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Long term health (feeling)

redjon777 (560 posts) • 0

Maybe a silly, paranoid question put down to the way I always seem to feel these days, but here goes anyway...
Don’t remember feeling this way before in Kunming but I swear for about a year now, maybe more, I permanently seem to feel like **** (use your own point of reference). Is this just Kunming wearing the body down with high altitudes, dry dusty feeling and many a dodgy meal or am I just too harsh on good old Kunming? I’ve lived here coming on six years now so the place has had plenty of time lol.
Another point I was thinking was maybe my son started nursery last year so more bugs about but who knows there either.

I’m just interested in others views or experiences on this, being good one week, then feeling **** the next seems to have become the norm and there’s nothing worse than just feeling drained so regular.

Peter99 (1246 posts) • +1

Bangkok has thorough health screenings on sale at times. In several high tech hospitals. And they got dedicated staff and latest equipment. Cost from 150usd up. Fixed my paranoia.

Did two screenings. Just to be sure, bcs I didnt believe results of first (which were too good against my worries). I paid extra in 2nd, and did a cancer screening, included unlikely stuff like syphilis and whatnot too. Cost more, but worth every buck.

Only high cholesterol showed red. Which was pretty weird, after living in Asia.

But cancer paranoia is still in me slightly. After all the fake food etc. But the cancer thing is quite global anyway, not gonna blame only china for that.

Edit. Sorry, didnt mean to scare. Wasnt the intention. Just wanted to add some personal story spice here, while recommending excellent health checks in Bangkok. Yea, it will cost a buck, but hey, not a bad investment. And compared to West, ...well, still damn cheap with great service and recent tech.

redjon777 (560 posts) • 0

Maybe a good time for a proper health screening again compared to what’s given in Kunming, but I was thinking more along the lines of does just living in Kunming seem to take a toll on you after living here a fair bit? When compared to living a more comfortable life in the west anyways.

Probably not as seems to be the consensus from lack of answers lol.

JanJal (1243 posts) • +1

I think that bugs from childcare would show as well identifiable sicknesses, and not limited to just you. After few years in place, you would already share most common resistances with your close ones anyway.

How's your wife or others in immediate family feeling?

Lanajot (61 posts) • +1

We have been living here for 18 months now. I have been struggling with asthmatic bronchitis for the last six weeks. Just when I start feeling better, I get worse again. My body just seems to really battle to recover completely. My husband also had a REALLY bad virus a few months ago. Took him a long time to recover and his immune system is still not back to normal. Can’t really talk about long term effects, but we sure are struggling more than back home.

redjon777 (560 posts) • 0

Everyone’s usually ok, they are always moaning to me about not wearing enough as soon as the sun comes out, so that’s their diagnosis when I moan about it lol.

Maybe just a weaker immune system and easily pick up any bug my son brings home was kind of a sideways thought.

Maybe even just that laowai feeling of being here too long as the foods starting to grate with me these days to. I heard it’s a thing ^^ lol

redjon777 (560 posts) • +1

@lanajot maybe that’s a problem for me, over the time I’ve lived here (nearly 6 years) I’ve suffered a few bad viruses and probably my immune system has never really been at full whack since.

vera@gokunming (16 posts) • +3

I've been traveling and living China for three years now, and despite generally eating well and exercising my health has suffered.

Parasites, heavy antibiotics courses, visa stress, lowered immune system, some nasty viruses and now an autoimmune disease (possibly as a result of all before mentioned). Age might have something to do with it as well ;-)

I'm cooking more at home now to make sure I eat healthily, go for regular check-ups and ask my GP back home for second opinions based on test results if I don't trust the advice here.

Overall I'm happy to live in Kunming with relatively clean air, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, general laid-back vibe and proximity to the countryside for quick get-aways.

Hope you feel better soon!

redjon777 (560 posts) • +4

@vera Overall I’d still say I’m happy living here to, just need to get an oven in the new place like I have in my other apartment to deal with the food problem :o) I used to always get something on the go if I fancied it, just a lot of English food requires a good oven which is lacking in most Chinese styled homes :o(

Starting to think the lowered immune system is the root cause of all evil as others have had this same feeling. Or much as I’d hate it, maybe age is a factor lol, 41’s still youngish isn’t it? I like to believe so :o)

Lanajot (61 posts) • +4

Yes, cooking your own food (when possible) really helps. I bake my own bread now. We once bought bread from Walmart and forgot it on the dining room table before leaving on holiday. After returning two months later we found the bread in basically the same condition as we left it! No mold whatsoever... That really scared me and I just wonder what punishment our bodies go through to digest all of that... Still love living here. Just trying to make wise choices when it comes to eating for my family’s sake.

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