Wim Hof Method touts benefits of cold temperatures

his or her body under stress to condition it.

Dr. Goodrum said frostbite occurs from a stress reaction during which the brain sends blood inward to sustain the internal organs, leaving one’s extremities without a sufficient source of heat. The Wim Hof Method prevents that reaction, allowing for significantly longer exposure to cold temperatures.

Isabelle Hof, Mr. Hof’s daughter, who directs his teaching program, said in an email exchange that 150,000 people worldwide have signed up for their newsletter, with 80,000 people already having taken the 10week online video course.

“It has taken off very fast,” she said, “mainly because of the [HBO] ‘VICE’ documentary,” broadcast in 2015, during which a doubtful reporter underwent the program only to succeed in walking bare-chested and in shorts during frigid winter weather to the top of a milehigh Polish mountain.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences magazine also recently published research confirming that people clearly are able to influence the autonomic nervous system and immune system through mental and physical techniques.

The Wim Hof Method also gained momentum with publication of studies in the Netherlands showing how a person can successfully deal with cold temperatures while bolstering or controlling one’s immune response, among other benefits. Noted Stanford University neurobiologist Andrew D. Huberman also has appeared with Mr. Hof and endorsed his method.

But don’t be foolish

“Life is one big stress event,” Dr. Goodrum said. “This is applicable to daily life. This is teaching us how to have control over our own stuff.”

He was trained by Mr. Hof himself and currently is the only instructor in the region, with plans soon to teach classes. He’s been practicing the Wim Hof procedure for 1½ years, with success in tolerating 10- to 15-minute baths in 28-degree saltwater, and taking a recent bare-chested barefoot hike for 1½ frigid hours in Ricketts Glen Park near Scranton.

The central nervous system for many people has become imbalanced, he said, creating problems in the immune, endocrine, central nervous and cardiovascular systems. The Wim Hof Method helps the person realign those systems. As a result, he said, his digestion and sleep have improved with better ability to relax, avoid illness and stress, and “function the way we were created to function.”

Safety, however, is key, be it with breathing methods that can lead to imbalance or dizziness or overexposure to cold temperatures. It’s not an ego thing or competition. Once trained, the person realizes his or her limits.

People can adapt themselves to low temperatures by taking cold showers, wearing less clothing or simply stepping outside in shorts and bare feet and taking walks in winter weather. Dr. Goodrum, who recently drew stares while walking bare-chested through South Park on a subfreezing day, said he’s yet to wear a coat this winter.

Don’t be foolish, he said. Listen to the body. Teach the body not to overreact.

“It all can be a method to treat panic disorder, anxiety and other stress-related conditions, with tremendous potential for addiction,” he said, noting he’s helped addicts adopt the practice with successful results. “You already are perfect. You just forgot how to be.”

Cold as cucumbers

Jeffrey Cohan, a 51-yearold Forest Hills resident who serves as executive director of Jewish Veg, a vegan-advocacy organization, took the Wim Hof course online last fall and adopted it as a lifestyle. It has nothing to do with his day job, except for the connection to better health.

“I felt compelled to give it a look, and not only is it legit, but it offers benefits,” said Mr. Cohan, a former PostGazette reporter. “People think it’s more difficult than it is.

“It’s radically changed my experience of living in Pittsburgh,” he said, noting a growing tolerance for cold showers. “Now I look forward to the coldest day. I go out into my backyard, in the snow, with bare feet. Given enough snow, I'll even lie down in the snow, shirtless.”

When the body is exposed to the cold, the brain thinks it’s under attack and releases hormones and chemicals to withstand the stress, leaving it stronger and healthier, similar to vigorous exercise, Mr. Cohan said.

“I feel great, and I’m having fun. It made me feel good immediately the first time I did it,” he said. “I have a stressful job with a lot of frustration. Whenever I’m stressed, one cycle of breathing and I can tackle the next challenge.”

Of course, people think it’s crazy. We hate being uncomfortable. Instead, Wim Hof teaches a person how to acclimate to change and better tolerate life’s discomforts.

“If you aren’t having fun, you’re not doing the right thing. Being healthy and feeling strong — now that’s fun,” Mr. Cohan said. “The Wim Hof Method will be huge.”