Cold hands and feet? Read on...
You will need a double sink or two buckets. Fill one sink|bucket with cool|cold water (as cold as you can tolerate ~ add a few icecubes to keep water cool if needed). Fill the other sink|bucket with warm|hot water that is tolerable. NO pain should be involved ~ just comfortably warm|hot. Helpful Tip: 3:1 ~ Three minutes warm and one minute cool, end with cool.
Place your hands or feet in the warm to hot water ~ submerge 2 to 3 minutes. The heat will draw more blood to the area (vasodilation).
Place your hands or feet in the cool to cold water ~ submerge 30 to 60 seconds. The cold water will contract the capillaries and force blood from them (vasoconstriction).
Repeat 3 times ~ always end with 30 to 60 seconds in cold water and vigorously dry the area(s). Cover and let the body rewarm.
How does this work?
By increasing blood to the area then pushing it away and then increasing it again, it causes the blood to pump more and the body produces more blood vessels|channels to address the increased vascular demand.
This is a good thing and works very similar to a full body exercise routine ~ circulation fitness in this case. If you keep this up on a regular basis, you will signifantly reduce or even no longer experience cold hands and feet.
How long should I keep this up?
To increase the blood to the affected area(s), do the program for 2 weeks every day (or every second day if time is more limited). Then to maintain it, have a goal of twice weekly.
This can be done in the shower over the whole body. You will have to be a little brave if you find it difficult to be cold at all but the benefits can involve your entire body and greatly improve your systemic health. Reader's Digest ~ 7 Cold Water Remedies.
