Welcome to a detailed account of the benefits, rationale and how-to instructions for the fabulous health regimen of cold water therapy. 

As you may know from watching my soon-viral YouTube video, I am big into his daily morning and evening chest freezer cold plunge regimen, for a variety of reasons detailed in the show. Cold exposure delivers an instant boost of mood elevating hormones into the brain, namely epinephrine and norepinephrine. It enhances blood circulation and oxygen delivery throughout the body, and delivers a potent anti-inflammatory effect. These are all hormetic benefits, meaning a brief, natural stressor that makes the body more efficient and resilient. Sauna exposure delivers similar hormetic benefits, as the body is challenged to work hard and cool back down or rewarm, in the case of a cold plunge to homeostasis.

 

TIMESTAMPS: 

The benefits of cold therapy include honing our resiliency in overall immune function, cognitive function, and metabolic function.  However, it might not be the ideal way to recover from intense exercise. [00:00:37]  

People who use cold water therapy actually have fewer upper respiratory infections than people who don't. [00:07:55]  

Tony Robbins says this cold therapy actually trains his brain not to hesitate, but to act. [00:11:54]  

Brad is really meditating while in the cold tub. Breathing is a huge component of cold exposure. [00:13:19]  

Brad’s friend Dave Kobrine finishes his morning cold plunge routine with a jog for a couple of miles. [00:22:00]  

Dude Spellings is convinced that cold therapy resets the autonomic nervous system. [00:24:28]  

Being in the water long changes your mitochondrial heteroplasmy to look more like a young person. [00:29:45]  

Brian McAndrew: "All I know is that the worse I made myself feel in the moment by staying as long as I could in the cold, the better I felt afterword in regard to mood."[00:32:41]  

Mark Sisson talks about cold therapy "I'd also suggest that cold exposure helps improve your focus, confidence, and mental resilience particularly since you will improve your tolerance and appreciation over time. These benefits will carry over into all areas of life." [00:35:08]  

“Dr. Dre”, a young friend of Brad, mustered up the courage to try this and as soon as he did it, he found his anxiety reduced. [00:36:11]  

Brad describes his own fitness routines. [00:37:11]  

Here the benefits and science of cold therapy are examined. Cold therapy helps your body control inflammation and blood circulation improves. [00:39:58]  

Cooling the body and lowering of heart rate helps you fall into a good night's sleep. [00:42:22]  

Cold exposure right after workout hampers the desirable inflammatory processes.  That's why it feels so good. [00:43:41]  

Cold exposure also inhibits the functioning of the lymphatic system in clearing the inflammatory toxins from the blood stream. [00:44:01]  

Andrew MacNaughton: "Don't help your body.  Otherwise you lose some of the adaptation you're seeking through your challenging workouts."[00:44:37]  

The more counterintuitive it is, the more intuitive it becomes.[00:44:55]   

Cold Therapy is not a proven way to stimulate fat reduction. [00:45:26]  

The best practice is to warm up naturally. [00:47:02]  

Norepinephrine can rise 200 to 300 percent with just a 20 second immersion into freezing water just a couple of times a week!  Norepinephrine helps reduce inflammation. [00:48:02]   

Stay in until you shiver. [00:51:59]  

How to get started on this cold therapy regimen. [00:55:29]  

 

LINKS: 

• Brad’s viral YouTube video, Chest Freezer Cold Therapy 
• The exquisite MarksDailyApple article, The (Maybe Not So) Definitive Guide to Cold Therapy 
• Tony Robbins Cold Plunge 
• Aubrey Marcus Cold Shower and Breath Work 
• Epson Salts: Good for your chest freezer 
• What doesn’t kill us 
• Wim Hof: His method shows proper exposure to cold starts a cascade of health benefits.  
• Mitochondrial Heteroplasmy: A look at genetics in evolution and disease. 
• Rhonda Patrick: There’s more to our genes than just the so-called good and bad.  
• Telomeres:  If cells divided without telomeres, they would lose the ends of their chromosomes, and the necessary information they contain. 
• Kelly Starrett: A coach, physical therapist, author, speaker and creator of Mobility Wod 
• Whole Doods: Great photos on Instagram of delicious healthy meals. 

 

QUOTES: 

• “The more counterintuitive it is, the more intuitive it becomes.” - Brad Kearns
• "Be sure to unplug the freezer before you jump in." - Brad Kearns

 

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