Cold showers

[The Cold Water Kid]

I walked downstairs a few mornings ago to find a pool of water on the kitchen floor. A pipe in the ceiling had a pin hole in it. I narrowed it down to the hot-water line and turned it off at the water heater, leaving me with only cold water.

Just for fun I decided to try a cold shower. It was terrible, almost unbearable. I squealed like a girl through most of it. Afterward, though, I felt strangely refreshed and did a google search on cold showers. It turns out cold showers are thought to be healthy for many reasons. After reading several websites I learned that if you stay under the water long enough (like a couple of minutes) you begin to feel a little warmer; it becomes more bearable. So today, day number two, I took the challenge on. I stayed under the water till it became bearable... and it did! At the end of my shower I was standing under a steady stream of freezing water laughing and shaking my fists like a prize fighter (hey, I'm single and I live alone so I can get away with stuff like this).

Has anyone else tried cold showers for the health benefits? What did you learn from the experience?

[The Purple Fuzzy]

Sounds shocking! lol

[nicolejoy]

When I went to Malaysia to my grandmother-in-law's house, she doesn't have a shower with hot water. Instead she has a tub of FREEZING water (like it has been in the fridge) and you use a little bucket with a handle to dump it all over your body. Talk about painful!!! I hated it!! I had to wash my hair one day and that was the WORST, getting your that ice cold water all over your head. I felt like I was having muscle spasms from shivering so much!!

What did I learn from it? Wash my hair before I go, and when I'm there take a washcloth and give myself a sponge bath instead hehe

[The Cold Water Kid]

lol, I know, it's awful... I can't wait till bath time tomorrow 

[nicolejoy]

Fill the bathtub with water, add a bunch of ice cubes, get it good and cold - and then sit on a little plastic stool and dump the water all over your head. I think that's worse than a cold shower!!!

[The Cold Water Kid]

That sounds miserable. What would make it even worse would be that you couldn't whimper and gasp... your relatives might be offended.

I'm still doing the cold shower thing. It's getting a little easier and I have noticed some positive changes.

[nicolejoy]

Oh I couldn't NOT whimper a bit!! I think they were laughing at me It doesn't help that at her place, the shower is a "cubicle" just off the kitchen/dining area so everyone was RIGHT there...

[Amelia Bedelia]

oh gracious I start shaking and I'm chilled to the bone for hours afterwards.  I cannot do cold showers, its too painful.  I'm already predisposed to being too cold... my fingers get stiff and hurt

What are the health benefits to hypothermia

[The Cold Water Kid]

lol, google it you'd be surprised (cold showers, not hypothermia  ).

[Amelia Bedelia]

Same thing in my book... Lol

[Sis]

Me too! What she ^ said!

[The Purple Fuzzy]

Did you ever get your hot water fixed?

[The Cold Water Kid]

Funny story. When I first saw the leak I decided to try something new (for me) - I praised God for it. Once I discovered the benefits of cold showers I was like, "Yeah, something good DID come of it! We really SHOULD give thanks for everything!". But once I figured out the dishwasher (or, I should say, the dishwasher detergent) wasn't getting used to the cold water I decided it had to be fixed, so I opened the upstairs faucet (to relieve some pressure) and turned on the hot water so I could get a better look at the leak. With a small hole cut out of the ceiling I'm looking around trying to figure out my next move, when I hear a noise outside the downstairs bathroom door. The upstairs sink had overflowed and flooded the bathroom. Water was pouring out of the light fixtures, the ceiling fan... it was a mess. I rushed to turn off the hot water and I was so mad, then I heard a little voice in my head ask, "Are you going to praise God for this also?". To my shame, I didn't. After I got the mess cleaned up and dried out (which took a few days), I turned the hot water back on. The leak had stopped. I should have given praise the second time also, because somehow that incident fixed the leak.

[samzup]

I'll have to try cold water next saturday when it comes time for my next bath. haha 

[The Cold Water Kid]

The key is to stay in till it doesn't feel so cold anymore; about 5 minutes.

[samzup]

If youre in a swimming pool at night and the night air turns cool, even though the water is very cold you have to stay under water to feel warm. If you get out of the pool, it's freezing. I think it slows your heart rate down.

My brothernlaw's brother was only 30 years old. He had been outside changing a tire and had gotten really hot. He came in and turned on cold water and got in the shower and fell dead of a massive heart attack. There may be a danger if you cool off too fast.

A friend of mine had a stroke from drinking a slush too fast. She had I were drinking a slush and she just fell over. I didnt know WHAT happened, but she died. The hospital said it was a stroke.  So I try to be careful with cold showers and slushes now.  Not to cool off too fast if youre really hot.

[Sis]

The esophagus passes right in front of the heart. The warnings to not drink really cold drinks after getting your heart rate up is because it's a shock to the heart.

The thing about a stroke, might have been the heart, or if it was the brain, the icy drink could have cooled off the blood too fast after passing the heart.

Just guessing on the second one.

[The Cold Water Kid]

Good point; they do warn against cold showers for those with heart conditions.

[samzup]

I always take cool showers anyway cause I can't take hot water. About the only time I use hot water is in the winter time.  Do ya'll use hot water or cold water to brush your teeth?  I have always used cold water, but the other day I used hot water on my teeth and they seemed to be whiter. Has anybody else tried this?

[Sis]

Good point; they do warn against cold showers for those with heart conditions.

You don't have to have a heart problem. Just don't take cold showers or drink cold stuff after getting your heart rate up.  After exercising it would be best to drink cool, not cold water.

[Melody]

I've read that hot showers aren't as good for you because your body absorbs the water more, which would be great if tap water didn't have chlorine, flouride and things that can't be filtered, in it.  Taking a lukewarm to cool shower is best.  I have a hard time though, I think my showers qualify as hot. ☺

[The Cold Water Kid]

That's another excellent point MY. Warm water causes the pores to open, allowing more toxins to be absorbed. I've read that we absorb as many toxins from taking warm showers in tap water as we do from drinking it, though I find that a little hard to believe.

[(R.I.P.) YooperYankDude]

No need to worry whether you should take a hot, cold, or lukewarm shower here in Panajachel... yes, showers are available, but at best... all I have been able to take at this hotel is a lukewarm one. Don't really have a choice in the matter, lol.

One side of the shower head is hot'ish water... the other side is very cold... and so they kinda sorta mix... and presto... lukewarm showers... 

[Nelle]

HOT water to brush teeth!! Love it.

Showers... depends if I'm cold or hot when I go to take a shower. haha..