Unfortunately, many members of our group ended up sick, or had some sort of ailment during the trip. Fortunately, the cities we visited had pharmacies on every block, and the medications were easily accessible. The medication ingredients, however, were much different than the ingredients I've seen and studied at home.
Something we first learned from our tour guide Jason in Beijing, was that drinking hot or warm water is a long-standing tradition in Chinese culture. He told us that many women drink warm water for beauty, or to help with their menstrual cycle.
In the 1930s, a civic movement called the New Life Movement was launched by the Nationalist Chinese government. In addition to other things, this movement promoted the consumption of warm water, because it was seen as cleaner. Even after the transition from Nationalists to Communists, the consumption of warm water was encouraged.
However, it is thought that the habit has continued so long due to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cold water is believed to inhibit the organs from functioning properly, and cause an imbalance between yin and yang. Drinking warm water nourishes the yang in the body, which promotes health.