Cryogenic Chamber Therapy / Cold Adaptation

[anart]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Yeah, I'll probably be doing the home protocol of Dr. Kruse, but I still have a lot of reading to do. I have been going out in the cold with much less clothing and sleeping without a blanket (just a sheet) a lot, and taking colder showers the last couple of weeks getting myself ready slowly.

By the way, does anybody know how low the skin temperature goes when at -130C to -165C air temperatures in the 2 to 3 minutes of exposure?

They estimate that the actual surface skin temperature gets to a low of around 5C.

 

[anart]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

...It IS supposed to be great for weigh loss for people who hit a plateau and then stop losing weight or it proceeds VERY slowly on a ketogenic diet, besides all the other health / longevity / performance benefits claimed. FWIW.

I'm sorry but I am WAY behind on this topic (and I may not be alone). All I have heard from Kruse so far is that this might be an option for people that are morbidly obese, which he was at one time (and so was I). How did we get from there to something for "the rest of us?"

Read Psyche's and Laura's posts earlier in the thread and in the Kruse thread. This therapy does much more than just promote weight loss (in fact, that's not the main point) - it apparently has the ability to even reset leptin function. It's all explained in the earlier posts - and - remember - we're experimenting!

 

[Bo]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

I did my first cryogenic chamber therapy session today. It was quite an experience (and very cold!). I was in a single person unit, so it wasn't very big, and you remain standing for the 2.5 to 3 minutes while the nitrogen jets blast intermittently. The jets are fairly close to the skin so the blasts are the most uncomfortable part. I started to shiver pretty much right away and threw some G-rated expletives out as the time wore on. ;) In hindsight, it was over pretty quickly, though my fight or flight response did kick in! They had me turn every ten seconds or so to make sure the blasts don't always hit the same area of skin. When I first got out I was very jittery from the adrenaline, hands were shaking, and my blood pressure had gone up about ten points, but after 20 or so minutes I became really calm. At this point (about an hour and a half after) my mood is very good and I physically feel very good, though more hungry than usual. The only other things I've noticed so far is that my hearing was super clear when I walked out of there and it still is, which is a little bizarre actually, and that the slight neck ache I had going in there is gone completely.

I have a few more sessions next week, so I'll be able to tell more after those, since one session is usually just a 'warm up' - though that phrase really doesn't apply!

Thanks for sharing your experience Anart, very interesting, regarding your super hearing and increased blood pressure, I think it´s an effect caused by the fight or flight response,

I found this;

_http://stresscourse.tripod.com/id11.html

Biochemical and Physiological Changes caused by the Fight/Flight Response


All the biological, psychological, chemical and physiological changes brought about by the fight/flight response are designed to give us extra strength and speed to help us fight or run away. They are vital in the short-term but in the long-term they can have a potentially negative impact on our physical, psychological and social well-being. Some of the changes that occur include:

Blood Flow

Our muscles are a vital part of fight-flight. Blood flow to our muscles is increased by 300%, by being diverted from less important areas like the skin.

Blood Pressure

In order to pump the extra blood, oxygen, fats and sugars to the muscles to supply energy, our blood pressure and heart rate increase.

Blood Sugar and Fats Increase

Stored reserves of fats and sugars are converted and released into our blood stream to supply extra energy to fight or run away.

Blood Clotting

The blood clots more quickly, to help reduce the risk of blood loss if we are injured in fighting or fleeing.


Red Blood Cells Increase

The spleen manufactures more of the oxygen-carrying, red blood cells and releases them into the blood stream in order to get more oxygen to our muscles.


Breathing Rate Increases

The muscles need extra oxygen for fight-flight. To supply this extra oxygen requirement our breathing rate speeds up and the airways in the lungs widen. Breathing switches from relaxed, slow, diaphragmatic breathing, to fast, shallow, chest breathing.


Muscles Tense

In order to give us extra speed and strength the muscles of our body tense.

Digestion slows

Blood is diverted from less vital areas such as digestion, to more vital areas such as muscles; digestion slows and stomach acidity increases.


Pupils Dilate

In order to help us see more clearly, our pupils widen to let in more light.


Hearing

Our hearing becomes sharper.


Perspiration Increases

During fight/flight our metabolic rate increases and so we get hotter because of all the biochemical reactions going on in the body; to help prevent us from over-heating we need to cool down so perspiration increases.


Dry Mouth

Our mouth dries up and digestive juices reduce as blood is diverted from less important areas to provide energy needed elsewhere in the body.


Fear/Anxiety

The stress hormone adrenaline, primes an area of the brain called the Amygdala to feel increased anxiety and fear, our thoughts race and we can think more quickly.

 

[mcb]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

...Well, from what I've read so far, that's how he started -- for morbid obesity -- but it's evolved into a whole theory of health and longevity benefits (as long as you're already keto adapted)...

I must be confusing Kruse's comments in his Paleo Summit talk with comments on his website or some other source. Thank you!

 

[SeekinTruth]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Yeah, I'll probably be doing the home protocol of Dr. Kruse, but I still have a lot of reading to do. I have been going out in the cold with much less clothing and sleeping without a blanket (just a sheet) a lot, and taking colder showers the last couple of weeks getting myself ready slowly.

By the way, does anybody know how low the skin temperature goes when at -130C to -165C air temperatures in the 2 to 3 minutes of exposure?

They estimate that the actual surface skin temperature gets to a low of around 5C.

Thanks, anart. Now that you mentioned it, I remember reading it earlier, I think in this thread. Sorry for not remembering. That's quite low and I'm amazed that there's never been a case of frost bite. I guess the really short exposure time might have something to do with it.

I'm not really looking forward to the early stages, but it seems like as you get used to it, the benefits are great, and you even start enjoying the cold. Well, I guess I'm going to find out eventually with the rest of you doing this experiment.... :)

 

[SeekinTruth]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

...Well, from what I've read so far, that's how he started -- for morbid obesity -- but it's evolved into a whole theory of health and longevity benefits (as long as you're already keto adapted)...

I must be confusing Kruse's comments in his Paleo Summit talk with comments on his website or some other source. Thank you!

You're welcome. :) I know when you read constantly (and watch videos/listen to podcasts, etc.) it could all start getting jumbled up as to where something came from. Plus, besides the fact that Dr. Kruse doesn't seem to edit his blog posts at all, it's more like a conversation than a written piece, the website is not all that well organized. So it's hard to find a methodical way to go through it. In the short time since June 2011 when he got his website up, a LOT of material has accumulated. It's kind of like this forum and cass.org -- gotta go back and read everything several times to have it all sink in and connect together.

But I like him. His a sincere and very knowledgeable guy and a real character to boot. He's sick of mediocrity and false info/lies being spread and is on a mission to help those who are ready to change and make the efforts to do so. He's very collinear with what we do hear in many ways.

 

[Ollie]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Thanks anart for letting know about your experience. :)

For me, at age 65yrs plus (contraindicated), I'll follow the home protocol of Dr. Kruse. I've been washing with cold water (head and face - and only just 'warm' for the rest of the body) recently, and using less clothing whilst outside, and feeling fine. Also, since becoming keto-adapted, and keeping my weight around optimal by keeping to a protein maximum content of 25g for breakfast, and about 22g at lunch and about 16.5g at teatime (to take me to my protein intake level of 63.5g for 65kg body weight) - my sensitivity to cold has reduced considerably. From someone who needed two duvets (winter and summer) plus thermal blankets, to sleep under through most of the year, I'm down to just one duvet (winter) and am about to reduce this to the summer weight as I've felt 'warm' for a few weeks - and this is winter coming to an end. The resistance to switch to less 'warmth' is psychological - reasoning from past experience - it doesn't make sense!

My carbs are practically zero, and my fat intake levels are about 50g per meal (and probably more, peaking for breakfast and teatime).



Edit: clarified protein intake, added carbs and fat

 

[Possibility of Being]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

I did my first cryogenic chamber therapy session today. It was quite an experience (and very cold!). I was in a single person unit, so it wasn't very big, and you remain standing for the 2.5 to 3 minutes while the nitrogen jets blast intermittently. The jets are fairly close to the skin so the blasts are the most uncomfortable part.

So that's a different method from the one I know from Poland (not as a first-hand experience but one of my friend who managed to heal this way his very badly injured knee) which is the same that Jones posted a link to.

Google translation from:
http://kriokomory.pl/krioterapia.php?id=kriokomora (pl)

Cryogenic chamber is cooled with liquid nitrogen, which is located in a closed system and there is no direct contact with the patient. Liquid nitrogen is supplied from a tank located outside the building to the chamber where in the heat exchangers nitrogen gasification takes place, cooling the chamber air to a temperature of - 110 to - 160 degrees Celsius. The factor cooling your body is cold air. Used gasified nitrogen is released through the system silencers outside.

Before going into the chamber, you spend 1-3 minutes in a vestibule cooled to -60 C. No jets, no nitrogen beating or even touching your skin.

I'm not saying the method with nitrogen in the chamber is better or worse, as I simply don't know, but it is different.

 

[Laura]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

I really have no interest whatsoever in taking cold baths or ice baths so if I can get the job done on flipping a switch in my brain by exposing myself to extreme cold a few times, that's my preferred option! If, by doing that, I happen to decide I LIKE cold baths, well then, I'll consider them. But, for the moment, a hot bath before bed is the one of the highlights of my day...

 

[Gertrudes]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

This does sound quite an experience, although I have to admit I am scared of venturing. I can't do the chamber therapy due to lack of funds, so that's out anyway. I have thought about the cold showers but I am extremely sensitive to cold, have always been. On the few occasions I tried to have a cold shower my heart pumped so fast and loud I thought it was going to fly out of my mouth (if that makes any sense!). In the winter my hands are usually ice cold (that's with gloves), and so are my feet (with 3 pairs of socks and woolen lined boots). And the amount if clothes I have to sleep with makes me look like a giant sausage.
I have also read in one of the threads that the chamber therapy is contraindicated for people with cold sensitivity.


I have considered that my sensitivity to cold may diminish if I push it a little, but I'd probably have to start way more gradually then you all are. Maybe I do have a leptin problem and that is what is causing this.
I would love not to have to wear 2 layers of long sleeves whilst everyone else is wearing a sleeveless shirt, and seeing your overall reports of how you are tending to feel less cold in general, does sound appealing! So I guess I'll wait to read how you all progress on this to see if I'll experiment myself.

Thank you all for the reports, they've been very helpful and are much appreciated!

 

[brainwave]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Sounds really interesting. Thanks Anart for sharing your experience.
I would love to try but am concerned about my irregular heartbeat and asthma.
I have taken cold showers in the past and they can be invigorating. So maybe I can practice with some ice water baths.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Gertrudes, you might want to try little by little going outside with less clothing -- like much less that would normally make you really cold. Maybe start by staying a couple of minutes and then going back in the house. Then increase by a minute or two everyday. Just a thought. I think this will ease you into being exposed to cold and get you to become less sensitive to it. Also air is MUCH less temperature conductive than water.

One more note, back in late 2008 and early 2009, when I was doing a lot of FIR sessions, I noticed that I became MUCH more tolerant to cold for some reason. The couple of years before that I was unusually sensitive to cold.

brainwave, irregular heartbeat was contraindicated for cryogenic chamber sessions, and I'm pretty sure asthma was too. So doing the home protocol might be your only option. You can also ease into it by exposing yourself more and more to cold situations that you would normally avoid. By the way, has your irregular heartbeat improved on the paleo diet? My mother has the same problem and it comes and goes -- really it's all over the place -- after really big improvements initially on the paleo diet. Although she has a LOT of psychological aspects to her health issues and creates lots of unnecessary stress for herself. Mostly there's not much wrong with her physically -- all tests keep coming back much improved from prior years.

 

[Chu]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Atreides and I went for our first and second sessions yesterday (we have to drive a long way to get to the center where this is done, so we decided to do 2 a day, in 5 days).

Saying it's cold is an understatement! ;) But it goes by fairly quickly.

We had some similar experiences to the ones that Anart reported, and others. I can't write it all now, because we have to leave soon, but will report later today or tomorrow. It is doing some interesting things, so far, to be observed. We'll know better after a few more sessions.

In the meantime, one thing is for sure: one can survive the 3 minutes, or else, I wouldn't be writing this. :P

 

[Gertrudes]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Gertrudes, you might want to try little by little going outside with less clothing -- like much less that would normally make you really cold. Maybe start by staying a couple of minutes and then going back in the house. Then increase by a minute or two everyday. Just a thought. I think this will ease you into being exposed to cold and get you to become less sensitive to it. Also air is MUCH less temperature conductive than water.

One more note, back in late 2008 and early 2009, when I was doing a lot of FIR sessions, I noticed that I became MUCH more tolerant to cold for some reason. The couple of years before that I was unusually sensitive to cold.

Good idea SeekinTruth. Going outside just for a few minutes may be a good start. And FIR sauna hadn't occurred to me, thank you for the tip. I don't yet have a sauna, but will have a look now on ebay.
Thinking back, I think that my cold sensitivity started in my early teenagehood. At around that time, I also gained what I now think was adrenal fatigue, where I was completely unable to eat anything in the morning besides feeling very tired, also in the morning.

The adrenal fatigue symptoms have diminished throughout the years as I increased my exercise, to be completely gone after having eliminated offensive foods and further taking care of my diet. However the cold sensitivity stayed.
In any case, something may have happened when I was a teenager, or it simply culminated then.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Re: Cryogenic Chamber Therapy

Gertrudes, if you are over the adrenal fatigue, it might have something to do with inadequate circulation and/or hypothyroidism? Something to look into....

Ailen, looking forward to your comments about your experiences. :)