Intentional Wellness: Fire and Ice

There are so many alleged tips and tricks stating how to be healthy. We are here to inform you of factually-based methods that will help you feel better day-to-day, improving your well-being in the short and long term. Mindful breathing and extreme hot and cold exposure have an undeniable positive impact on the human body and mind, improving our short and long-term health. 

The way we breathe makes a huge difference on our health. Nasal breathing has been scientifically proven to be 100 percent beneficial to health. On the contrary, mouth breathing has been shown to lead to more illnesses. The benefits of nasal breathing, according to an article on Dental Logic, “reduce exposure to foreign substances, increase airflow to arteries, veins, and nerves, and increase oxygen circulation.” Joyce Lee-Iannotti’s studies show some negative results of mouth breathing, including “oral issues, gum disease, digestive issues and chronic fatigue.” Something as effortless as breathing properly can have such a profound effect on our mental, physical, and long-term health.  

Hot and cold therapy dates back to the 19th century, but recently, the ice bath trend has taken off all over social media. Ice baths are primarily used for recovery after a strenuous workout, but now people are using ice baths for everyday health. In the show, “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth”, he dedicates an entire episode to an extreme cold plunge. Author Sean Evans recaps this episode, stating that cold exposure “mitigates inflammation, rewires pain receptors and fights infections.” For as miserable as the five minutes submerged are, the health advantages significantly outweigh the shivers. Start with a minute, work your way up, and see the benefits firsthand. On the contrary, the benefits of heat are equally as impressive. An article titled, “The Health Benefits Behind Heat”, explains the upsides of heat exposure consist of, but are not limited to “strengthen cardiovascular and general health and help prevent cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, sudden cardiac death, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” While this side is more long-term, the sicknesses you can potentially be warding off are substantial enough for everyone to make an effort. Although humans are more attracted to see and feel results quickly, the heat aspect is interesting in that we will not be able to see the gains. But, that makes them no less important. Getting into a freezing ice bath or a blazing hot sauna may not be the most enjoyable thing to do, but they are beneficial enough to the body that healthcare professionals all over the world are recommending these practices.   

St. Lawrence University has many reliable resources to reach out to for health and wellness tips. We asked Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Jared Hatz, “What personal impact has controlling your nasal breathing had on how you feel and overall health?” Jared responded, “I try slowing my breath while conditioning as there is an immediate impact as the heart rate drops quicker and recovers better. Also, when I’m feeling anxious, I gain control of what I can control. It is easier to buy into these short-term breathing methods because there is an immediate effect, while day-to-day breathing has a more long-term goal, which is harder and something we should all work towards.” We asked St. Lawrence Athletic Trainer Emily Miller, “What immediate benefits do extreme hot and cold exposure do for our bodies and mental health?” Miller answered, “These extreme temperatures affect our blood flow. Heat causes vasodilation, blood moving quicker, helping muscles relax and flush out. Cold tubs cause vasoconstriction, mediating blood flow, helping numb pain and hydrostatic pressure onto muscle tissue.” These extremes may cause your body to experience discomfort to improve overall blood flow, which has so many short and long-term health benefits for our body and mind.  

There are so many gimmicks on the internet today hinting at effortless health hacks when, in reality, the basics are what can help the most. Controlling our breathing and exposing our bodies to extreme temperatures are massively advantageous and are not challenging to do. Therefore, the benefits of controlled nasal breathing and extreme temperature exposure have an undeniable positive impact on the human body and mind, improving our short and long-term health.