maintaining nutritional balance is an integral part of a healthy winter lifestyle. Sanyuanli Market meets all of your vegetable and exotic grocery shopping needs. The market offers a wide variety of produce, some of it not at all available in standard supermarkets. It is perfect for finding exotic items such as avocados and artichokes – important for brightening up the dinner table and a must for many foreign cuisines.

For those wishing to find in-depth TCM treatment there are a number of special clinics around the city. Amongst the most famous is Guo Jia Chinese Medicine Clinic which uses Chinese medicine and Buddhist philosophy in their treatment of ailing visitors.

Sanyuanli Market 三元里市场View In Map
Add: Shunyuan Jie, Dongsan Huan, Chaoyang District, Beijing (turn NE at Xinyuanli Jingkelong; Sanyuanli is past the KFC on the right hand side)
地址: 北京朝阳区东三环顺源街

Guo Jia Chinese Medicine Clinic 国嘉中医诊所View In Map
Add: Rm. 23A, 23/F, Tower B, Zhonghai Zijing Haoting, 30 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing (across from the Jingguang Center)
地址: 北京市朝阳区东三环北路30号中海紫荆豪庭B座23A (京广中心对面)
Tel: 010 85980423
Opening hours: 09:00-18:00
Website: www.guojia.net.cn

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