Misc

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A collection of interensting papers.

Ice and Menstruation

  1. - Cold water has no negative impact on our health or menstrual cycle.
    - Cold water has no impact on menstrual cycle.
    - Menstruation is linked to the reproductive system, and drinking/eating is linked to the digestive system.
    - There is evidence however, that sugar intake and dairy products can lead to bloating and muscle contractions, which attribute to menstrual cramps.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

  1. The randomized, controlled trial design has distinct limitations when applied to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), because TCM is holistic and conceptual, and it identifies and treats ‘syndromes’ rather than diseases.
    • Tsang, Ian KY. “Establishing the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine.” Nature clinical practice Rheumatology 3.2 (2007): 60-61.
  2. - Acupuncture and tai chi may help improve quality of life and certain pain conditions. Studies of Chinese herbal products used in TCM for a range of medical conditions have had mixed results.
    - Many studies have been of poor quality, so no firm conclusions can be made about Chinese herbal products’ effectiveness.
    - Some Chinese herbal products have been contaminated with toxic compounds, heavy metals, pesticides, and microorganisms and may have serious side effects.
    • https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/traditional-chinese-medicine-what-you-need-to-know
  3. - Researchers at the University of Maryland school of medicine in Baltimore surveyed 70 systematic reviews measuring the effectiveness of traditional medicines, including acupuncture. None of those studies could reach a solid conclusion because the evidence was either too sparse or of poor quality.
    - For most conditions, there is not enough rigorous scientific evidence to know whether TCM methods work for the conditions for which they are used.
    • Cyranoski, David. “Why Chinese medicine is heading for clinics around the world.” Nature 561.7724 (2018): 448-448.