In this episode of The Human Upgrade - anesthetist and researcher, Mark Harper, M.D., Ph.D., shares how the power of cold-water practices can treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, arthritis, migraines and other health conditions you may be experiencing.

Despite all the attention cold water swimming and immersion has gotten in recent years—thank you, Wim Hof—the scientific community hasn’t taken it very seriously. That’s changing now. Dr. Harper’s research goes beyond what we already know about the benefits of cold-water therapy and lays out best practices for you.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• How to safely establish your own customized practice of cold-water swimming
• The ideal plunge frequency 
• How to heat your body from the inside out
• Why using saunas can optimize your plunges
• The effects of putting your face in cold water vs. just your body
• Why swimming “in the wild”—lakes, rivers, seas — benefits you even more 
• How community plays a role in cold plunge practices
• And more

You’ll also learn about science and case studies found in Dr. Harper’s book, “Chill: The Cold Water Swim Cure - A Transformative Guide to Renew Your Body and Mind.” He explains how cold water has the ability to impacts us physiologically and mentally.

As Dr. Harper shares his long-awaited evidence on cold-water’s therapeutic power to strengthen the immune system, cell regeneration, and everyday vitality, you’ll come to understand how to harness the power of cold-water swimming. 

If you are looking to up your cold-water therapy game, you’ll get a lot of value from this episode. Dr. Harper says you can start simply, one small movement into cold water at a time: “Your rest, digest, chill out, and anti-inflammatory response comes from putting your face into the water,” he says. He then goes on to other cold-water swim tips.

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