Hydrotherapy is the use of water for therapeutic purposes. Popular hydrotherapy uses include a hot water pack for an upset stomach, cold water baths for athletes, or saunas. It’s amazing what just water can do for digestion, immune health, performance, injuries, and overall health.
The easiest way to incorporate the healing powers of water-cure into your daily routine is by doing contrast showers. Contrasting hot and cold water in the shower increases micro-circulation through body tissues, promotes detoxification, and strengthens the immune system. Specifically, the hot water helps to bring nutrients, oxygen and immune cells to stressed tissues, while the cold water carries away metabolic waste and inflammatory by-products.
Instructions
- Shower until you feel warm.
- Once warm, start with 3 minutes of hot water followed by less than one minute of cold water.
- Repeat this pattern at least once during every shower, always finishing with cold.
- For example: 3 minutes hot – 1 minute cold – 3 minutes hot – 1 minute cold
Tips
- Gradually work up to a larger temperature contrast. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the benefits.
- Over time, work up to more body surface area under the water. It’s ok to start with just your legs under the cold water at first!
- Try contrast showers in the morning to invigorate, or at night to help with sleep. See what works best for you.
- Even if you don’t do a contrast shower, it’s important to always end a shower with cold. Hot water for more than 5 minutes decreases circulation, but a short cold treatment counteracts this.
