Cold water has elevated my life in many ways since that first polar plunge about a decade ago. Since then, I’ve experienced tremendous benefits- you’ve heard me on my soapbox, so I wanted to have the cold water swimming legend Dr. Mark Harper on this show to give us a scientific approach. We also get into his new book, Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure.

Dr. Mark Harper, MD, Ph.D., is a consultant anesthetist at Sussex University Hospitals, UK, and Kristiansand, Norway. He is a leading expert in preventing hypothermia in surgical patients, the therapeutic uses of cold-water adaptation, and open-water swimming. Dr. Harper is also co-creator of Chill UK, a nonprofit body committed to providing cold water swimming courses to improve mental health. He is the director of Mental Health Swims and has been featured in the BBC documentary “The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs.”

In today’s episode,

• The physiological benefits of cold water
• How cold water swimming is therapeutic for depression, anxiety, stress, chronic pain, and other ailments.
• The power of community and how to find your tribe
• Lifestyle vs. medicine

Enjoy!

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