Would you do this?
From dosing up on Vitamin C to taking drops of Echinacea, we'll try nearly anything to avoid getting a cold. There is, however, a new remedy which we would be very slow to try.
Researchers in Holland have said that having a cold shower every day can help to fight off the common cold. They published a
study which explain the health benefits to this rather unpleasant daily routine.
For one month they got over 3000 participants between the ages of 18 and 65 to have cold showers for different lengths of time, 30, 60 and 90 seconds.
They wanted to establish if having a cold showers had an impact on their health in terms of illness relating to a cold.
Their results showed a decrease of 29 percent sick days from work. The study found that it didn't matter how long their shower lasted so a 30 second cold shower is all it took to make a difference.
Some of the participants liked it so much that they kept up the showers for two further months.
The study notes:
"Cold water has been used therapeutically for many centuries and continues using modern technology.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who added rubbing to cold bathing, was accustomed to use cold water in his treatment of the most serious illnesses."
It also added:
"The most commonly reported beneficial effect was an increase in perceived energy levels, including many reported comparisons to the effect of caffeine."
