The contrast between hot and cold water increases circulation, promotes detoxification and strengthens the immune system. This helps bring nutrients, oxygen and immune cells to damaged and stressed tissues and carries away metabolic waste, inflammatory by-products and other toxic substances.
First, try to stick to a medium temperature (not too hot or cold) while you cleanse your body from head to toe thoroughly with chemical-free shower gel, available at the Better Living Centre.
- When you’re all clean, increase the water temperature to be as hot as you like. The hotter the better as the blood flow will be stronger. (Of course, don’t burn yourself) Do this for about 3 minutes. [To time the three minutes count to 180,]
- Next, turn the knob down all the way down to cold. Rinse yourself in this cold water for 30 – 60 seconds (never more than 1 minute). [count to 60]
- Quickly switch back to hot water for 3 minutes followed by 30-60 seconds of cold water jets. Repeat at least another set, ending with a cold water blast.
Basically, take 3 sets of 3 minutes hot and 30-60 seconds cold water before ending your shower.
When you finish with the cold blasts for the last time, you might be feeling extremely hot and a little sweaty. This is a good sign that you did the steps correctly. Why do you sweat? This is because your body does not want you to be cold. At the end of your cold water blast, your surface temperature is cold because the blood rushed away. As soon as you stop the cold, your blood comes flooding back to the skin surface to warm you. This sudden rush of blood makes you hot and it’s good for you.
The trick is to avoid keeping the cold on for too long and making sure you have the hot water on long enough. If you have cold and hot at 1 minute intervals, you’re going to be cold in the end. Make sure the sets are in 3 minutes hot and 30-60 seconds cold.
These steps provoke a physiological change in your body. This physiological change is enough to stimulate digestion and the nervous system, thus boosting the immune system. It is also good for stimulating your thyroid function, therefore increasing your metabolism and helping you lose those unwanted pounds.