THE LADUZI ADVENTURE

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of experiencing 拉肚子 (lādùzi), or “Pulled Stomach”, a horrible and sometimes debilitating illness that is known by a much simpler term in the West: travelers’ diarrhea.  The first day I wasn’t all too worried and just called a few friends who gave me the names of some medicines I should take.  These helped for the time being, but when it continued into the next day,  I knew more drastic measures had to be taken.  So, instead of going to the Chinese hospital on my campus for a quick fix, I instead caught a cab to the Beijing United Family Hospital (BUFH) in Northern Chaoyang District, which I had read was the top-notch Western hospital in the city and, therefore, getting my problems checked out there would surely solve the issue.  After being confined to a bed and pumped with antibiotics while tests were done on a stool sample, I was sent out with a number of drugs from the pharmacy and–to add insult to injury–a hefty bill of 6,628.20 RMB (currently the equivalent of 1,078.17 USD).
Thankfully, my insurance company said they would pay for the expenses, and the medicine I was provided did in fact work, but the idea of having to spend all that money just for a bad case of the runs was something I did not wish to repeat ever again.  This got me thinking, were there were other more inexpensive methods of treating laduzi?
Travelers’ Diarrhea can occur for many reasons, but while in China it is generally associated with the body’s inability to cope with a sudden change from a Western to
Chinese diet, or from food poisoning.  According to the Centre for Disease and Control (CDC) page on the condition, it typically lasts for 3-5 days and is characterized by–for lack of a better term– watery excrement, vomiting and nausea.  While a one time tested method of dealing with the disease is to wait it out and drink lots of fluids (especially water), I read that it could be aided by medications.
When I asked my wushu master, also a local Beijinger, what he would recommend in the case of laduzi, he provided a general overview of methods that could be taken.  The first
necessary step,  he insisted, would be to find out what caused the laduzi in the first place.  For instance, it could have been from bad food, improper hygiene, drinking too much cold water, eating spicy food, or something out of the ordinary that could upset the stomach.  Furthermore, he said for a quick fix the best bet was to adhere to Western medication, but to go with traditional Chinese medicine if you wanted to take it slow and easy.

The medicine provided to me by the Beijing United Family Hospital included over-the-counter diarrhea medication including Imodium, which slows the passage of diarrhea, Smecta, a powder-based stool hardener, Levofloxac, an antibiotic specifically used to stop diarrhea and stomach viruses, and Bifico, another antibiotic used to replenish good bacteria in the stomach after a virus.  Although it all did help in the end, the cost of
this medicine together was 1,030 RMB (167.57 USD).  While the aforementioned medications can be found in Western pharmacies, one less-expensive over-the-counter method with Westerners coping with laduzi are Imodium and loperamide, which both
help to decrease the time in the restroom and to–eventually–stop it altogether.
Searching the internet for laduzi remedies bore me with another result, Pepto-Bismol, which, I read, travelers tend to take before and during a trip to a foreign country.  The reason travelers (and even the CDC, which has a page on travelers’ diarrhea) prefer the Pepto-Bismol method is because the pink capsules and liquid contain bismuth subsalicylate, which is known to help cure diarrhea, upset stomach, and nausea.  The main issue with Pepto is that it is only a solution that will work for a short trip (say two to three weeks), as taking the medicine for long periods of time is known to cause constipation.

To find a Chinese remedy to laduzi, I just walked to the pharmacy outside my
university’s north gate.  After asking “If I have pulled stomach, what medicine should I take?” (如果我拉肚子，应该吃哪些药?, Rúguǒ wǒ lādùzi, yīnggāi chī nǎxiē yào?) the two ladies manning the counters recommended the following medications: “Maple Knotweed Stomach Granule” (枫蓼肠胃康颗粒, fēngliǎo chángwèikāng kēlì), and “Bacillus licheniformis capsules” (地衣芽孢杆菌活菌胶囊, dìyī yábāogǎnjūn huójūn jiāonáng).  Both medicines are used to cure acute gastroenteritis, diarrhea and nausea.  They are essentially Chinese versions of Smecta and Bifico, in that one was a powder taken with water and the second was pills, each taken three times daily.  The biggest difference between these medicines and the one’s from Beijing United Family Hospital was the price, which was a mere 47.50 RMB (7.72 USD).

BY: VINCENT VINCI(魏文深)

In order to relieve those who were hoping to read a genuine ‘China’s Top 10 Vegetarian Dishes’, I have provided a list made up from suggestions by Vegetarian China for your pleasure.
1) Cabbage and Mushrooms (白菜木耳 báicài mù’ěr)

This dish includes stir fried cabbage,wood ear mushrooms, and a few other vegetables such as carrot.
2) Chinese buns (包子 bāozi)

When ever you see a bāozi stand on the side of the road, stop and check if they have any vegetarian variety(菜包cài bāo), most likely they will! Some great ones to try are mushroom and vegetable mix(香菇菜包 xiānggū cài bāo), and red bean paste (豆沙包 dòushā bāo).
3) Eggplant with chilli and potato (地三鲜 de sān xiān)

A favorite amongst many foreigners, this northern dish is braised with soy sauce.
4) Hot Pepper Tofu (麻辣豆腐málà dòufu)

This dish is a great vegetarian alternative to Mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐 mápó dòufǔ).

5) Hot Pot (火锅 huǒguō)

What a great way to ensure your meal really is vegetarian. You get to see it go in yourself!

6) Mushroom & Veggie Hearts (香菇菜心/香菇青菜xiānggū cài xīn/ xiānggū qīngcài)

Green vegetables and mushrooms in a thick, salty sauce.
7) Golden Needle Mushrooms & Cucumber (金针菇拌黄瓜 jīnzhēngū bàn huángguā)A cold dish, including white mushrooms, shredded cucumber, coriander and garlic.
8) Egg and Tomato Soup (番茄蛋汤fānqié dàn tāng)

While not vegan, this classic soup always goes down a treat.

9) Fried Bean-sprouts (炒豆芽 c hǎo dòuyá)

Lightly salted, this dish is sometimes served both hot and cold.

10) Sour Spicy Cabbage (酸辣白菜 suān là báicài)

A great dish, a little similar to Korean kimchi.

10) Garlic Fried Chinese Spinach (蒜泥菠菜suànní bōcài)
A very simple, yet delicious vegetable dish.

Vegetarians in China need not fear Chinese cuisine. Admittedly, the highlights of Chinese cuisine often include meat ingredients like poultry, pork, beef, and (somewhat to the distaste of many foreigners) intestines. The same goes for everyday dishes you are likely to
come by on the street, as well as ethnic specials like Shanxi-styled rou jiamo (肉夹馍),
the Dongbei (northeastern) dish guobaorou (锅包肉), and south China’s cured meat (腊味 làwèi). But a vegetarian will not find his or her choices limited in the Middle Kingdom.
Vegetarian Chinese dishes are just as delicious and as plentiful as ones with meat.

To get you started, here are China Adventurer‘s top 10 Chinese vegetarian dishes.But if that still doesn’t satisfy your taste buds  try Big Bowl Caulifower (大碗花菜 dàwǎn huācài), Chinese Spinach with Fermented Tofu (腐乳通菜 fǔrǔ tōngcài), Braised Eggplant (红烧茄子hóngshāo qiézi), or Hand-torn Cabbage (手撕包菜 shǒu sī bāocài). Be sure to add “no meat” (不要肉 búyào ròu) before you order, so that the restaurants don’t throw in mall meat pieces as they sometimes do.

Via China Adventurer
1. Peanuts and Spinach (花生菠菜 huāshēng bōcài)
From: All over China
Ingredients: peanuts, spinach, garlic
Spice Level: 0-3 (Can be spicy if they use wasabi root)

2. Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐 mápó dòufǔ)
From: Sichuan
Ingredients: tofu, ground pork, peppers, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, garlic
Spice Level: 3

3. Buddhas Delight (罗汉斋 luóhàn zhāi)
From: Shandong
Ingredients: lots of various vegetables, garlic, salt, sometimes egg and shrimp, mushrooms, tofu
Spice Level: 0-2

4. Green Vegetables with Mushroom (香菇青菜 xiānggū qīngcài)
From: Fujian
Ingredients: Bok Choy cabbage, mushroom, garlic, soy sauce, salt
Spice Level: 0

5. Potatoes, Green Peppers, and Eggplant (地三鲜dì sān xiān)
From: Northeastern China
Ingredients: sauteed potato, green peppers, eggplant, ginger, onions,garlic, soy sauce
Spice Level: 1

6. Tomatoes and Eggs (西红柿炒蛋 xīhóngshì chǎo jīdàn)
From: All over China
Ingredients: tomato, egg, salt, green onions
Spice Level: 0

7. Broccoli and Garlic (蒜蓉西兰花 suànróng xīlánhuā)
From: All over China
Ingredients: tofu, ground pork, peppers, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, garlic
Spice Level: 3

8. Seaweed and Egg Soup (紫菜蛋花汤 zǐcài dànhuātāng)
From: All over China
Ingredients: egg, seaweed, dried shrimp, water, sesame oil, salt
Spice Level: 0

9. Chilli Stir-Fried Potatoes (辣椒炒土豆 làjiāo chǎo tǔdòu)
From: Sichuan
Ingredients: potato slivers, peppers, salt, chili sauce, Sichuan peppercorns
Spice Level: 2

10. Stir Fried Green Beans (干煸四季豆 gānbiān sìjìdòu)
From: Sichuan
Ingredients: green beans, Sichuan peppercorns, peppers, spring onions
Spice Level: 4-5