What\u2019s confusing about wellness is that the \u201crules\u201d seem like they are always changing, and not in a way that makes sense.<\/p>\n
In the 2010s, books like Wheat Belly and documentaries like Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead sparked frenzies, with people canceling gluten and living off juice, all in the name of health and well-being. I was a college student at the time and working as a part-time receptionist at a spa. Wheat Belly spread like an infectious disease in the break room, and it all started with one nail tech. Then, overnight, nearly the entire staff swore off gluten, and the cookies and cupcakes that decorated the communal snack table were replaced with carrot sticks, hummus and rice cakes.<\/p>\n
Next came the S\u2019well water bottles. With increased water consumption and healthier food choices, naturally, many started to feel better, and the numbers on the scale reflected that. Was gluten ever the culprit? It\u2019s hard to say, but unless someone was gluten-intolerant or had celiac disease, likely not.<\/p>\n
In the 2020s, wellness trends are no longer driven by books alone. Social media is now a major force, shaping what people buy and how they work out. There have been weeks when it has been nearly impossible to find cottage cheese in stores. Booking a reformer Pilates class the same day is next to impossible. Through TikTok recipes and influencer-led health hacks, everyday staples like cucumbers have quickly turned into high-demand items. While some of these trends may be beneficial, others may require a more individualized approach, especially when it comes to more extreme practices like cold plunging for women.<\/p>\n
The Rapid Growth Of Cold Plunging<\/p>\n
Cue contrast therapy<\/a>\u2014the newish \u201c5 a.m. club\u201d for biohackers everywhere. The growth has been astronomical, with brands like Othership expanding operations in Toronto and New York, and predictions of a half-billion-dollar industry for cold plunge pools by 2030, according to Persistence Market Research.<\/a><\/p>\n But is submerging your body into a pool of sub-zero water good for you? And more specifically, is it good for women? According to experts in the field, the answer isn\u2019t all that straightforward.<\/p>\n \u201cI think part of why cold plunging is being marketed as healthy is because we live in a very science-backed, data-driven society and we also love extremes,\u201d says Amrit Singh, a registered acupuncturist in Toronto, in an email.<\/p>\n \u201cWe like doing hard things and feeling like we\u2019ve accomplished something difficult, and cold plunging is difficult. Data is supporting certain benefits of contrast therapy, and there\u2019s also a historical context for cold exposure in various cultures, particularly Nordic and Eastern European traditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle can affect how women regulate body temperature<\/a>. After ovulation, progesterone rises and slightly increases core body temperature, shifting the body\u2019s baseline. This also changes how heat is managed, including things like sweating and blood flow. So instead of operating from a constant baseline, the body is working from a slightly different \u201cset point\u201d depending on the phase of the cycle.<\/p>\n These hormonal shifts can also influence how the body responds to cold.<\/a> Some research suggests that cold sensitivity, blood flow, and shivering responses may vary across the cycle. In certain phases\u2014particularly the luteal phase\u2014cold exposure may feel more intense or physically demanding. That doesn\u2019t necessarily make it harmful, but it does mean the experience of cold isn\u2019t the same throughout the cycle, and the research in this area is still limited.<\/p>\n Why Women May Experience Cold Differently<\/p>\n The first 30 seconds in a cold plunge are a shock to your system.<\/a> Your immediate instinct is to hyperventilate, your body fights for warmth as your shoulders hike up towards your ears and you may notice a spike in your heart rate. If you\u2019re able to find stillness, it gets better after around the 30- to 45-second mark. But what happens initially is a strong sympathetic response that Singh says may cause harm.<\/p>\n \u201cA sudden sympathetic nervous system response often leads to a sharp spike in cortisol, which can potentially impact thyroid activity and disrupt the balance of estrogen and progesterone,\u201d says Singh. \u201cWhile this response is part of the body\u2019s normal adaptation to stress, over time, the neuroendocrine system may interpret this as stress rather than recovery, affecting menstrual regularity, hormonal balance, thyroid function and overall recovery capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be honest\u2014I was once an avid cold plunger. I loved (and still love) how my body felt after submerging myself in sub-zero water. It was the only practice that really helped me calm my overthinking mind, and the fact that it made me feel so alert had to mean something, right? It turns out that sometimes things feel good in your body because they are familiar and not because they are beneficial. My perspective on cold plunging started to change after an interview with Dr. Mariana Riveros, an integrative medicine doctor at SHA Mexico<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wellness Isn\u2019t One-Size-Fits-All<\/p>\n \u201cCold plunging can be beneficial for women when used intentionally and in the right context. Short, controlled cold exposure may support circulation, reduce inflammation and positively stimulate the nervous system,\u201d she says via email. \u201cHowever, women\u2019s physiology, particularly hormonal rhythms and stress responsiveness, differs from men\u2019s. For this reason, cold plunging should not be approached as a daily performance tool, but rather as a therapeutic stimulus used selectively and mindfully.\u201d<\/p>\n In my case, it was harmful. An oxidative stress test showed that my cortisol levels were low, but only because of burnout. Cold plunging felt \u201cgood\u201d because my body had adapted to being in high-stress environments and was addicted to the feeling. It\u2019s like exercise; the movement your body needs is rarely the one you want to do.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen should avoid cold plunging during periods of high stress, poor recovery, sleep deprivation, active illness or during certain phases of the menstrual cycle, particularly the late luteal phase when progesterone drops and stress tolerance is lower,\u201d says Dr. Riveros.<\/p>\n Rethinking The Biohacking Approach<\/p>\n