Ice can help you lose weight. While there is no denying that it is a mood-boosting, appetite-suppressing, and performance-enhancing substance, it has other properties that could make it a powerful ally in your quest for better health. Let’s examine the various properties of ice and how you can put them to good use.
Effects On Metabolism
If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, you’re most likely aware that your metabolism plays a major role in determining how much weight you actually have to lose. After all, there is a huge difference between having 10 pounds on your body and having 15 pounds on your body. When you’re at rest, the pounds that you have on your body are actually being burned through metabolism alone (without you doing anything in particular to burn calories). So it follows that boosting your metabolism could assist you in burning calories and gaining more weight loss success.
If you’re not getting enough sleep, however, your metabolism will be affected in a negative way. The National Sleep Foundation found that people who sleep less than five hours a day, on average, tend to have lower metabolic rates. Similarly, frequent snorers have been shown to have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. So, if you want to boost your metabolism and lose weight, you’ll need to make sure that you’re getting at least five hours of sleep each night.
Pain-Relieving And Analgesic Properties
If you’re not sleeping well, you’ll experience more frequent and intense headaches. These headaches can be extremely painful and make even simple tasks such as tying your shoe laces or buttoning your jeans feel overwhelming. While pain relief is not necessarily a motivation to get more sleep, you should know that ice can help reduce the pain and suffering that comes with headaches. In a 2013 study, doctors from the University of Pennsylvania asked participants to self-report their levels of pain and how effective the therapies were in reducing the pain. The results showed that ice was more effective than prescription pain medications in reducing pain (especially when taking into account the adverse effects of the medications). So if headaches are something that you experience on a regular basis, you might find that ice can be an effective tool in your arsenal.
The analgesic and pain-relieving properties of ice are not limited to headaches, either. In a study published in the journal Anesthesiology in 2015, doctors analyzed data on 2,664 patients who had undergone a total of 4,740 surgeries. The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not patients who had ice baths after their surgeries experienced less pain, required fewer pain medications, and had better outcomes overall. The study results showed that patients who had ice baths after their surgeries experienced reduced pain, required fewer pain medications, and had better outcomes overall. This makes ice an excellent option for post-surgical pain relief and could have significant advantages for your quality of life.
Mood Booster
The human body naturally generates more antioxidants than normal cell function, which helps protect it from damage. But when your body is under a lot of stress, it begins to produce more free radicals than normal. These radicals are highly unstable and can cause serious harm to your body, including the breakdown of collagen and elastin within your skin. As a result of this damaged collagen and elastin, your skin can appear dull and lifeless.
Free radicals also contribute to the aging process, resulting in your skin showing signs of premature aging. To restore your skin’s natural glow and vitality, you need to reduce the damage that free radicals are doing to it. One way to do this is with an antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect your skin by shielding free radicals and preventing them from doing any more damage. So if you want to restore your skin’s luster, you might want to consider using antioxidants to do so.
When you have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), your body’s natural response is to produce more stress hormones. This, in turn, can lead to a lowered metabolism. When this happens, your body doesn’t need as much food to maintain its normal function. This makes you feel hungrier than usual even when you aren’t physically hungry. This phenomenon is called pseudohypoglycemia, and it occurs when your body is trying to correct for low blood sugar. As a result of this, you’re likely to feel grumpier, more fatigued, and less motivated than usual even when no actual physical problems exist. This can seriously impact your weight loss efforts.
Appetite Suppressing Properties
Did you know that when you have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), your body’s production of the appetite hormone ghrelin increases? This is something that your body does in response to low blood sugar to make you want to eat. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, reducing your blood sugar as much as possible is an excellent way to do so. You can use foods or supplements to lower your blood sugar, but nothing beats getting the most out of what you’ve already got.
A study published in 2014 in the journal Physiology & Behavior compared the effects of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IGTT) on ghrelin levels in obese individuals. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact that each method of glucose administration had on ghrelin levels. The results showed that while both the OGTT and the IGTT increased ghrelin levels, the effect of the glucose injections was significantly greater than that of the oral glucose. This suggests that the ghrelin response to glucose is highly dependent on the method by which it is being administered. Injecting glucose significantly increases ghrelin levels, while consuming glucose does not have the same effect. This could prove to be important when it comes to losing weight, as not all diets are created equal. Some diets might actually increase your ghrelin levels, making you feel more hungry than ever! So if you’re relying on an unhealthy diet to lose weight, this could be the root of your problem. Try a healthier approach to eating and exercise instead, and you might find that your weight loss journey is a lot more enjoyable (and effective too!).
Performance Enhancing Properties
Did you know that when you freeze your muscles, they become flaccid and far more flexible? This is something that you need if you want to be able to move around comfortably and without pain. Did you also know that when your muscles are frozen, they become more resistant to wear and tear? This is why some people choose to skate (and skate lots) instead of walk or run when trying to lose weight. Skating builds up your muscles and improves your cardiovascular health in a similar way to regular exercise would. It also creates an environment where you can interact with other people which could also improve your mental health.
Muscle tension is very damaging to the body, and it prevents you from living a healthy and active lifestyle. So if you want to be able to enjoy your daily activities, you need to reduce muscle tension and eliminate harmful movements and habits. Freezing your muscles could prove to be an effective way of doing this as it allows you to move around with greater ease. It also allows you to interact with others in a more relaxed manner, preventing you from becoming overly stressed and unhealthy.
While there is no denying that ice can be a useful and effective tool in your arsenal for better health, you should also consider how you can put it to use in ways that might surprise you. In particular, you might consider using ice to improve your sleep or lower your blood sugar if these are areas of weakness for you. Also, make sure to stay hydrated during the summer months, as being dehydrated can make you feel worse than when you were hydrated. When it comes to losing weight, you should be aiming to maximize the health benefits that ice offers while minimizing the drawbacks. Fortunately, with a little planning and research, you can most certainly do so.