Laura Fullerton (@laurafullerton) is the founder of the high-performance ice bath brand Monk. In this episode, Richard (@the_breath_geek) and Joseph (@therungaguy) dive into:

• How cold exposure uniquely benefits women (and what week of your cycle to plunge)
• Why temperature matters way less than you think
• The secret link between trauma, PTSD recovery, and the cold
• The biggest myths about ice baths (and why “harder” isn’t always better)

Get ready to rethink what you know about cold therapy, stress resilience, and performance. 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:01 – Meet Laura Fullerton: founder of Monk Ice Baths and unexpected ice bath enthusiast

00:44 – Laura’s first (reluctant) plunge and life-changing breathwork experience

03:49 – Why the more afraid you are, the bigger the dopamine reward

04:18 – How the menstrual cycle affects cold tolerance: when women should (and shouldn’t) plunge

08:37 – Should you plunge when sick or hungover? (spoiler: probably not)

09:44 – Ice baths and inflammation: how plunging helped endometriosis symptoms in a pilot study [Liability Note]

11:07 – Does cold exposure blunt muscle growth? Here’s the real nuance

14:37 – When cold plunging boosts athletic recovery and endurance pre-cooling

16:14 – Carnivore Aurelius says cold plunges are bad? Here’s why that’s misleading

17:23 – Gender differences: how men vs women experience the benefits of cold

19:54 – Is cold therapy a lasting health trend—or just a stepping stone to something bigger?

24:03 – Joseph’s near-death hypothermia story (and accidental DMT experience)

26:00 – Swearing during cold plunges: surprising science about pain tolerance

28:47 – Laura’s #1 ice bath myth she wishes would disappear

33:26 – Behind the scenes: building Monk, hardware + software in the biohacking space

38:36 – Monk’s vision: syncing cold therapy with your biometrics

40:08 – How cold plunging could help PTSD and mental health for veterans

48:55 – Cold immersion, menstrual cycles, and psychedelics—new research insights

53:46 – Why women’s health research is finally (slowly) catching up

57:45 – How to find Monk, Laura, and what’s coming next

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