Evening my lovelies. I hope that you are all well and enjoying the long weekend!!
Has anyone heard of Wim Hof otherwise known as The Iceman? I was sent a link regarding how this incredible man has over 26 Guinness Book of record entries and has overcome many fascinating obstacles through his ice cold showers and breathing techniques. Many have tried this and it has helped with inflammation. I am sceptical to try his ice cold showers but if it helps me with the inflammation and reduces the amount of toxic medicines that I have to take then I am willing to try it out. Will start with the breathing techniques. Please let me know your views and if anyone has tried taking cold showers and if this has helped in anyway. I would appreciate any suggestions.
Love to all xx
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Ms-D
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I might try it in the summer, well cold showers anyway and see but its interesting that with the time and perseverance anything is possible. Not saying it works for all autoimmune disease but study showed it worked with people who have axil spondylitis.
I’ve heard of him . I tried the cold showers but I couldn’t get on with them . If I could just jump in to cold water and get the whole body cold at once I think I could manage better. I do find breathing can help . I’m no expert but would like do better.
Yeh I need to muster up courage to try longer than 10 seconds like today. But don't think it will help with RA but maybe other autoimmune disease. Will keep you updated on how I get on.
Cold showers stimulates the vagus nerve which is linked to immune system function. The best way to start is get into a warm shower and then have a blast of cold... splashing cold water on your face will, to a lesser degree, stimulate the vagus nerve as well. Obviously ice baths will have a bigger stimulation impact but whilst I’m up for a blast of cold water at the end of a shower I can’t quite bring myself to do the ice bath thing!!! 😳
Ice bath definitely isn't for me lol. I might try 10 seconds and increase it over time. But will see how I get on. Breathing is something I try before I take my injectapen and that helps alot.
I have been swimming in the (cold 🥶) sea about 10 times during this latest lockdown. And I do turn the shower cold for a minute or two at the end.
Here’s what I can report:
- You feel invigorated after a cold water swim or shower
- You also feel kind of righteous for doing it 😇 Helps to banish the blues, at least for a little while
- But for me, it made my muscles contract and this caused pain afterwards and inevitably led to some sofa dwelling time the days after each swim. (For full disclosure, I do have fibromyalgia too and muscles contracting is not good for that either).
Bottom line: It’s fun (and good mentally) but I feel that warm water offers me more physical benefits x
Hi Ms-D, never heard of him, but I have heard that wild swimming and ice-cold showers boost the immune system and improve mental health. I always end my morning shower with it turned to cold, and the water here in remote highland Scotland, the tap water is very cold at the moment. It is quite exhilarating and actually addictive.Enjoy the experiment and I hope it helps.
I am looking forward to trying it but little wary. But if it helps then yey. Wow you live quite far North. I've never been to Scotland but would love to one day. I hear its gorgeous. I am in North West London and not far from Wembley stadium but all I see now are high rise buildings and the charm is gone.
I do the breathing method that Wim uses and teaches, Its actually yoga meditation and breathing from Tibet and India. The breath holding exercises really work for relaxing the body and the mind. As for helping relieve RA pain i never felt the benefit. And the cold shower or ice baths help with muscle recovery. Again its originates in the far east. The Yamabushi monks of Japan practiced cold water emersion for almost a 1000 years which helps with focusing the mind. It's a sect of Shingon Buddhism (true word). I turn the shower to cold at the end of my showers in the morning. Does nothing for long term relief but gives that immediate invigoration. As said by others above i find warm pack on the sore joint areas gives more relief for RA. I do still practice Wims Method when i remember or need to relax.
Thank you so much for replying. Lots of interesting information. Warm packs definitely work for me and help with RA pain. I appreciate your reply. Its amazing how far back these techniques go.
Never heard of him, but I do breathing exercises daily. All part of TaiChi and Qigong. Breathing into the pain and accepting it is a valuable technique in my experience. Good luck with the cold showers. Brrrrrrrrrr!
Hi Ms-DWell I’ve been following in the Wim hoff protocol of recent, doing the breathing exercises
& cold water showers daily & love it. I have for about 4 years have constant hot face flushing, neck & face.. I’ve been told it can be apart of RA, however I have really struggled with it. Sitting with windows & doors open in mid winter. My friends comment how I would be happy living in the Arctic!! Anyway with a few days of a 5 min morning showers it’s completely gone away. This is a great relief for me. I also find it helps my joints for me personally, i hobble in and walk out with far more ease. It’s extremely refreshing & exhilarating & a good positive start to the day, defo worth a try, but for others prefer warm. My sons a chiropractor & always believes in using both, hope this is helpful to your initial interest.
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