The issue of increasing the protective forces of the human body is the basis of almost all world medicine. The principle of hardening is a system of methods of influence of natural environmental factors on the body. According to doctors, as a result we will get a person with a high level of resistance to adverse factors. More than a thousand years ago, Avicenna included information on hardening in the practical chapters of his Canon of Medicine. He suggested bathing newborns in cold water, as well as preparing travelers for a difficult journey in a hot desert and a winter blizzard.
The principle of hardening was also revered in Russia: the monk Nestor wrote about how babies were soared in a bathhouse and dipped into an ice hole! Hardening procedures were carried out during the first 4-6 weeks of a child's life, and then repeated in casesdiseases. The peoples of Yakutia recommend wiping children with snow from birth, while Caucasians recommend dousing them with ice water.
Already now, modern doctors, having studied the hygienic principles of hardening, confirm that these procedures increase the resistance of the human body to all kinds of colds and infectious diseases. Thus, tempering procedures are the most powerful healing tool given to us by nature itself.
Hygienic principles of hardening
The main commandment of Hippocrates "do no harm" is true not only in classical medical practice, but also in hardening procedures. Therefore, you should not mindlessly follow the fashion for a he althy lifestyle and dive into an ice hole for an unprepared person from a running start. Remember that each human body is unique, therefore, before you start hardening, you need to choose a technique that will be calculated taking into account your individual characteristics. To do this, you need to know what applies to the basic hygienic principles of hardening.
First of all, study the reaction of your own body to hardening, and in fact to stress factors. When immersed in cold water, your skin first turns pale (due to contraction of the blood vessels), then turns red (the vessels dilate), and finally turns blue (indicating the absence of smooth muscle tone in the blood vessels), resulting in a sensation of chills. The first reaction is called weak - it is insufficient for the occurrence of the hardening effect. The second reaction is average, which is exactly what we need, but excessivereaction hinders the body's adaptation processes.
Based on this, the basic principles of hardening include:
- Psychological preparation. The processes of thermoregulation of the human body, its immune reactions largely depend on the psychological mood. So, if you are sure that once you are in cold water, you will immediately get sick, so be it!
- Systematic. Hardening is not a procedure that can be carried out from time to time. In this case, it is better not to start at all! Ideally, hardening should be carried out daily. Long breaks (2-3 weeks) will nullify all your efforts and benefits.
- Principle of pulsating temperatures. The most common cause of colds is a sharp temperature drop. Thus, your main task is not immersion in the coldest possible water, but the transition from hot water to cold. Each time you should increase the range of temperature values.
- Gradual. Hardening can be represented as exposure to the lowest possible temperatures or as exposure to low temperatures for the longest period of time. You should start by lowering the temperature (say, 15 ° C for 1 minute), during the second procedure you pay more attention to the exposure time (15 ° C for 5 minutes), for the third time we lower the temperature again (13 degrees for 1 minute) etc.
- Individual approach. This most important principle of hardening is based on the fact that each person has his own reaction rate: someone shouldstart procedures from 15 °С and bring them up to 3-5 °С, and to another - from 20 °С to 10 °С.
- Complexity. As you know, different parts of the body have a different level of sensitivity to temperature changes. In addition, water, air and other elements have a different cooling effect on the body.
- In addition, the hygienic principles of hardening also include the principle of optimal dosing of procedures (taking into account age and physiological characteristics) and versatility (hardening can be started at any time of the year and under any weather conditions).
Means of hardening
Oddly enough, but the main means of hardening is available to anyone. To mobilize the body's defenses, it is enough to constantly maintain the temperature in the room at 18 ° C. This temperature level provides a constant tone of skeletal muscles and maintains the activity of the cerebral cortex. When the temperature in the room rises, the body overheats, the latent process of sweating begins.
It will also be useful to have a contrast shower, clothing that matches the current weather conditions, and more. These activities represent a general hardening. The principles and means of hardening allow you to keep the body in good shape and provide an average level of resistance to infections.
To maintain immunity at a consistently high level, general hardening is often not enough. Local hardening includes exposure to local areas of the body, primarily the hands and feet. On these surfaces there are many temperature,sensory and reflex zones, irritation of which has a positive effect on the general condition of the body.
Helpful Tips:
- Wash your hands with cold water.
- Don't rush to put on gloves at the first sign of a cold snap.
- Go barefoot more often (around the apartment, yard, beach, grass and even snow).
Principles and methods of hardening
Depending on the procedures you choose, there are several methods of hardening: aero hardening (air bathing), heliotherapy (exposure to sunlight), hardening with water (and these are not always extremely low temperatures) and some others that are much less common in practice in Europe and the CIS. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as nuances of application and contraindications.
Air hardening
Air baths have long been considered an excellent way to strengthen the immune system for people, regardless of their age and he alth status. The principle of air hardening is that air masses of a certain temperature have a complex effect on the entire surface of the human body.
Experts recommend starting air baths in a ventilated room at rest or in motion, after releasing the body from clothes. During the first procedures, the air temperature should be 15-20 ° C for 20-30 minutes. If you feel chills, you should not stop the procedure - make a few vigorous movements with your arms, legs, torso. Over time, strive to lower the temperature to 10-12 ° C andbring the exposure time to 2 hours. It is better to take air baths in the morning, combining them with gymnastics.
After a week of regular procedures, you will feel improvements in the work of the cardiovascular system, thermoregulation. In addition, a beneficial effect will also affect the work of the nervous system - vigor, balance will appear, sleep will improve.
Water hardening
Water is perhaps the most popular hardening agent, and often the only one. So, many people, when deciding on hardening, immediately begin to douse themselves with ice water, as a result they get a cold at best. The basic hygienic principles of hardening suggest that you should start gradually and taking into account the individual characteristics of your body. Start by wiping your body with a damp towel, then a contrast shower, and only after that you can try to plunge into the ice hole.
Helpful Tips:
- Before taking water procedures, you should first warm up the body with physical exercises.
- Don't try to increase the amount of time you spend in cold water, rather lower the temperature gradually.
- Air temperature should not be below 18 ° C at the beginning of hardening.
- The best time for hardening is the first morning after waking up.
It is better to start hardening in late summer - early autumn with a water temperature of 30-35 ° С. And then you should lower the temperature by 1 ° C after 3-5 daysdaily routines.
The first step in hardening is wiping with a damp towel. At the same time, the water should be warm, the air temperature should also not be lower than 20-25 ° C, and the duration of the procedure should not exceed 5 minutes.
After 2-3 weeks, you can proceed to dousing. But keep in mind that people with cardiovascular diseases, as well as people over 60 years of age, such a procedure is contraindicated. Dousing should begin with a water temperature of about 30 ° C for 3-5 minutes. Then you need to rub the skin with a hard towel to a slight reddening. By the way, it improves blood microcirculation in the skin, which leads to the destruction of cellulite, stretch marks and subcutaneous fat, and also plays the role of high-quality peeling. When the body gets used to the effect of cool water, try to move to fresh air and continue pouring there.
In winter, with a significant decrease in air temperature outside, go to water procedures in the shower. Start again with a temperature of about 30 ° C, the exposure period is 1-2 minutes.
Another popular type of hardening is a contrast shower. It relieves both physical and moral fatigue, invigorates. Depending on the overall hardiness of the body, the temperature range can be from 5 to 20 ° C.
The principles of hardening also include combination and moderation. So, you can combine hardening with water, air and sun, plunging into open water. But, of course, we should not forget about hygiene: the reservoir must meet sanitary standards.
Winter swimming as a way of hardening
Sthis type of hardening is associated with the greatest number of myths and difficulties, as well as failures and colds. However, the devil is not as terrible as he is painted! With proper and systematic winter swimming, you will strengthen your immune system and nervous system, and increase your efficiency. But remember that such hardening also has a number of serious contraindications:
- acute and chronic infectious diseases;
- cardiovascular disease;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- all forms of TB.
If you carefully follow all the principles of hardening, no problems will arise. Firstly, you need to start not in Epiphany frosts, but from October. Before dipping, do a light warm-up, warm up. Stay in the water should be reduced to a minimum - plunge and immediately go out. Then they rubbed the body with a towel, quickly dressed and again lightly warmed up.
Winter swimming is contraindicated to combine with alcohol, but hot tea is perfect. If you are already a winter swimming guru, move on to the next step, snow rubbing. Having collected a handful of snow, rub only (!) the upper half of the body with energetic movements.
Heat hardening
Not only low temperatures are stressful factors for the body. It is also necessary to be able to adapt to the heat, as well as to the cold. The main and practical only means of hardening to heat is a sauna or bath. The principles, means and methods of cold hardening are similar to heat hardening.
But the effect of hardening bath procedures is much more diverse: removal of toxins, rejuvenation of the body in general and skin in particular, treatment of joint diseases, strengthening of immunity, treatment of chronic respiratory diseases, elimination of cardiovascular pathologies, normalization of blood pressure, increase the tone of the nervous system and much more. And the bath is a great helper in weight loss.
Healing and hardening effect depends on the type of bath you choose. Russian (wet) bath is a combination of high humidity and low temperature. The optimal time of presence in the steam room is 10 minutes. The effect will enhance the traditional bath massage with a broom. But remember that this procedure is contraindicated for people with endocrine diseases and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Finnish sauna - a higher temperature, but low humidity. Its effect on the body is much milder, there are fewer contraindications, and the he alth effect, in particular, hardening, is almost equal to the Russian bath.
Helpful tip:
After the steam room, be sure to take a cold shower or plunge into a pool of cool water - your body will thank you
Sun Hardening
The principles of hardening the body include the complexity of factors, one of which is ultraviolet solar radiation. Sunbathing always begins with reflected light, then moves on to diffused light, and only after that you can take direct sunbathing. The best time is in the morninghours: 7 - 10 hours in the subtropics, 8 - 11 hours in temperate latitudes. Start the procedures in early spring with 10-15 minutes, gradually increasing their duration. Also, try to refrain from sunbathing within 2-3 hours of eating. Considering the gas content of the atmosphere in large modern cities, solar hardening within the city is of no use - you will have to go outside the city or, at least, retire to the strip of green spaces (park, square, etc.).
Helpful Tips:
- When sun-hardening, don't forget to cover your head - be sure to use a hat or other headgear.
- It is good to combine sunbathing with light exercise.
Pay attention
- Alcohol cannot be combined with any type of hardening.
- Abstain from smoking within 1-2 hours of tempering.
- Having a chronic disease, consult your doctor about hardening.
- Intense physical exercise will reduce the effect and benefits of hardening procedures.
- Coffee creates an additional load on the cardiovascular and nervous systems during hardening.
- You can start hardening from the first days of a child's life, but after consulting with a pediatrician.
- Hardening is more beneficial to your he alth when combined with a he althy lifestyle.
- If for any reason youhardening procedures have been suspended, they should be resumed from an earlier stage.
- The basic principles of hardening are gradualness and consistency - start small - airing, walking in the fresh air and a contrast shower.
And some shortcomings
People involved in hardening brag on every corner of their excellent he alth and immunity. However, a few years later, the situation changes - and here they are again in the ranks of ordinary mortals with a permanent runny nose all winter. So what's the deal, you ask? It's simple - you need to know the measure in everything! It’s one thing to dive into an ice hole for a second from time to time (it really boosts immunity), and quite another is winter swimming for several minutes and photo shoots in swimming trunks against the backdrop of snowdrifts. Hypothermia reduces immunity, promotes the activation of chronic diseases and the acquisition of new ones.
In that case, is hardening really that good? Types, principles and methods of the selected procedures fully determine the effect for the body. Choose types based on your he alth and physical capabilities. You should not sit for hours in a steam room or dive into an ice hole with hypertension, douches, sun and air baths will be more reasonable.
Besides, consistency is very important - don't expect instant results. Only after a few months of hard work, you will notice that you have become less likely to get sick and feel better. And trying to speed up the effect, you will only harm yourself and be disappointed in hardening at all.
The principles of hardening children are no different from adults,except for the fear of a new mother. Your baby is not afraid of drafts and cold water until you start to wrap him up and thereby kill his immunity. But you also need to know the measure: given that the thermoregulation system in babies is not yet developed, you should not dip a two-week-old baby into an ice hole. And of course, before you start hardening your child, consult a specialist (this is not always your district pediatrician - not all doctors are supportive of hardening).
Medical experts agree that hardening is a complex of procedures that are undoubtedly beneficial to he alth, but they should be approached in a balanced manner and without fanaticism.
Stay young and he althy!
