The FastDay Forum

I'm well trained to not get them. But when I got them, they didn't get in my way indeed!

Hi Michael

Here's an article on the benefits of cold shower by a guy called Todd Becker, who's done a lot of research on the subject:

http://gettingstronger.org/2010/03/cold-showers/

It's well worth taking a good look around this website - it's packed with good stuff!

"Getting Stronger is a blog about the philosophy of Hormetism, based on the application of progressive, intermittent stress to overcome challenges and grow stronger physically, mentally and emotionally."

The theory behind it is that putting yourself under stress makes you stronger. So, IF works by stressing the body's cells. Exercising works by putting the muscles of the body under stress.

He has a post about improving your eyesight by - you guessed it - applying stress to the eye. I'm fully intending to have a go at that - he reckons you can dispense with your glasses if you follow his instructions. We'll see.

[carorees]

Thanks for that link B&W! Lots of excellent blog posts to read! I might try a cold shower tomorrow morning...it shouldn't be too bad...I was swimming in the Baltic daily on holiday and the water was not warm!

I heard that alternative hot/cold showers improve circulation.Never thought that they could burn calories.LOL

You're off to a flyer, then, Caro!

I tried it once after reading about it on the (hardcore) FastingConnection forum, but decided it wasn't for me.

However, I might give it another go.

The only downside would be the waste of water!

Oh I was ignoring this thread because really don't like cold showers... but now I've read it and googled it and now I'm going to have to give it a try. 30 day cold shower challenge coming up...

[carorees]

On the up-side, B&W, ...no waste of energy to heat water for one's normal morning shower! Alternatively, take up wild swimming (sans wetsuit)!

In the past, there has only been one reason I have needed a cold shower and stimulating mitochondria is not it.

I wonder if the discussion of cold showers is fostered because it's warm over there in the States and cold showers may not be as dreadful as it feels here in Wintery Sydney, Australia.

I still love my 10 minute hot shower whether its winter or summer as I can bear showers and I will stick to that and do anything else thats healty without the punishment.

When I think of cold showers I can't think of all the poor jews and other people in the concentration camps in Europe in the 40s, only 60 somthing years ago. I'm not Jewish though parents fleed their war torn country for this sunny warm country. But Ive read a lot about the horror in Europe and visited Anne Frank's house and also Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

That may be why I fear the thought of cold showers.

Here's some totally off topic reading http://library.thinkquest.org/12663/sur ... tness.html

Thanks for the link B&W!

Interesting, I use to soap up in warm water, and switch to cold, lessening the shock by first washing my head, arms and legs before getting my whole bode covered in cold water. 5 minutes yesterday, no shivering or teeth chattering. It felt great.

But this Todd Becker claims the initial shock of the cold water is good in itself, so it would be better to amp it up and get right into the cold water straight away. Perhaps not what I actually wanted to hear, but OK. I'll try it.

I agree with his description of the emotional effects of these showers. They do make me feel very calm, stable, more clear minded and completely awake, not drowsy as I often am for hours after getting out of bed.

Perhaps he describes it best with his quote, " Stoic tranquility is not apathy or a lack of feeling! On the contrary, it is a positive sense of equanimity, contentment, and happiness that endures and supports us. It is the opposite of depression; you might even call it “elevation”.

Interesting, "opponent-process theory of emotion", the thoughts about unpleasant stimuli to induce pleasure and reduce cravings. I might very well buy into this.

Hmmmmm... washing with cold water? No thanks! I don't think that soap and shampoo would work.

Interesting, "opponent-process theory of emotion", the thoughts about unpleasant stimuli to induce pleasure and reduce cravings. I might very well buy into this.

Like I feel with fasting, its not pleasant at the time, but the effect it has on me is interesting, and beneficial, so well worth any discomfort. I might try the cold shower thing

Tml that's my thought too. I've gone months with only cold showers when travelling in places where warm showers are hard to find, and I never feel entirely clean. That's why I think I'll go the warm shower followed by cold. I'd prefer a cold pool to plunge into afterwards. And I'm waiting another month or so until it warms up a bit more.

Hmmmmm... washing with cold water? No thanks! I don't think that soap and shampoo would work.

Just came from six minutes in cold water, I must say I feel clean and the soap lathered as usual. Will check with my girlfriend if I'm smelly, if so, I guess I'll just finish up with soap and hot water after the cold.

You won't be smelly, LOL, but you won't be as clean as you'd be if you used warm water.
Both our hair and our bodies are covered with a very thin layer of fat, not to mention dead skin cells. Have you tried washing a greasy baking tray with cold water? It simply won't get clean.
It's not a matter of soap and lather it is a matter of cleaning the fat and dead cells from the skin and that needs warm water.