obesity

It appears obesity is lowest in East Asia while a rise in percentile in other parts of the world.

Attribute to drinking Chinese tea or green tea without sugar and this beverage breaks down fats?

I'd experimented this in cooking -- putting a couple of chinese tea leaves in a pot of mutton, beef or duck soup and I see the fat dissolves or disappearing. Naturally this did not remove the fat altogether.

breast cancer

It seems breast cancer is on the rise among women of every race in the world today. Why?

Is this the result of change in diet? It appears some women who migrated from Taiwan to the US, who in their elder years had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Is this because they ate more red meats as compared to the diet they grew up with -- more tofu and vegetables and less meat? Or vice versa when a caucasian young who changed to a tofu diet in coincidence died of breast cancer?

Migration? Stress? Women holding day jobs and taking care of the homes? Promiscuity? Free sex? Drugs?

Lacking in exercise? Leading too sedentary lives? Unlike yesteryears, women have to work very hard, lots of manual and menial tasks...

Unhappiness...psychological stress...divorce?

Or, are we too well educated that we see everything as symptom and therefore needing immediate attention whereas in the past, women might have lumps and conveniently dismissed that and were able to live longer lives? An elderly friend's mother shared that her grandmother had a lump in her breast and she went on to live to her ripe old age 80 or more...

These are some fleeting thoughts.

man's longevity

This certainly makes an interesting read... from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/

Bad habits key to man's longevity
(China Daily) Updated: 2007-05-21 14:52

Zhang Shuqing, a centenarian in Pixian, Sichuan, has his own secret for long life - smoking every day and drinking liquor after every meal.

Zhang, whose daughter died eight years ago, turned 100 on May 7. He lives with his nephew Zhang Chenggui.

Zhang senior said he started smoking and drinking strong liquor when he was in his early 20s. Since then, he has smoked every day and taken a drink with every meal.

According to his grandson Xu, Zhang has consumed 15 tons of liquor and more than a ton of tobacco in his lifetime.

Zhang, who is in good health, has a huge appetite, with a standard meal comprising two chicken legs, a bowl of steamed pork fat and glutinous rice, vegetables and fruit. And he eats the lot in less than 20 minutes.
(Tianfu Morning Po)