Today we look at Wim Hof Cold Shower and see if it can help with coronavirus (COVID-19). The coronavirus disease, which saw an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and has spread globally, especially in countries like Italy, South Korea and Iran, has left many wondering if the Wim Hof Technique can help stop it.
I try my best to answer questions on the subject and look at how Wim Hof methods can help with Coronavirus (COVID-19), as it helps to improve your immune system and keep you healthy. This includes taking cold showers and the breathing exercises, for which there are many benefits that we’ve previously covered on Practical Inspiration.
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Below is a quick summary:
About Coronavirus
The Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China and until now has spread to over 80 countries all over the world, leaving many experts fearing a potential risk of a pandemic.
A lot is unknown about the virus as I research this, particularly in terms of understanding how many people have actually been infected and the exact threat the virus poses.
The virus infects both animals and people and can cause illnesses of the respiratory tract, though important to understand at this point is it’s believed the virus is less fatal than previous high profile outbreaks, such as SARS and MERS. At the moment, it is believed to be more fatal than seasonal flu, though that is with the data we currently have and therefore the reality may not be quite so alarming.
Improve The Immune System
Probably the biggest reason people are looking to the Wim Hof method is that cold therapy and his breathing exercises have been known to help improve our immune system.
In the case of cold therapy, cold water has been found to improve circulation by encouraging blood to surround our organs, which can then help combat various ailments and improve your overall health.
It can also lower blood pressure as we relax, clear blocked arteries and improve our immune system, something I’ll cover in more detail in a moment, making us physically healthier in a number of respects.
However, it’s not just the cold therapy that works wonders, equally valuable and important are the breathing exercises, which help the body circulate blood flow and increase oxygen intake when done correctly.
Control Auto Immune Response
Research into the Wim Hof method has also found that the technique is beneficial in it’s control over the auto immune response, making us not only feel the effects of sickness less, but importantly improve our response to sickness to combat it more quickly and efficiently.
One of the things found with the Wim Hof method is that it dampens the innate immune response, the response the body has to sickness that is often the cause that makes us feel unwell. By dampening the effects of the innate immune response, we actually feel less unwell while the body combats sickness, as the body inhibits the production of proteins that cause inflammation.
While it might seem that this would slow down your physical recovery from sickness, the research found that while proteins were inhibited, white blood cells, which combats infection, actually increased in those who practiced the Wim Hof method, meaning they were also able to recover more quickly.
Will The Wim Hof Method Stop Coronavirus
To be as honest and open as possible, I can only say that I can’t guarantee the Wim Hof method is magically going to cure Coronavirus. Part of the reason for this is there is still a lot unknown about Coronavirus and all of possible effects it could have.
However, what I can state is that the Wim Hof method will benefit to strengthen your immune system to help combat Coronavirus should you catch it, just as it would in fighting off a cold or flu. It’s benefits for our respiration system further strengthens our resolves to possibly fighting off the virus. With this in mind, it’s fair to believe that the Wim Hof method will help us combat the Coronavirus.
Equally important is to care for your wellbeing and health in general. Make sure to eat well, stay hydrated, sleep properly and care for your mental health, as all of these will contribute to your overall health and immunity.
Also, please ensure to follow professional guidelines with regards to Coronavirus, not taking needless risks at this point in time.
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Music Credit: ‘Low Frequency Music’
Track Name: ‘Consideration’
License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported “Share Alike” (CC BY-SA 3.0) License.
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