Cold exposure, cold therapy question

[mandyjw]

I've been trying to increase my tolerance to cold by going outside to run now that it's winter dressed like I would be on a much warmer day. The cold temps boost the effect of the runner's high, it's a great combination. It feels amazing while I'm doing it and doesn't seem extreme but for a good hour or two after I can't get warm. I'm only spending less than a half hour outside. I thought that this would be an easier way that the cold rinses, because the same thing happens to me with those in the winter. Will this improve on its own overtime, should I stick with it, or am I expecting too much too fast? I take medication for hypothyroidism and get cold easily but that's partly why I want to increase my tolerance to cold temperatures. 

[DrewNows]

Actually just saw this link on FB. Do you practice any breathing exercises before cold exposure? This is 3 rounds guided breathing to increase oxygen levels in the cells. Also can try skin scrubbing to get the lymph system draining well to keep the organs strong

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by DrewNows

[Raptorsin7]

Can you get a runner's high from just meditating? Can you explain your process on your run? How you feel and deal with the pain at different stages in your run? Can you get a runner's high consistently?

[InfinitePotential]

For getting warm, try sipping on some beet juice before going out on your runs. You can look for a supplement that advertises how it boosts nitric oxide. 

Beets have a tonnnn of nitrates in them, which bacteria in your mouth convert into nitric oxide. They are excellent for circulation, especially when combined with some physical activity. I definitely notice a warming effect when using them. 

As for the hypothyroidism, listen to your doctor, but consider getting some iodine and selenium rich foods. 

[Forestluv]

How interesting. I’ve never heard of trying this. 

As a runner, what comes up for me is recovery time. There is cold tolerance during the real n and recovery after the run. Perhaps treat cold recovery similar to how we would treat heart rate recovery or lactate recovery. For example, one measure of fitness is how quickly heart rate returns to baseline after running an interval. Perhaps you could measure how long it takes your body to return to temperature homeostasis. For now, it is 1-2 hrs. Perhaps after two months, it will only take a half hour. That would show adaptation. Yet this assumes the uncomfortable cold feeling isn’t too stressful on the mind and body. 

[mandyjw]

@DrewNows No, I assumed the running would be enough without it, I don't want to get light-headed before going out, having only done the breathing exercises laying down. I should do some more research on how he does long runs and hikes outside though. Is skin scrubbing a Wim Hof thing? I haven't heard of it, thank you. 

@Raptorsin7 You can experience highs from meditation, but running releases chemicals like dopamine and integrates the body and breathing in a unique way. In my experience the two are quite different, but both are worth doing. I'm not a serious runner, I used to run competitively as a kid, but stopped racing when graduated high school. Running doesn't hurt at all for me because I'm not pushing my body to go faster or further, I'm already conditioned and in shape for the low mileage I run. There might be some discomfort if I focus on it, and occasionally there are aches and pains but like meditation there are always positive things to focus on or negative if we chose to give them our attention.

When I run I let my thoughts go free, I let whatever thoughts feel good come, if not thinking feels good I enjoy that, I usually use my intuition to tell me where to run. My intuition gets really heightened while running, I get lots of new creative ideas, are more able to reframe things, or getting insights. Lately it's been an exercise is connecting with the world around me, I stop a lot and appreciate whatever I see there. Even 10 minutes is enough to alter my perceptions quite a bit. After 20 or 30 I get a deeper runner's high that lasts a while. The practice of meditation and watching my thoughts has improved my runs and made me more susceptible to the high I get from it, as I become more and more sensitive to it and learn to go in the direction of that. It wasn't until recently that I made the connection, runner's high = vortex = high vibration, it's all the same and you can intentionally do things that put you there and chose thoughts that keep you there. Before I thought feeling good was just something that happened to me, I didn't realize it was in my power. 

@InfinitePotential That's interesting thank you! I eat brazil nuts for selenium but I really need to get a kelp supplement again for iodine. 

@Serotoninluv That's a good idea, thanks. I often remind myself of the Tim Ferriss quote "what gets measured gets managed." 

 

 

[Michael569]

13 hours ago, mandyjw said:

I take medication for hypothyroidism and get cold easily but that's partly why I want to increase my tolerance to cold temperatures.

Just out of interest, is it Hashimoto's or just hypothyroidism? If regular, there is actually a lot you can do guided by good nutritionist to potentially move away from medication unless there is radiation damage or any genetic weakness. 

[mandyjw]

@Michael569 It's just hypothyroidism. I've improved my diet immensely since being diagnosed but my levels haven't changed once in 13 years.  

[DrewNows]

@mandyjw Breath work will help with the cold sensitivity. Of course don't go running out the door as soon as you've completed the laying down breathing sessions and feel all high  but it might be worth trying. There's some good videos of Wim discussing the breathing he does climbing in the snow from what i recall, it is controlled and meditative.  I've also heard the digestive system plays a role in the body's heat regulation. But yeah the skin rubbing, actually called dry scrubbing, is not wim hoff related but if you have any issues sweating, this is for lymph drainage which will improve organ function; im thinking dry scrubbing before exercise, or showering (not after or during) could be very beneficial for stimulating the release of toxins...here's a video on it 

 

Edited December 12, 2019 by DrewNows