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August 15, 2009
The Doctor's Orders
Thở bằng mũi - Breathe through your nose
The air in the streets of Saigon is suffocating - filled with exhaust from old two stroke motorbikes, soot from diesel container trucks, and construction dust. Driving home from work is the lung damage equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes. I hear that breathing through the nose is one way to limit the impact on the lungs because the hair in the nose filter some of the particles.
Oh yeah...A facemask is another option for air filtration...
Không đi giầy trong nhà - Take your shoes off in the house
Growing up in Hawaii, which has a strong Japanese influence, gave me the habit of leaving my shoes at the door out of respect. This custom is especially important here in Saigon, where the streets are filthy but homes are kept spotless. Moreover, many families dine sitting cross legged on a straw mat on the floor. All the more reason to kick off those grimy shoes at the entrance.
Không nhổ lông mọc trên mụn ruồi - Don't pull out that hair in your mole
Why? It may cause cancer. Not sure if I completely believe that, but the thought has scared me enough to start trimming my mole hairs instead.
Khi ngủ, không đặt tay lên ngực - Don't sleep with your hands on your chest
The heart is a fragile organ, and resting hands on one's chest for sleeping hours can put unnecessary pressure on the cardiovascular system.
Khi uống bia rượu, phải có mồi, đồ ăn - Make sure to eat while your are drinking alcohol
I am fine with eating a handful of salted peanuts while I am sitting at the bar with a beer. However, when drinking with some of my local buddies, I find myself having to constantly refuse the pieces of sausage, barbecued squid, and dried beef that they put in front of my face after every sip. Here, eating goes together with drinking. Apparently, it is better for the stomach, but I think that all that eating gives me a worse hangover than the beer...
Posted by mt_mrobinson at August 15, 2009 8:13 AM
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