If there is
quick reaction and a feeling of warmth and well-being following a cold
sponge, it is all right. If the skin remains blue and refuses to react
for a long time, the cold sponge bath is harmful. The cold plunge is
always a shock, and no matter how strong a person may be, frequent
repetition is not to be recommended. People who take cold plunges say
that they do no harm, but it is well to remember that life is not merely
a matter of today and tomorrow, but of next year, or perhaps forty,
fifty or sixty years from today. A daily shock may cause heart disease
in the course of twenty or thirty years.
A good way to take a cold bath is to get under a warm shower and
gradually turn off the warm water. Then stand under the cold shower long
enough to rinse well the entire surface of the body.
Those who take cold sponge baths in winter and find them severe, should
precede the sponging in cold water with a quick sponging off with tepid
water, and they should always take these baths in a warm room.
After all baths give the body a good dry rubbing, using brisk movements.
Bath towels, flesh brushes or the open hands may be used for the dry
rubbing.
Pages:
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332