I like Chinese hocus pocus most of the time. I think a lot of the time,traditions are a good thing. Just sometimes they are a bit strange. Visited a woman who'd given birth 3 weeks before. She smelled bad and was scratching her head a lot.

There are some differences in human physiology between ethnicities. A drug that works for one ethnicity might kill somebody of another. When was the last time a white guy won the 100 metres? Dietary differences has influenced genetics. But you're right. I really don't think drinking hot or cold water will be different

Baidu is your friend. I tells you what to say in China.

I just smile knowingly and nod my head. I couldn't care less what they drink, etc.

For the warm water during period, it sorta makes sense. When I touch my fiancee's belly during her period it is often cold, even if the weather otherwise is warm. I assume drinking hot beverages makes it more comfortable.

As for the "Chinese bodies are different", I try to challenge her assumptions about everything. My goal isn't to necessarily change her opinions, but more to make her think about different things, and not just accept everything. I do this by asking why, and if she can explain, sometimes she explains very well and *I* change my assumptions, sometimes she can't explain, and sometimes she get's angry do to endless questions.

For people I'm not close to, I just smile and nod, and maybe roll my eyes a little.

I get into these debates with my wife and other Chinese as well. Actually, Chinese do have a point but it is something about core temperature control and eating specific foods (usually either like spicy to raise it or like bland/sweet food to lower it). All humans do have differences because of our point of origin/conditioning.

Most mainland Chinese have very little body fat, are lactose intolerant, allergic to alcohol (this is why many turn bright red) etc. Many Chinese have died in the past (women) during childbirth due to colds, chills etc.

For some reason (most likely diet) Chinese just seem a lot softer and much more frail than say Europeans that descended from the Norseman, Saxons, Germanic tribes etc. Compare Mongolians to Southern Mainland Chinese for example. Totally different body types and statures.

White people's skin burns under strong UV rays, while black people's skin cracks in dry biting cold climates. We do have things about us that are different. Obviously, she could get used to drinking cold water over time and I see a lot more fatter Chinese running around blaming MacDonalds and KFC... but our bodies are not all the same in that sense.

You: Hong Kong Chinese aren't different. Taiwanese aren't different. Chinese Australians, Chinese Americans and Chinese New Zealanders aren't different. So is it just that mainlanders are weaker?

Her: Oh no that can't be.

You: Oh, so Chinese bodies aren't different.

This will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Do you want her to finally accept that Chinese bodies are not significantly (and relevantly) different from non-Chinese bodies? Or do you want her to drink cold water?

If the answer is the former, then even from a western perspective your argument is going to fail. Showing evidence for how western bodies don't respond badly to drinking cold water only reinforces her ideas. What evidence you need to provide is how cold water has not negatively affected Chinese people - such as those mainlanders who have gone overseas. Once that little bubble has burst ("look love, real Chinese people drinking cold water - no problem"), she will have to find some other excuse ("Oh, they've been living in the west, their bodies have changed"... then just give dumb look...).

If your idea is to get her to drink cold water, this is easy...it's 40degrees outside. She's already hot, and needs fluids and a cooler temperature. Simply point out that by putting more heat into her body, she is creating an imbalance of Yang/Fire energy, and thus depleting her Yin energy. This will dry up the Yin in her system and cause Stagnation of the blood (Xue)... therefore leading to painful periods and irritability. In addition, by increasing the amount of Heat/Yang in her body, it will cause the liver to burn hot (not to mention the Triple Heater/SanJiao), giving rise to Liver Fire Blazing in the form of headaches/migraines. The red flush to the face is also indicative of too much heat in the body, and the especially bright cheeks are signs of Yin Deficiency.

Depleting the Yin energy by the imbalance of Yang will also lead to Phlegm/Damp Heat, which again leads to bad problems!

Cold water will help retain Yin, and keep the Heat down. It will also nourish the Blood.

All of these things can be proven by doing a pulse or tongue diagnosis. If she drinks hot water, the pulse will become rapid and thin, and will be 'floating', and the tongue will become red (usually with bright red spots).

Cold water will slow the pulse, and make it deeper and thicker (in relation to the hot water).