You'll Need a Cold Shower for This
Get that blood flowing. Improving blood circulation has so many benefits. The blood is what carries oxygen and nutrients to your cells and organs. The better the movement of blood, the more nourishment your body will receive thereby enhancing your immune system and even your lymphatic system.
First, the body must be gently lulled into total relaxation. When tension is relieved as the body achieves a warm and relaxed state of comfort and relaxation, it opens up which leads to blood vessel expansion. Then, when all senses are open in this state of heightened calm, it is quickly shocked to induce constriction and vasodilation of the blood vessels.
No, this particular method is not achieved in the bedroom (although it could be!), but in the bathroom. It is called water therapy or contrast showers.
In general, the basic concept of a contrast shower is a hot-cold cycle repeated several times. For example, make the shower hot for three minutes, then make it cold for one minute, three minutes hot, one minute cold, three minutes hot, one minute cold. It's recommended to always finish with cold water. It's best to repeat three times.
During the contrast shower, the hot water relaxes muscles and opens blood vessels by bringing blood flow to the skin's surface. The cold water then pushes the blood flow inward and toward the vital organs. Repeating this process frees up blockages, reduces friction and allows the cells to move past each other more freely.
There are many detoxification benefits as well. The circulation of your blood is the way by which toxins reach your liver, where they are processed and removed from your bloodstream. Improving your circulation allows these toxins to reach the liver and be processed more quickly. Water therapy or contrast showers can open up blockages and actually speed up the process by which toxins are expelled.
The
lymphatic system can also be boosted as its function is to
return excess blood plasma towards the heart and acts as a
filtration system that prevents pathogens from entering the blood stream. The hot and cold of contrast showers increases circulation in the lymphatic system, and both normalizes and
strengthens the immune system.
Another added advantage by relaxing the muscles and reducing the strain, the
lactic acid is reduced in the muscles that causes muscle fatigue. This may reinstate the body leading to tight, more youthful looking skin.
The trick is to try to keep
as big a differential between the hot and cold temperatures as you can. This will give the best results. However, when it's time for the cold shock, don't forget to breathe and keep the scream to a minimum.
