Apodjay production.
We begin today by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather today and pay our respects to their elders past and present. We extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. People's here today. Welcome to the Grow and Glow Podcast. I'm Ashley, I'm Kiara. This is a podcast where we learn, laugh, and level up together. Let's go deep, let the emotions flow, and find the lessons to grow and Glow.
Nothing is off the table with Grow and Glow, and we're here to be your expander.
Hello, guys, welcome back.
Today's episode. We're going to talk about hot and cold therapy.
We get asked a lot about this. It's actually gonna be really nice to have a podcast episode to like send you guys to let me get questions about this. It's something we both really love speaking about. This morning, I went and booked like a hotel for us when we stay here, and I was like purposely looking for something with a sauna because whenever we're coming, it's so
nice to do that together. And I booked one with a sauna, so excited, got all jessed and ready got up early, went down there this morning to have one and it was out of order.
We normally stay at the emporium.
A lot of you ask because you see our reels that we create, and it is such an incredible hotel, like it is our favorite. It's got the sauna, it's got the cold plunge, it's got valet, like everyone gets valet there. The rooms are beautiful, it's got an infinity pool, a rooftop bar, there's cute cafes around, like everything is there that you need.
But the beds are so soft. Yeah, I love it. Do you like a fair mattress?
I like a firm mattress, like a firm a berm And the last two times we've stayed, I'm like, I think it's the mattress. And then Steve and I stayed there as well, and Steve's a lot bigger than me, so every time he rolled over, I felt like I was on a fucking jumping castle. I was like, oh my gosh, and he felt the same. He's like, every time you tossed and turned, it just moves the whole bed. It was so soft and it almost so hurts my back.
I've never had had a good night sleep there neither that night.
We were squeaky. Lastly we do. Yeah, every time I actually move be like.
Oh it's so hot.
And cold therapy we absolutely love it. I find cold therapy a lot harder, however, That's why I do it because I want to build that resilience. I want to have that healthy stress. It makes me feel amazing after and I just want to get better at that. I want to learn how to become no matter how uncomfortable I am. I want to get more comfortable at being uncomfortable. Yeah, and that is a really good way for me to do it, because I don't find it easy.
Definitely. Yeah. I even find saunas sometimes I can really struggle in as well. There's been a few times in a sauna where I've really had to push through. But the thing is, whenever you get to that point where you're like, get me the heck out of here, is when you're like staying that be longer, because that's when you're getting pushed that point you're in that stress.
Yes, we're at Eden. I think it was about maybe about twelve minutes. I was like, all right, I'm ready, my ears are burning, and I'm like stunt sweat and you're like, no, doing twenty right now? Like that's good that you're starting to find out. But this is when you push. You don't just give up when.
It gets hard.
And I was like, damn girls, she's right, okay, I'm staying.
And it was hard.
It is hard.
And Steve and I said the imporium last week and he was the same. I think it was about ten minutes. He's like, oh, how much longer do you want to do? And I was like, we have to go to twenty. He's like okay, because we don't do soon er often. It was hard, it's.
Hard, but it's good. It's healthy.
Right at the end, you're like checking that clock, like how much longer?
Could you talk a little bit about healthy stress because I know you learned about it in that Dope Mean Nation Nation book.
So basically, the only way we can really put our self through healthy stress is by exerting our body to a point where it feels uncomfortable and when it's like stop this, this doesn't feel good anymore and it's hard. Yes. So basically what you do is the more you put your body under healthy stress, the more you actually build your stress resilience.
Incredible.
So it helps you cope with day to day stress. Is because imagine waking up right and you've gone and done like a really hard gym workout, You've gone and done a sauna, and then you've jumped in a cold shower. You've put your body through so much stress that whatever pops up throughout the day easy, It feels a lot easier than it would haved. So this is something that I incorporated and started doing when I really started to work on my anxiety, because it was something that when
I researched it popped up. People are like, oh my gosh, you need to try like hot and cold therapy, and yeah, it's absolutely incredible. But I feel like it's one of those things, like everything else, you need to do regularly to really reap the rewards. If you're wanting drastic changes,
I just freakin' frofit. I feel incredible afterwards. Like every time I start my day with a sauna and having a cold plunge in the pool, even not even a sauna, just having a cold shower or having a long hot bath, I feel so much better afterwards.
It's definitely changed your life in so many ways.
Yeah, and like something else that I feel like I don't hear people talk about heaps. I hear people say like, oh, yeah, it helps with muscle repair, and it helps for this. It helps that Like, if I don't do a sauna after going to the gym, I am so sore for like two or three days. If I do a sauna, wake up the next day, I'm good to go to the gym again.
Wow, really helps the recovery.
It really doesn't even hurt. Kurts like if he has a hard session the gym, He's like, if I don't do a sauna, I won't be able to go tomorrow. But if I do a sauna today, I know my muscles will be repaired.
And actually you see them get into ice plus straight after a big football game. Yeah, that's why they do it, so they can get up and train and like you know, get onto the next exercise.
Definitely. So I've actually written down a list of the benefits of sauna and cold therapy so I can read them out to you guys. This is for heat therapy. It boosts your immunity. Another thing, I have not been sick in so long. Touch would like Kurt and I both have been noticing this and one of his friends religiously does it hasn't been sick in two years, wow,
which is wild. Improves your sleep, pain management, yes, the heat definitely, but even like a long hot bath, even if you can try to get it in like once or twice a week. Yeah, you know, pain management, muscle repair, increases circulation. It detoxifies you as well. Weight loss. Oh, this is pretty crazy. When you sit in a sauna for half an hour, you can burn between three hundred and six hundred calories.
Crazy, which is wild.
Yeah, I didn't know that. But because your body's working so hard, my heart rate goes so high whenever I'm in the sauna. Yeah, so there's that aspect to it as well. And it's just amazing for your cardiovascular health. So it lowers your blood pressure. So basically what it does as well is it decreases your cortisol. So not only does it build just stress resilience, but it does that too. And yeah, and when I started doing it, I was like, oh, how else can I do this?
So then that's when I started to also do the cold therapy. And yeah, I think sometimes people get really scared.
Of cold because it's so uncomfortable so uncomfortable.
But I feel like if you start off like a really good starting point with like my friends and that that have come to me and ask like, how can I build myself up to this? Turn your shower cold for ten seconds, that's it. At the end of your shower, have a nice warman like you normally do every morning. Turn your shower all the way cold, and just literally count to ten. I promise you you will come out.
We're talking about when we had Steph on the podcast nor pef nephrine, which is a hormone that you release basically when you do cold therapy as well, and it just makes your focus so much better. It gives you this burst of energy. So for me, when I drop my caffeine as well, I went from like doing my cold plunches like every now and then at the start of dropping my coffee culturet every day. Yeah, and I
still felt like I had that energy hit. Oh my gosh, honestly, and even something that I tell myself as well, is it like there's so much value to this. It's great for your skin to expose it to the cold water. It's great for your hairt it closes the follicles in your hair, so it makes it your hair more smooth, if you know. So, there's so many benefits.
Sauna is bad for hair, right, you should get one of the cas Oh yeah, anyto.
I did not know that.
So I've been doing the sauna, as you guys know, a lot, and my hair started getting really unhealthy and I'm like, what's going on, Like I'm doing all the same things, and then I researched it and sauna is not great for your hair. So something that I've been doing is adding like just my little microfiber towel or like chucking a mask in it when I'm there.
If you put oil or a mask in, does that help?
It would definitely? How I think it'd probably actually be great because the heat absorbs the mask.
Yeah.
But when it's just like dry and got nothing in it.
Yeah, And if you like me, because you wish your hairy day, but I wish my hair once a week, it'd be so annoying to have to wash everything.
Yes, very true.
So other way you can get a sorna hat.
Yeah, So this is what I need to tell me what this saorna hats?
I do know this is a thing. It's all like this little cone that you sit on your head. You wouldn't have to wash your hair with that, but it stops the heat to go into your head. And also there's some reason why some people do this to stop the heat going to their heads so much too, Maybe because it's like closer. I don't know. I don't know about it. I haven't adventured down the sauna hat realm yet.
Yeah, but they.
Look really cute. I can picture you with a little sauna hat on, so funny. Okay, So now I will get into the benefits of having cold exposure as well. So it's also incredible for pain relief if you struggle with sore joints and things like that. Even Kurt's mum's been doing it now, so she's yeah, she's a runner and she's really struggling with her knees and she's like, yeah, ipsed to we don'ant to jump in a pool afterwards, like the cold pool in winter. Yeah, it decreases inflammation again,
muscle soreness like a sauna. They say it may ease symptoms of depression, which is one of the big reasons
when I initially started doing this as well. And it increases your metabolism one thing with cold therapy, especially if you're going to go in and go ham and go like ice bath, I would definitely say to work your way up to it, or make sure you've got someone there with you while you do it, because I know that there are certain situations which I think a lot of people don't talk about too much, where you know it can put your body into too much stress as well,
so you know and probably just check with your doctor or obviously yourself, like if you're not super healthy or you've got something that's a bit off, maybe don't jump straight into an ice yeah bath.
Even just if you are someone that struggles with panic attacks and anxiety, I would definitely start with a cold shower and just ease your way into it. It's very similar like the response of when you're hopping in an ice bath. When I first started doing them, it's the same response as to having a panic attack, because it's like you think you're in danger. Your body is panicking
and telling you to run. But that's for me. I was like, okay, well if I'm having a panic attack, which I don't get them anymore, but when I helped an ice bath, I was like, whoa, this is a very similar feeling. Yeah, I just thought of as like when I'm in hard situations, is that what as she does she gets up and runs or does she sit breathe, trust her body and just know that she's going to be okay and push through the hard And that's what helps me stay because I'm like, no, I am strong,
I can handle this stress. I know it's very controversial at the moment because I posted actually a reels and it got quite a few views of me being an ice bas and I got a little bit of push back from some people just saying this is so bad a for you, Like maybe you're crying because your body doesn't like it.
Let listen to your body.
I and this once again personally, I don't think you should be hopping in there before your period and on your period because your body and your womb and like it craves and needs warm so sauna it is amazing. That's why we want heat packs and like even when you're in your period, like having warming foods from a Chinese acupunctious point of view, like they always say to have warming foods rather than colds are like noahsai bowls and cold juices and smoothies and frozen fruits and ice
creams and stuff. More go towards your broths and your soups and your curries and warming foods because it really helps your digestive system. So it can add more stress and not a healthy stress when your body has already got more stress having your period. Like it's a very yin time when you're in your period. That's when like back in the day, we wanted to go into a cave and just go by themselves and just rest. So putting yourself under stress, I don't think it's the best idea.
But once again, I went to an event where they had ice bas and I asked their opinion about it, because I'm like, what's your opinion around doing around your period because I was due for my period, and she agreed with me.
But she was also like everyone's.
So different, Like, yes, they can say that it's not good for you, but if you feel greater after an ice bath, your body's okay, Like that's up to you.
And I did it and I felt fine.
Yeah, So I think, just like anything when it comes to food nutrition, like exercise, ice bas hot therapy, whatever, it is, like what do you need in that moment, what feels good for you.
Obviously, in days when you're cramping in that, that's when I would be like, no, obviously it's going to make your cramps worse. I would feel like being in cold. But yeah, you're exactly right. I think just listen to your body, tune in it feels right. Also, our temperature goes up and down within our body, So when we are on our periods, or maybe it's actually right beforehand, it feels way colder than it would when you're actually like opulating.
Is that because we're more heated up in the periods.
Yeah, yeah, so so interesting different things as well. So if you do it at one time, like gosh, I'm really struggling today, but last week I found it really easy, you could literally be because of where your body temperature is at in your cycle too.
And if you're struggling too, It's like when I was really hetic with work, I would find work more stressful before my period. Yeah, because your body is working harder, it's about to shed the blood, and your hormones are raised like what's happening around your period, so it will feel harder. Yeah.
So I'd love to.
Chat about your experience with cold therapy because you started off and you struggled so much with it, which I think a lot of us do at the start, and then I've seen you now build up to where you are and I'm so proud of you, Like I watched you to do it, and I'm like, it's just so much more calm than that. Do you feel like when you do this that it does help build up your resilience, like what's been your Yeah?
Do you know what? The first time I did it was with Taylor, and I was really good. I didn't cry, I didn't panic. I was like, Wow, I've done so well. I've still got a video.
I'm like, holy shit.
But then going to the next one, I knew what was coming and I freaked the fuck out and I really struggled. And from then I've really struggled all of the Ultimate Girls Day Outs, not all of them, but most of them. We will hop in as a team at the end, and if they're not doing it, I don't do it, like I need their support. But it's cool to watch. But and I used to cry. Now don't cry anymore. So that's massive progression for me because crying was just like a release of like panic and fear,
so now I don't. It still takes my breath away, like I can't hold a conversation. At the start, I'm like, but I have to like really go through my nose. But yeah, it's gotten better and better. But definitely I think it's helped my stress and I just that sense. I'm proud that I pushed through that. And I don't avoid the uncomfortable. Yeah, like I joke about avoiding it, but I still want to get it. Like even this
morning route and the saun didn't work. We went into the spa and then she's like, oh, I'm going to cop in the pool. I was like that pool and she casually just jumps out of hops and I'm like, okay, I'm just casually going to do this as well. But I probably wouldn't have done that if I was by myself.
I just wouldn't have thought of it. So don't avoid it.
But yeah, I definitely feel like I've come a long way for it, and now I kind of get excited to do it, even though I know it's really uncomfortable and it's not enjoyable when I'm in there, but I know the benefits afterwards, and regardless of the energy afterwards, just knowing that I can do hard things.
Yep, it's empowering. It's empowering, like after your birth, the baby, improving to yourself things that you can do it. It's like, if I can do this hard things, I can do any hard feel more. Yeah. Yeah, it makes you feel like you can handle more, just as it is uncomfortable.
It's just such a cool statement, like you can do hard things. Yeah, Like we avoid and run from things that feel hard, but you can actually do it. It might be hard, but you can do it. Yeah, And that is so empowering when you push through that.
Definitely, and when you've got heaps of unhealthy stresses in your life, this is a time where the healthy stress will significantly make it impact in your day to day life. And that's the thing we all think, like, oh ten seconds, culture, it's really going to make that much difference. I just won't bother doing it. But when you are going through really stressful situations and.
Moments add up.
Yeah, micro moments up. I actually saw a real ages ago and it was like, if you're having experienced an anxiety attack, to get an ice cube and rubber on your wrist, or like dip your hands in ice cold water, or like dip your face in ice cold water, because it instantly distracts you. So with anxiety, you are worried and panicking about something in the future that's going to happen. That's what brings on anxiety is like full blown worry, but the ice interrupts that.
Yeah, so wants to train another things. When you're in an ice bar.
It breaks your state.
Yeah, so once that state's broken, then you can actually take a breath and go, oh, what's actually going on? So it's just like those state changes are really good, which for me exercises state change definitely. But ice is a quick one. If you've got ice in the freezer or a frozen packet of peas, like put your face something.
The cool thing about ice, like exercise is fantastic as well, which is great for it because obviously it's hard. Sauna is great far out having a cold shower. You have, I need ten seconds literally go to the gym, like you might need to find an hour doing a sauna. You might need half an hour, you know, or you have to take your makeup off afterwards like.
All those Oh you don't own a sauna like I don't own a sauna, so and.
Even like a warm bath, like you have to do it prolonged time. But cold therapy it's so quick, so accessible, so accessible, so quick, turn outside and rinsop.
We'll got a cold shower, so caoled so many benefits mentally and physically.
Yeah yeah cool. So now whenever anyone asks us about this, we can be like, here's the benefits, guys, and this is why when you always got to go, why are you doing that?
Even from here? Give yourself a thirty day challenge, thirty seconds of a cold shower after every shower, and see how you.
Go, see how you feel at the end. I bet you most of you will incorporate it afterwards, maybe not every day, but like two or three a week, just for the benefits afterwards.
And then go venture out and like go to recovery center and try the hot cold therapy? Is there or this event that I went to read did the breath
work as well? It was so different to those girls they out, so you know how like with our there's music, everyone's cheering each other and it's like you got this girl, like we're all claughing and it's like this real high vibe thing, and it's really cool because most of the girls are really scared of Like by the end of it, they're giggling in there, they're having the best time, and it's just this such high vibe. And then at this event.
It was dead silence.
Oh so everyone's quiet, everyone's just watching you.
You step in there, and so like everyone going in their zone.
Almost.
Yeah, Okay, one is not right or wrong. They both work different, just different. And you're in your own bath, separate. Yes, there's three and you're in a separate one by yourself, whereas normally I'm like in a group.
There's four of us in a bath and we're.
Holding hands and we're like making eye contact and like send to each other, and it's just this really like you know, sisterm and feeling. And I was I'm stepping in. I'm like, it was just different. But you did really have to go into your own zone. And I was just like staring straight ahead and I was just like really focused. So yeah, whatever your vibe is, Like, if you need support, that is definitely around. But if you prefer to do it solo, then that's cool too, Yeah, definitely.
So yeah, it's just interesting to experience both.
Yeah, I think I would find it easier having people like community.
I love doing it with you.
Yeah, yeah, I love doing it with you. Like me going and do it on my own, I'm like.
Yeah, just telling someone to talk to support you. You've got this, stay with me, like, let's go down a little bit further, breathe in through your nose, like you forget if you're in panic mode.
You're not, You're freaking out.
So having someone to do it with you and then like have a giggle it makes it fun.
Yeah, definitely, yeah, hop out like yeah, it's so cool.
And even record yourself.
I love recording myself doing it because I'm like, oh okay, definitely see how can that relax my face a little bit more? Went to my chest this time like last time, maybe I'll go down to my shoulders, like I don't know. Just having the footage is really nice to look back onto you.
Yeah, And I also.
Like as you do it more and you see the progression, you can be like wow, like go mean.
I hope you guys have enjoyed this episode A challenge bhie guys.
Bye