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In my personal research I started using ice at the end of last year. Now, I was sceptical to begin with but that was very quickly snubbed by the benefits I felt from using ice/cold water.
As most of you may know, I am constantly looking for new ways to expand my knowledge on how to quieten the mind and bring your thoughts, focus and self into the present moment. (It’s really bloody great by the way, Oh My Days….. So Great.)
In my experience, I am an avid meditator and mindfulness advocate and you can have a read up on that in one of my blogs, but the premise is, if you have a quiet, peaceful, non-reactive mind, you will live in happiness, and I stand by that reasoning.
It’s where fundamental truths can be discovered and practiced, where choices are made with complete confidence and clarity, and future planning can take place without the mind fog and pressure that our modern day lives place upon us.
Now to live in this day and age without slowly giving away all of our mind’s freedom to technology, the five-day work week and the weekend of distraction/escape, we need tools… we need strong, powerful tools to be able to put everything down and take back a lot, if not ALL of our time.
It’s so precious and what I teach will soon help you realise how precious it is.
So, I’m well versed in these tools and I like to think I have mastered most techniques that bring me into the present moment and I’m always on the lookout for more ways.
And guess what !! cold water/ice therapy works, and I’m a prime example of it.
How does it work?
First things first, a human body submerged into cold water or ice water leads to more parasympathetic activity, which has a huge effect on depression and anxiety, because when you are in the cold water you are effectively meditating to keep yourself in there by quietening the mind and practicing the self-awareness you get from being in the moment. It forces you to be here! now! it demands it.
If you are present, the heart rate slows, the body relaxes and advocates more parasympathetic activity. This pushes the autonomic nervous system into its rest and restore mode, healing the body, soft tissues and organs.
Below is a list of scientifically proven benefits of cold water/ice water therapy.
· Longer and deeper sleep https://www.wimhofmethod.com/blog/how-to-supercharge-your-deep-sleep
· Faster recovery from physical exercise https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938508/
· Symptomatic relief from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis https://icebarrel.com/blog/how-cold-therapy-can-help-fibromyalgia-and-rheumatoid-arthritis/
· Increased dopamine release by up to 250% https://hubermanlab.com/the-science-and-use-of-cold-exposure-for-health-and-performance/
· Inflammation reduction https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/cold-water-therapy
And new benefits are still being discovered.
You start off slow (I lasted 20 seconds on my first try but that was at 1 degree) then slowly but surely, I have lasted longer and longer in the water. I do it as soon as I get up in the morning and it sets me up for my whole day! It’s simply amazing.
I now selling old oak whisky barrels, suitable for cold water immersion. They are perfect for the job. They have a no frills tap and lid and that is everything you need.
These oak barrels have been charred on the inside which is great for the skin, there’s also still a slight taint of whisky coming from the barrel of which I quite like, they are a beautiful feature for your garden too.
I keep mine free from algae by using dead sea salts and emptying on a fortnightly basis and refilling with fresh water. You can also buy a chlorine floater from any swimming pool supplier if you prefer.
Prices start from £150 with a delivery charge depending entirely on where you live.
The dimensions are as follows
· H : 92CM & 112CM for the taller ones.
· W: Approximately 72cm wide with a 245cm circumference.
There are also taller barrels available at a slightly higher price.
Please check this barrel will fit in your garden or around your access before you buy. They’re a bit heavy so will be awkward to lift over the top of anything so please do take this into account, I can help out with the lifting if I’m delivering.
Any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Adam.