{"id":563,"date":"2020-04-11T20:40:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-11T20:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erinkirwin.com\/?p=563"},"modified":"2020-04-11T20:47:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-11T20:47:04","slug":"top-2-at-home-hydrotherapy-methods-to-boost-your-immune-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erinkirwin.com\/?p=563","title":{"rendered":"Top 2 At Home Hydrotherapy Methods to Boost your Immune System"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are strong natural remedies you can use to enhance your immune system and shorten the duration of a cold or flu. Two simple and powerful at home methods you can do to increase your vitality are contrast showers<\/strong> and magic socks<\/strong>.
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Both of these treatments utilize hydrotherapy<\/em>, one of the oldest and primary methods of treatment in Naturopathic medicine. By utilizing hot and cold water, the body strengthens its response to changing temperatures and increases circulation and system functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contrast Showers<\/strong>
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Contrast showers are a simple way to promote detoxification and boost your immune system. The method is simply to alternate between hot and cold water in the shower as described in the steps below. This temperature contrast helps the body adjust to stress and strengthens the nervous, circulatory, endocrine (hormonal), musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and immune systems.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Method: <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
  1. After your normal shower, gradually turn down the hot water to cool water, and rinse for about 1 minute, focusing on areas of pain or soreness if they are present. <\/li>
  2. After 1 minute, switch the shower back to hot water for 3-5 minutes.<\/li>
  3. Repeat this cycle 3-5 times and end with cool water.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Keep the hot phase longer than the cold and be sure to finish with cool water. You will gain more therapeutic benefit with sharper contrasts in temperatures, but start with smaller changes and gradually work up to sharper contrasts. If you are in a crunch for time you can still get benefits from simply turning one blast of cold water for 30 seconds at the end of your shower.
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    When to do this?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Contrast showers are a preventative method, meaning you can do them every day even when you are not feeling sick. Since these contrast showers are energy boosting, take them in the morning or early evening rather than right before bed. And because your body is already heated, after sauna or exercise are also ideal times to do contrast showers. 
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    How does this work?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Increases blood flow aiding in detoxification and reducing inflammation<\/em>
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    When exposed to cold temperatures the blood\nvessels constrict, known as vasoconstriction<\/em>, reducing blood flow. When\nexposed to hot temperatures, the opposite process occurs, vasodilation<\/em>\nin which the blood vessels open and blood flow increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Alternating between temperatures increases blood\nflow, essentially tones and strengthens the blood vessels by forcing your\ntissues to adapt to changing temperatures. Increasing blood flow aids the\nlymphatic system and helps the body in the detoxification process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This method has been used by athletes to treat\nmuscle pain and leads to decrease in blood\nclotting and heart attacks or congestion of lung arteries. (1)<\/a>(2<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Boosts the Immune System<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    One study showed that contrast showers resulted\nin a 29% decrease in sick days, indicating that contrast showers can lessen the\nfrequency of colds and viruses (3<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Exposure to cold water has also shown to\nstimulate white blood cells, particularly lymphocyte\ncells which attack bacteria and viruses. (4<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some medical conditions to note\nthat contradict with contrast showers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n