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Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.
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Oh. But did she ever mention why they'd do that, or hint that it was therapeutic (rather than just, say, a fun activity for entertainment purely) ?My grandmother was Finnish and used to tell of how they would go from the hot sauna and then jump in the a hole cut in the ice of a lake a few steps away. They would go back and forth several times.
I have tried cold plunges and I am trying to get myself back into the cold water again. There is constant scientic evidence (I do have a biochemical science background and am critical of papers.)I've started today. Heard about it for a while but decided I was going to give it a go for at least a while.
Here are some of the benefits Dr. Eric Berg mentions (video below):
- boosts immunity
- boosts noradrenaline
- improves mood
- increased insulin sensitivity (rather than dangerous insulin resistance)
- anti-inflammatory
- neuroprotection
- better recovery (muscles in particular)
People often recommend one should start with a hot shower, then go to cold, and switch back and forth between the two. I'm doing from average, to cold, incrementally over the span of about 2min then keep it for another 4-5min.
Whenever I've had a cold dip in the sea, I've come out of it feeling fresh physically but not wired or jittery, felt like I was wearing an armor over my body (immunity prob) like the wind had no effect on me, and then felt a sense of calm when I sat on the sand.
Anybody here do these regularly ? Any results ?
I feel you, tell me about it! I got my lovely "cold exposure therapy" all last night. Some symptoms I was getting from activated charcoal really made me feel a lot colder and especially my feet at times (which felt like they were made of ice). Pretty much all I did was roll around in pain with my legs having spasms like they wanted to run away from me which I don't blame them for. Then when that alarm went off and I was out it was like diving into a cold swimming pool. Yeah it really jolted me up better than coffee but ultimately I was just more stressed and couldn't relax besides those glorious warm moments when I was drinking it as I enjoyed the morning music and internet scroll.Tried cold shower, it gave me PEM. Pretty much everything gives me PEM: walking, getting too cold, sauna, socializing, concentrating on a task, being in the sun, infrared light therapy, yoga etc. Even my favourite thing in the world, which is interacting with animals, gives me PEM. This disease is unreal. A lot of things,that help normal people, make us worse.