Many people are seemingly always chasing those extra pounds, but Italian researchers think they’ve got a hot lead that can help: cold therapy.
According to a study that was presented at the European Congress on Obesity, researchers at Italy’s Istituto Auxologico Piancavallo IRCCS say they’ve found body cryostimulation therapy — a fancy way of exposing all or part of the body to cold temperatures — makes you healthier.
As little as two minutes at a time were found to not only help an individual lose weight around the waist, but lower their cholesterol and their blood sugar, to boot.
As an added plus, the cold temps also tamp down inflammation, which is not only a trigger for heart and other vascular problems, but causes arthritis and other conditions.
What’s more, those exposed to the cold via a special cryochamber came out of the study with improved walking speeds and grip strength in their hands.
Celebrities have recently become keen to the benefits of the fancy cold machines, which douse the body in air chilled to -230 degrees for short periods of time, but athletes and others have been extolling the virtues of ice baths for years.