CAUTION ADVISED: This podcast contains swearing from the start.

How long could you last in a freezing-cold shower? And for how long could you comfortably, peacefully hold your breath? My guest today insists you can learn to do both for far longer than you think. And that by doing so, you can battle disease, regulate your mood and connect with your true self.

This podcast is a fascinating insight into the mind, work and charismatic personality of Wim Hof, aka The Iceman. Wim has been described as a ‘trailblazer for human potential’ and a ‘modern legend’, thanks to his incredible feats. They include withstanding extreme temperatures, climbing Kilimanjaro in nothing but shorts – even, as he describes to me, being injected with a toxin and resisting illness.

But he is no mere showman, there is method to what some might see as madness. Wim wants to convince people they too can do the ‘impossible’ and prove it through evidence-based science. Brain scans now indicate we can take conscious control of our autonomic nervous system. But this sort of ‘top down’ regulation had been unknown in science before.

We talk about cold-water immersion – and why he believes that ‘a cold shower a day keeps the doctor away’. He explains that cold stimulates vascular muscle tone, increasing blood flow, slowing heart rate, increasing energy and lowering cortisol. Wim gives practical advice to help all of us build from a tense, 10-second blast of cold at the end of a shower, to comfortably showering cold for two to three minutes a day. And with benefits like reduced inflammation, improved cardiovascular function and immunity, reduced depression and anxiety.

Breathing techniques go hand in hand with his cold-water exercises, and we discuss how his particular practice can work to help us achieve peak functionality before endurance events, stressful times and more. Paradoxically, it involves over-breathing and breath-holding, to create a stressful spike in the body. Yet it results in a very tranquil sensation – and builds resilience to all kinds of stress, physical and mental, for the rest of the day.

At the end of this podcast, Wim kindly agreed to take me through one round of his technique, so you can give it a try with me and experience the effects for yourself.* It felt incredible, like accessing a different state of calm. I really hope you can feel the positive energy in this unique conversation. 

(*As we discuss and as Wim makes clear in all his work, please follow his instructions carefully in order to carry out his techniques safely. It’s powerful stuff!)

CAUTION: If you have uncontrolled hypertension or heart disease it is not advised that you start practising cold water immersion. If you have any doubt at all as to whether you are fit enough to give this practice a go, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Disclaimer: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.*

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Watch the video version of this interview – click below.

Connect with Wim:

Website     Instagram   Facebook 

Twitter YouTube

Wim’s books:

The Wim Hof Method: Activate Your Potential, Transcend Your Limits^†

Way of the Iceman: How the Wim Hof Method Creates Radiant, Longterm Health^†

Becoming the Iceman^†

Wim’s resources:

Wim Hof Method app

Wim Hof’s e-learning

The Science Behind Wim Hof

Further Reading:

• National Academy of Sciences Study: Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans
• Metro Why embracing the cold is life-changing, according to iceman, Wim Hof
• Healthline Wim Hof: the man and the method  
• Science Daily Brain mechanism that gives the Iceman unusual resistance to cold

Related Feel Better Live More podcasts:

• #79 How Running Can Transform Your Life with Sanjay Rawal
• #113 How Breathing Can Transform Your Life with Brian MacKenzie

Dr Chatterjee’s resources:

• Feel Great Lose Weight is available to pre-order now! Click here for the UK version^† and click here for the US & Canadian version^†
• Dr Chatterjee’s book Feel Better in 5 is out now. Click here for the UK version^† and click here for the US & Canadian version^†
• Order Dr Chatterjee’s book The Stress Solution^†
• Find Dr Chatterjee’s 4 Pillars of Health in The 4 Pillar Plan^†
• Available in the US & Canada with the title How to Make Disease Disappear^†
• Click here for Dr Chatterjee’s YouTube channel
• Join the Dr Chatterjee 4 Pillar Community Tribe Facebook page

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*DISCLAIMER: Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

†Disclosure: All books marked with a † are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We take part in Amazon’s affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon’s website. You are not charged any extra by using these links to purchase books.