Healthy Stress: Is there such a thing?

Each year, we celebrate the festival of Makara Sankranti marking the transition of the Sun from the south to the northern hemisphere.

This year, it falls on the 14 of January, where millions will dip themselves in the freezing Ganges, despite the cold. Is there a physical benefit besides appeasing the Gods?

Bio hacking has become a buzzword today. One concept advocated is to dip yourself in cold water. I did yesterday. But then it got me thinking.

Haven’t we done this for thousands of years?

Benjamin Waddy Maughan, an English painter, invented the first water geyser to heat water. The 19th Century saw the invention of the English Regency shower with piped water bringing heat.

I am sure we may have boiled water prior, to bathe. But it would have been for kings and queens, the sheer effort required.

People like you are I were taking a bath with cold water on a regular basis. Whether it was a dip in the pond or river or dunking ourselves with water. It was cold.

Biohacking with cold water is not new!

What has changed is the conveniences we enjoy. We live extremely comfortable lives. Our food is made or delivered. We warm warm clothes when it is cold. We walk as exercise at our discretion not out of compulsion.

Which is why we need to “stress” ourselves to be hacking our health.

So is this stress good for you?

The body craves balance. But it also tends to take in biological terms, the least energy consuming path. So, if I can get away without walking, why spend the energy?

It is for this reason that it is in your interest to push yourself above and beyond.

Biohackers are merely catching the wave created by our lifestyle. It is not long before we will be doing mental mathematics to biohack our brains.

So do the cold plunge. Or dip in the Ganges, what ever works for you.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain