So I'm sure many of you out there are like me and like to find new and interesting ways of helping your body. I like learning about how little things help the body maintain and improve itself, because after all, it's the little things that count right? Well, after pursuing one of my many curiosities I actually found something that I simply could not pass up and must share with everyone.
So how many times have you finished a long day or work and all you want is to take a nice relaxing hot shower? Well, like many of you I too am addicted to hot showers. They seem so relaxing and good for you. But how many times have you stepped into what you think to be warm water and found it to be freezing cold? Now that can't be good for you right? Wrong! Cold showers are actually very good for your body and it's maintenance.
One of the things I've always wanted to know was why at one of the gyms that I work out at back home to they have that dreaded contraption called "The Cold Splash" in the locker room. I remember walking out of the sauna I would see many people walk under the shower head and take the ice cold splash and just let out a loud yelp. I thought maybe it was just something to prove one's manhood in front of everyone; but it turns out it's actually something productive for the body. Cold showers help to not only refresh the body after being so heated from a workout but they also help the internal organs.
When working out, or just working hard in general, blood usually rushes to one's skin, or more towards the surface of the body. When that happens the organs are usually not as filled with blood as they normally are, that's why people are usually so red when they work hard. When, and if, the body were to be suddenly experience a drastic change in temperature (say a splash of ice cold water) all of the blood rushes from the skin back down to the internal organs flushing out all that old blood. And this isn't even all that these showers do for you! Some other benefits associated with cold showers are: brings blood to the capillaries, therefore increasing circulation throughout the body, cleans the circulatory system, reduces blood pressure on internal organs, provides flushing for the organs and provides a new supply of blood, strengthens the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, contracts the muscles to eliminate toxins and poisonous wastes, and strengthens the mucous membranes, which help resist hay fever, allergies, colds, coughs.
I know it sounds painful, but cold showers really are good for you. Now I'm not saying that every time you shower you have to shower in ice cold water the whole time, that would just be torture. What is recommended is that you should begin your shower as you normally would, whatever temperature you prefer. Towards the end of the shower however you should gradually ease into cooling the water as much as you can take, preferably ending the shower with the water being cold. I know that now that I started doing this technique I've started feeling fresher than ever. The cold water shocks the body awake and leaves you feeling just great once you're out.
I know I'm just a kid and I really can't explain all that goes on in the body but there are many websites. I know that's where I found all of my information. Here are a few websites that I visited.
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/showers.html http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sampleworkouts/a/After-Exercise.htm
Well I know this blog wasn't so much about healthy living but I thought it was something really cool that many people probably didn't know about. It's just one of the many little things you can do to help your body stay healthy and feeling great. Try it out and see what you think! I now do this every single time I shower and I feel even better now. Hope you all found this to be as interesting as I did! Have fun, be safe, and be healthy!
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