What is the next step in the evolution of the Leptin Rx?
The Cold Thermogenesis Protocol should be added gradually to the Leptin Rx rest protocol. This blog post is additive to the Leptin Rx, and is an evolution extension of it for those who need it. I hope you all realize that not everyone will need it. Some will need it because they have special needs that they face. This blog is designed for those who have been previously left out of the reset protocol. Those people are gastric bypass patients, HCG users, those on exogenous steroids, chronic pain patients, and those with T2D and metabolic syndrome, as a few examples.
Prolonged and controlled local peripheral skin cooling can induce selective “damage,” and increased hypothalamic signaling by forcing adipocyte apoptosis and subsequent loss of subcutaneous fat without damaging the overlying skin or the underlying muscle layers. This means that acute cold cause rapid leptin sensitivity! It means that fat is forced to liberate leptin from fat cells to slowly lower its serum levels as long as the cold stimulus is applied safely. This is new scientific information that was first carried out in pigs in 2008, and subsequently tested in humans and found to be quite effective for fat removal in certain selected areas of the body.
Maintenance of a normal temperature and the normal variations of the circadian and lunar rhythms are achieved by changes in all physiological systems, one of the most important of which is alteration in skin blood flow in humans. My version of cold thermogenesis for the Leptin Rx reset is the process where we generalize these effects for the entire body’s fat mass to force the brain to slowly rewire in the hypothalamus to burn all excessive WAT by inducing the formation of BAT using cold alone.
There is a way to force an epigenetic change to our DNA that opens a metabolic trap door that humans rarely use these days. A cursory version was first popularized by Ray Cronise in 2010, and by Tim Ferriss in 2011, but neither one of them took this process to its biological end point for permanent fat loss or survival from neolithic disease. I plan to show this and a whole lot more. I have done an epic 18 month bio-hack on this very topic and plan to slowly release what I have found. I believe what I have found has profound and wide clinical applications for us all.
Moreover, neither one of these men realized that the proper dietary forces might be used in combination with this process to dramatically produce different results in humans when using cold. Cold is not just a fat loss tool. It has several other benefits to human physiology. I believe the reason for this is the hypothalamic biology is not well appreciated by most scientists today. That is changing: Read this link that supports my assertions in CT-4 and CT-6.
The permanent fat loss they both talked and wrote about is what I call the “low hanging fruit” result of this process. When you sustain this process, steepen and expand the temperature gradient across a larger surface area, while specifically altering the macronutrient ratios, some other more amazing things become possible. None of these were covered well by Ferris or Cronise, but I call this process Factor X. I will get into more of the biochemistry and where it can take us, later this year. For now, I want to share with you how cold thermogenesis can augment the Leptin Rx reset and slow disease down, and can make a huge difference to those with vagal nerve damage who do not get a large bang from my standard reset.
If you have a gastric bypass, T2D, chronic pain and are on narcotics, adrenal fatigue, or poor sleep this addition will likely shock you at how well it helps you. NASA data from the 1970′s shows that fasted mammals cannot increase glucose turnover rate when cold adapted. They also cannot increase their muscle glucose uptake when exposed to cold environments. This is because the cold selects for an epigenetic program that enhances supplies of fatty acids and ketone bodies to active muscle contractions during exercise.
I have tested this on myself for the last 18 months to look for all the pitfalls I could muster. I ended the epic bio hack on January 9th, 2012 with a very dramatic N-1 experiment designed to test some of the borders of this science that I have found has given my neurosurgical patients a huge metabolic advantage in certain situations. Before you begin, you must make sure your cardiac risks are low and talk things over with your doctor and family. Most people will have no trouble doing this at home.
Let us learn the best way to cold adapt for the Leptin Rx reset.
1. You first must choose what environment you want to cold adapt too. The physics of heat loss following cold water immersion dictate a more rapid drop in surface and core temperature than from exposure to a cold air environment. So, most people will choose to use cold spring water from the ground that is un fluoridated because it works a lot faster. Before you start, always eat a high fat (MCT>saturated fats>MUFA’s>PUFA’s) and/or protein meal right before you attempt to cold adapt.
Also, drink 16-32 oz. of ice cold water immediately prior to the test no matter what stage you are at. Why you ask? Your body temperature is incredibly hot at approximately 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and ice water is approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to maintain this homeostasis, your body has to bring that ice water up by about 60 degrees, and, by definition, it takes 1 calorie to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water by approximately 2 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that to raise the temperature of 1 liter of ice water by 60 degrees Fahrenheit, your body would burn about 30 calories. Two liters, which is about eight glasses of water, would burn 60 calories. Do not drink more than 32 oz of water before this test because cold adaptation also affects our thirst centers. You should always consider drinking cold liquids as part of your dietary plan as it can increase your metabolic rate by 30-40{a7b724a0454d92c70890dedf5ec22a026af4df067c7b55aa6009b4d34d5da3c6}. If you get a lot of brain freezes when you drink cold things this might signal you suffer with a high tissue omega six level or are severely dehydrated. You need to proceed with caution while trying to apply cold thermogenesis. You will see why your omega 6 level matter soon and your total body water matter a lot too.
I usually will do my training in the AM at sunrise or at night fall after dinner. I do not recommend trying this on an empty stomach. In the beginning of my adaptation, I also used Bitter Melon extract to cold adapt. The reason is that bitter melon appears to be quite effective at causing formation of BAT from WAT especially in T2D or those with metabolic syndrome. No one knows why it really works. However, I believe it is has to do with the simultaneous loss of adiponectin and leptin from fat cells with the simultaneous induction of Irisin from the cold stimulus on the skin and subcutaneous fat.
1. Cold adaptation occurs fastest when you use a metal to help it along. It is a 100 times faster adaptation than it would be if air alone was the medium. This is far too dangerous to use at home, so never try it. I have used it myself and on some volunteers but it needs to be very controlled in a clinical scenario. When you use water, it is 24 times more effective than using just cold air. The easiest way to cold adapt is to place your face alone first in ice cold water as you monitor times. You must not use any makeup or facial products before you attempt this. You need a simple skin thermometer, ice, a bathroom sink and a watch with a timer. How does one cool the skin but not the core you ask? Simply pay attention to your skin temperature as it goes from where it is at normally in your house and until it gets to 50-55 degrees while in your cold environment on your skin surface and maintain it there. Go no lower. How do I do this? When you get there, watch your skin color when it begins to get to pale pink or white, it’s going south of 50-55 degrees. End the session then. In the beginning your sessions will end faster than later because you’re cold adapting.
When I began this 18 months ago, I did a lot or reading on NASA astronauts, Special Ops, and Navy Seal training. I also looked to a lot of natural human experiences with cold thermogenesis as well. The safest way to adapt to is to submerge your face first into water in a sink where you add ice to with a cooking thermometer. Wait until the water is between 50-55 degrees, and enter face first and see how long you can tolerate it using a time piece. Record the time. For the next two weeks work your way up until you need to take a breath for O2. The rate of adaptation to this will vary for people. When you finish this proceed to number 2.
2. Buy a compression shirt that is quite tight and begin to place 20 or 40 lbs of ice on your torso. Double bag the ice to stop leakage on clothing or furniture. Compression shirts collapse the surface capillaries and allow your skin temperatures to fall faster than without wearing them. It sensitizes you quickly to cold. Initially, this will be tough to do, but you will adapt to it with time quickly. Try to extend your time 5 minutes a time until you get to 60 minutes. You will notice your skin is pink to cherry red and numb in places. When you get to sixty minutes, then take the compression shirt off for further testing. Place the direct plastic ice bags on your skin now, and repeat the skin cooling. If you develop cold urticaria at this time, this is a sign you have high levels of tissue and serum omega six content or your body has lost energy from EMF/artificial light due to dehydration. Stop the experiment and adjust your technology exposure and alter your diet to an Epi-paleo Rx, or until you have a blood omega six to three ratio that is below 10 to 1.
You can also test your serum for this as well if you choose. If you do not develop cold urticaria, proceed on to see how long you can tolerate the cold. Make sure you have no metal on your torso or ears or nose when you do this. Record your times. Pay attention to your skin color. After ten minutes, you will notice numbness and tingling present on these cold areas. As your times increase, you may notice numbness in areas adjacent to the ice develop, too. This usually occurs with longer exposures and with more surface area covered to your skin. The length of time you expose yourself should be matched to your BMI. The fatter you are, the longer your exposure should be. You want your skin to always remain pink to cherry red when you are doing this. If it gets white you need to stop the test and take a warm shower. Do these things indoors initially where you can control the air temperature during adaptation. Do not start this outside until you cold adapt for at least a month. When you can tolerate the skin being covered for one hour with pink to cherry red skin, you’re now ready for the Cold Tub step.
3. Once you complete Step 2, you can try cold showers to ready your body for immersion, but I did not use this much when I was training my brain to rewire. I went straight to the bath tub and filled it with cold tap water. With immersion, the major heat exchange in water occurs by means of conduction with the surrounding water. The exceptions to this are the non immersed body parts, in most cases the head. The head can represent a significant site of heat loss to the environment owing to its minimal insulation (small fat layers), and lack of vasoconstriction in the scalp.
I then proceed to add twenty pounds of ice to my chest and abdomen region while my body is in the tub. Initially, I kept my socks and gloves on my extremities, and I also wore a knitted cap to my head. This was all to combat the vasoconstriction that normally will occur in extremities. The hat was to keep in heat from the veins of the scalp to allow for an adaptation to immersion. This step will take you some time to get used too. You lose 20-40{a7b724a0454d92c70890dedf5ec22a026af4df067c7b55aa6009b4d34d5da3c6} more heat from cerebral blood shunting when you cool adapt. After I was adapted to 20 lbs of ice (about 5-7 days), then I removed socks, gloves, and head cap. If you get lightheaded, this means you’re not ready for the tub. Abort the tub and go back to dunking your face in the cold water. If you can handle the 20 pounds of ice, you can increase it ten pounds of ice at a time to cover more of your body with icy water. If you have access to skin thermometers (I did) that an anesthesiologist would normally use during a surgery, the key thing you are looking to do is get your skin surface temp to 50-55 degrees. You can buy these online now too, I was told by a patient. I have no idea where he got them. We are trying to use the peripheral nervous system’s cold receptors in the skin to tell the brain something has radically changed in our current environment. After you can get past 45 minutes of this, you will notice your tolerance to cold dramatically changes in water, air, and in ice. You will be able to wear less clothing and go outside and not be cold. In fact, you may notice your temperature rises in anticipation of the cold tub. I do this now all the time. You will be able to drive on the highway with the windows down in the dead of the winter and feel amazing. Your significant other will notice you seem to radiate heat at rest when you lay down to sleep. The longer you tolerate this situation, the better adaptations you will get. The extent of the training depends upon your goal. For this blog, we are concerned only about weight loss. So I will limit this discussion to this adaptation alone. However, there are many others.
4. At 45 minutes, you can choose to stop and then plan on doing this 2-5 times a week depending upon your starting weight, BF {a7b724a0454d92c70890dedf5ec22a026af4df067c7b55aa6009b4d34d5da3c6}, and what your goals are. You also need to be cognizant of where you want to lose the fat on your body. If you have it in your belly, butt, or legs, continue using the indoor tub or outdoor lake, or pool. Immersion is the best way to shred body fat and regain LS. Once you can accomplish this in your house for one month, you can than move to the outdoors if you would like. If you have a pool, lake, or hot tub you can set its temp lower to replace the ice use. I tend to use the lake or my hot tub, but I use them differently. When I want a quick training to maintain my adaptation, I just jump into the lake for a 10-20 minutes from my neck down. I pay attention to my skin color as I do this. The hardest part is emerging from the lake and walking back to the house and not being in the water. It is easier now for me, but in the beginning it was tough. Most of the time presently, I use my hot tub to train. I get in it and I cold adapt my upper body with ice bags on my torso, while my bottom half is submerged in the water. I alter the water temperatures to higher than my torso, because I have very little fat on this part of lower parts of my body today. So, often I will sit in warmer water while my upper half is completely exposed to the elements with ice on my chest and abdomen. It is very effective at lowering your surface temperatures to 50-55 degrees in 2-3 minutes. This augments thermogenesis naturally using convection currents of different temperatures. Here, I am using Fournier’s Law. In heat transfer, conduction (or heat conduction) is a mode of transfer of energy within and between bodies of matter, due to a temperature gradient between the hot tub my body, and the cold air and ice on my skin. I can do this for amazing lengths of time now, after 18 months of training. Do not try to bit off more than you can chew. Heat spontaneously tends to flows from a body at a higher temperature to a body at a lower temperature. A warmer lower body and a 50 degree skin temperature on the torso create a dynamic that makes using cold thermogenesis really easy daily. Anyone who as soaked in a volcanic geothermal spring can tell you they hardly notice the cold on their exposed bodies unless they see the piloerection of the skin and hairs, their pink skin, or the sub clinical shivering of the underlying muscles. This method is really effective at increasing thermogenesis in the exposed areas for fat loss. If you have a lot of belly fat, this is not your best method, but it will still work. If you have torso, back, facial, neck fat (sleep apnea) this works like a charm quickly.
5. You burn a lot more calories when it’s cold outside, so you MUST get outside in cold and try not to wear a ton of clothing as you adapt. In the beginning, most wear a ton of clothing when they go outside in cold weather. That slows adaptation to cold. According to Andrew J. Young, Ph.D., of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass., “There are two factors that could cause energy expenditure to increase with falling outdoor temperature. First, if shivering is elicited by cold, then energy expenditure increases. However, different people have differing shivering-response sensitivity, and intensity of shivering will be influenced by magnitude of decrease in body (deep core and skin) temperature, which in turn is influenced by body size and fat content that vary widely among people, as well as clothing worn. So some folks don’t shiver at all (too warmly dressed, excessive body fat, LR), and a man in the cold is not always a cold man. The more LR one is the more you should consider a steeper slope of adaptation to lose fat.
The other reason energy expenditure might increase in cold weather is if you perform heavy physical labor like weight lifting (walking in deep snow). Additionally, there is a likelihood that you could have a slight increase in calorie burn (about 3 to 7 percent) from your body re-warming itself from cold air touching your skin and warming the cold air that goes into your lungs. This is also why when I emerge from my cold tub, lake or ice baths, I will remain outside in the buff for several minutes to really heighten the cold stimulus. I immediately go inside to a warm terrycloth robe, which captures my thermal loss and actually increases by caloric burn for about an hour after the cooling. This is a great time to work out as well. You will also notice your ability to lift and workout increases by 5-10{a7b724a0454d92c70890dedf5ec22a026af4df067c7b55aa6009b4d34d5da3c6}. Recovery is simply stunning. You won’t believe what a cold tub does after a serious high intensity work out. Your recovery will amaze you, and you sleep will be shockingly solid. Nothing is better to induce sleep in my view than cold thermogenesis induction.
The beauty of this adaptation is that is does not require any change to your core temps. When you begin to mess with your core temps you can get into trouble with frostbite and freezing injury. The higher your omega six content, the worse cold adapted you will be. The higher your omega three content is, the better you will adapt to cold. The higher protein/fat intake you have, the slower you will adapt to cold. The more carbs your have in diet (LR), the easier you will find it to adapt to cold. If you have a history of smoking, dipping, cigar use you will not cold adapt well. If you are dehydrated (booze/wine) you will not cold adapt fast either.
6. If you use just air to adapt to cold thermogenesis it will take a lot longer, but there is one thing I should mention to you. Try to slowly remove clothing as you proceed over time. As you remove clothing, there is a specific way you should pick the clothes to remove. You want to expose your face and head to cold as soon as possible. Remember in number 1, we begin cold water adaptation with our face? This is because all mammals have a reflex called a dive reflex that is built in because we all were formed in a fluid filled placenta. When we expose ourselves to cold on our face first, we stimulate slowing of our heart rate. This is soon followed by vasoconstriction of blood flow in our extremities. When we continue to dive deep (think about dive in the movie the Abyss) we force blood and water to pass through our organs and endothelium to fill our air filled cavities like our chest. This has been experimentally shown even in humans with deep water cold dives in adults. We actually drown in pulmonary fluids but we can still survive! As a physician, I see this problem clinically daily in our ICU’s in patients with ARDS. Sadly, we do not treat them as I think we should, given what we know about the mammalian dive reflex but that is another blog. Do not worry, I do not plan to use this adaptation in my reset in the near future! I’d love to try it but I hear it takes years to perfect from my research on it.
When you first begin cold training with clothing on, when you re-enter a warm environment the way you disrobe also matters for the adaptation to become more comfortable and less agonizing. So first expose your face, then your head to the warm environment. Then expose your extremities to re establish the blood flow and lastly your torso and abdomen. If I am wearing clothing in liquid when I am in cold water, I do the same thing. This progression of re-exposure to the warm environment from the cold will make it more bearable as time progresses. If you remove clothing in a different layered fashion, you can abruptly increase cortisol release to cause a vascular instability. This instability is felt to be behind a thermal dump that underpins vascular reperfusion injuries seen in frostbite and hypothermia injuries. If you are not overheated by heavy clothing or your warming environment, the cold (when other symptoms are warm) will trigger non-shivering thermogenesis to be induced and you will continue to burn calories as free heat for many hours after the cold exposure. This is why people who are in cold environments tend to be quite thin when they are eating a non Western diet. You will also notice a change in your hunger and appetite, because they will decline. This addition is also quite beneficial to those with binge eating disorders too.
The metabolic programs that underpin all these adaptations will blow your mind when I lay them all out this year. I believe that cold thermogenesis is an evolutionary forerunner for all mammalian physiology before exercise was evolved or naturally selected for in mammals. This is a controversial point, but I think based upon what we know to be true today it’s not a fringe theory. The available food sources also helped simultaneously sculpt evolutionary pressures that were naturally selected for in a cold environment. I believe natural exercise was selected for movements to warmer environments, longer light cycles, and more abundant carbohydrates in the environment. Mammals did not first evolve predominately in warm environments. Humans certainly might have evolved this way, but we are descended from these eutherian mammals and their epigenetic programs remain buried within us but are just not selected for these days. When we do induce the programs, what this may mean for us today is among the most exciting things in biology I have come across in 30 years. It appears cold thermogenesis not only opens a novel metabolic pathway in modern mammals and humans, but it also activates our longevity genes epigenetically. Many of the things aging researchers and scientist currently hold to as core beliefs may in fact not be true. The ability to test these theories is now here because of how we are unfolding the story of our own biology using a piece by piece approach that the The Quilt provides.
I think evolution sculpted all mammalian life using cold to naturally select for a specific diet that combined for longevity and certain behaviors for optimal living in our world. Today, those factors have been buried in modern mammals by the newer environmental changes that have preferentially selected for new epigenetic traits. Yet when the environment calls for this program,we can use it to our full advantage to do many special things.
Consider this…a 26.2 mile marathon burns 2600 calories. My three hour training session I did this AM burned 3800 calories. The cold effect on weight loss is great, but what has me more excited is which form of exercise do you think might harm me more long term? One thought might just alter your DNA!
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From Monte via email:
I'll keep this short and to the point. Dr. Kruse,
In 2007 I was 100 pounds overweight. I worked from home in a family business and rarely went outside. Even walking a block would make me winded. A mile was torture. Metabolic rate was very low (probably a survival mechanism) and vit d levels had tanked (teeth rotting and falling out). At 5'7" and 25 years old this was a very bad condition. I didn't realize it though. Sometimes you get lost in your own Neolithic world. What happened next, in January of 2008, is nothing short of a miracle.
The family business fell through and I had to all of a sudden get a job. As luck would have it Wal-Mart hired me for the frozen department…as an OVERNIGHT worker. Talk about the perfect storm for confusing the hypothalamus! The work was hard and fast. I was constantly moving for 8 hours. I was very very cold. The freezer was usually kept at negative 20 degrees. I would go in there for up to 45 minutes at a time. Very brutal. I was out of shape and slow so my time in the cooler was longer than everyone else. When I got home at 7 a.m. I "might" have a small breakfast and then pass out till the evening and get ready to do the whole cycle again. This cycle went on for a full 30 days with NO changes in my body. Then something crazy started happening.
Hunger went away almost completely. I was never hungry. EVER. I would go days without eating simply because I forgot to. Food had zero emotional value to me. I now feel that the PRIMARY reason people eat in our Neolithic world are because of conditioning (Pavlov's dog) and emotion. I was a bit shocked at how little I cared about food. Not even mom's home cooking or foods that I used to love could phase me. I just didn't care. Even though I was eating one meal every one or two days….My energy was boundless!!! I had such a crazy amount of energy that I felt like I was floating most of the time. People thought I was a maniac. I would work so hard and fast that it would intimidate the employees and scare the customers.
I didn't notice the weight. But others did. It was falling off at the rate of about 1 pound per day. Testosterone MUST have been through the roof. If someone did something to make me angry I would get enraged and an even more crazy energy would come over me. I'd work for 8 hours straight at break-neck speed and not even stop for five minutes in order to "work off" the anger. At home or on off days I'd feel fairly normal. But when I was driving to work (10 p.m.) I would feel this sudden surge of energy. Probably how our Paleolithic ancestors felt when walking into the presence of a predator. This was BEFORE I stepped into the door to work. When I got there I was "primed" and ready for the "kill".
I'd like to point out that I felt GREAT during all this craziness. Emotionally and eventually physically. It was a very fun time. I felt very ALIVE. Well doc, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. You are the first one to explain mechanisms that adequately take into account my own experience. For that, I can't thank you enough.
My tolerance to cold temperatures after 3 months was incredible. I could go into the subzero freezer (-30 to -10 Fahrenheit) for hours at a time in nothing more than a t-shirt and a pair of shorts and not even feel it.
P.S. My vitamin d levels and general nutrition had to be horrible during this time. But my body didn't care. The weight was flying off and I felt great!
P.P.S. When I quit the job for a better paying day time job…guess what happened. Weight loss stalled completely but didn't go back up. My body had reached a new set point. Albeit 30lbs higher than optimal, still 70lbs lighter than before! Haha. I wonder if all this was because of a Leptin Reset or because of reduced "food reward". Perhaps one follows the other.
P.P.S. If I could do it all over again I would! Mainly because I still have about 30 pounds of fat to loose! Can't wait for your cold techniques to be published.
I also tried freezing and lost 3 inches around my waist in 2 months by using blue fat freeze system. But consult a doctor before using this kit as its not effective for every one and a certain body structure is required.
Not true Sarah. All mammals come built with the program that works with nature and not your doctors rules.
um…wow.
@szara http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/…
This paper showed that swimming in cold water consistently reduced uric acid levels, while decreasing oxidative stress by increasing reduced glutathione lowering oxidized glutathione levels. The mechanism of cold thermogenesis is felt to be a hormetic effect to reduce intracellular stress. It appears this is an inducible stressor to the cell to improve cellular longevity by hormetic stress. This also helps explain why cold improves immunity and decreases aging too.
"Those people are gastric bypass patients, HCG users, those on exogenous steroids, chronic pain patients, and those with T2D and metabolic syndrome as a few examples."
I have a long line of T2D-sufferers on my maternal side and often wonder if I already suffered metabolic syndrome,because my belly was huge. I've always carried fat there. Even after 47 pound fat-loss, my tummy is quite big and soft over some decent muscles. I'm becoming very uncertain as to how to shift these last 10 pounds (I'm 144 now)… As my body doesn't seem to be burning off any extra fat and I keep stalling. Seems this could be the key.
I'm already feeling extremely overwhelmed balancing WOs, food-times, 3 young kids, kinder drop-offs, running my own business and getting my daily walks and proper sleep in. I want to do this but my cortisol rises just reading about it. It means finding more time I don't have to o through the steps. In Melbourne it rarely gets cooler than 7 degrees Celsius (ca 38 F), so I don't even know where to start. I successfully reached LS through the reset, but my body doesn't seem keen on getting rid of the tummy fat!!!
@ivy. After reading this you might want to travel to norway for a southern hemispheric summer jaunt now to do some polar belly dipping training?
How do you "put on" 20-40lb of ice over a compression shirt? Are you lying on it? hanging it over your head like a sandwich board?
Jack Kruse, you are NUTS! I think I'd rather stay fat and tired, lol. 😉 (half-kidding. no, I'm not. yes I am. no…yes… you're a crazy man!)
@momagrok…..put the shirt one and place ice bags across chest and abdomen. It not rocket……but it is brain surgery without a scalpel!
This is going to be a fun few months, reading about and experimenting with the effects that cold exposure can have on the human body.
From your last post, you answered my question about Raynaud's by recommending low omega-6 diet, and central cold thermogenesis. Do you think that ANY triggering of the Raynaud's should be avoided, so that I can use that as a guide on when to proceed to immersing my hands and feet too? Or, is some gradual exposure ok or even required, even if the Raynaud's is triggered by that exposure? I think I have the diet under control now, but am not sure how cautious to be with the Raynaud's symptoms. Do I need to wear gloves and socks, or even use hand warmers at first as I cool my abdomen and thorax? I am hoping to reduce or eliminate my Raynaud's episodes in the long haul! Thanks!
@Rodney. I would wear socks but you must check your o6/3 ratio and real steepen your dietary six intake. Raynauds is reversible in my view!
@MamaGrok, I'm thinking of buying a large bag of ice cubes from the gas station, and lie on the floor with the bag on my belly. Towel underneath me just in case it leaks. I don't have time for full soaks. Have tub, but no time.
All I can say is Wow. For the last year I have been doing ice cold showers following my regular morning shower. But I'd been focusing on the legs, arms and face. My legs and arms look pretty toned, but my back and belly area still look horrid. After reading the blog before this one, I decided this morning to include the belly and lower back. I stayed in the cold shower until I was good and red. Then I went about my day. At 6 pm tonight, it hit me out of the blue that I had forgotten to eat today. It's been decade(s) since that has happened! Another odd thing was by the time I realized I'd forgotten to eat, I was quite shaky and feeling like a blood sugar crash. I have not experienced that feeling since I changed to a paleo diet.
@Glamorama, I'm thinking of modifying some "belly bands" that can be worn around the midsection, that utilize those blue ice freezer blocks. My daughter has a couple of belly bands she bought when pregnant, it's basically a compression garment.
@lisaAipb. Im working now with a company to design prototypes
Prior to eating paleo, I spent many hours in frigid temps running a trapline, snowmachining, icefishing, etc… I got frost bite and hypothermia regularly. Also, during this time I had untreated sleep apnea, hypothyroid, high bp, high chol, gout, and fatty liver disease. My diet sucked, I drank a lot, and didn't exercise. The cold, however, made me 'not hungry', but as soon as I'd get home and warmed up, I'd be ravenous…pigging out on carbs and getting drunk were normal.
I've followed MDA Primal Blueprint for over a year, did your reset last summer, am now 75lbs lighter, sleep apnea treated w/cpap, off all meds and pretty darn healthy. I still notice being really cold kills any hint of appetite, but now have the skills to eat right when I get home. I regularly work out (bodyweight stuff and treadmill) in minimally heated, 40 deg, garage. I am definitely going to follow this topic and incorporate the cold into my workouts more. Thanks.
So as a woman who does NOT want to lose fat from my breasts, how do I avoid it?
Not allow ice on them, and not submerge them in cold water?
@owl. Wear a water tight warm (neoprene) top when cold adapting. They sell these wet suit tops for females
Right now, I'm wearing something I usually only wear in the summertime when motorcycling, my evaporative cooling vest, that had been soaking in 40f water. Half an hour later, it's still cold to the touch, in my 65f room.
It's cheap, it's reusable, it's quick to prep, and I suspect it'll be moderately effective, based on the amount of shivering I'm doing.
It also lets me be mobile, rather than confined to a tub. Granted, it's not full body, but the material is cheap enough that a creative person with a good sewing machine could make an evaporative long sleeve blouse and a pair of trousers fairly cheaply.
Here's an example of a cheap one similar to what I'm wearing: http://www.amazon.com/Chill-Its-6665-Evaporative-…
Oh, I should mention, it is wet and will drip, so I do have some issues, such as a damp computer chair. 🙂
@croak. LoL
In Scandinavia the Polar dipping is quite popular. Most of the time this is done from the Sauna, then going back to the Sauna. Usually the dip to to freezing water does not last more than few seconds to a few minutes at most.
Would this be also effective cold therapy? Would the Sauna negate the effects of the polar dipping?
Is the idea to get the body to an almost like hypothermia state, or is it only to "shock" the body with cold?
Do we have any research on this, is actual body temperature lowering required or is a shock just as effective?
@Iceman. There is tons of data but shocking the body wont induce the epigenetic program. It will make you feel better on a short term basis.
@ OWL …I never even thought of that while reading this But I would be ecstatic if that were to happen.I have contemplated having breast reduction surgery.
Dr. K what if you have metal in your body..such as the 3 1/2in screw in my shoulder and 3 metal anchors in the Ulna?
@Destinyave. You maybe shocked to hear this but there is a plastic surgery proceedure that does this using a version of what i laid out here called zeltiq! I know one women who tried to use it to reduce a right breast after it enlarged due to a pituitary tumor to rebalance out her breasts again. The internal plate should not be an issue unless you really got into this deep……i doubt most will who do this. I have been waiting all winter for the lake to freeze so i can swim under the ice but its not gotten cold enough here but for the last two days
Dr Kruse, I recall that anecdotaly, Ferris' said that by putting ice packs between his scapulas/lower neck area, he was able to increase fat burn about 60% as well as ice baths. Does this seem plausible in that that is where most of adult human BAT and UCP1 activity occurs?
Thanks.
@benG. I think this is very possible
Hi Dr. Kruse
Very interesting post. I can definitely start off the day with step 1, but was curious if some other methods would work too, albeit probably not as well as your protocol, but I'd be able to do them more consistently.
So this was is my plan:
1. Start the day off with some fat and then do the ice water facial plunge
2. Go to the gym and lift heavy, do some sprints, or run outside*
3. Take a cold shower post-workout at the gym following Tim Ferris' outline (start off with warm water and then switch to as cold as possible, starting with exposure to the head and then the neck/upper back, then the rest of the body)
4. Place an ice pack on my neck/upper back on the ride home in the evening, as BenG mentioned above
*While it is still winter here, I was thinking that running outside might be a decent option, I'd guess that the appropriate protocol would be to wear a compression shirt, shorts, shoes, gloves, and a hat to start. Then over the course of a couple of weeks, remove the gloves and the hat. The run would be at a good pace and last 15-30 minutes.
Lastly, this would all lead up to and prepare me for morning swims in the pool once it opens in a few months. I'd imagine that it would be around 60-70 degrees around then. While it isn't exactly ice water, I'd think that it would still help.
Also, I'd shoot to wear less clothing in general during the winter. After just two cold showers (one on Thursday night and one on Friday morning) I noticed that I was very warm at work on Friday. My face was so warm that I had to drink some ice water to cool off.
Do you think this plan makes sense and would elicit some of the benefits that we're going for?
Thank you so much for putting this stuff out there!
Dr..I'll never forget in 1985 I was with a traveling group of college students in Moscow. Iron Curtain days. Really grim. But when our bus pulled alongside Moscow University, there was a group of men running without any shirts on…in the middle of a sub-zero winter. I live in a cold climate but I found this fascinating so I followed up with our guide who put me in touch with one of trainees….He said they had built up their tolerance and ran shirtless 3x per week…I just never understood how they did it until now…Great, crazy work Dr. Jack
I also had a question about cold hands/feet. While I have been wearing less clothing around the house recently, my hands usually get the coldest (still have full function though, just cold to the touch) while at the same time my face usually feels warm and it feels good to step outside into the cold. As I get more cold adapted, should I expect my hands and feet to feel less cold and maybe even warm? Also, is there a mental part of this? In watching videos of Wim Hof, he uses meditation to combat the cold, should we be thinking in a certain way while doing this? Thanks again
@Vince. The Russian Army has some of the best data i have seen on cold thermogenic training. It is hard to find in english but with google translator now nothing is a tough find when you seek to get better. Their cold water artic dive data is just amazing. They had divers who routinely went into frozen solid water in a swim trunk only and dove 70 meters to spear fish without any oxygen. They filled their lungs and thorax cavities with their own plasma with long training and never got hypothermia or decompression illness. They also were deployed to nuclear subs for inspection in western siberia…….amazing human feats
@mark. At the extremes i think meditation helps huge. But just cold adaptations alone work. My hof has never been given an explanation by science at how he can do it but i soon will here. Its less about meditation and more about inducing an epigenetic program we no longer express because we our not adapted to it now therefore it is not naturally selected for in the modern world
@Mark. I like your plan but imagine it would take too long to adapt. Doing it in air is a lot less effective than in water submerged. The thermal dumping effect is 24 times greater. I promise the improvements in function are astounding.
Thanks for the info and all of your wisdom that you share with us. Did the zeltiq work for your friend? Swim under the ice?! WOW.
Sounds good, thanks for pointing that out. I'll stick with the facial plunge, cold showers and putting ice on my abdomen over a compression shirt when I can. Hopefully this will prepare me for early morning swims in the spring. I'm really looking forward to getting to the point where I radiate heat.
The comments are great, and very informative!
I was wondering if you vary or plan to vary in the future on a seasonal basis, either due to day length change or just seasonal temperature fluctuation?
Also, you mentioned keeping one room of your house cold, but how warm is the rest of your house during winter heating months?
Lastly, many thanks for taking so much time to respond to the multitude of individual questions. I realize this takes time to do, but it also adds a whole new dimension to the discussion!
@Rodney my wine cellar is 50-55 degrees my house is 68 But i turn off all heat at sunset and usually light a fire in my sitting room as I read. In winter I am a cold lover. In summer I use a a lot of ice and I also use cold water in the tub and pool…….
Just thinking out loud here, but would another path be to use a tub with cold water and a compression shirt and then start to add ice as one gets used to the temp? So that you eventually get to the point where you can take an ice bath?
@Mark yep….
Sorry, that last post question reads too vague. I meant do you vary your cold therapy in terms of frequency, duration, exposure temperature, etc.
Eating breakfast in a thin nightgown on a 22 degree (but wonderfully sunny, which seems to make all the difference in how much cold I can tolerate) deck as I write this … Was 45 degrees the first time two weeks ago and 37 last week, and now 22 feels fine. Only my fingers are cold. I'll wear gloves next time if I want to type lol.
QUESTION: I'd love to be pointed to more info on how thermogenesis helps chronic pain patients. Has anyone successfully done this clinically yet?
@MomaGrok Not yet
…but shouldn't your body expect to be hot in the summer? Might cold confuse it, like light at night?
@momagrok this is for people who still have LR issues they are trying to fix! I have not said why I am doing it and you can bet it was not for LR. I have different reasons because of what I have found from the metabolic trap door.
What were your results – how much fat have you lost in the last 18 months of this cold experiment, in fat percentage and weight?
@Owl……Im not doing it for fat. There is something I have not told ya yet……and wont for a few months. Im just getting warmed……im mean cooled down now.
Danke!
Thanks for the great post. It has arrived in Germany!
Question: I work as a psychotherapist with highly engaging emotionally strenuous settings with patients.
I found (by accident) that I can easily relax and find quick tranquility and relief from (emotional) stress, after submerging myself in a cold bath (5-10 minutes). This works better than anything else I have tried (meditation, running, gym etc.).
I wonder How this regimen reduces stress hormones (adrenalin, cortisol) ??
Anyway, thanks for the great work!
@Werner I promise you before the month is out you will have a post on the biochemistry and the mechanism…….i cant promise you will fully get it all the first go around. Many people want me to stay away from the science yet when I unleash a post like this one the first thing someone asks for is the biochemistry of WHY! I love that your asking because my business partners and publishers think I need to remove all the science from my post and books and dumb it down. That is not my style………..and I am a bit caustic about it honestly. Maybe if enough people weigh in on this Rob B. and Ashley G. will meet me in the middle? LOL Danke Werner and enjoy the cold that Germany likely has now.
Jack, I definitely LOVE the science behind your blog! I would suspect it would be quite simple to provide the basic how to's for people who don't like the details, but then add on the good stuff for us geeks! Maybe just have chapter synopsis at the end of each chapters to hit the bullet points without the details. Good for later reference too.
Do you recommend an online site for self omega-6 testing? I just want to verify what I THINK my diet should be doing for my 6:3 ratio, but don't want to use an unreliable lab.
@Rodney Most labs have an o6/3 ratio or its called an LA/AA ration I believe. Just google for the answer. I know LEF.org offers it on their site. I think Rob B. and Ashley G. may like to hear this so we can come up with a plan to solve it. They are quite creative……me I am just the content maker. I like to think with my science eye. I do not think like most people………at least that is what my wife says.
well, I need to look more seriously into this, but my first take away is I need to stop using the seat warmer in my car! And time to start wearing my peacoat instead of my long wool one if I really want to be freezing my tookus off 🙂
@cgk embrace the cold…….it might help you big time.
There is a cosmetic procedure called cool sculpting. Are you familiar with it? Does this procedure use the same principles?
@Brenda…….I just looked it up……..cool sculpting is Zeltiq. So yes I do know quite a bit about it and reference it in my book. It will also be in my Factor X talk on Jimmy Moore's cruise.
Jack,
Any thoughts on extreme heat exposure (versus cold)?
@Resurg…….yes but none of them matter with respect to the Leptin Rx. They have a lot more to do with what to do after the Leptin Rx. Ironically we have no special metabolic trap doors for intense heat and the reason for it is because evolution for mammals has never had to face that problem. But evolution has faced the issue at geothermal vents in the bottom of the oceans and it has a plan there. But those are not mammalian based descendants so their evolutionary fractal plan uses a different metabolic footprint.
Please keep up the science. There is only one shot to get it right the first time (in print). Let other people raise their game instead of you lowering yours. What another poster said was absolutely correct: Keep the science…even hardcore science if you'd like, but then add in simplistic bullet point synopses during and at the end of each chapter. Many layman and textbooks do this with good effect.
Anyway what people really care about (even the hardcore biochemistry geeks) are practical implementation guides. As long as that is included there should be no "problems" with the science.
I am a numbers and charts guy. I would love to see a graph with X=body temp/Y=metabolic increase, or, X=time exposed(in water/air)/Y=metabolic increase. Is there a way to accuartely measure the metabolic increase after cold exposure? Without it, it all seems anecdotal. Good luck!
@akman so am I but its useless here because the results are dependent on variables that most people do not test. But each person can test these on their own and begin to post and share responses here.
Dr. Kruse,
The only place I seem to have trouble losing weight is in my upper arms. Would using ice on the upper arms induce cold adaptation that would benefit that isolated area on a persons body? I truly enjoy all of your posts. I do try to understand the bio-chemistry, put bullet points sure would be helpful. I have a difficult time with comprehension when I read, but I give it a good effort.
Thank you so much for your generous spirit.
Susan
SusanSusan
@Susan it would help a lot. Losing on the upper arms is pretty easy when you apply the protocol over time.
PLEASE keep the science in your book – why in the world publishers think we are ALL dumb and don't care about the why behind the what and how is beyond me, but I am so sick of dumbed down versions of everything. The idea of the bullet point summary of each chapter for those who don't want to go in depth is a good one,but please tell your partners that we are not stupid and are certainly capable of understanding and even desirous of the biochemistry behind all of this. DON'T LET THEM DUMB IT DOWN, please!!
I hate cold but I am warming up to this idea! Should one avoid or restrict a hot bath? A hot bath before sleep makes me very relaxed.
@Mart I still turn the tub up…….in fact tonight I will be getting it in at 100 degrees to deal with a problem left over from my bio hack.
How much bitter melon? Extract or whole herb? When did you take it?
@Mr. D I used 600 mgs twice a day. It goes by the name Karela or Momordica Charantia as well.
Yes I realized after my question it was probably zeltiq. What book?? I will buy it asap! And what cruise?? Sounds even better!
@Brenda I have written a book and am now working on book two and three……..I am speaking on Jimmy Moore's low carb cruise that leaves in May. You can go to his site and see all about the details.
I'm jetting off to Dubai, France, Norway, Prague and Malaysia from May till June. So basically escaping winter altogether!! Did a shower last night, and ended up doing it on 100% cold over my tummy for a minute. At first it was horrid, but after that it felt pretty good.
Does the ice have to lay directly on the body? Can one simply empty a bag of ice into the tub and stir it around?
@Mr. D the skin temp is the key……experiment with it. In the beginning you wont begin to be able to stay in there long enough. I adapted quite quick but I think it was because I have always been somewhat cold adapted from when I was kid in harsh winters and poor clothing.
Dr. Kruse. I have been a follower of Arthur Devany for quite a while and eagerly awaited the publication of his book in Dec 2010. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed when I read the book because it was obviously dumbed down–many of his blogs were significantly more scientifically rigorous than what ended up in the book. Please DO NOT repeat that mistake. Keep the book as scientifically rigorous as your blogs! Meanwhile, since August, I have been religiously following your blog. I love all aspects of it–the science, the RXs, the teasers of providing future wisdoms and insights, and the dialog with your readers. I check your website several times each day on the hope that you have published new wisdom. I eagerly await publication of your book(s). And, now, to the cold and onward. Thanks! And best regards. Randy
@Randall I appreciate this comment. I am struggling now with this issue and I think I am going to go a new route with my books……..and I am re tooling some parts to go add back somethings I took out.
Hi Dr. Kruse
You might hate this question – but if one has a nice amount of belly fat and love handles that are stubborn, would there be any benefit or harm in doing an ice bath likes this 5 to 7 days a week?
I had a slight cold and did a 15 minute on Friday and am looking forward to doing another one tomorrow.
Btw, not to be crass – but I had a sudden rise in libido during my warm shower after the ice bath. It was almost creepy – is that normal?
@golooram It would be fine to do this…..and yes it will up regulate your sex hormones.
One approach is the Taubes approach – write one book for the scientists (GCBC) and one for the masses (WWGF). Another is writing one that is readable by the masses (like Sisson), but still doesn't dumb anything down, and can contain footnotes and bibliography to provide a lot of clarification, sources, and direction for further research (like individual posts on this blog that explore subjects further in depth).
My favorite way to teach others something that can be given from many different levels of detail is similar to what I did on this blog post on kombucha: http://loveyourmother.livejournal.com/3388.html Now, I wrote this in about ten minutes, so it's really not a great example, but the gist is to give headers that give the basics (tells you exactly what to do so you can refer to it quickly later) and give the details under each header. The headers are intentionally much more visible. In this example, it could be made more similar to what you're doing by going even further into detail by giving a whole page, or even whole chapter, that contains all the scientific details, in this case, perhaps the specific species of yeasts & bacteria populating the scoby or other details that would be most interesting to a fellow scientist or real afficionado / hacker.
Honestly, if you write all your books on the level of this blog, most of us will not be able to use them. That doesn't mean leave the science out, but you take it up a level of abstraction or two and more of us can get it. I mean, I graduated magna cum laude in engineering from a top 5 school, but I have brain fog now, and I need more practical tips and less nitty gritty – at least now, to get started off with. I think mixing the "bold headers with details under the heading" approach with a separate book for the scientists and researchers that is just chock-full of all the jargon appeals to me most.
@MomaGrok……one of my patients told me today that I need to Vlog…….she told me she would pay a lot of money to listen to me talk. I should have married her then. LOL, she said when she comes to see me she just records the whole thing……….she actually is waiting for the skype feature for questions to be answered from her home. She asks me about all her medical problems but she has recovered from an amazing story that I will be telling live at Paleo Fx in Austin.
Definitely capitalize on the increase hormones! They can't do much if they are just floating around accept make you horny.
@Monte I agree Monte……not only that the widespread effects of oxytocin and orgasm on the brain lengthen telomeres too.
This English major's brain gets fried by all the science, but I love the challenge. Keep it coming! Count this as another plea to keep the science in your book.
I think I'm going to have a tough go of this, I'm pretty proportioned body wise so I sure don't want to lose fat in one area while the rest is staying the same, and umm especially don't want to lose anything in the bust area if you know what I mean 😐 Is there a spot on our bodies that would radiate the cold throughout without being totally submerged in an ice bath? Might take longer to get there but it also might be more doable for some of us.
@Eleanor it is not as hard as you think…….If I can do it so can you.
Great post, again and please do keep the science in, you make science fun again. And this way you attract a high level o commenters who make you look even better! Thumbs up for all of you.
Can it be, that by losing body fat AND taking cold showers/dips etc, the skin tissue is more likely to stay firm.
So the chances of these ugly lose skin flabberings are less likely to be occurring?
It would be a great extra reason…
Take care,
Petra
@Petra Cold works with resveratrol curcumin and heavy coconut oils………
Chiming in on the science of your books; I'm not dumb, but nor am I a science graduate. I love reading your blogs but I have toa dmit the really scientific part of it goes way over my head. I manage to pull out the info I need, and I apply that to my life, but I really want to read your books too… but I think I would struggle if it wasn't at least slightly editted for the "common" man. Your stuff is so brilliant and educational, that keeping it "lighter" will ensure you reach a wider audience. You can do like Nora Gougodes and Robb Wolff, just go thick on the cites so people that are very interested can go an look up the actual research-papers, articles and books.
PS! Are you planning any seminars in Australia? I keep hoping there will be a good Paleo/Ancestral-do here but I'm waiting in vain (as far as I know).
I agree, you're very intelligible in an audio format – love the webcasts!
And I meant summa cum laude; I can't even remember Latin anymore! Darn brain fog, curses…
In the case of someone with hypothyroidism treated by dessicated thyroid or, God forbid, synthetic T4 or T3, is the thermoregulation mechanism the same as for people with healthy thyroids? I'm thinking that since the thyroid increases T4 output to speed up the metabolism, if one relies on supplemented T4, they won't be able to get the full benefit of cold therapy.
@akman……most people will find that they can come off their meds as they cold adapt. Cold rewires thermogenic response in the thyroid awfully quick.
Hi Dr Kruse, Mark's site is still down; I hope you don't mind me asking for help here. My 53yr husband is attempting to find the cause of intermittent, brief dizzy episodes for the last year or so. MRI report: "numerous largely round white matter lesions in the frontoparietal lobes. Not diagnostic for demyelination. Most likely represent chronic small vessel ischaemic change." He has a long history of frequent migraine which stopped 10-15yrs ago with gluten free diet. Doc is worried it's MS, referred to Neuro. We've followed your Leptin Rx for 3 months, he's lost 10kg, 6'4" now 89.Kg. I know he has a leaky gut, and we're working on that. His trigs have continued to fall: 0.9 mmol/L, range 1.00. LDL 4.5mmol/L, range <3.5. HDL/LDL 3.3, range <3.5. Doc suggested aspirin and statins – no thanks. His ferritin in November was 353, it's gone up to 418, range 15-300. He's taking all your recommended supps. Should we stop them to see if he's reacting to something in there? Is there anything else I should look for/do? Oh, and the dizziness is much more pronounced in the dark, and isn't brought on by movement; it can happen when he's upright or seated. He says it feels like fainting, but he doesn't faint. ECG stress test – normal. He's had extremely limited sight in one eye since birth, nothing wrong with the eye, back then, doc's couldn't explain the 'missing connection'. Thankyou for any thoughts you may have.
@Coriander https://jackkruse.com/why-leaky-guts-lead-to-ms/ https://jackkruse.com/osteoporosis-two-the-vitamin… When you think its MS you must really alter the diet to a dramatic fashion. You need to max our K2 and D3 and I think looking at Terry Wahl's diet make a ton of sense for a cure.
As I mentioned on the LRx page, I absolutely CANNOT improve my body comp via diet or exercise,and am on 20mcg of SR T3, which keeps my BBT at an acceptable level and nothing more. My husband recently had procedure where the fat on his gut was frozen, and he is expected to lose some fat from this area in the next few months. This post really pricked my ears up. We had already started dropping the temp in the house to 64 a few hours before sleep, and started sleeping in less clothing and noticed an improvement almost straight away. I am so tempted to put my bikini on and roll around in the snow for a while after reading this. I have a pair of compression panty hose, so I might have a go at shoving bags of ice or the blue ice block down them, cold showers and cold baths. How soon would you recommend applying cold directly to the thyroid area?
@Shelley you do need to put it on your thyroid area…….but rolling around in the snow in a bikini is something that would help.
Being a foggy-headed Lymie, I sometimes struggle with the hard science but I love the details anyway.
I like the way you warn us a brainburnin' is comin', lay in out in solid terms, and then give a practical, real-world example or two on why is is that way. And even throwing in a cuss word every once in a while lends a feeling of you're actually a real person.
When I first started reading your work, words like autophagy and dysbiosis were mysteries. You look them up and learn them. After a while you get a feel for what is going on.
That inspires us to go do these "new" ways of establishing balance because even though we don't understand all the intricacies of the science, we are sure that you do. It always comes thru in your passion about all this. That gives we newb's a gentle nudge to read it over and over until it sinks in a bit. We trust you. That's HUGE in the paleo/medical world.
Keep your style in your books. FInd a way to balance the science with practical matters to do what we need to do to do…. achieve Balance.
Martin
@Martin Many of you who read feel this way…….but I guess the real issue is what do the new people to the blog think?
Hey, Dr. K, did you catch what Mercola's leading headline was this morning? "This trick may cause your body to burn extra 400-500 calories/day." Yep, it's BAT.
@Momagrok One of his producers is a reader of this blog……..and he is always looking for ideas. Im fine with that.
LOL. Now Mercola's on the bandwagon. Got an email this AM with this link
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archiv…
Dr. Kruse,
I looked at the study about drinking ice water raising metabolism that you link above (the link is corrupt, by the way, too many "http"'s in it). There is a follow-up study that seems to totally refute it:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16822824
Lacking any medical training, which one do I believe? Or better said, why do you give more credibility to the first study and not the second?
Best,
Ed
@Ed NASA has confirmed the results and adjusted the water need for space travel. I think I will go with their clinical experience over that link. That is the real problem with science these days……you can find a paper on both sides of the equation and it leaves the public clueless as what to do.
For your info, not posting.
Jack, my background is in training and education. The blog I have found to be most helpful at explaining how to explain things was written by kathy Sierra, who developed the Head First strategy for writing technical books.
"Kathy Sierra has been interested in the brain and artificial intelligence since her days as a game developer (Virgin, Amblin', MGM). She is the co-creator of the bestselling Head First series (finalist for a Jolt Software Development award in 2003, and named to the Amazon Top Ten Editors Choice Computer Books for 2003 and 2004). She is also the founder of one of the largest community web sites in the world, javaranch.com."
She no longer updates her blog, but maintains it as an archive. For years, it was one of the top blogs on the web.
Some links on the site aren't working, but you can find the articles by using the search box.
Dr K
doing my 2nd cold therapy session while working from home today. I've put on a nursing compression tank top, and I've strapped two ice packs to my belly – its cold and biting, but its not bad, shooting for 30-40 mins, before heading out to get some mid day sun while taking the dog for a walk. yesterday I started w/a warm shower, and gradually turned the warm water off and spent ~10min in cold water, then air dried in my drafty old house with original single pane windows.
I've decide I'm going to have to invest in some more of these flexible gel froze packs…so I can cover more area!!!
Would doing a zeltiq (cool sculpting session) interfere with your protocol? I am schedued for a session for my pregnancy pooch. Can I do both?
@Brenda you can do both but why waste your money when you can do it yourself at home?
Thanks for the answer. You are right, we, the general public, don't stand a chance of making intelligent decisions when faced with all the conflicting information.
Dr. Kruse,
If a person is able to become "cold adapted" using the technique that you have explained and is successful at using the adaptation to lose weight, as well as obtain the additional benefits, how often would a person have to continue to do this protocol if they continue to be LS? Once or twice a week or will it continue to even be necessary?
Susan
@Susan it depends upon their variables and goals. For simple weight loss and increasing metabolism 2-3 times a week for 45 min to an hour is enough. Im shooting for bigger targets so I have a different plan laid out for me.
Thankyou for the advice at comment #90. Diet is already tight. Will add NAC, colostrum and K2. Is 45mg K2/day enough?
@Coriander…….you may not need 45 mgs a day to begin. But I have zero problem with that dose.
How do you derive the 3800 cal figure for your 3 hour exposure?
@guerin green It was an indirect measure on the hack as it continues using the numbers I generate from my own personal Quantified self lab testing. I use RER and REE measurements and VO2 max changes in an equation to come up with calories burned by cold thermogenesis. It gives me a rough estimate as a clinician what I am doing to myself as the bio hack progresses. I think it is pretty accurate because I have a lot of labs to compare it to and also with a lot of my variables. It may not fly for a scientific paper but I am not a scientist…..Im a clinician looking to solve clinical problems
sorry, bit confused
does one wear a compression shirt in the icey bathtub?
would something like this be ok?
http://www.zappos.com/ufc-aim-s-s-compression-top…
doing a 20lb ice bath today 🙂
@golooram you can, but I consider it unnecessary.
also :)…….is this good for adrenal fatigue? and what effect does it have on how much you sweat in higher temps and interval training? does it reduce sweating or increase it? if you are cold adapted does that mean you are not heat adapted ie more sensitive to heat? like a dog with a bone, totally fascinated by this subject.
@shelley…….not good for it……great for it.
Hi dr. kruse- off topic: professor de vany's new gsh/bcaa supplement was just introduced to members of his blog. will you be buying?
@V what do you mean buying?
I agree with Mama Grok about the Gary Taubes approach to books.
So If I have fat on upper arms and thighs to lose, you'd recommend an icy bath for 20-40 minutes (or as long as I can stand it) a few times a week or would just a cold shower do enough? Is sitting outside in the cold for breakfast and underdressing for the cold on the way to the train considered supplemental?
i mean would you consider checking out and maybe buying his supplement. you are a member of his blog, so i'm assuming you know the importance he puts on protecting the mitochondria with glutathione. he is also putting some other stuff in there like bcaas.
@V…….maybe you do not get the essence of me. I do not buy into supplements for long term use. I buy it to reverse course for a small amount of time. We are adapted to eat real protein and fat. Offal is my favorite supplement…….not BCAA's.
jack– I did a cursory literature search about six months ago to try and find some means of estimation, and could not find one, which I find strange because cause it seems such a fundamental question. I have worn a HR monitor when freezing my ass off, and didn't really see the delta that seems to match the expected caloric burn. Doubly labeled water and metabolic chamber to test more generally? Seems like a good dis for a doctoral candidate in physiology? I was going to ask Cronise when I had him for a guest on a radio show back in November, but did not get to it.
@GG I agree with you…….I came up with my own equation that I came up with using my theories and those of one of my exercise physiologists who does my VO2 max…….I think it is accurate because it has a lot of predictive value based upon my own lab testing and spot variables. TO do it for a thesis it would have to be clean……..otherwise you get pounded. Since I am using this as a Q self personal platform I do not suffer from the same rigor.
Over the past week I've tripled my exposure time to cold water. Some of the things I've noticed is I heat up in the middle of the night (but not in a hot flashy kind of way); my appetite seems to be less, my sleep has increased by an hour and I have very good energy. The only odd thing I've noticed is an itchy sensation on my buttocks?
@LisaAPB all you said make biologic sense and I can explain them all except the itch behind………
Doc I am looking forward to the rest of this series and certainly have some questions about the biochemistry but Ill let ya get the info out before I ask them. On the other hand I do have some questions about leptin signaling in general. First the things that most effect the signaling is Cytokines from skewed n6/n3 ratio, TNFA and IL6 from NAFLD, cortisol,and Insulin. I also read that Triglicerides will block leptin at the blood brain barrier, My first question is is that where all of the leptin gets blocked or does some of the blocking occur directly at the hypothalamus. My second question has to relate to the hypothalmic response. From most of your writing I get that it is either a on or off type of response. I personally would guess that it is a more graded type response but I dont know. So say someone starts eating Paleo and initially they correct cortisol and n3/n6 issues but it takes alot longer for the NAFLD mto clear up so they have initial weight loss but not complete. So over time they clear up the NAFLD and then they end up losing the rest of the weight. Or is it that once there is enough leptin making it to the hypothalamus it responds period. If you could clarify a bit I would appreciate it.
Thanks for all the work you do.
I started with the ice bath to my face this morning. I was able to stay in the ice water for about 15 full seconds. I dried my face and decided I could probably go a bit longer so I put my face back in the water and came out in a hurry. With the second exposure so soon after the first one my face began to feel like it was burning as soon as I went into the water. I will try again tomorrow.
Thank you Dr. Kruse for you response to my previous question. I have another, however, is it necessary for me to do the core body adaptation before I attempt it with my upper arms? I mean …. if it is not necessary…. :>)
Hi Dr. Kruse
Wow – used 20 lbs and did a soak for 45 minutes. I'm still shivering 90 minutes later *lol*
Does it get better? Or is this always a tough pill to swallow?
I did notice that I went from shivering to almost sleepy and then shivering to sleepy, was very interesting
@Golooram it gets a lot easier pretty fast.
How about the warm-up phase? After a good cold soak, does it matter how fast you warm yourself back up? ie. hot shower/tub or should you warm up slowly?
@akman. It does depending upon your goal………for fat loss this process matter little if you are using air or water to do it.
dr.k, professor de vany has taken glutathione for 25 years, so has clint eastwood (from same company that is making this new supplement). they seem to be doing pretty good. professor devany will take a week off without it, though, because he doesn't believe in doing anything chronically or in a fixed pattern. i'm just a cautious person, so i like to hear your opinion of the supplement. i'll probably wait before i buy it to get more info from their website (it's not up yet).
@V If your read my leaky gut Rx blog you will see precisely what I think about glutathione. In oral form it is a waste of money beause it is not absorbed. The best way to get it is directly IV in a lipid medium. And second best way to get it biologically is from its precursor NAC. The third best is from BCCA. So if you think increasing your intake of BCCA is the best way……..or the way I spend money doing it you'd be sadly mistaken. Do I think Art is helping himself by doing this? Yes. As we age the los of glutathione steepens tremendously as does the loss of pregnenolone and GH. Art is doing things systematically to try to lessen the slope of his decline. I applaud that.
Okay … I don't have a thermometer that goes down to 55. I ran the water for a while until it got good and cold (outside temp has been 20-40 degrees the last few days), then added about 50% more in ice. What temp do you suppose that might be?
I plunged my face in and kept it there pretty easily till 30 sec passed and I needed a breath. Repeated 3x. I don't know if being able to do it that easily means it wasn't cold enough, or that I really needed it. I felt a strong intuitive sense before I did it that I would really love the experience of a cold face, and I did. I feel better now afterward. What do you think – not cold enough, or just what I needed, and time to move to stage 2.
well – that was interesting. Went to bed really cold and woke up pretty refreshed at almost 4 lbs lighter. Doesn't usually happen when I have 2 bacon rich meals the day before.
I am actually looking forward to another bath tomorrow – the wifey has banned me from messing up her Valentine's Day with an ice bath.
Anyone have any solutions for the ice $. 20lbs cost me $6 at the liquor shop next to my place. I'd like to do this quite often, as in 5 or 6 days a week. I totally can see myself spending a couple of hundred bucks on this over the next two months if it pulls my weight down but would the equivalent of those thermal blue ice packs work?
This is off topic, but you mentioned Tim Ferris above. I assume you are familiar with the "4 Hour Body"? In that book, Tim describes his "Slow Carb Diet" which is low carb, high protein. But once per week, the author has a "Dieters Gone Wild" day in which he eats anything he wants, e.g. bear claws, ise cream, beer, etc. Tim says "Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn't downregulate from extended caloric restriction."
What do you think?
@Pat slow carb diet is a waste if your LR. Tim is certainly not LR and neither are most of the people finding success with his ideas. We are specifically dealing with LR folks here. BIG DIFFERENCE
@golooraam
You can make your own reusable ice packs fairly easy for around 30 cents a piece. Tim Ferris links to this how to guide in his book:
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/08/how-to-make-…
I'd suggest a small cheap chest freezer if you don't have the space in the fridge.
Pat, carb cycling can be effective for fantastic health *WHEN* you're already LS, have solved all major hormone & gut problems, and you use only real, whole food, primal claws. Use the industrial foods that got you sick in the first place and risk going back there.
And if you've ever been a binger, you absolutely must never do that. Ever. Carb cycle on moderate levels with primal carbs (and not high levels of even primal sweeteners (honey, maple, etc.)), sure. Allow unlimited SAD foods? Never.
I've been reading your blog on and off for the past 6 weeks. My head is spinning!
It's a very very good thing though. I want to heal my body and if you didn't explain the science behind it then I might be wondering if you really know what you are talking about (which clearly you do.)
I don't understand much of the science, but as I continue to read and re-read blog posts as well as the comments then everything starts to make more sense in how it all fits together.
For example take the past couple posts. I have no desire to be cold because I'm cold all the time, but because you took the time to explain why it's good to be cold, now I have a desire to try it.
I love the idea of a summary/bullet point layout with details as well.
@Johnlyn the blog and website are getting ready for a radical overhaul so I this is a good comment because my web team is reading all that you are saying to make your experience her better than it was before.
LOL, just noticed I said primal claws instead of primal carbs above. Was looking at "bear claws" while typing, I guess!
Doc, would love your input on my comment #132.
HELP!! So I put my compression pantyhose on and put ice packs against my skin for an hour. the left side is fine, however the right side is swollen, red and a bit hard. Did I get freezer burn?
@shelley nope…….
It think its frostbite, I am going to the clinic. I feel very foolish.
@Cavemem you can do both…….but cold thermogenesis really has helped the people I see in clinical who have plateau'd with weight loss after the bypass
shelley, Dr. K said pink or red is good; white is bad. Read here for more: http://www.essortment.com/frostbite-treatment-376… http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000057.htm
Sounds like red can come *after* frostbite, if you've been through the white/pins&needles/numb/pain stages, which is why Dr. K says to be sure and check your skin color throughout this process. If it's just red and you haven't been through the white painful stage, it is probably *not* frostbite.
@momogrok I do not want to see any white skin when you do this protocol. You must pay attn to your skin.
Hey Doc!
I am ending phase 2 of the HCG protocol in a few weeks and I NEVER want to do that again.. I plan on doing the Leptin reset and if I must (brrrr!) get my cold on.. Unfortunately I do not have a tub, just a shower. Two questions.. Should I begin getting used to the cold in the steps you have outlined above now, or wait until I am done with the HCG? Second, what is the best way to achieve the cold benefits with out a tub? Shower, ice packs? Would I put the ice on the places I want to lose weight or all over? We are house hunting now and BAT (big ass tub) is on my must have list!
Thanks!
@Chimpchick sooner you get ready the better it is for adaptation
Thanks MamaGrok, God I do feel very foolish. I went to the doctor and they had a look at it. I have a hardish area area where the pack was, the whole area is reddish and warm and it is swollen, not a lot of discomfort tbh, the occasional tingle. they have me putting Vaseline on the area to keep it moist, wondering if coconut oil might be a better option, I have an elastic bandage wrapped around my leg, but not too tight, I guess I will have to wait 24hrs and more to see the real damage. Am taking ibuprofen just to help inflammation. Other leg is absolutely fine, back to normal!!
I wanted to pass along a cold training method I tried today that might be good for others as an intermediate step before full water immersion. I swim for exercise, so after my pool swim workout I took a cold shower to rinse off and cold soak my compression-style swimsuit and shirt (jammer and rash guard). I then lightly covered up with a thin nylon track suit and headed outside for a walk in the cold. My thought, based on what you suggested, was the wet compression clothes would improve conduction and evaporative cooling over just dry (or no) clothing. By adding/subtracting clothes (and wetness thereof) one can tailor the exposure based on the outside temperature and wind conditions. It felt great afterward, and I did have the red skin I was looking for. The temperature was on the balmy side at 50 degrees, so I'm looking forward to trying in colder temps. Obviously one has to pay attention to skin color here as well, but this was very easy to implement and very time efficient.
I just want to say I am not normally this stupid, and take full responsibility for my idiocy. I just want to get started trying to 'fix myself' since I have had precious little help from the medical community in doing so. This is sometimes how people hurt themselves, by getting ahead of themselves so desperate to find some answers. Its quite swollen and hard in the middle area, and hot, its tingling now and I am aware of it, its also a bit numb to the touch. Luckily I have my annual medical first thing tomorrow morning, so they can have another look at it then. I am a bit freaked out to be honest.
This is all very interesting. After reading this I recall chuckling to my self thinking, "This is crazy." I probably would have left it at that and moved on were it not for the scientific explanation. In addition, given what most people think of those of us near 70; when my family hears I take cold baths, eat bacon, and go out without my winter jacket I've got to have a good explanation. Thanks for writing about how what works for reproduction may not work for anti-aging. This is very helpful to me. This is so different from what I've learned that I have to have this level of study to take it in. I think I'm in good shape to start the cold tx. I've done HCG and been on paleo ketogenic for about 6 weeks, weight is stable. I eat am and pm with no hunger in between. The supplements suggested by you are in the mail to me. I will have results of the labs at the end of the week. I'll be 70 in a month and was looking for something to mark the day. The cold bath should do it. Besides, I'm kind of enjoying the double takes when I tell people how old I am. My stamina is much better but still not up to where I'd like it. Will this process help? Trunk skin still needs tightening up due to the weight loss. I'm enthused.
@ Terry One thing I can promise you………I will tell why I think what i do…….I will never leave you hanging. In my previously life as a surgeon I was devastingly good at conventional wisdom canned responses and performing the duties that most surgeons are taught to do and schooled to believe are the standard of the care……..Until it dawns on you one day that the thousands that you impacted may not have been made better by your tools…….or your knowledge as you were led to believe.
Much of what I learned about Optimal living I did not learn in med school or residency. I learned about it by becoming a victim of the that CW myself. From that experience and failure, I learned that what I was taught was not always what was best…………that was the day I went from being just good……..to a better person and clinician. Now I am striving for optimal in all I do and touch. If I can do it for me…….I can share it with you. I am now on your team………….and kind of sorry I fell off the grid for ten years or so. I have a lot more explanations for you…….in medicine and in biology the truth is stranger than fiction……….it my job to show you why you should question everything.
Hi Jack! thanks for sharing all this. Impressive what you have done merging latest bleeding edge science on nutrition, weight management, desease and health in general.
Question: Are there any short term risks on catching a cold by doing cold exposure procedures? Would it be wise to supplement with Vitamin C while starting?
Please keep the science on you blog and books!
Best, Horacio
OT: Now I understand why aboriginal people from where I live (Chile's Patagonia) could live on shellfish swimming in super cold waters (5-10 Celsius) with no protection at all year round. I remember reading they even had body temperature adapted to it.
@Horacio I love this nugget you threw in at the end…….it is as if you might have read the last chapter of my book already. The humans who live at the poles of our planet……..hold the key to our longevity and ultimate survival. I will tell you why that is the case using an ancient evolutionary fact.
You do not catch a cold by cold exposure. In fact cold adaptation strengthens immunity by up regulating Vitamin D production and facilitating the conversion of LDL cholesterol to pregnenolone. Cold up regulates every known steroid pathway in human physiology. That fact right there should be a major tell to why this adaptation was once critical to us all. Over time, evolution, through the rigors of natural selection allowed us to move away from this adaptation to conquer our planet using other metabolic programs. A cold is caused by a virus and not by exposure so worry not……..Loved your question by the way.
OK so if leptin is released by the frigid fat cells then i suspect all the other stuff comes out as well , such as estrogens???
@Jon……….everything comes out. It is natures way for detoxifying the entire system.
Then that explains my email to you dont it :-(… I wonder how long i will have this high estrogen level. Dr Roberts will do my labs tomorrow, i suspect i may need to up my Aromataze inhibitors
@Jon It do……and …..u might.
Just realized this post was here today, fantastic, thank you. Totally get the compression shirt thing now–also a tight shirt i good to hold the ice packs in if you can't be totally still.
I remember distinctly my physics prof wondered in class one day why more people didn't just do a "cold, naked" diet.
Is warm shower after negating all the benefits of a cold bath?
So a quick read of Wiki shows this
"Estradiol is conjugated in the liver by sulfate and glucuronide formation and, as such, excreted via the kidneys. Some of the water-soluble conjugates are excreted via the bile duct, and partly reabsorbed after hydrolysis from the intestinal tract. This enterohepatic circulation contributes to maintaining estradiol levels."
So my first thought is that NAC, MSM, and DMSO will speed up the removal of the serum estrogens.
on the right track?
@Jon as usual you are stitching the quilt of primal knowledge. You keep this up and your road to Optimal will be built for you to walk over………..and maybe you can invite some of your friends to travel it with you as you evolve to Optimal I am very proud of you……..I post. You read…..you assimilate……..the crumbs open you to a new reality that you never knew exists……….you transform and you become one of the elite foot soldiers for change.
This is how I designed the QUILT.
This makes me smile inside.
I don't understand much in this paper, but I bet it explains part of why cold adaptation is really good.
"Our working hypotheses derive from an oversimplified
model attempting to explain the effect of temperature and
of its selective pressure on the conformation of a protein."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC16929…
@Mark You are hitting the fringes of what is coming…………FACTOR X Implication are HUGE for biology.
Dr. Kruse, recent T2 diagnosis and for the last month or so, experiencing low body temp. Had thyroid tests and seem ok there. I think its stress induced adrenal issues but my Dr. of course doesn't believe in that stuff….Have the diabetes heading in the right direction with good dietary control(VLC Primal, mealtiming). Question is, if my temp is already low as it gets down at 95 etc. sometimes is this cold theraphy still safe and ultimately will it help me get my temp's back in order.
Thank you so much for all your work here and at MDA. Many of us feel like you and folk like Mark Sisson are throwing us life lines when we have no where else to turn.
@Joseph yes it will……diabetes alters thermogenesis big time so what your now seeing is quite expected.
lol, I'm not even going to pretend to know what that means, but that is why you are here, to serve as our guide, and I thank you for that.
all I know is that I felt great after my cold shower this morning and I look forward to taking more, as well as learning why I feel so great
I can't get enough of this stuff! Dr. Kruse, when is your book coming out? I can't wait to get my hands on it! I did the face dunk last night, followed by a 15 minute cold shower this morning. Thinking about buying some bags if ice for tonight…
But I have a question for you. I got my BS in Cell Biology, so I love the science behind this stuff. As far as adaptation to the cold goes, can the same be true for the heat? Can they mess each other up? The reason I ask is because I am a police officer in SoCal, and as such I have to wear body armor 40 hours a week. This body armor keeps my core very warm, and I wear a compression shirt underneath it to soak up any perspiration. Will this interfere with my adaptation to cold? Seriously wondering what affect it could have. Initially, I couldn't stand the body armor because I just got so hot with it on, now I barely notice it except when it is really hot out. Did my body adapt to the excess heat?
@James It maybe sooner than we all thought. It seems there has been a bend in the road that may have a huge advantage to me I never saw coming your body did adapt to heat…….but it will effect your biology. Heat changes the size and protein binding and protein bending that can change confirmation tertiary and quaternary structure to altered biologic effects. So your use of cold will have to overcome that ……..can it. Yes with chronicity of exposure. Intensity initially would help……but for you I would tell you to make sure you ice baths over air techniques.
Dr. Kruse
In following up on one of your Facebook comments from today, where she talked about not having cold hands and feet anymore in the cold weather after eating more saturated fat, should I be striving to get in as much coconut oil as I can? Since Trader Joe's started carrying it, I have been using much more of it and less butter.
Also, I think I remember you saying that CO in particular was great for subcutaneous fat loss. I'm guessing this has something to do with the MCT's? And lastly, did you also say that the MCTs in CO are metabolized differently than other saturated fats like butter and are great for restoring/keeping the liver healthy? Thanks again.
@Mark Without knowing about your issues there is no way for me to know this…….if your are LR the answer is yes…….if not then it depends. If you suffer from a neurodegenerative disorder yes……if you have different goals as I do now then that is another story. it does shred sub Q fat and it also cant be stored as fat in the human body it has to be burned right away……..so it is ideal for those who are fat who are not fat burners yet because it primes the hard ware.
I don't think I'm LR (can fast easily, body comp is pretty good, feel good, sleep great) but was just wondering if extra CO would help burn off some more sub-Q fat in addition to the cold therapy, as well as helping to keep my energy/mood great.
Can’t wait.
@Mark…….to tantalize you further…….here is how evolution set the plan to action. This information will even make the smartest hard core organic biochemist out there think………Why and what if? What If somebody did and 18 month experiment on themselves to prove this biochemistry is really active in a modern human? Maybe even thought to complete the first ever directed evolutionary experiment in human history?
In psychrophilic bacteria, serine, aspartic acid, threonine and alanine are overrepresented in the coil regions of secondary structures, whilst glutamic acid and leucine are underrepresented in the helical regions. Compared to mesophiles, psychrophiles comprise a significantly higher proportion of amino acids that contribute to higher protein flexibility in the coil regions of proteins, such as those with tiny/small or neutral side chains. Amino acids with aliphatic, basic, aromatic and hydrophilic side chains are underrepresented in the helical regions of proteins of psychrophiles. The patterns of amino acid substitutions between the orthologous proteins of psychrophiles versus mesophiles are significantly different for several amino acids when compared to their substitutions in orthologous proteins of within the mesophiles or psychrophiles.
What is listed here got me thinking about the epic bio hack…………
Is it too much to do this more than once a day? Are the benefits different if you work out before or after a session? I was thinking about two 60 minute sessions, once upon waking and once before sleep.
@monte……if your rev T3 is high the answer is no…….in fact in my view this is the best way to reverse it. Eating carbs like others recommend will end you up in a deeper hole.
In Jon's post he wrote…So my first thought is that NAC, MSM, and DMSO will speed up the removal of the serum estrogens. You seemed to agree, but can you elaborate a little? I'm interested in reducing estrodiol as well, particularly as released during this process of losing fat through cold therapy. I understand what an aromatase inhibitor does, but these seem to be aimed at reducing the serum levels once created or released from the fat cells, correct? NAC is n-acetyl-cysteine correct?
@BOB go to my latest blog post called the paleo summit and read my gallbladder post to Irina. should help you.
I read with interest the fact that this cold reset is indicated for gastric bypass patients whose physiology makes them unable to succeed using the original reset procedure. I have had not a bypass, but a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, which involves the removal of approximately 80% of my stomach, (the ghrelin producing portion) with preservation of the pyloric valve and no intestinal re-routing. I am four months out from surgery, have lost about 50% of my excess weight and am still losing. I have been following your original reset the past two weeks or so, and managing to get in about 25 – 30g of protein at the most with my BAB. I can only do this with the assistance of a protein shake (sub-optimal I know) as my stomach is just too small otherwise. Am I unlikely to reach LS by continuing this? I have a major aversion to cold and prefer almost any other sensation, but would try it if what I am doing is unlikely to succeed.
@Sandra That operation cuts free your vagus nerve so cold thermogenesis is for you for sure.
@ Jack,… could you enlighten me as to any interesting changes in your IGF-1 profiles/levels before and after commencing your brilliant cold therapy.
@john During my 18 month experiment my IGF-1, DHEA, free and total Testosterone vitamin D and pregnenolone levels rose while my TSH level fell and my rev T3 bottomed.. Cold stimulates GNRH at a hypothalamic level as I learned from NASA. Similarly, during cold exposure the levels of IGF-1 mRNA increase, and IGF-1 receptors are highly expressed on brown adipocytes. the elevations of IGF-1 action can prevent TNF-αinduced apoptosis in brown fat while the extreme leptin sensitivity causes WAT apoptosis.
@ Jack, thank you so much for your response. The reason for my asking is that I (at age 62) do a lot of foxo/1b lit research for my cardiac surgeon /my doctor/my friend and secondly, my arginine challenge test was the worse of his 212 patient tested cohort ie no IGF-1 response, and i have been mulling over where the issue is – hypothalamus eg leptin/GhRH or biochemical or physical impairment in the pituitary area.
@john some advice for you contact Ernst von schwartz at UCLA cardiology. He is doing an IRB trial on IGF-1 (GH replacement) in cardiac patients…….the results I heard are remarkable. I have heard him speak in Miami and he told me personally that he thinks GH replacement for heart disease should be standard medical therapy. knowing what I do about this……..i tend to agree. It seems where CW says no way I keep finding ways they keep having their heads up their asses on things.
Another thought that I have not laid on in this yet but will be helpful to you now before I unleash it…….cold uses a quantum effect on a subatomic level that causes protein and bonding changes to increase receptor affinity for binding. In other words, regardless of levels of IGF-1 you still get the biologic effect of increase because the receptor become so damn sensitive because of the cold adaptation alone. When I found out about this effect it floored me in its implications………it why I became a leptin nut in the beginning.
Dr. Jack you rock. I was diagnosed three years ago w/t2db I stopped taking all meds except 112mcg synthroid 7-8 months ago and have been 100% paleo since then. started leptin reset in November. doing great. I started the cold adaptation two days ago. How do I know when I can stop or reduce synthroid? Many thanks,I feel better every day.
@BobS cant practice medicine over the net……but if you check your TSH levels with the cold you can easily figure it out……..moreover you could probably use selenium and iodine replacement while your cold adapting and wean the T4 pretty quickly………talk to your doc. This would be a cool bio hack if you do it…….and if you do email me with your results and I will write a blog about it. I would do this myself if I had hypothyroidism………The recent blog that Masterjohn and Kresser did would be blown up by this hack. I think I talked about that in a comment on my current paleo summit blog…….you should read it…….I think it was to sarabeth
Thanks Dr. Kruse. It is my understanding that for this particular surgery, the vagus nerve is left intact, per the following description: "Eighty-five percent of the stomach is removed leaving a narrow stomach tube or "vertical sleeve" for the passage of food. There is no rearrangement of the intestines. The vagus nerves that innervate the stomach and pyloric valve that regulates outflow of food from the stomach are left intact."
As I can't vouch for the accuracy of this description, I will ask my surgeon (one of the pioneers of this procedure) if in my case, the vagus nerves were left intact. Assuming it was, is the original leptin reset still not recommended?
Also, I am of West African descent and born in the tropics and wonder if my genetic makeup will make it that much harder to achieve the cold adaptation that you and others have achieved? I think you are brilliant and have eagerly followed your recommendations since discovering your blog, but I can't tell you how loudly my brain screams "hell no" at the thought of getting into an icy tub….
@Sandra The vagus nerve is not kept in tact in this one…….I can promise you that even if the surgeon tells you it is.
Dr. Kruse
Given the comments you made in regards to cold sensitizing various receptors like IGF1, it would seem logical that cold adaption should be a top priority, for once you're cold adapted everything else will just be easier. For example, I'm seeing this as analogous to steroids where various studies have shown that people can build more muscle while sitting on the couch versus someone actively working out without steroids. While the pathways are probably very different, do you agree with the importance of cold adaptation? If so, I'd guess that someone could get pretty strong and look great by doing cold therapy daily and lifting only once or twice a week.
Love this new paradigm of thinking.
@Mark When you see what I have done to prove this to myself……..for greater application for my patients I think you will see just how important I think it really is.
Dr. Kruse, i am not sure where the line is crossed with practicing med on the net and i sincerely hope that nothing compromises what you are doing here. This is incredibly important and good work. I was ovolactoveg for ten years with nightly beer habit. Diagnosed T2D three years ago at age 48, A1c 13, hypothyroid. I say to my GP" I have great discipline. Can I do beat this Diet and exercise?" He says,"No, we don't cure diabetes we treat it." So I go find a supposedly good endocrinologist. He puts me on metformin, insulin and synthroid. After a year of the insulin roller coaster I manage to improve my A1c and drop the insulin using metformin and januvia After a year of heartburn and muscle wasting I take it upon myself to stop taking all meds May 15 11. I initially try to do low to no carb as a veg. Very difficult. I realized I needed more protein and decided to eat some meat. Mid june I went paleo. I was able to drop the diabetes meds, but had to remain on synthroid. I learned the hard way you just can't stop synthroid. except for synthroid I take no meds and have controlled A1c at 5.6 for the past six months. Started leptin reset mid November.
blood work: 9/20 12/20
T3 74.5 62
FT4 1.27 1.51
TSH 4.14 1.47
By 12/20 I was 3-4 weeks into leptin reset. After 9/20 I increased synthroid from 88 mcg to 112 mcg. None of my previous increases of synthroid had this effect. So how do I determine if the lowered TSH is result of med or leptin reset/paleo. My basal temp has been a @95deg since dropping carbs and remains unchanged with lowered TSH.
Do you have any guidance on how to find an endo or doc who I can work with. My current endo didn't seem to really know what leptin was and said it had no clinical significance. I am in the Albany NY area. Incidentally New York state does not allow us to order lab tests without a scrip. So i need a doc who is on board with this. Once again, thank you Jack
I don't doubt it.
One question – Given that I won't be able to do full-body immersions until the pool opens up in late May (no Jacuzzi and limited ability to take ice baths), will I still see some of the benefits by taking cold showers of 20 to 45 minutes daily? I tested the temp of my shower when it's at it's coldest and it comes in around 60 (cold enough to make my skin red/pink and feel slightly numb). Using a compression shirt and shorts plus a knit hat for most of the shower seemed to help me withstand the colder temperatures. I also started to put an ice pack on my stomach for the ride to and from work (60 minutes each way). Thought it couldn't hurt and maybe it might help to burn some more fatty tissue there. As always, thank you very much.
@BenG do what you can…….it's better than the alternative
Many years ago I spent a year in Moscow. In winter, when it was -30 C some people got white patches on their face. They then took a handful of snow and rubbed that on the patch. This got the circulation going again. Might work for us too using a rounded ice cube.
Dr Kruse,
Is there more to the fact that because Sumo wrestlers exercise 6-8 hours a day, they store all their fat subcutaneously and don't get Insulin Resistance / i.e. low visceral fat. I saw they stuff themselves at massive feeding and eat tons of rice before bed to maximize their weight gain. What is going on with their leptin receptors that they can remain relatively metabolically healthy until they retire and gain visceral fat if they keep eating, etc?
@BenG I personally think it's because they do not eat many PUFA's with their carbs…….I think PUFA plus carbs are like the death combo.
Saw this little blurb–almost the exact opposite of the Leptin Rx
http://www.diet-blog.com/05/sumo_wrestlers_this_i…
The Sumo Diet Plan
According to this article – here is what a sumo wrestler does to get fat:
1. Skip breakfast. By depriving their bodies of food after eight hours of sleep, their metabolic rates stay low.
2. Exercise on an empty stomach. If their bodies have no food, their metabolic thermostats are turned down even lower to conserve fuel.
3. Take a nap after eating. The Sumo secret for gaining weight is that, after eating, they sleep for at least four hours.
4. Eat late in the day. Going to bed with full stomachs means that their bodies must respond to the huge flood of nutrients with a rush of insulin, forcing their bodies to store some of it in the cells as fat instead of in the muscles and organs as nutrients.
5. Always eat with others in a social atmosphere. According to leading researchers, a meal eaten with others can be at least 44 percent larger and with 30 percent more calories and fat.
NAC, MSM, and DMSO to decrease stradiol?.
Interesting, I have high testosterone and high estrogon (indeed I have these red skin spots) and I'm looking at I3C, but really don't know what to do.
@Santiago I3C is a good. Natural aromatase inhibitior are Ascorbic acid, Zinc, green tea, resveratrol, quercetin, Apigenin, Oleuropein (olive leaf), naringenin and curcumin. You might want to add food with them to your arsenal first then move to supplements Genisten is another but it is not one I would consider. Chrysin is another bad option. It is advertised as an aromatase inhibitor supplement by bodybuilders and athletes all over the net. Studies done in vivo show that orally administered chrysin does not have clinical aromatase inhibitor activity.
Santiago since you live in Patagonia go to Mendoza, Argentina and find Catena Zapata vineyard…….drink their Malbec and buy this wine. If you do, sent me a bottle for thanks for turning you on to the best natural aromatase inhibitor Dr. Kruse has ever had.
So I'm not sure if this an effect or not, but I had an ice pack on my stomach for the whole ride home and now I just want to go to bed. I wasn't tired before. And I was ready to eat dinner before I left work, now I'm indifferent to eating. Crazy stuff
@Mark…….its an effect. Just wait til I do the little roll out. I think I will release it before Paleo fx to give me something to talk about there.
Sounds good, can't wait
"indifferent" to eating. Been there, done that. How great it is!!! 🙂
Dr. K in regards to your reply at 155. I feel your discomfort. I was a CDE teaching diabetics for many years and CW ruled the day. Finally as it seemed I was on the path to DM I decided to find my own path. In doing so I helped a few people get off the DM merry go round and myself from getting worse before being subtly forced out of the local community of diabetes educators. It's better this way, it's crazy making to have to try and keep two separate paradigms going.
@Terry F I can no longer accept mediocrity. I have become intolerant of it. Because of that I have become better all around. Those who think its wrong…….fine. Do it your way. I have a plan and a vision and I am not changing. I find solace in difficult and hard now. I face myself and cross out all that I was. The learning process is a never-ending pursuit of knowledge to be used to provide the most appropriate, most beneficial, and safest care for our patients/clients. Knowledge is never static. It evolves and gradually changes past practices and dogmas. Ultimately new knowledge comes from existing knowledge mingled with uncertainty, curiosity, discovery, assessment of evidence and experience, both personal and vicarious.
Standardization, or the use of set protocols, can in many ways diminish the desire to search for new knowledge thus solidifying old habits and procedures at the expense of scientific advancement
In other words…….mediocre just sucks. That is why the name of the website is Optimal Life.
Hello Dr. K, Thank you for all the great info you are laying out here. The science is what sets you apart. Please keep it in.
Based on the science and logic you outline here, I am thinking if the cold thermogenesis is the way to go to increase Insulin Sensitivity to pre T2D levels? (Cure)
If it is then you are on the verge of a huge breakthrough that will rock the Medical Establishment world wide.
I read everything you wrote. It Took me 2 months. 😀
I spent months researching IR. You are the first to explain how IR starts. Were you able to find a scientific path to significantly reverse IR? How could someone be very Insulin Sensitive again? What are the signs?
@–>–
🙂
Cooling
@Cooling web………Cold is the cure for diabetes…….that is precisely how evolution reverses it yearly in all eutherian mammals who hibernate. The reason humans get it……is because these pathways still remain in our DNA because there has not been enough time to adapt to what the neolithic human mind has created in our environment to our paleolithic genes detriment. Polar bears wake up after cold shreds their fats in cold………IR puts them to sleep…….to den because they get sluggish.
To quote Spock: "Fascinating." I'm not much overweight but have prominent love handles, so the other night I put a cold pack on my back between the scapula and two packs on my love handles. I was able to leave them on for 2 hours as once the skin went numb, there was little discomfort. The skin remained pink/red. Then, I went to bed.
The next day I woke up freezing, like my bones were made of ice. I had to move a heating pad around my back and legs to get relief. I also noticed the areas where I had the ice packs were very sore, and are still sore 24 hours later, as if they suffered a significant blunt force trauma.
I am wondering if my side effects are normal, have others experienced this, or did I maybe do 'too much.' I am admittedly the girl who is shivering and teeth chattering in cool weather while everyone else is feeling fine. But I would think what I did with the ice packs would be lesser than a Zeltiq cool sculpting session. Would these side effects reduce in time?
@Susan those signs all tell you may have a very high tissue omega six content. They will subside with time but I would suggest of you continue on protocol you add lots of fish to your diet…….and consider supplementing with fish oil and krill together
@Jack.. Is it the cold that is helping the metabolic pathways to be optimal? Or is it just helping shred the fat that contributes negatively to the metabolic process?
Then you wrote :https://jackkruse.com/gnolls-com-opens-the-door-to-obesity-fight/ "My answer is Oh…..yes we do! It low intracellular magnesium levels that causes the genesis of insulin resistance peripherally. And we have known it for a long time but have done little in clinical medicine to treat it. This is why so few people know about it. Peripheral leptin and insulin resistance (at muscles and fat cells) occurs first for this to happen but the depletion of Magnesium always predates insulin resistance."
Based on personal observations, my readings here and elsewhere I was able to construct this sequence:
::Stress > Bad Nutrition > Obesity > Hepatic Problems > Hepatic Insulin Resistance > Liver Enlargement > Adipose and Muscle IR > High Trig and High BG
I was able to shed the weight by going paleo. NO grains or sugar for 3 months now. I do strength training and HIIT.
I am 6.2. I was 240lbs when diagnosed but now I am 215lbs. Body composition improved alot. Lots of energy and good recovery. Lost 6 inches around waist.
FBG is 100. 1hr after meal <140 2hrs <120
But an orange would still send me to 180 1hr after. 🙁
What is the route to Optimal? What is missing?
Cooling
@Cooling its way cooler than that. You will see it soon. If your Fasting BG is 100 your liver is still LR! Its because leptin has not regained control of PEPCK. Go read my older blog Leptin Part Deux
Hi Dr. Kruse,
This is incredible work you're doing. I've been on the hCG diet for a little over a month and plan to transition to a full paleo diet in conjuction with your leptin rx. My question is with regard to weight loss. The hCG protocol states that during phase 3 after someone comes off the VLCD, no weight change + or – 2 pounds is permitted for three weeks in order to stabilize. I still have about 15 pounds to lose; if I transition directly into the leptin rx with the new addition of cold, in your opinion, while utilizing and adhering to your plan exactly, would continued weight loss during this three week period be okay?
@Lindsey this is a reset…….this means adaptation. It means you will do well over time……on your brain's time frame not on yours. Most people on HCG obsess about weight loss daily. The number one question I get from HCGers is about the transition……..the transition will happen at yoru hypothalamus pace and not your wants or needs. Some people actually gain and then they lose alot…….without HCG. GO to the monster thread at MDA and see how many people have done this with your problem. There are a lot of feedback there. You can also go to the Leptin Rx faq's post and read the comments.
Jack, can you explain in a little more detail why it is important to eat good fats/protein prior to a cold immersion session? What happens if it is done on an empty stomach?
Thanks!
@Rodney its coming in the next few weeks.
@Jack .. You are a tease. LOL . This is so exciting. I can hardly wait.
I did as told and reread Leptin Part Deux. I reread the Leptin Rx too. I am confused.
I have all the signs of LS.
I thought I had Insulin Resistance at the muscle level. I figured that the muscles lack the full uptake of the BG dumped by the liver in the morning. Hence the 100 Fasting BG.
The Leptin Part deux does not tell how to get LS at the liver though. It just explains it. Is there a Leptin Rx for the liver?
I am basically following the Leptin Rx to the T. I haven't had a grain nor a starch in 3 months. Breakfast 50-70g protein. I eat twice a day unless I work out. I don't have cravings what so ever. I have a healthy appetite tough. I learned about leaky gut from you Dr. K and added fermented veggies.
I have been taking cold showers, 3-4 weekly, for 6 weeks now. http://gettingstronger.org/2010/03/cold-showers/
I have seen a remarkable progress across all systems. I am not using my prescription glasses most of time. My thinning hair is making a noticeable comeback. The acid erosion signs in my teeth stopped. Very high Libido. Better breathing. Better brain function. I feel like I did when I was 12. It is indescribable.
Everything is great except for the BG levels. They stay the same. 2.5 months and they just won't get back to 80s or less.
I don't know what I am missing?
🙂
Cooling
@ cooling web………just stay on the tracks to optimal. The journey is the best part. I know…….i have traveled it and it is very sweet indeed.
Follow up: Over 48 hours after putting ice packs on my lovehandles for 2 hours, the areas are still red and very sore. Dr. Kruse, you suspected this was a sign of high omega 6 in my fat tissue, but I have been high staurated fat paleo for at least 20 years, consuming almost no O6 and even eating only grass fed meat.
Could it be that the fat in the love handles is still filled with O6 from a very long time ago. I do take Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil and X-factor butter products. In any case, if one is experiencing prolonged side effects/recovery from the cold applications, it is better to slow down or just push through it? Is there a line where you might be stressing the tissue too much?
@Susan I have been doing this long enough to tell you your reports and testing lead me to believe if you get an omega6/3 ratio you will be shocked to find out that you may have pretty slow turn over of your cell membranes.
Hi Dr. Kruse,
Okay, I understand about 10% of this, and I am further assuming that ice cube baths would be contraindicated by my midwife during pregnancy, but it is FASCINATING!! I used to be warm all the time, and full of energy, and now that I'm cold and exhausted and depressed I am dying to feel as good as I used to. I told my husband that when this baby is born, I'm going swimming in the pond in the winter…
I am now wondering: what implication does all of this have for a person who is _underweight_, and or anorexic and/or malnourished? Family members of mine have had lifelong struggles with these issues, and cannot gain weight (even in their past lives as carb-aholics).
My son, age 8, is doing fantastically in his second month on a modified leptin reset. He was severely anorexic as of September 2010, and we struggled incredibly (and against the conventional eating disorder wisdom: "As Long As He's Eating _something_, a high-carb diet is fine") to get him to where he is today: a child who eats a super-nutrient dense variety of meats and veggies and fats and ferments, and actually enjoys his food. (At his worst, he had stopped eating even the carb foods that helped get him as sick as he was.)
I am often intrigued when you mention anorexia in the same breath as obesity, and although my son is much more stable than he was last year, there is a huge dearth of information about eating disorders (especially in the realm of psychology, where it's often assumed that this illness stems from body image issues, which my ASD son most definitely did not have).
Final question: when my kids insist that they want to go outside on frigid days without their coats on, should I let them?
Regards,
Sarabeth
@Sarabeth,……you need no testing until your baby is born. You need to make sure your vitamin D levels is optimal and your diet is solid…….its too late to tinker when your pregnant. The time to fix you was before pregnancy…….now you are letting evolution and God play their hands. How you play your dealt hand is now your most important task in hand.
@Jack .. Thank you for your kind words. It is a joy indeed.
How is liver leptin resistance related to insulin resistance? What are best practices to improve the situation?
Cooling
@Cooling liver LR means you can not handle the excess calories you take in so your live become fat filled. Your gut has a problem with foods you eat because of a change in FAS fatty acid synthetase……Diabetes cascading might begin in our gut. Remember the liver is part of the GUT!!!! When we are not able to create fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the gut IR is the usual result because of an uncoupling of Mg and ATP from the ATPase to make energy. This signaling error than gets magnified throughout the mammal system quite naturally. In fact our biochemical pathways make for its development quite easily because there are no inherit evolutionary designed breaks. I think this is the best evidence that DM is not a disease but a natural adaptation for some other reason in all mammals. Yes it is tied to FACTOR X!. FAS is an enzyme that is critical for the formation of lipids and is under controlled by insulin and by leptin. Patients suffering from diabetes generally experience abnormalities in the FAS enzymes people become resistant to insulin, as happens when they gain weight, FAS doesn't work properly, which causes inflammation that, in turn, can lead to diabetes after enough time……there is a disconnect between Mg levels and ATP……as it worsens Insulin levels rise to cover the deficits……but can't and the whole system become a fat storage machine, sugar burning machine.
The real pathology generator here is that with chronicity this causes major amounts of inflammation to develop in the gut and this inflammation causes the classic hormonal disruption of T2D. Basically it destroys sex steroid hormones. It does some other stuff too but lets stick to fat here. In the adipocyte what happens? Remember my Leptin Part Deux blog I asked you to read…….here is the tie together……At the liver level something new happens though. Because muscles (muscle leptin resistance) can no longer use the calories partitioned to them they return to the liver. Leptin resistance at the liver also down regulates the LDL receptor in the liver. This allows the LDL particle to stay in the blood longer making it more susceptible to oxidation and disease. The liver responds by packaging this fuel into LDL particles to get rid of it. If the meal is high in carbs it makes small dense LDL. (SdLDL) If the calories are high in fat or protein the LDL is intermediate or large fluffy LDL.(ILDL or VLDL) SdLDL is the particle that causes many chronic diseases when it is present in excess chronically. It correlates best with heart disease and stroke risk. This is the most important thing to take away from a lipid panel. You want this number as close to zero as possible. sdLDL also causes high blood pressure and atherosclerosis because it damages the vascular endothelium (lining of artery) and the LDL particle is small and dense so it fits between the endothelial cells and deposited in the arterial wall to make it a lead pipe. Before it gets into the artery wall it usually becomes oxidized (rusted) because it is chemically very sensitive to chemicals that cause oxidation. (IL6, TNF alpha, and ROS are some of these) The large fluffy VLDL are not a problem because they can not fit in vessel walls so most go to our fat under the control of LPL and hormone sensitive lipase. (Estrogen and testosterone levels determine where on the body this fat goes and stays!) This is the real reason why andropause and menopause cause weight gain in specific parts of your body as you age. Your sex steroid status varies with the amount of inflammation present at the cellular level. Understand that the inflammatory chemicals from the fat are what cause this to happen over time.
i hope this helps……..the Quilt is designed to string these concepts together for you……..you will be asked to make some inferences and leaps and many times I do not give those to you because our brains are designed to make these quantum leaps by evolutionary design. Take a look at Malcolm Gladewell's book "Blink" to see it in action…….i do this so that you become trained to read my stuff and make these leaps. Research shows when people keep making these leaps they learn faster. So in essence I am performing brain surgery and mind control on my readers to help me help you change medicine to get you to Optimal. LOL I guess I just shared the secret sauce huh?
Hey, Doc – I'm sure it's coming, but one thing I haven't seen asked. Do you suppose cold thermogenisis protocol will be effective if only used during the winter?
I am working this into an awesome routine: exercise 30 minutes in a 45 deg garage, then outside for a 15 minute jog/walk in shorts/no shirt (0-32 deg), then ice down the midsection/extremities (up to about 10 min so far), then a dip in the hot-tub.
I would love to do this every winter, but won't be so easy in the summer, short as it is for us here in Alaska.
@akman great question…….ask me this again after you read the last paragraph in the last chapter in my book.
Dr Kruse,
Have you seen the study:
"Obesity is associated with hypothalamic injury in rodents and humans"
http://www.jci.org/articles/view/59660
The media is publishing 'High fat foods cause brain injury
based on this study"…saw it in one of my local papers too.
"http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/06/study-high-fat-foods-cause-brain-scarring/
What bothers me is the study didn't specify what kind of at they were given? PUFAs/SFAs. etc. My guess is corn oil…but who knows.
@BenG I saw it already…….if you pick it apart they prove what the paleo diet is saying. YOu eat lots the wrong fats……ie omega 6 fats and trans fats…….bad things happen to mammals. The real problem with the study is that the scientists remain completely clueless why the literature keeps showing these anomalies with a high fat diet. Because the fats you eat are all not created equal. And if you look at macronutrient breakdowns of rodent chows……..the answer is blatantly obvious to anyone who thinks.
This may sound strange but I was wondering if there is any benefit to using cold water therapy orally – like swishing ice water to maybe lessen cold sensitivity in teeth or TMJ discomfort?
@Heather there is, but you must make sure you have no no enamel cracks or tooth cracks or your tooth will be sensitive from the cold. Cold stimulates the dentinal tubules to close down a bit……K2 does the same. It also diminishes pain over time.
@Jack. Thank you very much for the explanation. You are right. Mind leaping can be made only when based on true information and solid experiences.
I am probably 10lbs away from ideal weight (Seeing my 8 packs.) All health systems signs are excellent except for a mild, on again of again, diarrhea (Leaky gut issues) and insulin resistance. Probably related 😉
My goal is to regain insulin sensitivity.
In my case, my mind leap tells me to add intermittent fasting to my proved set of tools. http://jap.physiology.org/content/99/6/2128.full
I will be increasing my green tea intake as well for the same reason.
Basically, trying to increase AMPK. I already do HIIT and I can't afford calorie restriction (loosing muscle mass). So, IF is what is missing.
I will be doing the IF from sunrise to sunset. (Circadian rhythm) Feeding time from sunset to sunrise. I sleep 9pm to 4am I will abstain from food _and_ water… about 14hrs
Initially I will do it twice a week… no consecutive days (Monday and Thursday.) Once a month, I will do it 3 days in a row.
I will try to keep my usual activity levels during fast days even going to gym.
I will experiment a little and see how it works. I truly want to get my FBG in the 80s again.
Gratefully,
Cooling
Is the presence of metal dangerous with this protocol? I had to very small metal coils inserted in my fallopian tubes (procedure name:essure) to block them.
@Brenda…….no this protocol does not lower your core temp it is designed to just lower you skin temp
Hi Dr. Kruse,
I am interested in your thermogenesis protocol, but I have an aversion to cold and almost always have cold extremities despite a paleo-type diet with lots of coconut oil and pastured animal fats for over a year.
I first tried just going with less clothing. When I got up my temp was 98.3. Then after going outside for 40 min without coat but still a few layers, my temp was 94.9! Is this OK?!
I do have adrenal fatigue and probably low thyroid. I am so tired of freezing my ass off that I'm will to see if this helps even though just the thought makes me cringe. I would love any feedback you can provide.
@heather…….you clearly state you know what your life is if you continue to do what your doing…….so id you OK with you life now keep settling for less than optimal. If your fed up with things……and you want a new life and reality……..begining to create one with your choices and decisions. Strong rec that you read my blog from 2.19.12. You need it bad.
I increased the amount of time I spend targeting cold water from the shower head (38-40 degrees) over the past week. The first day when I had apathy toward eating, but by the 6th day I had massive cravings… for carbs! I ate fruit, and more fruit, a potato and chocolate! Holy smokes, I don’t know what came over me, it’s like I was driven to these foods. I’ve been around 35 to 50 daily carb gr for months. Now dealing with the headache caused from the unplanned “carb refeed”. I’ve been trying to “listen” to my body but I think next time it starts talking like that I’m going to tell it to shut up and take a cold shower. I’m up 4 lbs but not freaking out about it because… well, I can pinpoint the reason and I’m fairly sure it will fall back off with a few days of clean eating.
@MJ your email made me laugh…….here is the skinny: For a naked human at rest, the thermoneutral air temperature is approximately 80.6 F (27ºC). In temperatures above the thermoneutral zone, heat loss is increased by sweating, and in lower temperatures, heat production is increased by muscular work of cold thermogenesis (up to about 1200 W) or by shivering (up to about 500 W). By doing heavy physical work, a naked human can survive at an air temperature of about 23 F (-5ºC) for several hours. I do not recommend lifting this way but to answer you directly if I do……yes.
This guy shows that maybe we are best adapted to cold?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46441238/ns/world_new…
14 days, 12 pounds.
Just Sayin.
@Jon…….and youre just "warming up too"
A question to any/everyone: what's the best way to keep that much ice strapped to your body? Would gel packs work (I'm guessing not as well)? thanks!
Would it be counterproductive to follow up the cold bath with the warm one? Or would it be better to have a warm bath first?
@Mart I would not do it. But you can try it and let us know how your N-1 goes.
Dr. Kruse-
Would you modify the plan at all if the primary goal was reversing hypothyroidism and low cortisol/adrenal dysfunciton?
I'm currently on Synthroid, Testosterone, LDN, and just recently went on HC (60mg) about 3 months ago. The HC hasn't worked as well as we had hopped and my AM cortisol is now at 2.5 (6-19). My doc and I want to get off the HC but now we're basically trapped.
Thanks,
Dru
@Dru when I release the rest of the series you will see this is the best option for both. And you will see why.
Ok started icing last night and for those of you that want gel packs the recipe is 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts water poor in zip lock bag and freeze… you MUST use at least a pillow case between you and the pack because they are MUCH colder than ice! My massage therapist had a friend get burned by one. So don't be stupid with it! I've been using these for over a year now and only had to change bags due to leaks a couple times with both me and my husband using it. I'm going to the store tomorrow to get enough supplies to make several so I can ice not just my back but legs and tummy and upper arms as well. I know this will help with the pain and I'm hoping it will help in reducing the size of my upper arms and tummy.
I think I'm in love with you Jack lol don't get nervous I'm more in love with my hubby!
This makes so much sense now because when both me and my hubby have flair ups of pain we get extremely overheated!
Dr. Kruse, have you read anything about the use of melatonin along with cool temps to help increase BAT activity? The theory was short light cycles means winter, means an animal is hibernating and needs BAT to produce heat to stay warm. Short light cycles of course mean a longer night to produce melatonin. There's an interesting review of trials with melatonin supplementation (albeit in mice) that you might want to read.
So maybe in addition to your cold exposure, melatonin before bed and a cold bedroom?
@Andrea I have……..and I will hit on this this year. I have a blog in sue about this but I have a feeling its going to be on cold ice until I role out some more of the Paleo dogma crashing of CT.
Myree, what a fantastic idea – more flexible AND, in the long run, cheaper! Short of duct tape, how do you keep them where you want them??
Dr. Kruse-
Something I'm confused about. For the cold tub immersion, can we just use neck-high water (50-55 degrees, I assume) as opposed to messing with the ice bags to cover the chest?
Thanks
@dru you can but the onset of cold adaptation will be brisk and much quicker you need to pay attn to symptoms of core cooling. Slow and steady are best.
Dr. Kruse,
I began the cold therapy with my face in the cold water. I am at 23 seconds in 40 degree water. Do I have the temperature too cold? Is there a limit as to how cold the water should be? BTW, my face feels wonderful all day long. Thank you.
Susan
Went back and read the instructions again, for the 4th time and found my answer. As I have said before, I do have problems with comprehension! Thanks! 🙂
Susan
Dr Kruse, you suggest ice bathss every 3-5 days depending on the goal. My goal is to heal DDD, correct hormones and shred some weight. Is there any reason I shouldn't ice my belly with compression in the morning, and ice bath after dinner, every day?
@Coriander 3-4 times a week for DDD and weight is best.
Thankyou!
4 -5 week weight plateau "mysteriously" broken after first real icy bath. Lost a full pound!! Maybe my thyroid is coming back online. Hoping…
@Lucy Cold will do that to a brain……..and more.
Do you rec daily cold for thyroid? Thx
Dr. Kruse: I've been on the Reset since December 1, and decided this week to start the post-reset. I'm feeling better and btter, tho sleep not yet optimal. Stopped glucophage and yesterday found out my A1C no longer pre-diabetic, and fasting glucose finally (slightly) below 100.
My question: I used cold packs on my chest and belly yesterday. Not very long, and checked often to make sure skin still pink. Last night and still now today, have red painful patches on belly and under my chin. Is this cold urticaria (I have experienced that in the past walking fast at night)? Does this mean bad O6/3 ratios? I've been enjoying the face plunge and cool baths for a while no, no problem. Would hate to have to stop these and redo the 6/3 ratios. Thank you for everything.
@Maggie great wrapped around awesome. You make sure you read what I wrote today on 2/22/12 It will open your eyes to new insights. Not sure without seeing them. They usually look like blisters. You could probably google them to get a view
Dr.Kruse: Thanks so much for replying. You know, I was reluctant to start the reset because for a couple of years I had kept restricting and restricting food, even protein,trying to keep weight and glucose down. I did keep weight down but now have a terrible body comp and fasting glucose kept getting worse, I think actually because of the restriction. Anyway, the morning I started I nearly wept with joy seeing all that fabulous meat sizzling in the pan for my first BAB. So delicious, and I was so hungry!
Checked google and yep those are them. Benadryl has worked for cold urticaria. Will Benadryl do more harm than good? I guess I need to do the 6/3 ratio test, huh? OK to continue the face plunge and cool baths since they don't trigger the problem (I thought they were actually making it better)?
I will read your new blog tomorrow a.m. with a fresh brain (I know it will hurt!)
A practical question: How do you keep the ice bags in place, especially those on your back? I've made large-size freezer bag cold packs in prep' but I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if somebody's got a workable method already 😉 Thanks!
@Julia A vest or you can use a compression shirt over the ice…….or an ace wrap to get it in place.
Ah, right'o. The obvious solutions, lol. Thanks!
Today was my 2nd tub session. Full immersion in 55 degree water up to the middle of my abs. While not fun, it's doable. The worst part has been the hour or two after getting out of the tub and putting on my clothes and a robe. I become absolutely frigid. My teeth shake, my feet and hands become icicles…it's really uncomfortable.
Is this expected and does it get better over time?
I'm doing this primarily for thyroid/adrenal recovery. Getting some anti-inflammatory effects on my beat up knees would be great too. I test roughly every 2 weeks so if anything good happens I'll be sure to share it here. Though, I'm guessing this isn't an overnight fix.
@dru you cold adapt fast. In a week you might not even mind it. I can drop into 50 degree water now like its 90. I went to a minus 10 degree freezer this weekend with a friend. All the workers there were in polar gear. I took off my jacket and clothes in there and talked to them all about cold thermogenesis for 15 minutes. I came out into the 37 degree cool room and I asked them to feel my skin…….it was red hot burning. They were shocked. I told them to take their jackets off. They were cold and they were white. I explained to them I induced this pathway in myself with practice and I reaped the benefits.
Thanks for referring me to the posting Dr. Kruse! I just came across this site yesterday so I have lots of reading to do! I remember the first time I swam in Lake Michigan with a wet suit to start triathlon training, my first open water lake swim in 53 degree lake at the end of April. I remember the shocking feeling when I first put my face in the water! Holy Cow! Took my breath away but I survived my first 45min swim, in a wetsuit but my exposed parts like face and hands were ok within a couple minutes. I look forward to trying your one month gameplan to get to where I need to be. Some fun guys to watch are the guys of Open Water Chicago. They swim in the open water lake year round even when its full of ice! I bet they would be great test subjects for somebody's experiment. They always post a picture of the sunrise on their facebook page when they swim, just like Dr. Kruse. Here's a link to the website http://openwaterchicago.com/ and facebook http://www.facebook.com/openwaterchicago . And there isn't an ounce of fat on them!
Dee
Aside from white skin and lightheadedness, what warning signs should we watch out for when doing tub immersions? My family is worried I'll give myself terminal hypothermia.
And aside, thanks for the encouragement re staying the reset course – my blood sugars have leveled off at a VERY nice morning fasting 5.4! I'm still hoping for even lower, but this is already great 🙂
@julia educate yourself and talk to your doctor about this before doing it. http://www.medicinenet.com/hypothermia/article.ht…
Hi Dr Kruse. I have been doing the CT protocol for about 2 weeks (mostly every day). Began with face, then ice on body, then in cold tub with ice. All has been perfect until yesterday. Yesterday I got a bit of frost bite on my outer thighs (both of them, the saddle bag area only). The area was still bright red but was literally frozen (with a layer of ice on it) when I got out of the tub. It has subsided to just a minor pinkness today, but I'm trying to figure out what happened. I realise this probably signals my Omega 3:6 ratios are all off. But is there a reason this would happen after going through the protocol and a week of successful use of ice & baths? I'm also thinking that perhaps the areas of my body where I store the most fat (for me, thighs and butt) are also the tissues that are highest in Omega 6 imbalance. Thoughts?
@Lauren Im not sure why. Was this area closer to the tub edge?
Yes, it was closer than the rest of me but not pushed up against the tub edge. The ice was under a compression garment (but this was true on my tummy and butt, too). I am thinking I should either back up a step or put a layer of fabric between the ice and my skin (and watch it like a hawk!). And maybe up my fish oil supp? Thanks. Lauren
P.S. Am loving the CT post series! Can't wait for the next installment. I can feel the synaptogenesis!
Shall do, thanks. Though I don't hold out much hope of support from my doctor; she's very mainstream and (understandably) burned out. I re-read your comment responses – I'll slow down and stick to your steps longer and quit rushing.
I just wanted to update my comment #263. Looking again at Google, I don't think it was cold urticaria–no bumps only large, smooth welts. Itchy and painful.
Benadryl didn't help, so for two days took large amounts of D3 (~20k iu each day). At the same time, my order for Ubiquinol and PQQ came in so I took one of each per day.
Day 3 I found I had lost two pounds and I had unlimited energy and clarity. It was unbelievable. No afternoon brown-out, good mood, but not manic-y. This is really a very very different feeling. Problem is I'm having a really hard time getting to sleep, and I'm afraid to take my thyroid or even the supplements because I'm not getting sleepy. Took a long walk last night in the cold (no rash happened) and didn't get sleepy for a long time, woke up too early.
Really looking forward to your talk tomorrow, Dr. K–maybe that will be the answer. Again many thanks for everything. This is all so fascinating… and a little scary.
@Maggie when you get outside your comfort zone you limit fear……on the other side of your fear lies ultimate success. You are headed there.
For all of us who seem to not warm up without a great deal of effort after a cold thermogenesis session…consider your omega 6 to omega 3 ratio.
Dr Kruse has said that if you have high omega 6s in your body, you probably will not tolerate well the cold thermogenesis bath. For you who do not tolerate the cold just now, I would bet Dr. Kruse would say now is not the time to have an operation…as high omega 6s do not help you during an operation.
In fact during an operation, the core body temp falls during an operation due to the fact that while knocked out by the anesthesia, the body shuts down its temperature regulation and goes cold. Thus core temp is monitored very closely. Ever come out of anesthesia and had prewarmed blankets drapped all over you?
If you pay attention to your O6/O3 ratio, and you have it under 5/1 then I think you will tolerate the cold well and you will not have such difficulty with warm up. But as Dr. Kruse has said…should you really warm up after CT?
I am able to sit right down in the cold water without a problem and within 30 secs I am oblivious to the cold.
When I come out of my 50 degree F bath with Ice bags around my torso, I towel off, put on dry t-shirt and shorts and sit around as I warm up before bed. It takes me about 15-30 min.
How to quickly change your O6/O3 ratio? Quelson and I both purchased bulk raw salmon oil that is sold into the Pet Food market…but it is human grade. I really like to see and smell the salmon oil to know it has not gone rancid. I have seen reports over the years that the fish oil that is encapsulated in the gelcaps can go rancid and you would never know because of the gelcap coating.
I purchase Life Line Salmon Oil for $75 a gallon directly from [email protected] Freight is prepaid FEDEX Ground I have a gallon arriving today.
By phone M-F 9 – 5 PST:
253-905-0951 You can call them direct and order direct from them. They have an EBAY store…but it is better direct. Ted will take care of you.
By mail:
Life Line Pet Nutrition, Inc.
5114 Pt. Fosdick Drive NW, #E-72
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
Life Line Pet Nutrition Inc.
I take 5 tablespoons a day which yields about 15,000mg of EPA & DHA. Most of you are probably taking max 1,000mg/day in gelcaps
After only one month of taking the salmon oil my O6/O3 ratio was 2.3/1
Quelson purchased Wholistic Pet Salmon oil. And there is another called Grizzly Salmon Oil which I have never tried.
I would bet if all who have difficulty with CT and warm up, changed their O6/O3 ratio, they would have the same experience I have had with CT.
Ok, we should go for skin temperature, and pink never white or blotchy at each step? then the protein and fat before, does it need to be matched to calories lost, or does fat need to be harvested off your body? If you are thin, do you need to increase food? And coconut fat can't be converted?
@Lee in cold calories do not matter period.
Is there any harm in still taking morning hot showers or an occasional hot bubble bath or detox sauna while doing CT ice baths in the evenings?
@Jaime I honestly do not know…….my opinion is if your telomere are short…….I would not do it.
Thanks Jack. I appreciate your honesty. Too many medical practitioners give BS answers because they're too afraid to admit they don't have all the answers. This makes me trust you even more.
This may explain why ditching my electric blanket helped my metabolism…I assume constant external heat sources may do the opposite of cold?
Hi Dr. K,
I'm having trouble finding a skin thermometer that reads below 80. Do you have a recommendation?
Doc – Any suggestions on how often we should be doing CT to treat hormonal issues?
@Jaime it depends upon the age difference in your chronologic age and your biologic age from the telomere test. Then I can guess……..well. It took me from 2006 to 2012 to reverse 25 years.
Hi Jack,
Why exactly do you recommend that we eat fat/protein before CT?
Currently my protocol is as follows:
– Waterboard myself in the sink each morning after breakfast for about 5-10 minutes — so the CT after fat/protein isn't an issue
– Then, due to schedule, my next CT session is before bed. Right now I'm just sitting in my tub w/ cold water and rotating ice bags on different regions.
My last meal is usually early to mid-afternoon, so I likely have a pretty empty stomach by the time I sit in the tub. Is this a major issue, or is it something where, if I can stand it, 'it's no big deal'?
Thanks as always…
@Adam I am going to hit on this at Paleo Fx. It depends upon your labs and it appears now that Kevin Cottrell and his wife have decided to take my challenge to test their dogma after visiting with me in Nashville last week for bio hack prior to Paleo fx.
Ok great. Looking forward to that. Also curious to hear how the Cottrell's bio hack plays out.
So should I stop my pre-bed session until learning more or continue my own N-1?
@Adam continue your N-1.
Monte’s story was unreal. will the face in the cold water regime eliminate my wrinkles? I am filling the sink tonight! thanks, Jack!
Lisa,
I have been doing the cold water facials for the past couple of weeks, and my skin is better than it has ever been. I don’t know if it diminishes wrinkles or not (I have wrinkles around my mouth from whistling), but even if it doesn’t, it still feels wonderful all day long.
Susan
Dr. K,
Does bitter melon also help lower your insulin levels?
@Grokettelivson In 1962, Lolitkar and Rao extracted from the plant a substance, which they called charantin, which had hypoglycaemic effect on normal and diabetic rabbits. Another principle, active only on diabetic rabbits, was isolated by Visarata and Ungsurungsie in 1981. Bitter melon has been found to increase insulin sensitivity. In 2007, a study by the Philippine Department of Health determined that a daily dose of 100 mg per kilogram of body weight is comparable to 2.5 mg/kg of the anti-diabetes drug glibenclamide taken twice per day. Tablets of bitter melon extract are sold in the Philippines as a food supplement and exported to many countries.
Other compounds in bitter melon have been found to activate the AMPK, the protein that regulates glucose uptake (a process which is impaired in diabetics).
Bitter melon also contains a lectin that has insulin-like activity due to its non-protein-specific linking together to insulin receptors. This lectin lowers blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and, similar to insulin's effects in the brain, suppressing appetite. This lectin is likely a major contributor to the hypoglycemic effect that develops after eating bitter melon
Jack, how cold was your "cold tap water" bath? Our Lake Ontario water is about 50-55F right now, is that alright?
And for any/everyone…I've designed a very inexpensive homemade-coldpack-and-duct-tape icevest to keep the ziplock bags just where I want them underneath my compression top. If anyone's interested, I can post instructions or email 'em with pictures 😉
@Julia, you are supposed to have the ice on the outside of the compression garment. Go back up and read instruction #2. You wear the garment, and put ice bags on your torso. When you can do that for 60 minutes, try it without the garment. You are risking frostbite if you put the ziplock ice directly on your skin.
@Jack Since you have access to accurate skin temperature thermometers, when you get a chance can you verify if a standard infrared thermometer, used for things like cooking, reads somewhat close? (I couldn't find an affordable skin temperature monitor, so I want to know if the inexpensive infrared ones are close enough.) I would be more than willing to send you one if you don't have one. 😉
@Michael I do not have one but I cant imagine they would not work.
@Coriander… yes, thanks, I'm wearing two – the tighter one on the inside, the other one on top of the ice vest. And I understand that the isopropyl alcohol ice bags are colder than just water ice so I'll be keeping a thin tshirt on underneath when I stop using the inner compression shirt. I was just wondering re Jack's bathwater temperature. I guess I'll just go with what comes out of the tap as long as it's above 50F.
@julia my water temps go from 40-55. It depends upon my goals. Right now my water temps are quite a bit higher because of a new bio hack that I am doing………
Just wanted to share my experience with beginning cold adaptation in addition to the leptin rx – because what I felt and realized tonight was incredible.
Every night for the last five days, about a half an hour after dinner, I take some bitter melon, drink 16-32oz of ice water, fill my sink with water that's right around 50 degrees, and then put my face in it. Even on the first day I could keep my face in until I needed oxygen, so each day I've been increasing my time in the water by 3-5 minutes. Every night after I'm done with this process, my face goes from "cherry red" to normal in maybe 5 minutes, but for awhile after that, the hairs on my arm are standing up and chills run through my body in waves. But they're not uncomfortable chills that make me freeze…I just feel and see my body dealing with the cold. Tonight, though, I felt something incredible when my face was in the water. I kept my face in for 15 minutes tonight…and around the 5 minute mark, instead of numbness, I felt my face begin to warm up. I was submerged in the 50 degree water, and in fits and starts, I'd feel my face pulsing with warmth. From that, I focused on the warmth, and pictured my body heating up the water I'd drank, and concentrated on the idea that my face was heating up the water in the sink. It came in waves, but after about 8 minutes, my whole body became warm, in addition to my face, while still submerged in the cold. I couldn't believe it…I thought, for sure, the water had become warm, or something else had happened that was tricking me into feeling this warmth. But when I took the temperature of the water…it was still just under 55.
This process you're educating the world about, Jack, is amazing. I feel my body changing…I feel my thoughts changing. I'm never really sure if I'm doing this 100% correctly (or anything 100% correctly, really – it's the burden of being a perfectionist who intellectualizes literally everything, and ironically educates myself out of real knowledge) – but tonight, I realized that that's OKAY. It's not necessarily just about getting this "right," and not simply about perfectly following all the steps to the reset blindly without any conscious thought as to what the steps are actually DOING. It's about the process, about connecting the dots, about envisioning myself as part of this incredible energy that's in the world, about letting myself experience it and contribute to it, about knowing that the healthier I am, the greater good I can give, and about all of us together. It's about figuring it all out through what YOU'VE given us, and I trust for the first time in my life that I'm truly healing myself. I feel so grateful for your altruism, Jack – however, I also know that if I weren't ready to see it, to learn it, or to change myself from the inside out and the outside in…to enter into this dialectic with myself and the world…this wouldn't be happening. I'm ecstatic – and through your enlightenment, I can see a path to my own.
Thank you,
Lindsey
@Lindsey……..the next blog is what I call amazing…….CT -6 will just have you picking your jaw up off the floor and reinstalling it. All Optimal really needs…….its pixie dust is COLD.
I'm not sure if I am a candidate for this step or not. I started the Leptin reset in late November of last year. It worked really well for me and then I decided to switch myself from t3 only thyroid meds to a t3/t4 combo and lost all of my extra energy. I'm back on t3 only but it will take a while before I feel like I felt before. Even a little bit of exercise wipes me out for the rest of the day. Can I do this now or do I have to wait till I feel stronger and can exercise again to start this part?
@pattyLA you need this now.
I have undergone an organic acids test which was analysed by Susan Owens (not sure if you have heard of her but she's the pioneer in oxalate research) and I am making endogenous oxalate. I have read in one of your comments up there ^ that is is good for oxidative stress, but my BMI is about 18, I don't need to lose weight. I'm naturally thin, not underweight. Would it still be ok for me to do?
@natalia I see no reason why not.
HI Dr, K – I can sit in a tub of water at 49-50 deg and am fine for 30-45 min. After I get dressed, I start to shiver, which can go on for at least an hour or more. Is this ok? I do not want to raise my cortisol. I have been doing the baths every day for 2 weeks.
@Kami some news for your…….CT fixes your cortisol. If its up its because something else in your life is driving it
THank you. I think my cortisol has gotton so much better. I was just trying to understand this comment and how to properly come out of the cold tub. Should I get dressed right away? If you remove clothing in a different layered fashion you can abruptly increase cortisol release to cause a vascular instability. This instability is felt to be behind a thermal dump that underpins vascular reperfusion injuries seen in frostbite and hypothermia injuries. If you are not overheated by heavy clothing or your warming environment, the cold (when other symptoms are warm) will trigger non-shivering thermogenesis to be induced and you will continue to burn calories as free heat for many hours after the cold exposure.
@Kami I have become a clothes phobic…….thermal dump happens in tissue injury CT use only surface cold receptors. Big difference.
ok. Good to know. I am hoping I can get to that point too. I need to tighten up the skin and loose some cellulite so hoping the CT will help with that too. I have the supplements to help with that but have only started the NAC and K2. I need to clear the biotoxins.
My experience so far: the tub is easier if I keep my hands and feet out and put on some sort of hat. I could only manage about 15 minutes with my head, hands, and feet submerged. With extremities out and head covered I approached 60 mins. without shivering. (My cold water is 53 F.) I dump in about 3 trays of ice for the last 10 mins.
I still have trouble with cold hand and feet for hours afterwards.
Also, trying to shave in a cold shower or bath really isn't a good idea. 🙁
Based on Dr. Kruse's comments above, I guess hot showers or baths are not a great idea. Bummer.
Exercising in the cold is not hard at this point, nor my daily walks in shirt-sleeves in 20-30 F (this time of year anyway). I do wear gloves, however.
Am I right in thinking that the keeping the hands and feet warm are good for cold adapting?
Vaso-constriction would be counter-productive right?
My sleep has improved. My appetite is still pretty much the same. My weight has stayed around 168 (5-9), but I've had to go buy smaller pants. Body composition improving based on "mirror test" only.
I'm seriously considering getting the telomere test.
Of course, my wife thinks I've gone bonkers. Oh well, all in the name of science. Right? (She doesn't mind the more muscular physique, however.)
Sincerely,
Former sleep-deprived, depressed, chronic cardio, pudgy, diet coke, and carb addicted MD.
P.S. Do you suggest anything for reversing aspartame damage?
I have been on the GAPS diet for 2+ years. Only eating pastured poultry, grassfed beef and lamb, wild caught fish, low carb veggies, animal fats and the like. Could my omega 3/6 ratio still be off? I haven't consumed nuts in any quantity in nearly a year and before that I was very limited. I ask because I always used to get "brain freeze" consuming cold drinks. I no longer get slushies and the like and I don't bother with ice for my water at home so I haven't really tested it in a while but I think I still did last summer when I ate ice cream. My husband gets "throat freeze" his throat hurts when eating too much cold stuff. Is that likely the same issue? I'm wondering how to fix it if it is. It seems like we are doing everything right to balance our omega 3/6 ratio.
@PattyLA testing answers it all.
Jack, I just found your site a few days ago after perusing the Paleo Summit site to see what's new. Very interesting stuff, and on-going leptin resistance probably explains a lot in my case.
I have T2D but have lost 60 lbs (down to 12% BF) over two years by doing pretty much everything you prescribe except for the strict meal timing and the ColdRx. While I've been told I look pretty good, signs of aging have _not_ been kept at bay and I definitely do not "feel" optimal, plus my fasting BG levels have not improved much after the initial adjustment to low-carb. I also still have cravings at night (and eat too late in the evening b/c of them) so I'm sure I'm still LR to some degree. However as far as meal timing goes, that simply improved (from ONE huge carb-loaded meal per day between 6 to 9 PM, to a more balanced daily eating schedule. The old habits were a recipe for destruction, I did that for 20 years or so before diagnosis) as a side-effect of improving my diet. Breakfasts are now one of the largest protein meals of the day, and I've added some more SaFA since reading the PHD book and your LeptinRx, and believe I'm already seeing some more progress just from that!
A little blast from the past you might find interesting.. My Norwegian great-great uncle was a trapper by trade, in the north woods of Minnesota. My dad spoke of him with reverence because he displayed some of these "supra-human" capabilities you speak of. For example, he could squeeze open one of the old-fashioned TIN beer cans with one hand ("I shit you not" said my dad), and snow-shoe several miles per day, in sub-zero weather, while running the trap lines, up until his mid 70's. My dad used to shake his head when he described what he ate when he ran the lines: Lots of bacon lard or beef/wild-game tallow and a couple of hard-tack biscuits was mainly what he'd pack (along with filter-less cigarettes, oh well..). Dad said he was "average height but built like a brick shit-house and hard as nails" up until his late 70's and he lived into his late 80's. ALSO, he used to "dress light" in the cold weather because he often had to carry several pounds of trapping gear and other supplies with him. He simply explained that "I'm use to the cold, and the lard keeps me warm from the inside out". Aside, I asked what finally killed him and my dad said "the nursing home". The family convinced him it was time to retire so he sold his land and moved into what would now be called an "assisted living" type of arrangement, and my dad commented that "he went downhill after that". Knowing what I do now explains a lot about this man. Hopefully some of those genes made it down to me and my kids.. I guess I'll soon find out…
@Dave Tonight at sunset 3/6/2012 you will find out why Grand pop could do a lot of what you posted.
Hi, Dr Kruse. I am just starting out and am feeling way behind the crowd. I do plan on reading all the CT blogs on Saturday. But I tried step 1 here and have some questions. First, let me say that I am doing the Leptin Reset, Adrenal Fatigue RX and Leaky Gut RX. I have Hashimoto's and deal with Raynaud's in the winter here in Buffalo, NY. I attempted the face in the water this morning and sorry to be a wuss about it but it really bothered me to have my nose submerged. I didn't really mind the cold on my cheeks but when my nose went it, it was like my sinuses closed up and I felt like I was choking. I don't know if it is from the bending forward motion? Should I suffer through or would it be optimal to move to step 2? I read elsewhere that you recommended working on the core for Raynaud's. Also, I recently (pre-Jack Kruse) purchased four sessions at a sauna. Would going to a sauna and doing CT be counterproductive? Lastly, some of the suggestions for leaky gut involve eating some carbs (like the priobiotics, sauerkraut), should I do that with the Letpin Reset and in these winter months? My head tends to swim with all this info, please forgive me – I blame the brain fog 😉 Thank you kindly for your support!
@jennifer you can do the sauna but make sure you do CT after it………makes you cold adapt faster.
Wow! This sounds awesome!!! I've always preferred the cold, but never once thought to deliberately take ice baths. Dr. K, would one assume this is great to do to battle candiasis since the beasties seem to like warm/humid conditions???
@KAthleenM it would help Candida for sure……but not by itself.
Yup, should have said as part of the treatment. Sweet! I’m definitely adding this to the regimen. BTW, I’m doing awesome on the Leptin RX and Leaky Gut Rx. I think I have finally overcome the insatiable sugar hunger. I’m having fewer and fewer horrible die-offs. Yes! Thank You!!!
Whoops, hit submit too quickly. What does T2D stand for?
@KathleenM Type 2 diabetes.
Well duh, that makes perfect sense! Thanks! 🙂
Hello Jack
Thanks for your fabulous work – I like all the science though it does take some reading (and re-reading). My first question is whether you think CT will help with MS. I am already doing a diet similar to Terry Wahls' and I supplement NAC and Vitamin D.
Secondly, you mention that CT can upregulate the Vitamin D receptor – should I reduce Vit D supplements as I cold adapt?
Thanks
Agatha
@agatha Yes I think CT is a must for all AI's honestly.
Do you think this would help a bad case of Postherpetic Neuralgia? My sis-in-law is really suffering and willing to try anything. Thank you so much!
@jill I think it could longer term…..she needs however to increase her dietary intake of o3's and krill oil.
hi there. i am really interested in this. I am a former skiier and was always in -10 or -15 degress celsius. I had great body comp but was also cold. the last 5 years i have been in a warme climate and have gained a lot of fat. I also have history of low calorie diets, chronic cardio, and i am on thyroid beds. Also high cortisol and some level of adrenal fatigue. My lake is about 6 degrees celsius. I am thinking of jumping in after breakfast for as long as i can handle then going to the gym to push some heavy weights and maybe some HIIT. How does this plan sound to you if my goal is to shed fat and add muscle tone? Thanks for the great work 🙂
@Julia dont jump in until you cold adapt. we do not want a cardiac arrest. Follow the protocol.
hi jack
yes you are right however i have lived in a very cold climate all of my life and was a ski racer for about 10 years. I went in the lake which is about 8 degress celsius for 40 mins and actually felt great. I was a bit cold for awhile and then i worked out and felt good.
1. Do you think the lake at this tempurature is good for fat loss and i should keep going and increasing the time?
2. Also was wondering whether it is better to do the CT before or after exercise for fat loss
3. Would adding cold showers to this be beneficial for fat loss?
Thanks Jack!
@julia 1. yes but you need to adapt to it slowly or you could hurt yourself
2. CT is best at night before bed
3. Yes
Are we working against the CT protocol if we drink hot coffee in the morning or take a warm shower? I’ve been doing the CT at night before bed – but finding it difficult to stay cold all the time 😉
@Stevenson maybe a little but not enough for me to go ballistic.
Hi Jack,
To say thanks, I’d like to offer my services as an editor/reader of your next book, if you need one. I’ve worked as a professional editor and writer, and am a big fan of your work (on day 2 of CT). If you don’t need a free editor, then I’ll just have to come up with some other way to thank you.
@Jill if you want to start editing them and sending the to [email protected] go for it. I dont have time to worry about editing…..if you cant see my points through the grammar and spelling well I am sorry. I am a busy guy.
After jumping into the cold tub WAY too soon and suffering shivering for well over an hour afterward, I did slow down, followed ‘protocol’ and spent the week working my way up to an hour in my home made rubbing-alcohol/water icepacks-‘n-duct-tape cooling vest. First return to 50F tub this morning (wearing vest) for 15 min and it was a BREEZE! Barely even felt cold afterward! Can’t wait to try ocean CT out in April when I visit Vancouver, LOL 😉
I consider this to be a huge mental undertaking, not only to reset body to higher health levels but to jump the hurdle of mental fear. Not sure what the fear is but do know that if I can soak in a bath of ice water I will be stronger in many ways. Thank you Dr. K for your huge contribution and offering us tools.
@kath I disagree. This community has pounded my profession…….now I am giving you tools. You need to master your neolithic ideas as your only task for success. This is your only hurdle. SOme wont be able to stop their safe starches or their reward foods or anything else they think is good……..now they have a way to test their dogma if their character allows for it. Its time to step up your game. Optimal requires it and it may not be for everyone…….but for those who want it it is now a choice and no longer a mystery.
Hi Doc…I think Buffalo NY is trying to cold adapt or something, the weather is sunny one minute and then dark and snowing the next. 60 degrees on Wed and 35 today. 😉
I was wondering about your thoughts on water and if you use water filters for drinking and/or bath/shower. I have a water filter on my shower and my hair loves it and use a Britta for drinking but I am trying to get away from Plastic. Was thinking about a water filter for the faucet. Thank you for your time.
@jennifer I do use filters on my house custom made to get rid of fluoride. I have no idea how they did it but a filter company here took some data off the internet and made them for me. They work. They stopped making them because of liability issues but I bought enough to last me 5 yrs.
I’m sure busy doesn’t begin to describe it. Enjoyed your UW broadcast last night! Thanks very much for all you do.
Hello Jack
I have enjoyed my first week of cold adaptation – starting to feel warmer and livelier. However, I have one question about the effects on aging – in the videos of Wim Hof he looks really old and wrinkly – why do you think this is?
Thanks
Agatha
@agatha. I agree. I have not asked Ray Cronise this yet but my assumption is that Wil does not use the optimal diet yet either. Ray and I spoke a bit and I told him that the pathway requires an optimal diet…….and that is based upon cell membrane cold signaling chemistry…….Ray diet is not tight for CT. I aim to change his mind when I lay all the cards out in my book. I likely will share this with Ray and Wil before the book hits because they like me are CT adapted……I think my diet is way tighter than any other human because I eat strictly based within the pathway.
Hi Doc, technical question. With liposuction, fat cells are removed. If you gain weight after that, the fat cells in unaffected areas gain disproportionately more because of the loss in fat cells in the affected areas. Especially noticeable on the arms.
I can see this happening with Zeltiq as well, since you are essentially destroying fat cells in the targeted areas only. However, what about general CT? Do you need to submerge your entire body except for hands and head to avoid something like that?
So, basically, as a species, we are slowly cooking ourselves to death like a frog placed in a pot of water set to boil, and we need to reverse it. I’m not a big fan of cold, but I don’t hate it. Definitely willing to give this a shot, but living on Kauai, finding a large body of water cold enough relegates me to the bath tub or shower permanently. I’m going to start with the face dunk and see how long it takes before my husband says that my okole’ isn’t freezing cold at night. 😉
@KimKauai Yes…..you got it. But in hawaii you can easily cold adapt. The water is cooler than your Body temp so you can swim year round, have access to teh right diet and you can access coconuts and chocolate…….you can navigate the ancient pathway pretty easy……..
So, Dr. K,
If I were to eat something frozen and NOT get a brain freeze, is that a good indicator of my Omega 6 levels?
@Kinikauai yes…..but not entirely accurate.
Thanks Dr K….gives me a jumping off point! Just did CT (ice packs on torso for 22min) and now off the bed!
Jack, I am a 22 year old student sharing an apartment with 3 other individuals. Your writings are absolutely mind boggling and intriguing and I would like to get cold adapt for the myriad of benefits it has to offer as well as to test the reproducibility of your theory to the superstition freeing rigor of science. What would be the best way for me to adapt to the cold here in Australia considering that it is quite hot here at the moment and I do not possess a bath tub/can pull off the ice experiment. What would you suggest to me to be able to rip the amazing benefits asap?
Jack thank you so much for providing me much needed brain nourishment through your amazing writings.
Jason.
@Jason First turn down your thermostat to 50-55 degrees F. Get your room mates on board. If not…..move. If that is not feasible begin training in your car. Put the AC on highest and on your face and drive everywhere with it this way. Make sure its on your face. Drink all fluids at 40 degrees F. If you have cooling seats use them. Use ice liberally. Take cold showers. Avoid articial light after dark. Eat a ketogenic paleo diet loaded with fresh seafood. consider buying an arctic vest for wearing during the day at times. Always wear a compression shirt to collapse the surface vessels when cold adapting. Avoid this in the heat as it will over heat you. Those are some basic easy things to do. Ice is available still down under last I checked.
hahaha thank you for your wonderful reply Dr Kruse, some great pointers. Just a short follow up, is it safe for me to start cold adapting by submerging my head in the bathroom sink + ice as a first step? Also, for leaner individuals (10% bf), would you tweak the processes in any way?
Thank you so much for taking the time!
@Jason you could try it…..if you get brain freezes or makes you real dizzy, I would not do it……the head is very thermally conductive to get rid of heat by evolutionary design…….it is very cold sensitive. Be very careful. I would not advocate that and I do not do it.
Thanks for replying back, I was almost going to start pushing brain freezes on my forehead to advance my adaptation at a faster rate during my cold showers.
Dr. K, you mention cold exposure is great for fat loss in many areas of the body except the abdomen. So if someone has a lot of abdominal fat to lose what would be the best approach. I am currently doing both the Leptin RX and CT, and while I’ve seen great improvements in my body comp in a relatively short time, that one stubborn area seems immune.
@Cara I never said it does not work on the belly……it works great everywhere……especially the gut.
Live right down the street from the pacific ocean in san diego. The water temp in the winter is around 55 -60 degrees. I surf and use a wetsuit especially in the early morning hours. Its extremely cold when first getting in. I wonder do you think I’am getting any benefits of CT. How would you recommend I incorporate using the Pacific ocean for effective cold therapy?
Thank you kindly
@Ian I got a buddy in La Jolla who surfs every day and is trimmer than trim. He is a surgeon…..and yes it is all about the water temps. He surfs sans a wet suit too…….everyday.
@ Jack I’ve heard Art Devany speaking to the fact that cold water is one of the reasons why surfers are so lean. I dont wear booties or a hood and often times get “ice cream” headaches when i first get in and my feet go numb an hour into the session.
I would have to work my way up to no wetsuit at all.
On another note, i work on a trauma Neuro floor as an RN here in San diego.
Do you have any advice on how to best approach patients and other medical professionals who are indoctrinated into conventional wisdom. Occasionally i get floated to the transplant floor where there are numerous diabteic patients with renal failure and young people in their 30’s and 40’s with amputations. It makes one so acutely aware of the destructiveness of modern day neolithic lifestyle.
@Ian hand them my blog and tell them I am a neurosurgeon…..that may catch them. Doctors hate when another guy knows something they dont. And trust me they dont.
Jack – Your research and info share continues to amaze and help so many people. Thanks for all that you do! So, re the more aggressive CT that you are following, will it lead to validation that muscle will grow or that brown fat cells will more readily transform to muscle? This stuff is very awesome.
@Kevin the muscle growth is already there……now I am on to more hacks on this pathway…….I am not done.
Dr. Kruse, I work year-round as a lifeguard at a lake. The average water temp. right now is 55 degrees. Would you suggest going for swims if I can tolerate it? Or should I just do short immersions with my head out of the water? I haven’t started CT protocol yet but, I plan on doing so soon.
@EAD if you cold adapt is great. Read my protocol first. Swimming in that cold a water can cause your core to drop if your not cold adapted first.
I’m a bit worried. I have MS and have been enjoying doing cold baths at bedtime for about a week. Yesterday, for the first time I did not shiver in the bath and at about 2am I woke up feeeling very, very hot. At the same time all my old MS symptoms flared up quite badly and today I feel fatigue and malaise. Am I going too quickly or is this a toxin dump as I start to burn fat?
I’d be very grateful for your answer doc.
Thanks
Agatha
@agatha its normal and it is a toxin dump……very common and the sleepiness is a great sign
Hey Doc I caught you on the underground wellness podcast listened to you on my way home very cool info I like some of the comments above about how the surfing and how works so well Im a life long surfer and have always been very lean but now I have a job as a Personal Trainer in Birmingham Alabama a few hours from the beach and no surf when I get there anyways so when I do go in the rare oacasion I finally get to the beach now I only go in a few minutes not 2 hrs at a time like I do when surfing and I have had to really watch my diet now to stay lean before I ate pretty much what I wanted and stayed lean.I lived in Costa Rica for several years running a surf camp before coming to Alabama and even though the water was in the 80’s I would spend hours in the water and felt like superman. I think any surfer will tell you how hungry you are after a full day of surfing and now I realize it was not just from the excercise alone. I Got home at 11:00pm last night after listening to you and filled the bath tub with cold water from tap ,,,damn it was cold (I am definitly warm adapted) I only stayed in for 15 minutes and than when I went to bed I wore less clothes than usuall and shivered pretty much until I fell asleep and still felt cold for a few hours after waking BUT I did sleep really well !
Im 50 yrs old have hashi’s Im pretty lean about 12% but I do eat very strict Paleo and excercise my basal temp is very low maybe 96 to 97 at the most in the AM Im interested if this will help get my Bodyfat down and help bring basal temp up? Ill let yo know how it goes….
sorry for the rambling I do have one question now that I am 50 yrs old and a Personal Trainer though the surfer side of me really enjoys the rad ascepct of CRossfit type training I am starting to think more about a more sustainable longevity type training more then just beat my clients down to a nub I heard you speak on how Crossfit type training may actually wear down your telemeres. What are some training guidlines you might recommend for longevity but still but still have a bias towards looking and performing at an optimal level other than just trying train in a cool enviroment.
Thanks Jack !
Michael@360personaltrainer
@Mike you need to test your telomeres and hormone panels to see if xfitting is safe. I still have yet to find one person who has telomere that are their chronologic age or a normal hormone panel……so I am not a fan. CT is a far superior choice with weight lifting and sprints only. If you have good labs then I think xfit is OK. You really need to read CT4- and CT -6 on my blog…….it may stop you dead in your tracks
A newbie here. I just discovered your blog yesterday and
I have been fascinated. I appreciate your chemistry explanations and your explanations of the amazing interconnections of nutrients and hormones in us humans.
I was a nursing instructor in the early 60s and I used to
tell the students what an amazing thing human physiology
was and what we knew then was very primitive compared to
what is known today. I love the technical information!
Thanks for your answer Jack – I greatly appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
Agatha
I don’t think there’s any correlation between surfing in cold water and being lean. All surfers wear wetsuits (unless you’re in a tropical environment) and so they stay very very warm. Plus, they’re exercising almost the entire time they’re in the water. You can’t draw a statistical correlation. The more likely theory is that skinny people tend to enjoy sports more because its easier for them to move and they’re evolutionarily more suited to activity then their obese or overweight counterparts. Fat people don’t enjoy laying down on a board because their stomach gets in the way and makes it hard to breathe. That is why you don’t see many fat surfers (in my opinion and experience). We should get Surfer Magazine to sponsor Dr Kruse to run a study on this!
Just had a quick question. I can not afford one of those compression shirts you mentioned so I wanted to run a modified plan by you.
Step one. Ice Cold face plunges until I get to the point where I can stay under until I need to breathe.
Step two. Cold baths very brief at first working up to say 30 minutes. I will make sure my skin stays pink and does not turn white.
What do you think?
@Taylor……they are 5 bucks in Walmart? You dont need to use them……your plan is not mine so you can try it and check your own results.
oh wow really? Thats awesome I was picturing alot more money. Thank you!! Also did you make most of your ice or did you buy it?
@Taylor. I just bought three today for 13 bucks….I opened my pool and it is freezing cold so I am saving money on ice now
awesome thanks!. Did you get yours at Walmart? I just did my first test I did the face submerse and it was really easy was able to stay under until I needed to breath. My girlfriend is doing it with me as well. We decided to try out the cold bath with tap water (its 45 degrees). Both my girlfriend and I were able to get a minute each under water. Wanted to ask you a quick question about using the bath method. When you submerge you should try and get your whole body except your head correct?
@Taylor the protocol on 2/11/2012 lays it all out…….
OK, I’m back, trying the leptin reset again with the CT. I can manage a whopping 30 seconds with my face submerged in cold water (right out of the tap right now it’s about 43-45 degrees) before my eyebrows start to complain.
I’m addicted to hot showers and have been my whole life so am now forcing myself to turn the temp down to lukewarm. Right now it’s tough because the ambient temp in our bathroom is around 65 most of the time. brrrrrrr.
Jack, you replied to one of my posts over on MDA in the leptin reset thread telling me I should get some tests run (I gained weight the first time I tried to do the reset). In respond to that I have to say that (and this is NOT meant to be snarky) not everyone has your income. We’re retired and although we are are far, far better off than most, Medicare will not pay for any of those tests and I cannot afford to spend the bulk of my monthly grocery budget on blood tests. CAN’T. So I’m going to have to wing it.
Hey, at least I’m willing to TRY. And try again.
@Darlene if you go to my FB Dr. Psge you will see me right now answer your question from 50 degree pool……Its not hard. Darlene, money is an excuse. We all can make room for health if we want. I got rid of all my toys to get healthy.
Being addicted to warm showers is proof your pilot light is off inside. You need to listen to my recent podcast with Sean Croxton. Its free on iTunes so you do not have to spend any money.
I realized each and everyone of them was hurting me……the only think you need money for is food and ice. Testing is not going to break your bank twice a yr. Most people can get a HS CRP Vit D and DHEA level for under 100 bucks…….that is not deal breaker and if it is then you need reset your priorities…….If I can do it so can you. My income has nothing to do with my health. The time I spend learning this stuff is time well spent. Maybe you should consider the same investment and then you might no t have to rely on labs when you face vexing results…….if you can’t figure out what is going on then you need to test……..simple. Life and evolution don’t care about our needs. We adapt to their directives. I think you need to rethink things.
Ok one more thing. I started doing the face dipping. I have done it 3x and did a cold shower this morning. About a year ago I started taking hydrocortisone to help with my adrenal fatigue. In January I was able to fully wean off of it except when ill or facing extremely stressful situations. Every time that I have done CT I have developed low cortisol symptoms a couple of hours later and needed to stress dose the HC. Today, after a cold shower, was the worst yet and I am still shaking after stress dosing twice. Is this part of the process or does this mean it isn’t working right for me? I thought this was supposed to help my adrenals not stress them further. If it does help adrenal fatigue (where I have very low over all cortisol) what is the mechanism? I have been encouraging people do to the CT on my blog but they want to know about how it helps low cortisol and I can’t find that in what I have read so far.
Thanks.
@PattyLA If you read CT 6 is says in clear type……..IT raises ACTH!!!! It is the best treatment on the planet for adrenal fatigue. When your adapting it takes time. Read the comments on CT6 and see what I just said to heather…….it goes doubly for you!
Saw the pic, nice pool. Nice hat. 😉
I hear you on the hot showers which is why I have forced myself to cool them down. Heard the podcast as it was broadcast, will go listen to it again.
Sorry, but I live in Sheridan, WY which is out in the middle of freakin’ nowhere and a simple estrogen test cost me $180. !!!!! I also had a progesterone test and it was $180! I screamed bloody murder to the hospital and they finally caved a tiny bit on the cost. However, just to show I’m willing I will ask my Doc about those tests (just had the vit D and I am still WAY low. So I’m taking the 50,000 units once/week for 8 weeks). If it’s affordable (and by that I mean somewhere in the price range YOU quoted) then I’ll do it.
As to income, come on Jack unless you were born and raised privileged you KNOW that money counts. Esp when you don’t have a lot of it.
And yes to the learning stuff. I truly appreciate the fact you spend SO much of your “spare” time researching and writing about this for the general public. Since I only have ONE degree it takes me a while to catch up and figure out what your saying (you do realize you are speaking a language I am not familiar with, right?) but I AM working at it. I have printed out all 6 of your posts re: CT and have my highlighter handy. I’m getting there. Just not as fast as you seem to be churning it out!
Thanks for the reply.
About 6 years ago, my homeostatic functioning went kaflooey. As of today, I am still a homeostatic mess. Take synthetic T4 (levothyroxin), and have high BP, so I take a water pill and benazapril for BP. I feel like crap. I sleep a lot, low energy, brain fog, and excessive weight gain, which, no matter what I do, I cannot lose. Even exercising and low caloric intake does not help much. I can lose about 5-7 pounds and that’s it. I also take 1000 of Garlic, 2000 D3, and Calcium q. daily. I’ve slowly been getting rid of gluten and wheat in my diet, but it’s a slow and challenging process. Is this a good thing, or not?
Do I need to do the paleo diet first and then the cold? Can I do it simultaneously? I am so desperate for some life instead of being a zombie.
Any help is appreciated cuz I’m so tired. Thanks, Kelly
@Kelly……its going to be simple. Go buy a Paleo 1.0 book. Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution or Loren Cordain’s The Paleo Answer is a great way to start. Then marry the fuel sources in that book to my blog post called the Leptin Rx. Then use the protocol right here in this blog to light you on fire. You will be a different woman very shortly. Keep us informed.
This is how “sad” (not SAD) I am getting…a friend with a sense of humour sent me a video titled something along the lines of “hot, nude, vegan babe gives her diet testimonial”. It was some c***p about eating bananas all day. I was SO unmoved, I wrote back and said, “Hot? The only way she’s going to get me excited is if she shows me her telomeres”.
Speaking of which, and testing, has anyone found a cost-effective way of telomere testing. Spectracell won’t deal direct and the docs round here stick $100 or so on top of the test fee just for being middlemen. (They don’t even draw the blood).
@SimonM I just laughed out loud real loud and all these women are looking at me as I get my pedicure……..hilarious. Simon If you ever travel looking into getting it done then……you could always get a hormone panel done and use it……listen to the mastermind series we are going to be doing at Paleo Fx……I am sure I will be on tape telling the world how I work a person up…….Then when my web site is re tooled…….quite soon I am told you can be hacked over the internet behind a secure fire wall.
I hope they didn’t smudge your nail polish 🙂
Have fun at Paleo Fx – look forward to the tapes!
KiniKauai, I’m on island right now myself and the water is pretty cold. 🙁 I’ve been spending quite a lot of time in the unheated pool since we’ve had rain, rain and more rain here. The surf has been pretty big. But the pool is cold. So go for it like Doc said!
Dr. Kruse,
Any insight on how long it takes CT to reverse hypothyroidism?
Can CT + keto paleo diet alone improve sex hormone deficiencies? I would love nothing more than to get my libido and sensitivity back, so obviously testosterone is low. I know also that estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, and others are low. Should I resort to BHRT along with the CT/diet? Thank you.
@Jean It depends upon your measures…..the sicker you are the longer it takes just like the Leptin Rx.
Jack had a question about warming up after cold thermogenesis session. Is it better to just tough it out after a session or is it ok to warm myself up by putting on clothes? I know you mentioned putting on a robe after your sessions. I want the maximum benefit so if leaving my clothes off and toughing it out will provide me that then I will. Thanks Jack
@Taylor I just warm the natural way. I try not to put too many clothes on…..and then I put on a terrycloth robe.
I was diagnosed with Pituitary adenomas. One of the resulting symptoms is Low testosterone. After the discovery my doctor put me on Cabergoline and recently started hormone replacement therapy for Testosterone. With all this treatments I’m still anable to lose my FAT. I have been very interested in the topic “Cold the Key to Fat Loss and Longevity” -The talk you did on UndergroundWellness. Since no one knows the cause of Pituitary adenomas, have you treated anyone with my kind of problem?
@jona When CT 7 comes out and you read it you find out why……when you mess with prolactin you get whacked. Neursourgeons are experts in pituitary tumors. We invented the operation.
Dr Kruse, I remember hearing Mat Lalonde talk about a documented phenomena in people exposed to very cold temperatures (like the Eskimo which are perceived as ‘chubby’ or swimmers swimming in cold waters) which results in a development of an outer layer of subcutaneous fat. This seems to go against what you are suggesting CT is and against its effects on bodyfat. What is actually happening here?
Thanks for your time!
Jason.
@Jason I have commented on this at PH. Matt is not correct in my opinion. I fhe went right across Harvard square and spoke to the Zeltiq engineers at MGH and Harvard he would find that the biochemisty of fat loss and cold make this impossible in the cold adapted LAND based mammals. The main reason is how epigenetics is handled at the cellular membrane. Cold adapted water based mammals need a much lower 06/3 ratio to function. Land based mammals need to be at 4:1 levels. If either are off the biology of the adipocyte changes. I think Patricia Kane’s 35 years of work trump Dr. LaLonde here. He needs to read her work. Animals (including humans) cannot produce EFAs, the polyunsaturated lipids, which have more than one double bond. Omega 6 EFAs, linoleic acid (LA), and Omega 3 EFAs, alpha linolenic acid (ALA), are produced by plants on land and in the oceans. All of our cells require these two EFAs and must be included in sufficient quantities in the diet. However, the science of fats and oils is as yet unclear regarding the functions of the membrane of the cell, however, their importance is paramount. There is probably no dietary requirement more critical than the ingestion of the correct ratio of EFAs, which research has shown to be 4 parts LA (n-6): to 1 part ALA (n-3). The polar seas provide its mammals with massive amounts of Krill to get a 1:1 ratio. Land based plants and protein sources provide for a proper 4:1 ratio in land based mammals who are cold adapted.
Since 1950, the Inuit are no longer cold adapted. Transportation has brought them a modern warm diet. Go read the Dr. Bass’s link earlier on here by Akman to see what the Inuit looked like in the early 20th century. Matt is a biochemical rockstar, but he is an educated man on the books written post 1950…….these books are all on warm adapted humans!
I do not believe that Matt knows or believes that humans like the rest of mammals have a thermoplastic biochemistry that takes its leads from foods that our in our environment as the circadian cycles change……..this is what allows mammals to enter the cold pathways. If you do not know about them and apply the warm biochemistry to them…….you get the belief that cold causes a subQ fat. This is precisely why Matt thinks VLC dieters have bad body comp…….and he is right for sure. But not for the correct reasons……..It happens because the VLC diet requires a cold adapted wenvironment to work optimally. If one is warm adapted and eat VLC you become skinny fat……and have a lot of SQ fat. I divorced myself from using textbook when I realized this blind spot and I looked for the cold pathways. I found them and they are all included here in this series for the world to examine.
Moreover, land based cold adapted mammals have different EPIGENETIC controls over adipocytes than water based mammals do. Patricia Kane research focus was not on this but it elucidates many evolutionary reasons why cold adapted cell membrane biology is quite different. This is why whales and walrus’s have to eat huge amounts of Krill oil a day to be able to tolerate the cold of the deep oceans they migrate to. This affects their fat cells differently than PUFA’s do. Moreover, it is a reaosn why I warned not to go hog wild with Omega three’s. this is why I disagreed with Robb Wolf’s Fish oil calculator in his book. I wrote a blog about this while I was at AHS on why we need to be careful with 03’s. To an excess they can cause increased fat disposition at the SQ space!!!! Cold water based mammals have other adaptations that allow for fat protection. With time evolution came from the sea to the land…….we come from those ancestors. The primates we came from directly biochemistry was naturall adapted by the environments they faced. This means the leptin receptor and its pathways became adapted to warm environments over time. We can live warm adapted but we wont be optimal. That is the distinction I am making. When I see people comparing my theory to cold adapted water mammals they are missing the evolutionary adaptations that life made when we came out of the cold water and on to land……This is why land based cold adapted mammals are the best comparison. Look at polar bears and Bacterian camels from the Gobi desert. That is what NASA looked at and so am I. I hope this helps.
Was thinking you might like this video Hope it is okay to post it on your site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF1V8HFfpTE
Question about Whey Protein: This morning I had some for breakfast and checked my levels about 30 minutes later and found that it had dropped. (From 87 to 77).
I am wondering it this means I can use it as part of the Leptin Reset? Disclaimer: I also have Lyme, so that perhaps might be a contributor to the drop.
Thanks.
@Chris Hard for me to say with limited info….
@Jack – What other info would be helpful? I think I have had every blood test known to man 🙂
I’m not in need of fat loss, and so I don’t want to lose fat off of my face. Will the face dunking do this? Can I still do the protocol without my face getting dunked? I think this would just make a person look older. A possible contributing factor to why Wim Hof looks so aged perhaps?
I also am curious about the comment made about liposuction earlier. Are we burning off fat cells so that if in the future fat is gained it will look lumpier?
@Paleo Mom no…..face dunking is only for training using the mammalian dive reflex. But chronic face exposure to cold will cause fat loss to your face. That is why I tell people keep your face out of the water when you are CTing.
Is is possible to be somewhat cold adapted from living in a house during childhood that had no heating in my bedroom and using heavy fabric panels to block off unheated portions of the house all winter? In our house, we really only heated the kitchen and bathroom, but all the other rooms were unheated during the winter(here in Ontario Canada) I remember I’ve never slept as well as I did in my freezing cold bedroom with one thin quilt all my life until age 21. We lived pretty primitively due to poverty and even used a hand powered water pump outside the kitchen.
I still get really really hot wearing a coat outside in winter, even just walking down the street. I sweat like crazy and would love to just toss the coat away.
I love the cold and my hands are so hot most of the time that I’ve been known to set off heat detectors in smoke alarms just by having my hands a few inches away. I also cannot stand to take hot showers, I have to have the water barely warm or I find it painful on my skin.
I’m puzzled though, if I am partially cold adapted, why have I struggled for 25 years to lose this extra 80 pounds. I don’t really gain and I don’t really lose. With PCOS(i guess metabolic syndrome as well) I would be a candidate for the cold therapy? or should I try Leptin RX first? or could I try both together? All my hormones are out of serious whack and were masked for years by BCPs and Aldactone/Metformin. My doctor says my bloods look ‘fine’ and will go no further so I’m on my own. Being obese by 80 pounds and having masculinizing symptoms of PCOS doesn’t feel ‘fine’ to me, so I’m on my own.
@LS2be The reason is simple……if you have not been aware of the mismatches that cause the problems you will still suffer the neolithic diseases. That is what most do not realize.
Regarding sleep apnea, I’ve suffered from it for years, even though I lost a bunch of weight. Do you think that targeted CT to the neck area would be beneficial? I’m still ramping up on Leptin Rx and face dunks at this point.
@Michael L Any CT helps
i guess my question is–what about cerebral activity? i’m a stock trader and every mistake can cost me thousands on a daily basis. i have been wanting to change my diet but often notice a shift in my cerebral activity level at least during the short period afterwards, and so i was hesitant to carry on any further. stress is persistence is not a concern, if you know stock trading. i just want to know how this impacts your brain, whether it makes you think faster. i trade stocks better when i imagine using the right part of my brain, which is supposedly for arts and other activities that require creativity? i already see posts talking about how this method potentially brings more physical energy, but what about cerebral activity which runs on carbs?
@JT CT makes your brain work faster and better than it ever has. When you marry it to the correct diet it is analogous to when Microsoft was selling in the single digits in early 1990’s and then the world suddenly all simultaneously installed Windows over night in 1995……..and a tipping point was made for every trader and investor. Huge fortunes were made back then and in very short order.
The brain runs best burning fats……never carbs. This is how you get the brain to its performance tipping point. Make it cold dark and cold and it performs like a Ferrari off the lot.
If you read my blog on the Quantum effect of electrons you will see that. There is a huge metabolic advantage to burning fats for fuel in the brain which is the ultimate energy hog in the body. This is why people with neurodegenerative disease always perform best on MCT or on Coconut oil. It is also why children with seizures are put on ketogenic diets……..Any thing that uncouples CMRO2 from CBF save the brain huge amounts of energy. Go back and watch the four minute video in the CT 2 blog now. You will see when Jessa Gamble dropped people into the cool dark earth their productivity exploded……..that is evidence of what happens to the brain’s performance when it is placed in its ideal condition…….cool and dark. It performs better. This information could help you as a stock trader. My bet is the cortisol elevation will kill you sooner from the job however……………and even more so because of your last line in your question……..most traders are adrenaline junkies that mainline carbs to fuel their energy for their job……..none of them age well…….and there is a moral to this story for you. I hope you can read between those lines.
is there a difference in terms of more of a long-term planning type of cerebral activity rather than say, an immediate type of cerebral response which is perhaps more geared toward survival? one thing i’m also worried about is the type of thinking pattern a cold life style, which seems more like survival-oriented, may steer my thinking pattern towards. it seems to me the reason a cold type of stimulative response may steer body into burning more energy is may be precisely because it triggers more survival mechanisms in the body.. however doesn’t that type of response also promote a more immediate type of thinking pattern, rather than calmly made decisions for the long run?
stress level (cortisol elevation) may be a sacrifice to make for someone like me who’s trying to get there younger rather than later.. especially in this economy. i am still very young, but i don’t think waiting around for the next generation to grow up and compete in a tightening market, especially by the time they grow up, it’s likely the economy will have recovered, and god knows what tool advantages they will have learned to use growing up to have an edge over me. it’s kinda important for me to get results fast and while i’m still able-bodied. i do play prolonged periods of basketball during weekend for stress relief, listen to music, etc. i need more means toward a compromise for stress level and promote longevity, but i can’t just look to reduce stress without regard to my performance. important week for the stock market, but will definitely look into the info you mentioned by this weekend. i notice an increase in appetite recently and a belly developing despite exercise, which seems to be connected to stress.
@JT my best advice to stay ahead of everyone is become cold adapted, build a mancave that is dark and cold and eat a diet I outlined……..very few humans will be able to outperform you. Few will have the intestinal fortitude to go completely against the grain and follow our evolutionary biology. There are not many people who will control their thoughts and minds to make this a lifestyle in our modern life. I had to prove to my own family over 4 years this was no fad. I checked every bit of who I was at the door………I am nothing that I was. I decided to choose optimal in 2006. Now my family recently has decided to make that transition too. What they have seen continue to evolve in me has just shattered everything that they once believed to be true or possible.
What remains is just your choice.
I cant make it for you. Optimal is a choice now………it’s not a mystery.
sorry for double post.. slept with very little clothes on last night and will be drinking ice water throughout the day with room temperature low. i did have an episode of rapid weight loss back in college and now thinking back, it was very much related to coldness (frat activity, shamed to say), so the weight loss effect is proven in some regard to my mind. will need to see how it affects my thinking tendencies, emotional response etc however, not just speed of thinking. will be interesting.
Should we avoid IF if we are doing the intro Cold Adaptation?
A couple of interesting articles on Bitter Melon:
http://www.ergo-log.com/bittermelonfatcells.html
http://www.ergo-log.com/anabolicbittermelon.html
RE: #408
so it is safe to begin LeptinRX and CT at the same time right? or should LeptinRX be done for several weeks before CT is gradually implemented? anybody who knows this answer I would be grateful. Don’t want to waste Dr. Kruse’s time…
Depends on your definition of “safe”. 🙂 Doable yes, however, some people have some mighty fierce detox symptoms as their fat is burned with CT. So you can feel pretty miserable depending on how your body reacts. You can check the big thread at Marks Daily Apple for more anectdotal stories. Prepare for a long read.
I have read the comments up to #80. I want to get this in before bed time. I like the way you write your blog posts. I spend hours and hours looking up terms, papers, other posts, etc, all while reading one of your posts. I need a healthy back ground to carry me when the going get tough.
I do not need to lose or gain weight, but desire Cold T, to help IBD and being Optimal. I have read all posts up to Cold T 6. My question is; Can one stay Cold T forever? Or will I need carbs in Spring & Summer? Right now, I do best on a VLC diet. I do Coconut oil year round but will drop it when doing Cold T. If I stay Cold T year around, will Coconut oil be banished from my diet? I am trying to get a 30,000 ft view as I go down this path. I am almost 71 years old, weight 175 lbs, at 6′ 1″. I am big boned, so many think I am skinny.
Dr. J, Have found your blog fascinating. I’m on my 7th week of reset. Have only lost 6 lbs. Grrr… Started CT last week. Wondering what I’m doing wrong or what I can change to get the weight loss moving. I’m 5’6, 154lbs so not a lot of weight to loose but would sure love to get rid of 20lbs. I have been eating some nuts (macadamia, almonds, pumpkin seeds) but I wouldn’t say I’m overdoing it. Very very little dairy. How long does it take for CT to kick in?
@Linda Maybe your hormone panel is not optimized. Get it looked at.
Face dunking in cold water trips the panic wire in my brain and body due (probably) to early childhood swimming-lesson trauma, cold showers didn’t do it for me, so I went almost directly into cold baths. No ice yet, and I don’t have a thermometer, but all cold water in the winter/spring in Vancouver, BC = cold enough for me.
I kind of love it, once I’m in, and on my second day lasted 30 minutes before I figured I should stop reading Game of Thrones and get on with my day.
First question: given that my skin was a healthy “cherry pink” the whole time and my core temps seemed fine (I wasn’t shivering much in the bath, and my chest, head and arms were above the water), is this too intense of a starting point?
Second question: is there any protocol for warming up? I’m finding it takes a long while of violent shivering before I’m back to normal, even (maybe longer) after a hot shower. Also, I’m guessing this is normal, but I’m all stiff and tingly when I get out, and moving around is kind of hard to do until the blood comes back, feel a bit like a partially thawed chicken’s joints before it’s ready to cook for dinner 🙂 Okay? Not okay? Gimme the facts, doc.
@Mei no warming protocol. Cherry red is good color.
Thanks so much, Jack, for everything you do – and for taking the time to reply to the clamoring public. I’m considering switching my major to biology so I can get a better grip on all of this good stuff, but until then, I’m still reaping massive benefits from your research (I just can’t explain my wacky behaviour with any scientific authority!)
@Mei dont go biology……its a dead end field.
Dr. K., not sure if this has been mentioned but I appreciate your answer. My husband is going for the CT in the hopes of helping his sleep improve. He exercises for about 30 minutes each morning and no matter what I can’t get him to change that. But he does the CT shortly after the exercising. Today, his no exercise day he did it in the afternoon and said it was harder than after the work out. When is CT best done?
@Pam the time of the day seems to be of little consequence but the reason he feels better after doing it when he exercises is because it acutely lowers his cytokine release from the work out. That may actually decrease his exercise efficiency. Those cytokines are hormetic in the proper dosage.
Haha, thanks for that too, I actually wouldn’t. In fact, I’ve pretty much opted out of higher education, just finishing the year to make the parents happy (and cash in on some RESP money). Who needs four to ten years of lies and mistakes just to earn degrees when you feel amazing all the time, when you’re constantly striving to live a life that makes sense to your ancient genes? A combination of leptin reset and GAPS cured my depression, anxiety, brain fog, blood sugar issues, hormone imbalances, eating disorder, fatigue – most of which I didn’t know I was even dealing with until they disappeared. Now CT is fine-tuning things and busting me out of a plateau (can’t wait to see what else it does)…and I actually believe I will transcend this purgatory we’ve created for our languishing species, hopefully hauling some of my loved ones with me. I can’t wait to be a fully functional animal again. I’m 21! I am SO GRATEFUL to be learning all of this NOW, before further damaging my body, mind, and soul. I said thanks, Jack, but, like…THANK YOU. SO MUCH. Holy shit.
Evening ive been looking into thermal loading for quite a while now. You stated ( somewhere on here), that your 3 hours of thermal loading, was worth 3800 calories. Now this is relativly a ballpark figure that ive come up with from my tests
ie 1 hr of thermal work ( my use is ice bath) is worth around 1000 calories.
Your thoughts on this???
oh by the way did you do your entire 3 hours in the water environment???
would love a response
cheers keep up the good work
mark
@MarkD water and sometime Ice if I want to step it up a bit.
I do apologise if my question has already been asked, but my 7 year old son wants a part of the CT action. Is he too young to join me with this?? My fingers are crossed this will work – I have always despised being cold – probably because I need this!! 😮
@Shelley he is perfectly fine to try it…….just make sure you monitor him as he does it.
@Daniel if that is the case find a new one……I think all heart patients have to have a clearance by their heart doc before trying CT.
Dr. Kruse thank you so much for offering such amazing information to the public! I faced dunked for the first time yesterday and it’s definitely going to take some getting used to. I do have a question for you however.
I am a college student with 4 roommates and one bathroom. Although I am not at the point to where I can do the tub protocol, I already know that having the bathroom to myself for an extended period of time is going to be very difficult. I am a former massage therapist and I have two large 18×24 hydrotherapy (fomentek) bags that I used on my clients. If I fill these bags with ice water and place them on body, will it work as effectively as soaking in the tub? My thoughts were to fill the bags with ice water and lay on one and place the other on my torso and sandwich myself between the bags.
At the end of the day, I’ll do what’s best for my body, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Again, thank you so very much for sharing all of your hard work and research. I truly appreciate all of this wonderful information.
@ttubabe Use the school pool or showers. That is what my son does at college.
Should I rule out this approach if I have Raynaud’s? Or would just the face dunking be sufficient to assist in the LR? My symptoms have only (ever) presented in fingers & toes.Â
Thank you…
@Brenda just cover feet and hands with socks and gloves and proceed on.
Here is a youtube video of step one…….http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D4Edyu8l0E3k&h=CAQF0WTxbAQEfE5nBovgNNlqA1YX2kIKwQ-v-X28KuTAE6Q
Dr. K,
Have you noticed with any of your patients that their monthly cycle goes much longer than usual due to CT? I am two weeks late. I also am about to start my fourth round of progesterone. I’m not pregnant. Any thoughts?
@LSS it is not surprising because you are rewiring your hypothalamus with this……
I’ve been CTing for about a month.
I have been doing cold showers for a couple of years now. Should I just go straight to the immersion in a bath or should I start at the beginning?
@Larry I think you could easily go to the immersions
Hi Dr Kruse
I want to make sure i’m doing this right:
I am 35, 130lbs, 17% bf
Lost 130lbs have extra skin, an umbilical hernia and a layer of stubborn fat on my tummy. I’m hoping that i can get all of this to go away with localized CT. I am planning to place a bag of ice on my tummy (working up to) an hour daily. Then work the muscles there (via planks) then go to bed. Is this correct? Thanks again!!
@Orleatha sounds good but I have a warning…….since you, like me lost a ton of weight your remaining fat is concentrated with toxins. If you do CT i think you should do torso immersions and focal CT on the belly. Be ready for toxin dump with B vitamins, DIM, SAMe etc……..lots of mushrooms too! The first two weeks you may feel bad. The other issue is if you do this at night do not do it too close to sleep…….toxing dumping can destroy sleep. So do the CT around 4-6 PM or in the AM. the formerly obese have bigger issues to deal with using CT but it works like a charm
Hi Dr Kruse,
I started the CT a few weeks ago and I’ve now done two ice bath for about thirty minutes & tolerated both well. My only problem is that with both baths I’ve experienced pain and extreme tightness but only in my wrists. With the second bath, I kept my hands and wrists out for the duration, but I still experienced the tightness in one wrist. Do you have any explanations for what this might be from? Or any suggestions to help prevent this?
Thanks for all your help & great information!
@Michelle Any chance you have arthritis in it? I had the same response in my operated upon R knee the first 6 weeks of CT…….but then it vanished.
Dr. Kruse,
Is CT effective therapy for ulcerative colitis? How about Raynaud’s Disease?
Also, what is your general thinking when someone does not cold adapt in the 2 weeks you suggested that it should happen in? I started with the face dunks, did a little spot icing and have now been doing baths for 2 weeks. I can only tolerate 30 minutes in 55 degree water, but I don’t find myself adapting yet.
It’s 57 degrees outside here today and I find myself chilly. I thought I was improving last week, but now it seems as if I’m going back to my old, cold ways!
@Marisa means they are not doing protocol correctly or their underlying inflammation is excessive.
Hi Dr Kruse,
No arthritis here. Just a healthy 33yo female with no history of injuries or any other medical problems. I work out & take Ca supplements, so it’s doubtful that I have arthritis. Any other thoughts as to what it might be?
Nonetheless, I’ll keep doing the CT and see if it improves.
Hi Dr.K, Ct has been going awesome! I was whimpy about it at first but now can stay in the tub as long as I want. Its really allowed me to enjoy the climate I live in (Alaska).My issue is timing I used to do a cold bath before bed but the after-shivering effect was too uncomforable. So I switch to before lunch. My schedule is changing, so I have a choice of before or after breakfeast, which would be ideal? Also how much bittermelon is recommended? THANKS!!!
@Bonnie do it before breakfast……bittermelon is only useful int he first month…..once adapted you dont need bittermelon
I was trying to put my head in ice cold water. some questions while doing . is it fine water go to nose( I was using a clip for nose to avoid though) and is it fine to have that much cold to eyes ?.( I guess so, want to confirm ).
@Rao it is fine
Salt added to your home made ice bags can slow melting , maybe even added to the bath can change things around a bit read more here Antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/solutions/faq/why-salt-cools-icewater.shtml
Hi Dr K, questions please, i am currently still obese (though -15kg to date on LR alone) post-mp, hypothyroid hashi, leaky gut, 53 yo
1) a couple of times you mention in the CT protocol that it needs to be accompanied by a change in macronutrient ratios, i think this is about reducing carbs even further but could you please clarify
2) it seems we should cut out coconut oil in cold does this apply in CT and/ now that we are well into autumn “down under” if so what fats to eat?
3) the stage 1 process you describe seems to be about transition but also about activating the mammailian dive reflex can you please explain what this will do?
4) i seem to be in a massive toxin dump, i am about half way to goal of weight loss -have now added in ox bile salts based on your answer to another persons qstn- but i have virtually no appetite now can barely eat half my BAB but note that you dont want us to skip bfast on LR any suggestions please?
BTW i am so appreciative of your work, i have been searching for decades, thank you for giving me a shot at optimal
@Lee 1. Eat a ketogenic paleo template with CT…..use lots of seafood for example.
2. Avoid CO when CTing…….but if youre obese you can use it…….I would stick with animal fats like Ghee,butter, bacon grease.
3. It readies your PNS and CNS for what is to come. You are rewiring your sensory receptors for cold.
4. I have written a ton of comments about what to do in toxin dump……please read the comments.
Dr Jack: I just watched the TED talk. Incredible story about your operation, and about your willingness to take risks like that to help others. I’m inspired to stop being such a wimp about the CT now. I want optimal!
A question about your answers to Lee’s questions: I can’t tolerate CO (rashes) so I’ve been using coconut milk for coffee, coco khefir, and in cooking. Should I stop and just use animal fats. But also — when will we not be CTing?? I assumed I’d be doing this the rest of my life!
@Maggie yes I would stop that and go all animal fats.
OK, thanks, will do. When you say “when you do CT” does that mean there’s a point when we won’t be doing CT?
By the way, I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking of all the people I care about who need what you have discovered. I feel very impelled now to push past all my issues so that I can have some credibility when I pass this on.
@Maggie once your optimal you just need to live with in your biology………i lay that out all here….https://jackkruse.com/so-you-completed-the-leptin-rx-what-is-next/ 11/16/2011
Thanks
OK, I understand now. Thank you.
“Ironically we have no special metabolic trap doors for intense heat…”
Acually, this may not be the case. I remember hearing of
a study done in the Libyan Desert with Oil Field workers(I never saw the original study).
Their caloric balance should have caused a runaway thermal
crisis. Evaporation and radiation didn’t account for heat production
and environmental thermal radiation. The conclusion was that an
endothermic biological transmutation was taking place converting
sodium to potassium. There was a long term
excess secretion of potassium combined with excess consumption of sodium.
The book reporting this was “Biological Transmutations” by
C. Louis Kervran.
I brought to my chemical professor. After he read it I pointed
out the we had the equipment to test the assertions. He said this
would completely rewrite biochemistry!
Later when I read Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,
I understood!(It is a must read for every scientist)
Hey Dr. Kruse,
I haven’t read your entire cold thermogenesis series yet but what I have read interests me enough into trying it. I subscribe to the Robb Wolfe idea of giving it something a shot for 30 days and see how I look, feel and perform. And besides there are worse things I could do for 30 days like the movie “Supersize Me”.
I get the protocol. My question about the protocol has more to do with the time of day to do cold termogenesis. What time is best? I was wondering if before bed is the best time?
The reason the time of day really interests me is the whole light vs. cold cycle. I have been working nights for the last six weeks and probably will for another couple months. So I’m sleeping during the day. However, I do notice that I’m still not sleeping as well during the day than at night. Despite using black out curtains, and a sleeping mask. There is some light still getting into my bedroom. Doesn’t help that I have a cat that thinks she needs access to the room 24/7. lol
I’ve read from your posts, if I have this right, that the cold thermogenesis would make me less sensitive or insensitive to the light. Hence, the connection to how it can really make a difference to my sleep. I’m just wondering if doing it before bed would be the best time. Before the time of heated homes, the human race had to deal with cold nights to sleep through.
I am interested in trying it and seeing if my sleep improves with nights. I’m going to try it regardless but I was wondering if there has been anything studied with regards to time of day with cold thermogenesis.
So in short, is there a best time of day to do cold thermogenesis?
@Trevor if you are healthy and not obese nighttime is best……if your not you will get toxing dump and it could disturb sleep so doing it earlier may make better sense because sleep is vital to health generation
Thanks Jack for the reply. I definitely put myself in the first category with the exception of tired. So I’m attempt an hour before bed and not right before.
Love the work jack a few questions.
asked before but would really like your thoughts on this.
You state that the thermal load for your 3 hour session is worth 3800 calories, so you would say around 1000 cal per hour of immersion??
@mark D rough guide……it is dependent upon a lot of personal characteristics of the cold protocol you use, body weight, fat %, lean muscle mass and how cold adapted one is already
Sorry for the second post however im right into this and fat loss ect ect. A question which i havent seen addressed anywhere on your blog is the idea of fat metabalosim at very low body fat percentages. There is the question when losing weight normaly as to how much energy can be released by the fat cells to supply. For instance say a very overweight person can supply 10,000 calories a day worth of energy from there 100 fat cells( just using easy numbers), however once they have lost and are approaching low body fat numbers they can now only supply 1000 calories ect ect, remember these are just eg numbers ect ect. Brad pilon has talked briefly about fat metablosim at extremely low body fat levels and reached the assesment as is the general rule fat loss while reaching extreme levels of bodyfat percentage should be taken slowly so the body can meet the demand ect.
Now since cold thermogenisis bypasses normal fat metablosim and bioligy ect ect, i still believe there would be an issuse at the supply and demand aspect once extremely low body fat levels are achieved.
eg. in my exapmple and question posted earlier you claim that 3 hours of immersion are worth around 3800 calories, if an individual was thermally adapted, and around a shredded bodyfat percentage, ie- 5 – 6 percent, would the body be able to supply the energy demands ect, when there simply isnt enough fat, enough to transport energy ect ect even through this neat activity???
Really would love a detailed answer to these questions as this is part of my pet project that im in the middle of.
thanks alot for your work and apoligise for my spelling
Cheers
Mark
Any thoughts jack???
@MarkD on what?
Hey jack.
My comment 477, it shows that it was posted on my computer dont know if its registering on yours.
I was questioning your thoughts on fat metablosim at low / shredded body fat percentages ie < %6. In the normal pathway once miminal percentages are reached there is the issue of fat energy availability, ie say @ 5-6 percent your bodys fat stores can now only release 1000 cal a day worth of energy ( just random numbers). now for instance since in the thermal path way using your example above of a 3 hour workout ( thermal ) ,requiring 3800 calories, and if the individual was shredded ( ie <%5 bodyfat), im stumped as to what would occur and since there isnt enough fat deposits left to support the thermal loading requirements.
Take for instance in the normal warm pathway using, the marathon example once sugars food and glycogen energy have been depleted the body will turn to fat and if pushing further past the "wall", then since at critical levels the body will start using muscle as fuel.
The cold pathway bypasses all of these mechanisims, so what indeed hapens to the indivual who dumps a 3800 thermal induced calorie load on his body, when he is bypassing normal (heat), and exercise pathways, and there simply isnt enough fat to be converted into engery (heat), to meet the demands.
would really love your thoughts.
reqards
mark
@MarkD fat loss is not the only benefit. Soon when I post the Seal training video you will see why they do it……and break all the rules too. Performance increases when you are cold adapted. Do not believe when you hear some bloggers say no Navy doctors know about this stuff…….because I have proof some do. Its just not well known. The military is now a player in cold adaptation. Longevity and immunity are two other major benefits that a guy like you might be interested in…….how about hormone optimization without drugs? Any other questions? Its a pretty amazing situation all around.
Thanks very much for the reply.
Indeed all these adaptaions are what im looking at creating. IE, the perfect athlete.
Thats why “weight”, or being shredded is a major part of my work. Power to weight ratio ect ect.
But in relation to the question, have you experienced or know biologically what happens within the body once cold adapted and you are in the shredded state.
If the body simply does not have the available energy resources, what happens, the body will still have to warm itself up where and how will it do that??
Love the fact that interacting with readers. And providing feedback
Regards
mark
@Mark D no one really knows but Phelps and Armstrong’s team and they wont talk. i have spoke to some of them and I have gotten some things but they wont say much because both are still competing. the Russian federation docs talk a lot…….but in Russian and I cant speak a lick of it. They all use CT like mad and they have kicked ass in the Winter games for 100 yrs.
Indeed !!!
The possibilities are endless.
Ive even looked at hoffs marathon in the cold, and he is not shredded either. And when you think of it phelps and the russians ect are the only athletes left who do at such extreemes.
Ive been in and out of %6 for a very long time, and in my eyes this is the last piece of the golden puzzle. I love your work.
Will send you some photos of when i finish again this time, and we shall discuss, how i feel and anything else i can dig up.
Because something not short of a miricale will be happening inside my body, because physiologically, speaking i cant work out how the body is meeting the demands ( shredded, ice bath ect), and however it is may be an adaption or a SUPERHUMAN, like abilities truely become apparant.
Regards
Mark
I haven’t put on a coat when I go for a walk in our cooler autumn weather and I notice that I don’t need as many bed clothes at night, sometimes even doing without altogether. Today I added ice packs to my flabby stomach for nearly an hour, taking them off when my tummy turned from pink to cream, and an hour after that I’m really, really warm – unexpectedly so. I am hoping that this is due to cause and effect.
@Hilary it is……and the cool thing about the internet is that my Southern hemisphere members can now practice easily what I espouse and report back their own findings. Many up here in the north are teed off I got to CT too late in our own winter season to really test this……well their time will come again soon enough or they can pay attention to you.
@Dr.Kruse,
I don’t follow the blogosphere but I listen to podcasts in my car and I heard about your CT stuff by listening to Ben Greenfield’s podcast (he interviewed Ray Cronise & Tim Ferriss last year) and I didn’t read all your blog posts (don’t have the time for that) but I remembered reading articles about cryotherapy. In Europe in some spas they have supervised cold chambers at -110C:
Big chill: the hidden medical benefits of cryotherapy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/4538936/Big-chill-the-hidden-medical-benefits-of-cryotherapy.html
quote:
“After the three sessions, my skin has a rosy glow and I feel noticeably energised. I also sleep deeply for the first time in years, and find myself doing strange things, like rising at 7.30am for water gymnastics and forging ahead on a morning of Alpine walking. I also feel permanently warm, even up mountains, like the Ready Brek kid. It’s as if my own inner central heating system has been kicked into action. ”
That article was published three years ago.
I’ll give your CT protocal a shot soon, before summer.
@Michael I have been doing this now for 7 yrs. Some of what I have found shocked me and it will shock many others when they try it.
Hi Dr. Kruse…have been in my 50-55 degree tub for a week. Not too bad…a great book helps. You just got to get in. Meditation helps a lot. I go to the emptyness for a while then I read. Finding I’m craving my ice bath every day. We live on a lake in Wisconsin and I almost considered taking my first barefoot waterski run without my drysuit. When I workout I have a roasting pan with ice water in it. When I’m between intervals I ice my hands and sometimes I dunk my face. I swear I my workout performance has skyrocketed. Even my husband has noticed. I seem to be sweating more during my workouts…don’t know if that’s because of the increased performance or it has something to do with the cold. The one question I have for you is that my ice baths go up to my breast line and I have my arms in the water. Is that enough? I figure it’s ok since the little bit of fat that I have is on my hips and legs. Feeling like a rock star at almost 50!!! Thanks in advance for your response. Regards, Penny
@penny depends upon your goals……most humans have their BAT in their supraclavicular fat pads so going above the girls helps fat burning and WAT to BAT conversion……again depends upon goals.
my goal…feeling like a rock star at 50 and to get a little fat out of my behind and legs (already seeing the cellulite disappear) and not lose it in the girls… I’ll absolutely do it…no prob. Thanks for the reply…Penny
Why would need the Ancient Pathway in humans to remain? http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/06/13/new-evidence-of-younger-dryas-extraterrestrial-impact/#more-65594
http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2012/06/cold-thermogenesis-how-to/
Great blog for the ladies to ponder when using CT……great detail here.
http://weightlossapocalypse.blogspot.com/2012/06/could-cold-therapy-improve-pms-reduce.html?showComment=1340149040737#c8953068747913439686
@ Rob So much for this being a hormetic only affect huh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZUdtFu_hwI&fb_source=message
@Ivy Those who asked about varicose veins……here you go: http://www.varistop.com/cold-therapy-helps-venous-insufficiency/
I read through the blog and responses, but did see if there an optimum time of day to do CT?
OR is there a time of day you shouldn’t do CT? Like before bed/evening?
CT is always optimal because of what it does to electrons and photons. Again read the Ubi series…….you need to get up to speed.
Jack, I have been reading your work, Becker and Marino for the past few month. I love it and agree with it as best as a non scientist/doctor can. I appreciate your brain and how well you have put things together.
I was not breast feed so, I never got Leptin. So, how does CT create Leptin.
I have cold adapted and am now in cold water tubs up to one hour. I sleep with Ice Packs as well.
If I have missed the answer sorry for not seeing the answer.
CT does not create leptin…….our genome does. It is designed to work in the absence of inflammation and CT lowers inflammation.
I was never breastfead can cold thermogenesis create it for me.
Hi,
While wearing the compression shirt in the mid stages, do you just ‘take a peek’ under it from time to time to check your skin color?
yes and you can see you non covered skin too. They become the same with time. The shirt can usually be ditched fast and if you use indoor Sperti bulbs with it you can eliminate the shirt very quickly.
I recently had to under go a pretty intense hip surgery surgery. The whole process leading up to the surgery was traumatic for obvious reasons. I don’t want to go into too much detail but during the surgery, my team used a FAW blanket called the Bair Hugger and it helped so much with my post surgical recovery. I credit the super quick recovery to the blanket. I was able to get back to exercising in no time. Here are some facts about the system http://www.fawfacts.com
Bair hugger’s have nothing to do with healing because they do not alter the DC electric current in cells. They are used by anesthesia to maintain body temp because under general anesthetic your brain cannot maintain heat release from your mitochondria and you can lose massive amounts of heat to the unbound water in cells that are released by the anesthetics. The cold actually helps you more than the heat……and red light would be a far better choice to over come a bad hip operation because of its effects on the ATPase of the mitochondria. Here is a one paper to show this.http://www.nature.com/articles/srep12029. LLLT or photobiomodulation of red light and healing has over 100,000 links in pubmed. You’d be wise to read it. I co invented a new device that uses these quantum principles called The Quantlet. You might want to visit the http://www.theQuantlet.com to learn more about it.
Hi
So I have been doing CT in the tub with ice pack on my abdomen whilst following the Leptin RX. I feel my hunger is going up as apposed to going down. Is there a reason for this? Thanks
Yep tells me where you are doing the CT must have something unusual in the environment that your mitochondria are sensing
Hello Jack and Members,
I am hoping for some wisdom here as I am really stuck as to how to proceed. I am a fat guy, 65 years old, and totally blind. The only reason I mention being blind is that given the instructions in the Easy Start Guide for CT, I am unable to carry them out due to lack of vision.
For example, I am unable to easily get ice up to my apartment and I have an apartment-sized freezer besides. I also can’t watch my skin for the coloring that would indicate dangerous temperature levels, etc.
I do have a talking thermometer I could use to measure bath temperature.
So, I need to mod the protocol so I can take advantage of it without the problems it presents to me.
Can I start with baths of let’s say 75DG F for a week or so, then 70DG, then 65DG, etc. until I reach 55DG?
Or, are there good cooling vests that will give me the same results without the difficulties of ice and fear of skin freezes?
Any wisdom welcome.
Thanks much.
Don Barrett
There are several cooling vests that work well but as a blind person you really need to still let the sun hit your eyes every AM. Most cases of blindness still allow light to affect the visual apparatus and eye clock to help you. Blind folks tend to develop more circadian mismatch diseases because of the blindness. Not all cases of blindness are the same physiologically.
Thanks Jack. I do try to keep my inner clock in tune, although every time we move the time forward each spring, my sleep schedule is screwed for weeks, even months, so it’s always an uphill battle. Taking Trazodone every night so when I wake up during the night, I can fall back to sleep.
If anyone has any recommendations that will assist with successful CT, or who makes good cooling vests, I would be grateful.
I really believe Cold Thermogenesis will be one of the great keys to a very happy, healthy, and energy-filled future for me as I age.
Don
Hi Jack,
Could you clarify ‘measuring your skin temp’. If i’m in a bath of ice, you’re not saying to measure the temp of the water but the temp of the skin. So, do I take my skin out of the ice bath to measure it periodically until it’s at the optimal temp or am I measuring a section f the skin that isn’t submerged (my hand for example). TIA.
i use a skin thermometer we use in surgery for anesthesia.
Just curious if the Quantlet would help me when it becomes available?
Jack, you are such a helpful guy; don’t leave me out in the heat :-))
Thanks.
I dont know your context so I cannot say. Post in the optimal journal.
I did my cold Thermogenesis at home and lost 3 inches around my waist in 2 months by using blue fat freeze system. It’s a high end UBL backed neoprene wrap that you put over the fatty part of the body which freezes the fat under the skin with the help of dual action gel packs.
HI Jack,
I’m new to your work and can’t wait to find time to read more and more of your work, Thank you so!
My question is about cryosaunas (Are you familiar with them? 3 minutes in a chamber cooled by nitrogen gas to -220 degrees. They say it gets your skin down to 50 degrees.) as a way to get started on the protocol. It sounds like it may be less shocking as a first step, but will it have the same effect as your system?
Thank you!
Sydney
Not a fan because of how water works with heat. CT is a water based idea. Not a nitrogen based one.
Hello,
Sometime the last thing you can do when sick is wait for the temp to read on a standard thermometer. Or perhaps it isn’t an option because the kid is: sleeping, vomiting, refusing, or just drank/ate food/drink. This is a nice quick skin or ear thermometer. It has a nice green back-lit display screen, though I do wish it would stay back-lit longer. It has options for both ear and forehead along with a guide on interpretation.
Thank you very much