Not everyone would readily agree to do an ice bath and endure the uncomfortable sensations of being submerged in the cold. But Scott Carney, who personally experienced it, found the benefits of doing so.
As a journalist and anthropologist, he has investigated organ trafficking, experienced war zones, and met Wim Hof, the Iceman, himself. Wim Hof’s known for his ability to endure cold temperatures as his meditation technique and alter the immune system's response.
Our mind tends to come up with worst scenarios, to be anxious, to go into fight or flight mode. But with the ice bath experience, Scott became aware of the sensations on his skin and how he could control his reaction to the cold water. His health and autoimmune reactions have improved as a result of this.
In this episode, Scott Carney talks about what he learned from his encounters with Wim Hof and the ice bath, as well as how stress and one's mindset may affect physiology and control the immune system.
Quick Guide:
01:19 Introduction
04:22 The physiological effect of environmental stressors
17:50 How dealing with stressors can be applied in day-to-day life
24:45 The auto-immune system and the Wim Hof Method
30:56 The reaction of cancer cells with sugar and cold temperature
33:50 Cold as the stimulus
36:15 The purpose and the right amount of stressors
40:27 How to practice playing with sensations
Get to know our guest:
Scott Carney is an investigative journalist and anthropologist who has written various topics in well-known publications. He has authored several books, including New York Times bestseller “What Doesn’t Kill Us” which chronicles his journey with Wim Hof.
"And as you feel more comfortable, you said there's a crisis in comfort, is that if you don't have range in the stuff you're gonna do, and you're totally fine staying on your couch and watching Netflix, and that is the way you have organized your entire life so that if you go to the mailbox, that's terrifying. And you could people do get to this point, right? Where you have so narrowed your environment and your range that you can't do stuff."
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