The article below was originally published in Time Magazine in 2004. At that time, whole body cryotherapy was being utilized in Europe to treat inflammatory conditions such as MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus and many others. Recently, whole body cryotherapy arrived in Westfield New Jersey – Chill Cryotherapy launched in November 2015.
The above article was published May 2 2016 after the NJSIAA (New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association) announced sweeping recommendations to address prescription drug issues on the state’s high school sports level. The NJSIAA recommends that the first option should be such non-narcotic alternatives as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, salicylates, and non-medication treatments like cryotherapy and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation.
Why is whole body cryotherapy so effective for weight loss? The answer is multi-tiered… During whole body cryotherapy the client is exposed to temperatures in the range of -120 to -145 Celsius. This translates to approximately -200 to -235 Fahrenheit. The process is not painful as the cold air is extremely dry—in the absence of moisture, extreme cold is very tolerable. We characterize it as numbing, as opposed to painful. It’s a very superficial cold—not bone-chilling at all. It’s much more tolerable than a wet, 40 degree day in New Jersey!
Cold is Smart!!! As many of our clients have observed during cryotherapy treatment—injured parts of the body feel the most “cold” during cryotherapy. Esteemed Chill Cryotherapy client Sabina Schuttevaer recognized this phenomenon during her first whole body treatment.
Excellent research below on the effects of different forms of cryotherapy. The beneficial effects of cold exposure as related to the activation of BAT (Brown Adipose Tissue). Metabolic effects which lead to weight loss. Adiponectin, a hormone that is released during cold exposure that breaks down fat and shuttles glucose into muscle (which lowers blood glucose sugar levels). Low levels of adiponectin have been associated with heart disease and Diabetes.
Many of our clients participate in high impact, high challenge activities: Cross Fit, Boot Camp, Martial Arts like Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Boxing, Karate, Kick Boxing. We also see many clients who participate in traditional sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, football and running.
Cholesterol frequently gets a bum rap, but it’s necessary for your body to function properly. Your body uses cholesterol to make hormones and vitamin D, and support digestion. Your liver generates enough cholesterol to handle these tasks, but your body doesn’t just get cholesterol from your liver. Cholesterol is also in foods such as meat, dairy, and poultry. If you eat a lot of these foods, your cholesterol levels may become too high.
Starting in the lower part of the back, the sciatic nerve winds downward through the buttocks and further southward into both legs. Most of the time, few people are aware of the nerve’s existence. However, when common irritants like a bone spur or a disk that has herniated become apparent, sciatic pain can be incredibly severe and can lead to other problems like inflammation and even numbness. Most of the time, only one leg is affected with symptoms, and these can include lower and upper leg pain and some numbness, with occasional cases of severe pain that impacts daily activities.
Summer bodies are made in the winter, however many of us feel doomed when it comes to not only losing weight naturally in the winter, but also keeping from gaining weight in the winter. Every year, many of us make the New Years’ resolution that this will be the year that they lose weight…and often, by the end of the month, that resolution has gone out the window and we fail to follow the tips for losing weight naturally, even though some of them may seem pretty straight-forward.
Below is an incredible post by Laura Hanly regarding the science behind cryotherapy and it’s effect on metabolism, immunity, aging, and cognitive functioning.