Kayla Brown moved to China from her native Bahamas in 2016 to study Clinical Medicine. She graduated from Peking University and today she’s a neurosurgical resident at Tiantan hospital/makeup artist with her own beauty salon where she also hosts events and workshops for those interested in makeup and DIY skincare products.

I met her when she came to my place to do my makeup and she struck me as an approachable person, one that’s very easy to talk to.

We had a nice chat while she was working on my face and it came up that she knew not a word in Chinese when she first arrived: “I’d respond to Ni hao with a smile and a friendly wave…I was afraid I’d mess up the pronunciation and offend someone.”

Being a student is hard enough, but being a student who doesn’t understand or speak the language spoken in the country is hard on a totally different level. And let’s not forget it’s medicine and medical vocabulary we’re talking about here: “It was an intense and rigorous program taught completely in Chinese. I had a panic attack in my very first semester before finals week…I literally forgot how to breathe. Eventually, anxiety became a normal part of student life and we helped and supported each other through it the best we could”, says Kayla about her university life.

Although studying for free in China does have its perks, I wanted to know what made Ms. Brown choose medicine as a career in the first place: “I’ve watched my mother struggle with mental illness my entire life. As a kid, I felt helpless to assist her in the way I know she deserves. Helping her and others like her through educating myself was and still is my main career motivation”.

Becoming a brain doctor became Kayla’s first and foremost goal despite all the obstacles: “Medicine is an already challenging field to study, but studying in a foreign language where you’re expected to not only learn, but read and write characters you just learned a few months ago…had me outside at 4am reciting and writing lines as if I was losing my mind. To use the word difficult to describe studying medicine in Chinese would be offensive to all the students who’ve experienced such as program “.

Although Kayla’s medical career is just starting and there will definitely be hardships to conquer, she admits that she’s looking forward to every step of the way: “I’m super excited because neurosurgery excites and humbles me at the same time. I know firsthand the importance of healthy brain function. Having observed them in action, I have great respect for surgeons in China and relish every opportunity to learn from them”. Apart from training in the field of brain surgery, she’s also doing medical research at Beijing Neurological Institute.

This lady is definitely something else because when she’s not busy being a neurosurgeon and doing research, she offers makeup services to expat and local ladies in Beijing.

Although makeup artistry was never a personal goal of Kayla (A.K.A Dr. Kay among her clientele), she was encouraged to start considering it by other women of color in Beijing and it turned out to be a creative outlet away from the pressures of school.

Dr. Kay’s beauty studio is located in Baiziwan, where she also hosts beauty events:  “I started with these events mostly because I wanted to share my love for creativity in the beauty space and DIY; plus I have the space for it! I’m currently organizing one DIY event each month”. Both men and women are welcome to join these workshops where they get to choose and with Kayla’s help make their own skincare products.” After they are done, I provide the packaging, and cute labels and they are free to take them home and enjoy.”

As for the price, it depends on the product being made. For the attendees, there is also an option of choosing the number of products they’d like to do. Whether it will be as low as RMB 99 or as high as RMB 299 really only depends on you.

Being this busy and having two full-time careers must be draining: “Meditation, creative projects, and planning events and workshops (sounds like work, but I enjoy it) keep me sane. I’m also a super organized person. Daily planners, post-its, digital reminders, and alarms are all necessary to help me stay on top of my crazy schedule”, admits Dr. Kay. When it comes to her social life, it’s not at the top of her priority list: “Needles to say, at the end of a long, tiring week, I’m not that interested in socializing. I’d rather cook some random vegan dish, invite some friends over to hang out for a bit, or just SLEEP”.

The next DIY workshop will take place on Sep 25. Learn how to make a clay mask, body mist, or a lip gloss with Dr. Kay’s assistance. The price starts from RMB 92. If you’re interested in attending this or any of the upcoming events, search for this WeChat username: heydrkay

Photos: Kayla Brown

Have you ever wondered if counting sheep before sleep actually works? How about sleeping naked? Or how much sleep should a teenager get? We got your burning questions answered through an interview with Dr. Rochon, biopsychologist from EngineeringSleep.

Dr. Rochon has a master’s in neuroscience and cognitive science with a doctorate specializing in sleep and different stages of consciousness. Studying both biology and psychology, he became a biopsychologist, finding sleep as the perfect link between these disciplines.

“For me, the link between biology and psychology is represented by sleep. Sleep is the most accurate way to touch biological or psychological problems,” says Dr. Rochon.

1. What is the circadian rhythm and why is it important?

The circadian rhythm is the most important part of sleep that people aren’t familiar with. It is a clock inside of your brain that dictates how your body works. Synchronizing this clock with the outside world is critical. The circadian clock is actually in the middle of your brain, controlling your eyes, absorbing light from the sun as well as managing your habits.

Take the example of social jetlag. Social jetlag is when your circadian rhythm is a little bit later. This is when people wake up later during the weekend, which means they have access to light later, desynchronizing their circadian rhythm. For instance, if you see the light at 10am today, then your body will prepare you to see it at the same time tomorrow, instead of earlier. So this is why you are tired on Mondays since your body follows what you told it to do the day before. Therefore, it is best to stick to the same wake-up schedule every day.  

2. Does sleeping naked help with your sleep?

For some people, I think it’s a good idea, but it depends. Chinese medicine actually talks about it since when people sleep naked they can make their surroundings warmer. But again, it’s about lowering your body temperature and the easiest way to cool down is to take off your clothes. I think it’s more linked with the psychology of habits. So if you like to do it, you should do it.

3. When should an average teenager go to sleep? How much sleep should they get?

Teenagers have a circadian rhythm a little bit later than normal people. That means biologically, they are already pushed to go to bed later and wake up later. Why? This is due to melatonin, which is a hormone that tells you it’s dark outside. Melatonin secretion is common for teenagers, so naturally, teens would go to sleep later. And their late social events add to this phenomenon.

What we need to do as teens is to be sure that we wake up at the same time every day instead of sleeping in. Thus, it’s not about how long we sleep, it’s more about how we sleep and wake up. So even if we don’t get enough sleep, we can recover later through naps.

4. Does counting sheep work?

This idea concerns the psychological aspect. Counting sheep is not a bad idea but it works differently for different people. So, the more you can visualize in your head, it’s easier to fall asleep. Yet if you count the sheep just for the sake of counting, it doesn’t work because you will go into sleep control thinking. This is where one story leads to another and another, making it difficult to sleep. It’s also true that if you can relax your muscles through a breathing technique, it’s easier to sleep.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, get in touch with Dr. Rochon!

Website: engineeringsleep.com

WeChat: sleep-cognition

Images: Unsplash, Canva, Pexels, Dr. Rochon

Have you ever wondered why you feel unusually tired on Monday mornings? Or whether sleeping more really help you grow taller? We got your burning questions answered through an interview with Dr. Rochon, a biopsychologist from Engineering Sleep.

Dr. Rochon has a master’s in neuroscience and cognitive science with a doctorate specializing in sleep and different stages of consciousness. Studying both biology and psychology, he became a biopsychologist, finding sleep as the perfect link between both disciplines.

“For me, the link between biology and psychology is represented by sleep. Sleep is the most accurate way to touch biological or psychological problems,” says Dr. Rochon

1. What can you do before going to sleep that will improve your sleep quality?

The most important part is your access to light. The more you dim your lights during the evening, the more easily you will fall asleep and sleep deeply. This should be a part of your routine. When you form a routine in your brain by activating different kinds of behaviors, it will prepare your brain to fall asleep faster and deeper.

Another thing you should do is to cool down your body, so your bedroom should be at about 20 to 21 degrees Celsius. If you want to sleep faster, stay in your living room until you start to have biological signs of sleep like yawning, and then you can go back to your bedroom. Going to sleep is not something passive, it’s active, so you have to prepare for it.

2. Do you need less sleep as you get older?

Instead of sleeping less, I would say we need the same amount of sleep, but as you get older, you will separate this amount. We go back to a baby way of sleeping, where you would sleep for an hour and a half and then wake up and then go to sleep.

3. How much time and when should you nap during the day if you don’t get enough sleep?

The best time is usually approximately six hours after you wake up. It’s usually after lunch, but for some people who wake up earlier, it’s during lunch or before lunch. This time of the day is the best to take a nap for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes so that you don’t go into deep sleep. If you do it, don’t do it on your bed. Do it somewhere that you don’t associate with sleep. Yet, for people who have trouble falling asleep, I don’t recommend naps.

4. Can you really grow taller if you sleep more?

If you have a healthy sleeping schedule, like going to bed and waking up the same time every day, then you will have more growth hormones. The first three hours of your sleep are especially significant since it is considered deep sleep where the most growth hormones are secreted. This is more important for younger children, which means parents should reinforce the time they go to bed. In short, for teens, if you miss the first three hours of your usual sleep schedule, you will also miss the opportunity to excrete growth hormones that day.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, get in touch with Dr. Rochon! 

Website: engineeringsleep.com

Wechat ID: sleep-cognition

Images: Unsplash, Canva, Pexels, Dr. Rochon

It started off like any other doctor’s appointment.

Or it would have if I’d been to the doctor since my last baby was born.

It was a general check-up, you should exercise but only if it’s sustainable, great job quitting smoking in your twenties, good blood pressure, here’s what I would screen for if I were you…..oh, and want to do your OB-GYN check-up while you’re here?

That was the least of my worries, since in the four years between getting oopsie pregnant for the first time, having to end a second nonviable pregnancy, finally having my second child (sometimes called the rainbow baby), and ending some whirlwind maternity years by getting a tubal ligation (inaccurately referred to as “getting your tubes tied”), I’d been to the lady parts doctor more often than I’d been to a general doctor visit in my adult life.

But hey, I was there already, trying to use up all my great expat insurance while I had it, so might as well give the gynecologist a go.

While I got my blood drawn, it struck me as odd that we purposely chose our living conditions because of its close proximity to this clinic, yet I’d never been here for myself, short of getting a flu shot. Every time it occurred to me that I should go see the general doctor for a check-up, especially since I’m (just) over 40, I thought, yeah, sure, I’ll do it soon, then promptly forgot about it. Not until my friend Leonora from back in the US urged her fellow Mom friends to take care of themselves in the new year did I write it into my planner.

It didn’t happen two weeks in a row, and so I kept moving the date. More things came up, the kids needed this, our household needed that, I didn’t know when I’d have the time, certainly not this week…..and then, I just made the call.

I could have rescheduled the OB-GYN part of the appointment, but I figured hey, I’m here. Let’s do it. I know this part well.

Actually, the part I know well is running through the basics, getting the exam or pap, then walking away. It wasn’t until the doctor asked about my last period that I admitted it had come two weeks early with cramps, which I normally never have. Her eyebrows shot up as asked how bad the cramps were.

“Uh, I was in bed all day and couldn’t stay awake?”

So that is how I ended up in the stirrups for the first time in four years, getting an ultrasound from the inside, then hearing the doctor and nurse speak in Mandarin about that thing you see on the screen that shouldn’t be there. It wasn’t until I spoke up and asked, “What is it?” that the doctor told me I had a small cyst on my ovary. It’s probably benign, and I just need to monitor it. It’s not a big deal, but it is a deal. It is there. And I almost tried to ignore it because I, the primary caretaker of two young kids with a full-time job in a foreign city trying to mitigate new infections of Covid-19 –well, it isn’t convenient for me to get sick. Even, or especially, if I didn’t have the job, it wouldn’t be convenient, because then I wouldn’t have an ayi who could watch the kids that day I had to stay in bed and couldn’t stay awake.

My point is, many parents –especially mothers — neglect their own health and preventative care in order to take care of their family. Someone or something else always comes first. If I hadn’t heeded the advice of my good friend from half a world away, I might have just…. not gone to the doctor. And then this thing that is probably a normal thing I will learn to deal with or need to get rid of might have grown unnoticed, one more symptom of getting older, like back pain or bad knees.

Especially while I am in a situation and a country where I have good health insurance, I need to use it. If this last year taught us nothing, I hope it taught us that the life and lifestyle we take for granted is quite fragile in reality, and we must embrace every moment of joy that we have.

We should also include regular doctor visits in there.

KEEP READING: Taking Aunt Flow Out for Lunch – Beijing’s Period Restaurants

Images: Cindy Marie Jenkins

Beijingers will soon be able to make an appointment to see their doctor using WeChat, it was reported this week.

Twenty-one municipal hospitals in the capital will set up their own accounts on the messaging app, which may also allow patients to receive medical test results, according to the Beijing Morning Post.

Nine of the hospitals piloting the idea already have a presence on WeChat, though they currently only feature information about the hospital and staff, in addition to general medical advice.

As well as making appointment-booking more convenient for patients, there are hopes that the new scheme will help hospitals overcome the drawbacks of the current system. Patients have been known to face lengthy queues to book a slot in person. There have also been other reported problems, such as “scalpers” taking appointment tickets in the morning and selling them on to people looking to jump ahead.

The move may be a response to Tabao’s free hospital appointment booking service which launched in May 2013. Access to booking services through WeChat will be significantly smaller in scale however, as the online retailer began with over 600 hospitals registered on its system.

The news should mark a welcome development for the sort of over-enthusiastic WeChat users who admitted themselves to hospital for hand injuries when the messaging app launched its Space Invaders-style shooting game in August last year. At the time, an orthopedic doctor in Zhejiang province reported seeing an increase in patients suffering from WeChat-related inflammation of their hand tendons, according to Qianjiang Evening News.

Let us hope that the scramble for appointments does not lead to a similar jump in hospital admissions.

Image courtesy of Kleuske (Flickr)

Having worked in both African war zones and some of the West’s most prestigious children’s hospitals, Dr. Wei Cheng has had one of the most varied medical careers imaginable. As he returns to his native Beijing after 40 years to take on a new position at Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU), beijingkids spoke with Dr. Cheng about China’s health challenges, advances in pediatric medicine, and the experiences in Angola that inspired his 2005 book No One Can Stop the Rain.

BJK: What is that has brought you to practice here in Beijing?

WC: China is undergoing rapid change. The trajectory of its growth means vast opportunities. China started somewhere a bit better than the war zones I’ve been in, but there is quite some distance before closing in on some of the institutions I’ve worked in the West. I can make more difference here in China, capitalizing on some of my previous experience, rather than in the West where there are many well-educated talents.

Another personal or emotional reason is that I was born and brought up here, in Beijing. After leaving at the age of 15 years, I feel time is right to return to the place of my birth, 40 years later. Some things remain permanent, such the historical buildings, whereas most of the city has changed beyond recognition. I feel most comfortable getting lost in the street chaos, surrounded by the nostalgic Beijing twangs.

What do you think are the greatest long-term public health challenges facing children in China?

Children in big cities in are facing similar pressure to succeed academically as in other big Asian cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul and so on. I do worry that children do not have enough time to exercise. This inactive lifestyle may lead to many unwanted illness of development, obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes. On top of that, the children seem to have little room to develop their own interests or passions. A country like China, [which is so]desperate to inculcate innovation, needs to guarantee some space for creativity. A childhood without any spare time to let the imagination roam is in danger of forever copying others’ advances.

Are there any particular ailments or conditions that you see more frequently amongst children in China than in elsewhere and if so, why?

I work, half a day a week, pro bono, at Capital Institute of Pediatrics where we see many children with choledocal cysts [a congenital condition involving cystic dilatation of bile ducts]. This condition is more common amongst Asians, probably due to our genetic makeup. The center is leading [the world]in laparoscopic operations [or "keyhole surgery"]for this condition. The team is lead by Prof. Li with whom I have had long-term collaboration. We have published 20 papers together in international journals. I also benefit from taking part in large number of laparoscopic surgeries at the center.

Your book No One Can Stop the Rain documents your foreign aid work in the midst of the Angolan civil war – what were the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of working in such a difficult environment?

The most challenging part of the volunteering work is not the actual mission per se, but the decision to come off the career treadmill, being fully aware of the fact that one’s career may have changed forever. Many of my Chinese friends, including my parents, considered giving up a good position and income in a teaching hospital was career suicide. However, the same group of people changed their attitude completely after we returned. 

The most rewarding experience is the feeling that one has done something to help those most unfortunate internal refugees, the land mines victims and malnourished children during their darkest hours.

You have been involved in academia as well as medical practice; do you intend to continue researching whilst here?

I still maintain some research activities in Australia. I have kept the role of adjunctive professor of pediatric surgery of Monash University, where I still supervise two PhD students, together with my collaborators in Melbourne. One student is studying the genetics of bladder exstrophy whereas the other is studying necrotising enterocolitis, a condition which affects premature babies. I am a visiting professor at Capital Institute of Pediatrics where I co-supervise a PhD student doing research of genetics of a congenital abnormality, ano-rectal malformation. I am also a visiting professor at Chong Ching Medical University where I co-supervised a PhD student. The Chinese government is injecting increasing amount of resources into research. I do hope to capitalize on that, together with collaborators in Melbourne.

You currently edit the Chinese Journal of Pediatric Surgery and Frontiers of Pediatric Surgery. What do you feel are the most exciting and promising advances in this field?

I have been on the Chinese Journal of Pediatric Surgery for more than a decade. This span of recent history is one of rapid “catching up”. I am very glad to see that, in the area of laparoscopic surgical techniques, China has become a world leader. This is understandable as one needs vast case volume to develop the skill. To be a world leader in basic research, there needs to be a mechanism of equitable remuneration for clinician-scientists or scientists. The former group is of particular importance in my opinion, as they bring the clinical questions into the lab and take the possible solutions from the lab back to the wards. Many of the breakthroughs come from this group. However, it is extremely demanding job. One has to juggle both the patients and the research students, and the labor is not fully appreciated. This applies to both China and the Western world.

Dr. Cheng is a pediatric surgeon and department chair of surgery at BJU. His book No One Can Stop the Rain is available on Tabao.

Images Courtesy of BJU and Dr. Wei Cheng

Healthcare in Beijing is largely hospital-based, which can be a real hassle if you have a non-urgent medical complaint. As many of our readers will know, it is not always easy to find the time to go and see a doctor.

Unfortunately, this means that those with minor conditions or simple health queries often put off treatment or rely on self-diagnosis. But a new online doctor service, launched this month, could make life a great deal easier, cheaper, and healthier for busy Beijingers.

The new Beijing Health Portal aims to provide access to fast and professional medical advice. What’s more, you don’t need take time off work or fork out for medical bills to take advantage of the service. Simply post your query on the forum in English, Chinese, or Japanese and one of the specialists from Puhua International Hospital in Shuangjing will get back to you within 48 hours.

With recent user queries ranging from itchy eyes to asthma, the site may save families a trip to the hospital or, at the very least, let you know when face-to-face attention is necessary.

The hospital has reassured beijingkids that the advice dispensed will be entirely objective and the medical specialists will adhere to strict rules on soliciting business or advertising services on the forum. Doctors from other hospitals are also encouraged to sign up in order to reassure patients that they’re getting unbiased advice and that all-important second opinion.

And as well as looking at existing discussions or posting your own medical queries, you can also use the forum give feedback about your experiences with any Puhua service. They want to hear patients’ experiences, good or bad, which they will publish uncensored and respond to where appropriate.

Easy access to care and transparent patient feedback are crucial to improving healthcare, so we think the new portal has a lot of potential. We would love to hear readers’ experiences of the service so get in touch and let us know your thoughts!

Photo courtesy of Puhua International Hospital

If you have a second, check out this really great video from an interesting website called Give Me a Second. The purpose of this site is to educate women about the importance of getting a second opinion, when it comes to seeking treatment for the below medical conditions: 

All that changed when Reina came down with the flu. She may loath going to the hospital, but after several sleepless nights due to her coughing, we both needed some relief. Fortunately, there is now one doctor in Beijing that Reina is willing to see, Dr. Melissa Rodriguez.  To be fair, we have known Melissa since we moved to Beijing two years ago and her daughter is one of Reina’s closest chums. However, when we learned that Dr. Melissa (as Reina now calls her) was going to start practicing Naturopathic medicine at IMC (International Medical Center), Reina and I both agreed that it was one doctor she need not fear.

After much questioning to get to the crux of the matter and to gain a thorough understanding of Reina’s symptoms, Dr. Melissa was able to provide Reina with a homeopathic remedy that was diluted in water and had no taste; Reina called this her special kitty water due to the kitten stickers the good doctor had attached to the packet. That night, after a few sips over a couple of hours, her coughing subsided dramatically and Reina was able to sleep the whole night through, thankfully only waking one time before falling back into a deep sleep. As the night wore on, her fever reduced and by the next morning, her appetite was restored along with her sense of humor.

Being a mother of young children, Dr. Melissa has a great rapport with kids and knows how to handle concerned parents too. From now on, Dr. Melissa Rodriguez will be Reina’s primary caregiver for all her healthcare needs. I think she’s got the healing touch but don’t take my word for it, take Reina’s, “I don’t want to go to the hospital, I only want to see Dr. Melissa.” In short, she comes highly recommended.