Life

Rosslyn, Va. – 1 in 10 of Asian Americans are affected by the disease, making Hepatitis B a health issue uniquely Asian American one but one that is otherwise less talked about. This is why the Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington DC themed their 2013 benefit gala “Be the Voice.” The benefit gala at China Garden raised over $20,000 for …

By Mary Tablante At Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, Md., several signs hanging inside are not only written in English, but translated into Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese as well. Visitors can also dine at a 24/7-wok and noodle bar that offers dishes like Singapore rice noodles. Casinos around the nation have recognized the trend in the popularity of casinos among …

All photo credit: Lily Lin Moonstruck in Cappadocia I guzzled down the remainder of my water bottle, exhaling deeply as I surveyed the barren, arid landscape from the window of my airport shuttle. Aside from the highway of asphalt that seemed to stretch for miles on end, I saw nothing but dirt and the occasional shrub on the side of …

By Devika Koppikar Before her current vocation as a disciple of the Brahma Kumaris, http://www.bkwsu.org, Sister Jenna (Jenna Mahraj), a McLean resident, owned two nightclubs in Miami. However, a series of visions led her to Mount Abu, in Rajasthan, the Brahman Kumaris headquarters. Brahman Kumaris is an international movement that facilitates spiritual knowledge. “In India, I had a profound experience …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Asians lag behind other groups in receiving recommended cancer screenings such as mammograms. CDC’s National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) shows that rates of screening tests for breast cancer are significantly lower among Asians than among whites and blacks. Only 64.1% of AAPI women follow the guidelines, a significant finding as breast cancer …

By Daphne Domingo While I was a speaker last November at the 3 Days of Light Festival in Asheville, North Carolina, I couldn’t help but notice a striking figure walking among hundreds of young, creatively dressed attendees. Aside from being one of the few fellow Asian Americans at the festival, he stood out because of his shaved head, long white robe and …

By Mary Tablante First, the good news. Asian American women have the highest life expectancy of any ethnic group in the U.S., living an average 85.8 years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Life expectancy among Asian subgroups ranges from Filipinos at 81.5 years, to Japanese at 84.5 years, and topping out with Chinese women at …

By Amanda L. Andrei Ask any D.C. area resident for a recommendation on Vietnamese cuisine, and nine times out of ten you will be directed to Eden Center. Nestled on the northern edge of that legendary traffic nightmare known as Seven Corners in Falls Church, Virginia, Eden Center is more than a Vietnamese shopping plaza. It’s the largest Vietnamese commercial …

Vietnamese Nail Workers Risk Health By Archana Pyati and Jhee Yoon Falls Church, VA—Spend an afternoon at your local neighborhood nail salon, and it’s likely your manicurist will be Vietnamese. It’s also possible she (and occasionally he) is risking exposure to toxic chemicals used in salon products. Nationally, 42 percent of nail technicians are Asian, and Vietnamese workers account for 39 percent …

In the last edition of Asian Fortune we mentioned the worldwide search to find a matching bone marrow donor for two year old Jeremy Kong of San Francisco, who has been suffering with a rare form of leukemia. The problem is that ethnicity plays a role in finding suitable matches, and Asian Americans, and Asians worldwide, have been slower than …

By Devika Koppikar Thirty-year-old Neetha, a New Jersey dentist, refused to consider an arranged marriage her parents had set up. The resulting turmoil caused her to seek help in the form of psychotherapy. But after just one session, her 55-year-old male Caucasian psychiatrist bluntly announced, “I can’t help you. Your emotions are situational and I don’t understand your situation.” She then turned …

By Bill Reddy, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.   Sometimes the ancients know best. Traditional Asian medicine has been effectively used for thousands of years to fight illness, often relying on various herbs and foods to boost the body’s immune system or subdue unpleasant symptoms. That’s something to consider as the cold and flu season descends upon us. Maybe the next time you …