After the waitress was done recommending certain dishes, saying they are a must-try, about a dozen of us old timers sitting around the table almost collectively said, "More vegetables, less meat".

All of us, in our early 50s, had gathered for dinner at a restaurant in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, during the recent Spring Festival break, a period when most Chinese traditionally prepare a lot of meat.

Suddenly, we found ourselves discussing a topic we never really cared much for some years ago when we were in our prime - health.