Friday Challenge: Spinal Decompression, Ice Baths and Fermented Foods
This week we'll tap into some more obscure yet equally effective health hacks.
To add these habits into your lifestyle, you'll need to sacrifice some time and energy, but it will be worth it.
1. Spinal decompression. It's best to consult an expert on this, but the idea is to deload your spine. The effect of gravity on your vetebrae while standing all day is noticeable and compressed disks are stressed easily. An easy way to decompress is to hang from a pull-up bar or playground monkey bars. Inversion tables and inversion boots are helpful, but these methods are little more involved.
2. Ice baths. We've done cold showers, but this is the next level. Immersing yourself in an ice bath for 5-8 minutes will do wonders to combat inflammation. The first 3 minutes will be the toughest thing you'll do all day, but after that, the blood flows into your vital organs, causing an effective flush.
3. Fermented foods. Make sure you're taking in some sort of fermented food daily. These include kombucha, yogurt, tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi. The bacteria in your gut are so important to your overall health.
Here's a TED talk by Jeroen Raes on the microbiome.
