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I feel worse and look worse since I came to Korea :(
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m4l



Joined: 05 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:45 am    Post subject: I feel worse and look worse since I came to Korea :( Reply with quote

Yes I do smoke cigs, and drink lots of coffee, but I did the same thing back home. I notice that my whole nasal area and the space in between my eyes feels like crap, and I started to get baggy eyes, and lost weight. One of my students parents even said I look tired all the time--

has anyone had this experience? If so, what the hell is going on with me, and what can I do?

I'm thinking it's the air quality, crappy tobacco, and lack of certain vitamins...

What r your thoughts?
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tfunk



Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:01 am    Post subject: Re: I feel worse and look worse since I came to Korea :( Reply with quote

m4l wrote:
Yes I do smoke cigs, and drink lots of coffee, but I did the same thing back home. I notice that my whole nasal area and the space in between my eyes feels like crap, and I started to get baggy eyes, and lost weight. One of my students parents even said I look tired all the time--

has anyone had this experience? If so, what the hell is going on with me, and what can I do?

I'm thinking it's the air quality, crappy tobacco, and lack of certain vitamins...

What r your thoughts?


There are a lot of possible causes: pollution, stress, diet, home-sickness, emotional issues, addiction, sickness, poor sleeping habits etc.

Change your diet, get out into the countryside some weekends, get some exercise, talk to friends.
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PGF



Joined: 27 Nov 2006

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same thing has happened to me. My face has thinned. But, thanks to Cass-ah, my waistline has not deserted me....

Join a gym. And, stay hydrated. I try to drink 3 liters per day and never less than 2 (water).
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maddog



Joined: 08 Dec 2005
Location: Daegu

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It happened to me the last time I was in Korea (Seoul, but not this time (Daegu). I don't know if location has anything to do with it. I eat loads more fruit and veg than I did before. Maybe my mum was right?

Going to the gym keeps my stress levels down, as does beer. Nothing beats blowing of some steam at the weekend.

MD
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bnrockin



Joined: 27 Feb 2006

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

definitely lost weight (skinny as it is). Also I get these weird marks on my skin sometimes that I never got before. I drank with water with a brita water filter for about 2 months and I had a messed up bladder-had to pee every 5 minutes. I started drinking bottled and fixed it. Also my hair was thinning because of the water thing I think cause it stopped after drinking bottled. I never really feel 100% here or clean for that matter. Just my opinion though.
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kangnam mafioso



Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: Teheranno

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i would say it's the combination of diet, stress of working in a kiddie hogwan and your immune system being exposed to new bacteria. the smokes, yellow dust, pollen and korean pollution could explain your sinus issues.

are you eating enough kimchee and going to the sauna twice a week?
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Adventurer



Joined: 28 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you are going to smoke, drink more green tea. Eat more fruits...
Consume more natural oils that are good for you like olive oil.
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axmill



Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

my guess is pollution and bacteria from the thousands of people that you encounter on an everyday basis. My friend told me that foreigners get over it after a few months. Hope you get better!
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JamesFord



Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Location: my personal playground

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've said it before...... don't rule out allergies, even if you've never suffered from them before.

It took years for me to figure out that that was the problem for me and allergy pills can make all the difference.
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browneyedgirl



Joined: 17 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe you're just getting older.
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citizen erased



Joined: 06 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ive been getting the same thing. luckily for you, you dont seem as paranoid as I am about it. I always immediately assume its something much worse, that my immune system is breaking down, and I cant stop thinking about any of the nights i was "unsafe" with girls i'd just met.
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bogey666



Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bradley Daiquiri wrote:
For a while there I was feeling really rough.
I looked tired all the time. Had constant dark
circles under my eyes. Zero energy and regular headaches.
I felt this way even after 8 months in Korea.

Then I radically changed my diet. I eat four servings of
fruit and vegetables a day. Drink at least two liters of water
a day. Make my own meals.
And I joined a gym. I exercise 3 or 4 times a week.
I never smoked and I rarely drank alcohol.

But.....
Even after all that. I never feel a 100%. And I feel as though my
face has aged a few years.
If I go away to a clean country And I come back here. I am
sick for 2 weeks.
My theory. This country is so POLLUTED. Not dirty.
POLLUTED. The air is toxic. The water is toxic.
There is never any soap in many of the bathrooms.
Add to that you have to switch from a grain diet to bleached out white
rice with zero nutrition. And you are bound to look like hell.
One positive note. Three of our teachers came back to Korea after
2 months back home and they looked amazing. Did they do anything
different? Nope they we just in a clean country.


I don't know dude... this sounds a little rough..

I can't speak for your situation, perhaps the air is REALLY polluted indeed.
All I know is I've walked around in Jakarta and Bangkok, with all those goddamn cars blowing all kinds of pollutants and smog in every direction most of the day and I never had a single headache, (granted they were fairly short visits, say 1, 2 weeks, but I've heard others complain about their respiratory systems in similar circumstances)

I can't imagine Seoul being too much worse than those cities. As it is, I think I'll be happy living outside of the immediate metropolitan area in the "province". (we'll see)

perhaps this is your own individual and genetic response.

perhaps you are more sensitive to certain things in Korea than others.. and UN - effing- fortunately, every man (and I'm sure women too) has that ONE year in their lives where they age about 5-10 years and become a de facto geezer.

Didn't happen to my father till he hit 55, so I plan on making the best possible use out of the years left until I hit the same wall.
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PeteJB



Joined: 06 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To OP

* Eat more fruit
* Drink lots of water daily
* Take a multivitamin once per day
* Exercise daily for half an hour, create a routine yourself.
* Figure out what your favourite Korean dishes are and indulge. Leave out junk food.
* Go to bed at the same time, and get up at the same time daily.
* Don't watch TV or use the computer before bed.
* Drink coffee only in the mornings
* Go to the Doctor and get a sinus xray, maybe some pills can help clear it
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captain kirk



Joined: 29 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bogey666 wrote:
and UN - effing- fortunately, every man (and I'm sure women too) has that ONE year in their lives where they age about 5-10 years and become a de facto geezer.

Didn't happen to my father till he hit 55, so I plan on making the best possible use out of the years left until I hit the same wall.


Good point, great attitude! If one wants to hang around with a bunch of cows in the Midwestern plains where the air is fresh as cowfarts and daisys one will no doubt live to be as ancient as a galapagos turtle. But those things are damned ugly^^.
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m4l



Joined: 05 Apr 2008

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:33 pm    Post subject: Re: I feel worse and look worse since I came to Korea :( Reply with quote

quote]

There are a lot of possible causes: pollution, stress, diet, home-sickness, emotional issues, addiction, sickness, poor sleeping habits etc.

Change your diet, get out into the countryside some weekends, get some exercise, talk to friends.[/quote]

yes I do have all those issues, but I do think excersise is important now...thanks for the reply!
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