Wim Hof method
I briefly described the benefits of cold exposure in the previous article — now let's take it a little further.
What would you say if I told you there's a technique that allows you to control your body so deeply that you can change your blood pH, boost your immune system, lower stress and pain levels, and even reduce inflammation? And what if I told you that anyone can learn this technique — you don't need any equipment, and it won't cost you anything except your time?
Sounds almost crazy, right? I know — I thought the same at first.
If you read the previous article carefully, you probably noticed that I mentioned a certain method several times. What I was referring to is the Wim Hof Method.
The Wim Hof Method is named after its creator — if I can call him that. Wim Hof holds 21 world records; among other things, he stayed almost two hours in a giant ice cube, climbed Mount Everest up to 6.7 km without oxygen, wearing nothing but shorts, and accomplished many other incredible feats.
But the most fascinating part of his life is that he developed a truly unique technique that leads to all the effects described above — and even more importantly, he decided to share it with the entire world.
The Wim Hof Method (WHM) is built on three main pillars:
1. Deep breathing exercises (controlled hyperventilation)
2. Cold exposure
3. Mindset and meditation
Each of these pillars will be discussed in detail in the following articles. I'll start with cold exposure in icy water and cover the other two later on.
There are two important things to mention: First, all the effects of the Wim Hof Method I'll be describing are scientifically proven and supported by solid evidence. In fact, research suggests that WHM is capable of even more — we just need further scientific studies to fully understand it.
Second, WHM is not suitable for everyone. You should avoid practicing it if you have high blood pressure, a history of heart attack or stroke. It's also not recommended (just to be safe) for pregnant women and children.