COLD RINSE: Better than a shot of espresso in the morning!
Feeling groggy in the morning? Addicted to caffeine to “get you going”? Want to get your metabolism fired up?
If you have 30 seconds, then look no further!
You will feel invigorated, alive, and AWAKE while you perform the cold water shower rinse. I often joke with my patients that it’s better than a shot of espresso!
The Cold Rinse health benefits are really quite simple. Just follow these three easy steps:
- Take your usual nice, warm morning shower.
- Finish your shower with a 30-second blast of COLD water to rinse off (no more than 30 seconds is required).
- Immediately wrap up in your towel to dry off.
Water, in its many forms and varying temperatures, has been used in both conventional and traditional medicine as an application of Hydrotherapy showers to help the body heal from various ailments – from injured muscles, sprains, and strains, to fevers, the common cold, and depression. (1)
When you take a warm shower, your body vasodilates the peripheral blood supply (dilates the blood vessels) due to the heat. This causes blood to circulate to your muscles and extremities. When performing the cold water shower rinse AFTER you have taken a nice warm shower, your body responds by vasoconstricting the peripheral blood supply (constricting the blood vessels). This pushes fresh blood away from your extremities and into your core and vital organs.
This flow of fresh blood actually heats up your core; which is counter to what you would think happens after taking a “cold shower”!
This increase in blood flow also increases lymphatic drainage, which helps give your immune system a little kickstart to start the day.(2) Recent studies also show that the change in water temperature impacts gut flora, which stimulates weight loss.(3)
Who knew that just by adding a simple 30-second cold water shower rinse to your morning routine, you could impact your overall immune system, mood (4), metabolism, and weight?
Enjoy this little “Inspired Health Tip” and the awesome burst of invigorating energy each morning in the shower!
Be Inspired,
Dr. Meaghan Dishman
©2016 Dr. Meaghan Dishman ND, LAc, MSOM
(1) http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tc/hydrotherapy-topic-overview
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/
(3) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151203135832.htm
