Health Wellbeing

Cold water is good for you!

Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to emulate two women who I have a great respect for and find hugely inspirational. The first is one of my GP partners who always seems so calm and cheerful no matter what the day throws at her, and radiates such an intense enjoyment of life and its adventures. The other is a woman who is learning to live with the grief of her partner’s death, and working out how to navigate this new world with such a huge, permanent hole in it.

Both these incredible women credit wild swimming with bringing resilience and joy to their lives, and after an entire adulthood of avoiding anything cooler than a hot bath I decided I had to leave my inner wimp at home and literally dive into the world of wild swimming. Admittedly I chose to do this on the hottest day in May on record, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. And I haven’t looked back. I’ve found I love it. Now walks are planned around a dunk in a river or the sea, something my children and dogs are very happy about. Wild swimming feels good for me, but what does it actually do? A lot of the evidence people quote is a bit removed from the situation of wild swimming in Devon - it’s either in extreme sports environments, or immersing in ice water - but the following conclusions seem to be valid. Cool and coldwater immersion seems to cut down on muscle soreness and possibly joint pain; aids our immune system - especially decreasing our risk of contracting viral respiratory infections; improves our mood helping relieve anxiety, depression and stress; and boosts our metabolism which can in turn lead to weight loss, lower blood pressure and result in better cholesterol and blood sugar readings.

Scientifically no mention is made of the difference between dunking in an ice bucket, having a cold shower and swimming in a beautiful bay, but there must be one. Add to these basic metabolic effects the excitement of swimming in the sea at dawn, or laughing with your children and friends as you dive into a deep pool, and the sense of accomplishment when you do something you’ve been too scared to do for many years, and my hunch is that this is every bit as powerful when it comes to making us feel better. It takes some working up to though, and as good as wild swimming is, it can also be dangerous. We have an innate ‘cold shock response’ which means that as soon as we immerse in cold water, we take an involuntary breath in, we breathe fast and our heart beats harder. Although this is just at the start and fades, it’s important not to have your head underwater when you first get in, otherwise you might drown, and be careful if you have underlying cardiac disease or are on medications. Please also swim with a companion to improve safety for each other. With repeated cold immersions over some weeks, it’s possible to decrease this cold shock a little and increase your tolerance for staying in the cold water. Initially start with very short dunks, but as you get hardier and stay in longer beware of hypothermia. Luckily all the health benefits seem to come within the first minute or so. Make sure you have warm dry clothes to change into and do it relatively quickly after exiting the water because as long as you are still wet you are losing a lot of heat. Have a warm drink and something to eat, as both increase your core body temperature. But most of all enjoy it - it really is wonderful. There is a wealth of information and there are groups out there for those wanting to start wild swimming but devonandcornwallwildswimming.co.uk is a great place to start, and has a wonderful section called ‘Top Tips for New Swimmers’.

Nature’s medicines

Over the last year, many people, including myself, have become more aware of maintaining and protecting their health – who could blame us with a worldwide pandemic happening and reaching most of our local communities? But increasingly, people are turning away from just treating conditions when they happen, and looking to prevent issues in the first place – hand washing and face masks have been highlighted recently, but more and more people are also looking to nature to prevent and resolve any health concerns they may have.

The use of products provided by nature can improve our body’s own natural healing abilities, making us better able to prevent infections, ill health and can even reduce the stress and anxiety of a modern lifestyle; imagine total person balance; including body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Nature has a way of providing all of this. The focus of natural medicine is on the whole person and on prevention, however nature also provides some great cures – often these are fully sustainable and from sources you would not think about. So, you just need to know where to look. The great thing about nature, is that it is perfectly balanced, and everything has a purpose. Even what we would normally consider a pest has a use! We have all become familiar over time with seeing natural ingredients complementing our skincare products. Tea tree and witch hazel are available in a wide range of products to assist with skin conditions, but did you know that the humble dandelion, that gardeners try to remove each spring and summer from their lawns, has similar properties? Skincare producers have recognised this quality in the so-called weed, and by harnessing the dandelion’s extract, it is now being used to naturally treat severe, inflamed

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skin conditions such as acne. And they are available everywhere, so they are naturally sustainable. Let’s talk algae – the bane of pond owners everywhere, but they have amazing skin plumping qualities. They are not new to the skincare industry, but with the discovery of new species as well as sustainable harvesting practices, they are definitely creating a buzz, and it is easy to see why. Who does not want naturally clear pores, a whole range of detoxing minerals along with natural UV protection? Oh, and because algae are loaded with antioxidants, they also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by protecting the collagen that is naturally produced in our body. Pass me the algae face-mask! Natural products are easily accepted by our bodies and are key in preventative health, so next time you remove weeds from your garden or pond, remember that everything has a part to play in keeping our worlds balanced. Hayley Sims Nutonic Brand Affiliate @Whatatonic