Ice plunges, hot soaks, and eight glasses a day: Jessica Wynn splashes cold water on hydrotherapy myths and explores potential benefits on Skeptical Sunday!
On This Week’s Skeptical Sunday:
- Hydrotherapy, which includes various uses of water for health purposes, lacks substantial scientific evidence for many of its claimed benefits, especially for generally healthy individuals.
- The popular belief that we need to drink eight glasses of water a day is a myth perpetuated by beverage companies. Our bodies are well-equipped to signal thirst when we need hydration.
- Extreme temperature changes in hydrotherapy, such as alternating between hot and cold water, can be dangerous and potentially lead to fainting, heart problems, or drowning.
- Many of the alleged benefits of hydrotherapy, such as improved circulation or muscle recovery, can often be achieved through other, potentially safer methods like exercise or breathing techniques.
- Hydrotherapy does show promise in specific medical contexts, such as pain management for fibromyalgia, easing labor during childbirth, and assisting with certain rehabilitation exercises. If you’re interested in exploring hydrotherapy for health reasons, consult with a medical professional to determine if it’s appropriate for your individual needs and how to practice it safely.
- Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you’d like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!
- Connect with Jessica Wynn.
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Miss our episode with comedian Lisa Lampanelli? Catch up with episode 183: Lisa Lampanelli | Changing Careers at the Top of Your Game here!
Resources from This Episode:
- Humans Evolved to Be the Water-Saving Ape | Duke Today
- Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study | Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Scientific Evidence-Based Effects of Hydrotherapy on Various Systems of the Body | North American Journal of Medicine and Science
- Hydrotherapy | Cleveland Clinic
- Water Therapies (Hydrotherapy, Balneotherapy or Aqua Therapy) for Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review | Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
- Balneotherapy in Medicine: A Review | Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
- The Origins of Bathhouse Culture around the World | BBC News
- Balneotherapy in Dermatology | Dermatologic Therapy
- Salt Pond in Antarctica, among the Saltiest Waters on Earth, Is Fed from Beneath | UW News
- How the World’s Saltiest Pond Gets Its Salt | News from Brown
- Scientific Evidence of the Therapeutic Effects of Dead Sea Treatments: A Systematic Review | Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
- The Biological Role of Dead Sea Water in Skin Health: A Review | Cosmetics
- There’s No Proof Epsom Salt Baths Actually Do Anything | Vice
- Epsom Salts: The Inconvenient Truth | University of Delaware
- The Dubious Practice of Detox | Harvard Health
- “Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need to Know | NCCIH
- Wellness Is Mostly an Expensive Fantasy | Vice
- How to Spot False Claims in Your Wellness Products | The New York Times
- At FTC’s Request, Judge Imposes Ban on Marketers of Detox Foot Pads | Federal Trade Commission
- Water, Hydration, and Health | Nutrition Reviews
- Physiology of Sweat Gland Function: The Roles of Sweating and Sweat Composition in Human Health | Temperature (Austin)
- Everyday Toxicology – Digging Deeper, Detoxing Your Body | Michigan State University
- Ear Candling | Skeptical Sunday | Jordan Harbinger
- Bottled Water | Skeptical Sunday | Jordan Harbinger
- Hydration 101: Drinking 8 Glasses of Water and Other Myths Debunked | URMC Newsroom
- Fact or Fiction?: You Must Drink 8 Glasses of Water Daily | Scientific American
- “Drink at Least Eight Glasses of Water a Day.” Really? Is There Scientific Evidence for “8 × 8”? | American Journal of Physiology
- No, You Do Not Have to Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day | The New York Times
- Water Researchers Do Not Have a Strategic Plan for Gathering Evidence to Inform Water Intake Recommendations to Prevent Chronic Disease | Nutrients
- Immersion in Water during Labour and Birth | Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
- Water Immersion during Labor for Pain Relief | Evidence Based Birth