Kirsten Captures

The best thing about Shanghai?

The lights at night.

Random buildings and apartment complexes are lit up with colored lights every night just because. Thursday night we saw this massive ferris wheel lit up magnificently. I don’t even think the ferris wheel is running. But it is sure is pretty.

As much as I love the stillness and darkness of night, it is comforting to be surrounded by the twinkling lights of the city. It’s a reminder that you are never alone.

Friday

Here are some photos I took Friday which ended up going completely different than I had planned. In the mornings I have been waking up early, writing blog posts, and doing some cooking and cleaning around the apartment. For lunch I walk to Peter’s work and we grab something in the the area.

After lunch I head to a Starbucks in the vicinity and either do work for my marketing job or listen to my nutrition school lectures. I also enjoy that very important cup of coffee.

Friday afternoon I had planned on listening to all my IIN nutrition school lectures then going home for a workout. However, I ran into my friend at Starbucks where we ended up talking for almost 3 hours! She then showed me her office space which is really quite swanky. They call it the “Taj Mahal” building of the company haha.

Peter and her husband went to the gym together (JEALOUS) so we decided to wait for them outside the metro since we couldn’t catch a cab (darn rush hour). Unfortunately we chose to sit outside during the smoggiest day I have ever experienced in the city. The air was so bad that a building directly in front of us was bathed in a hazy glow.

Yeah, not so smart.

At this point my eyes were very red and irritated and we thought that maybe I had picked up pink eye. Nope. Turns out my body just hates smog. Once I finally got home my head my head was pounding with a vengeance that left me completely useless for the night.

This just confirmed that pollution is no joke and I need to take extra precautions while living in a city. Here are 5 things I plan on doing to stay healthy while living in a big polluted city:

5 Ways To Detoxify Your City Lifestyle

1. Do oil pulling every morning upon waking. This Ayurvedic therapy is said to remove toxins from the blood while strengthening gums and whitening teeth. I take a tablespoon of sesame oil and swish it through my teeth for 20 minutes before eating. YOU MUST SPIT OUT THE OIL AFTERWARDS. Do not ingest the now toxic oil.

2. Sweat everyday. When you exercise your body learns to adapt to stress such as environmental pollution while sweating helps remove toxins from the body. Recently walking has been my main form of exercise but I plan on trying Crossfit after our cruise. Did I mention how excited I am to get back to weightlifting?

3. Drink one green smoothie a day. These green cocktails help the liver naturally detox the body and are an easy way to eat your veggies! Since we got a blender, I have been blending smoothies with fruit, vegetables, and coconut water. I have focused on adding a variety of raw vegetables like cucumbers, bok choy, lettuce, and sprouts which are packed with fiber, essential nutrients, and antioxidants. I cannot wait for my CSA basket of organic veggies to arrive!

4. Stay inside when air quality is especially bad. This goes without saying. After this experience I will definitely avoid venturing outside during extra smoggy days.

5. Drink plenty of water. This one is easy to do but easy to overlook! Water is essential to the basic functioning of our body and helps flush out your system. Back in the US I drank water like it was my job. In China you cannot drink tap water which means you must buy bottles of water for drinking and cooking. I am making an effort to buy big jugs of water and refill my bottle as often as possible. Water is life!

These are the 5 ways I will stay healthy and vibrant in a big city! It is so important to be proactive instead of reactive with your health. A healthy diet and lifestyle is the best medicine.

Do you have any tips for staying healthy and toxin-free in a big city?