Jana Talk brings a useful lens to cold exposure: less noise, more attention to what the body is actually adapting to. The value is not in chasing discomfort. It is in applying the right signal, at the right dose, with enough recovery to become more resilient.
Full transcript with clickable timestamps linking back to the source video.
[music] [music] Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Yana Talk podcast. I'm happy to see you here today because we will speak today about importance of breath work and Wimhof method and its amazing benefits of on our physical and mental health. Have you heard about importance of breath work and how it can help us to reduce stress amazingly? If yes, then you are at the right place at the right time because we will discover this and much more today with my special guest who is a senior instructor of Vimhof method. She is in contact in in cooperation directly with Vimhof himself. Uh she's part of Vimhof official Vimhof center in France. She organizes workshops, seminars, retreats, uh different uh workshops for both companies and individuals. And uh she her core pillars are breath work, mindset and exposure to uh to cold water. We will discover today how did she begin with breath work? How did she begin with this amazing method? Uh the benefits we will discover and much more. Please, ladies and gentlemen, welcome my today's guest, Jane Jones. Hello, Jane. Hi, Jana. Thank you so much for having me. Um, talking about my favorite topic that I could talk about all day. Amazing. Yes. Thank you very much, Jane, for joining. I'm really happy because uh I am uh one of your followers also on social media and I saw what you are doing uh with the Wimhof method and breath work and it's really excellent. So, could you share with us your journey? How did it start? Because I read that it started some somewhere in in 2019 if I'm not mistaken. Right. Correct. So just before COVID, which is really good timing also as a tool to
really good timing also as a tool to help get through that really tough time. Um I'd always, you know, been looking for different modalities. I've tried so many different things. And one day I was watching a little snippet of um there were lots of holistic people and health people giving a little introduction to what they do. So you know there was probably about eight or 10 of those and I was watching them and then all of a sudden whim huff pops up and his energy I was just was like who is this guy? what is the you know it was just really uh took me yeah really caught my attention and in that session he offered to try sit down in your lounge or bedroom you know get in a comfortable position and try breath work so I did and I was like what just happened wow I just felt so amazing um felt feelings that I'd never felt before felt energized and a lot um other things which we'll talk about later and then I just uh yeah downloaded the app started with the breath work. I was somebody that hated the cold. So I won't lie, it took me a long time to come to doing all you know both of the cold and the breath work. Um but started with the breath work felt amazing benefits from it. My husband was doing the cold as well and I saw the benefits that he was feeling. So in the end I was like okay I'll try 5 seconds. um and just built it up gradually and then all of a sudden I'm getting into ice baths and I'm like how did this happen? Yeah. So that was how I was introduced to it and I've just I've never looked back. So that's been you know six over six years now and yeah this is incredible and you are organizing workshops seminars. I also saw on your website that you you focus
saw on your website that you you focus uh as I have mentioned on breath workhor method and mindset because it's also important of of the mindset right because I can imagine when I when when I did the exposure to cold water for the first time it was so freezing it was so so working with the mind is very important as well right exactly and um yeah it's that mindset pillar that really holds the because though the Wimhof method is three pillars So as we mentioned the breath work, the cold, the mindset, they all work together to uh support each other and it's the mindset that is the I guess kind of the roots of the method and what holds it all together and uh yeah how it can really help. Mhm. Yeah, absolutely. Could you describe us uh a little bit in your words what is exactly the Vimhof method for those who haven't heard much about this or who who only heard for example about Mr. Vimhof. Yes. So the method is uh so those three pillars we just discussed and obviously Whim says he didn't invent any of this. We've been doing breath work and cold exposure for thousands and thousands if not millions of years. It's just a way to bring these uh bring it in a simple way to everyday people. So the thing that's amazing about it is that it's a natural pathway to an optimal sense of well-being. Um, you know, it's free. You don't need any equipment. All you need is your breath, some cold, and yeah, some time to put your mind to things. So, those three pillars work together. And, um, the way that Whim found the uh, you know, how this system works so well is he uh, suffered. Um his wife was very depressed when they were early on in their um marriage when they had four young children and sadly she committed
young children and sadly she committed suicide and Wim thought you know we've had medication doctors psychologists how did it come to this and he you know he went really into himself to see how he could get over his own grief as well and discovered that we actually do have all these tools naturally within iness that yes we can seek help outside and it can help but at the end of the day we have this power within each and every one of us to heal ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally um and we can tap into that in a very simple way using just our breath. Yeah, it's you you have mentioned I'm taking notes. You have mentioned very important message that we have power to heal ourselves. Yes, we've kind of we've lost that intuition. uh it's it's still there but it's been buried amongst modern society. So thing about the Wimhof method and when we do cold exposure is we are exposing ourselves to short sharp stresses. Stress is really a modern life perceived to be a bad thing but we've got two different types of stress. We've got lowgrade toxic stress which is what our modern life has built for us where we're constantly on the go. We can't rest. Our nervous system is it's always, you know, in hyper mode. We've got families, messages, emails, the internet, busy life, work, and this is what the toxic overload on our nervous system. Whereas with the Wimhof method, it focuses on hormetic stress, which is a short sharp stress to the body that then the body needs that to be it builds and becomes more resilient. Now, you know, thousands of years ago, this is how our ancestors lived. They had short, sharp, horetic stress. They would be, you know, go out looking for food in the cold or they'd be chased by a, you know, a hungry lion or a wolf. We would have that stress, become stronger, and then
that stress, become stronger, and then the more resilient. Um, so fast forward to our modern lives, we like to live in a comfort zone. We want the heating on all the time. from heated home to heated car, heated office, heated shops. Um we we don't have that hormetic stress that the body really thrives on. And um almost like when you go to a gym and you're exercising a muscle, it gets stronger. It's the same nervous system and our hormetic um yeah, so we've lost that way of living. We've got this constant lowgrade stress. So we get toxicity within the body and the mind and this creates inflammation which is the root cause of you know all nearly all disease whether it's mental or physical. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. When you started first applying the breath work and uh exposure to cold water uh and beimhof method, what did you observe uh like as a sign on both your physical and mental health? Did you see did you observe something that it was something new? Definitely because I've done a lot of yeah meditation, yoga, different things and they're they're all amazing. Don't get me wrong, I still do those things now, but I found with the Wimpoff method, with the breath work, and then especially the cold exposure, it's almost like you can go deeply into a a meditative state because when you do the breath work, it sets off certain mechanisms. When you get into cold exposure, really, the mind can't think about anything else. So, straight away, you're in a a state of peace. you're with straight within the body connecting into the body. So that was the thing that I noticed the most when I first started was that immediate, you know, coming out of the busy mind and you're straight into yourself which just on on its own is an incredible
just on on its own is an incredible so is it because you you need to focus and you need to calm down the nervous system. Exactly. So, you get into cold water. You're not going to be thinking, "What am I going to cook for dinner tonight?" Reply to that email. What did he say that I should have said back? You know, all those thoughts we have going on constantly all day, immediately you are within just Yeah. And you know, we'll talk about how important it is to adapt slowly to cold water. But once you have adapted and you're in that cold water, there is just such a sense of calm and peace because there's nowhere else you can be when you are experiencing that kind of experience. Oh, that's awesome. And when I just think about my experience when I was at the workshop, it was so I was so proud of myself that I did it. And it was also incredible to observe the people uh who were also there. Uh such an amazing atmosphere and uh the calm atmosphere also when we were at the lake uh in inside it was really unescribed undescrib undescribable. Uh can I have one more question regarding the breath? What did this method uh taught you about being present uh and like staying staying present? Well, I think uh with the method, it really brings you back in connection with your body. A lot of the time we're going around, we're very disconnected. We're always in our minds. So, by doing the breath work, you feel certain sensations. You're feeling the just even the physical movement of the air coming in and out. And that really you can feel your heartbeat. We do a lot of like interceptive um focus meditations where you'll go into the body, you're feeling the heartbeat, you're feeling the blood flow, and when you're back in that connection with your body, you really are in living in a different place. So, and then that carries through
place. So, and then that carries through then to the rest of your day. So, you start off with the breath work. You come into the body. So, then you're more present with yourself automatically throughout the day for other things. Same with say you have your cold shower in the morning. You're feeling that cold. I try to I shower outdoors so you've got that you know few minutes of connection with nature in the morning. Um well singing it's a completely different experience to a quick rush shower in the morning in the house and then rushing out to work. It's yeah totally different. Yeah. I'm looking forward also to the second episode about special questions to to discover more about your daily habits and daily routines. So it will be really awesome when we speak. And just going back to what you said before about how you really enjoyed when you did the workshop, how it felt to be other people and that is a really another thing important thing I think about um you know this kind of community essentially who are like-minded people coming together. Um it can make you open up to a lot of things because you're back in touch with your body, back in touch with your mind. um you can connect to others to talk about things you can't necessarily talk about on a daily basis or things that you might hold inside and just is coming together. It's a very very supportive community. Oh yeah. And that's you know a really important part of it. Absolutely. those well all those people who were present at the workshop it was really they were very friendly open-minded and the atmosphere was like among friends that you had the this this feeling that you uh you know them for a longer time not only like uh this one hour or these two few hours it was really really awesome and support is also also what I felt during the the workshop a lot uh that especially those who did it for the first time and I was in this in special group. We felt really amazing. I think all of us. Yes. Because obviously there can be some pre - nerves before doing something like
pre - nerves before doing something like stepping into an ice bath. I was nervous when I did my first one. So, you know, everyone understands that feeling, but the support that's there. Like I have a lot of people who come to the workshop and they say, "Well, I'm just going to try the breathing, but I won't get in the ice bath." And I'm like, you know, that's fair enough. It's there's never any force, never any pressure. Listen to your body. But by the end of the workshop and everyone's getting in, they just get in and they it's so surprising. Yeah, that was also my case. I I thought exactly sorry to that I thought exactly that I will only do the the breath work and that's it. uh and I will not join them to go to the cold cold water because I I was afraid of my back because I was suffering with it for few years with the back pain and I also did it anyway when I saw all of them. So uh you mentioned two important things uh that during during the Vimhof method and cold exposure exposure to cold water that uh they there open up uh some um things which we forgot or which we have deep inside and sometimes what also happens that the emotions uh come up come out from nowhere even there are because they are hidden. Uh uh so how how to work with these situations when this happens during a cold exposure. Yes. And same with the breath work as well. Some emotions come up and I think it's that there's a few elements. You're being held in a very safe space. Um so that can let emotions can be released. You also are resetting your nervous system. Yeah. So when you bring your nervous system into balance, things that you may have been holding on to can then be released. The nervous system feels, yeah, okay, I'm safe. I can let this go now. So that can be another reason for um yeah, emotions
another reason for um yeah, emotions coming up. And also when you get into cold water, some people are laughing, some people cry. It's just allowing that rawness because you're going straight into your uh deepest parts of your body and your brain. So allowing whatever comes up to come up. And some people think they'll laugh but they're crying. Some people think they might cry but they're laughing. So not to have any expectations as well. Uh that's you know you think oh I might be going and I might release a lot of emotion but it doesn't happen that day or you might think I'll go as cool as a cucumber thinking yeah I'm fine. and they've got no problems and then emotions come up. So, always to go in with an open mind and yes, not to overthink anything too much. Just go with the flow and go with the flow. That's good. How how do you think could uh when someone is uh undergoing a really difficult situation in life? How would you say from your experience does this method and breath work and exposure to cold water help to uh overcome these challenges in our lives? Well, again, it's I'm going to give an example and it's it's probably one of the biggest reasons why I became a Wimhof instructor because obviously I was practicing the method myself for a long time so I could see the changes in myself. And but then when you see changes in somebody else, it really hits home about how powerful this can be. And so a friend of mine came along to um she said, "Oh, you've been going on about this Wimhof method for a couple of years." So she came along to a workshop with Laof, which is Wim's daughter. And she hadn't really tried any of the breath work or water, cold water before. And she lay down for the breath work session. actually had just she, you know, she had a really busy lifestyle, three children, running a big business with lots of stuff, doing renovations on her home. And then when
renovations on her home. And then when she she had three children under five when her youngest child was six months old, she had breast cancer. So, she had to have surgery and have that removed. But because she'd got three young children, the business, you know, she kind of powered on. she didn't let the emotions really release or give herself to grieve or think much about it. Um, so this was seven years on from the surgery and then she did the breath work and she just said that all of this emotion just came and released. uh because when she had the breast surgery, they removed her breast and then they rebuilt the breast using the tissue from the mus back and she'd always had a lot of tightness and tension and pain. Um during the breath work, she said that she felt like she visualized someone coming into the room taking her breast away and then all this emotion came out and all she felt afterwards was relief and um a lot of anxiety left and yeah dayto-day anxiety that she'd been carrying just she was fine. She was like a completely different person that even her kids were going mommy what's happened? Wow. Even a lot of the pain and tension released from the scar tissue. And it's almost like, you know, we can hold on to grief or things in certain parts of our body. Yeah. And just when I saw that change in someone so close to me, you know, it makes me emotional to uh Yeah. It's I had to drink water when I heard it as well to calm down a little bit. I was like, "Oh my goodness, this is incredible." You know, yeah, I've got goose pimples all over me just thinking about it now and talking about it and that was like I need to teach this. I was talking about it to everyone that I met anyway from taxi drivers to friends to my chiropractor people that I work with, but I was like, you know, I really need to I really want to teach
really need to I really want to teach this. So, that's where it took off from there because that's what can happen with the body. This is amazing. This is a very thank you really for sharing this uh really deep uh story. Uh I'm I'm happy that your friend uh tried and started to do Wimhof method and it's amazing really to to hear how the people also transformed their lives because uh I also heard about people who uh who had cancer and also healed because they focused on the internal change of the breath work mindset and working uh and doing the Vimhof method uh and uh they are healthy today. So uh I strongly believe that they they focus changes. So they deeply focuses on those elements and that's why it is so strongly beneficial I believe. Oh, that's that's why yes, that mind body connection is so powerful. And there's another example of Wimhof uh something that he did when because he's broken 26 world records of running marathons in the desert in plus 40 ° with no water or swimming under ice or running the polar circle and marathon barefoot. Um, and another one thing he did was he want he wanted to climb Everest in shorts with bare feet. So he made it I think to base camp and then he had frostbite and um some of his toes went black and the doctor said you know you're going to lose those toes and no I'm not. So breath work and his meditation and he would visualize healing to his the to his toes and he's still got all his toes today. Oh my god, this is incredible. You know, it's just that that focus and yeah, really connecting with the body, giving it the tools it needs, you know, just that recognition that we are in tune with the body just so can be so powerful.
just so can be so powerful. Um, obviously it doesn't replace anything. So, you know, if people do have illnesses to, you know, obviously carry on with treatments and things, but it's something that can really support. That's Yeah, absolutely. you described many benefits of the Wimhof method and uh breath work. Could you uh introduce us the the benefits uh also the other benefits? What does it have and how does it help to both mental and physical health when we start to apply this in our everyday life? Yes. So um when we're doing the breath work, we are, you know, some people may or may not have experienced it, but we do about four three or four rounds of 30 to 40 breaths. So we're taking a big inhale and then a relaxed exhale. And what we're doing there is we're um taking a lot of oxygen and releasing a lot of CO2. Now CO2 is the when it rises is the trigger in the body to take a breath. So because we've expelled more CO2, we can hold the breath for longer. Now this brings changes the pH balance in the blood in the body. So we're quite acidic in our modern lives. So it brings a little bit of alkalinity back to the body and um we you know we have a little release of adrenaline as well and we're bringing homeostasis back to the body. So um yeah that's and then there's a one of the biggest scientific studies that happened in the beginning with whim was he it was all about the immune system and realizing that actually we have control over the autonomic nervous system. So it's a rad study in the Netherlands. They uh tested women to start with and then they also did it with a control group afterwards to see well you know is women's is here superman we need to see can this happen in everyday people as well. Mhm. So we trained um a control group. There
So we trained um a control group. There was a control group and a study group and it was just 10 days. So it was 4 days in Poland and six days at home of the breath work and exposure to cold and using the find and then um injected with an endotoxin which is a dead part of the bacteria. And what that usually does is cause flu-l like symptoms, headache, shivering, sickness, pain. And it did so in the control group that did nothing. They all felt sickness symptoms. But in the group that trained with whim with they were doing the breath work and um what was never thought possible to control the autonomic system which is why our buddy just does everything automatically and was never thought to be able to change before was actually proven yes we could because the control group they had no symptoms like wind did with the doing the breath work. So the endotoxin um so when we're doing the breath work in the body what was happening so the endotoxin um it's getting a little technical but just to give a little bit of background we have something called interlucan 10 in our body and that was um reducing inflammation because it's pro-inflammatory so there's interlucan six and four which were cause can cause inflammation in the body. So when the endotoxin or we get a cold or a flu, we get inflammation. That's where we get the symptoms from. But interlucan 10 suppresses that. But then our white blood blood cells are activated and they are working to fight whatever toxin is in the body or illness but at the same time suppressing the inflammation so we don't get the symptoms. So this is how um how it really works well in the body with um you know boosting our immune system which is why a lot of people who
system which is why a lot of people who practice the breath work and cold find that they don't get ill so much. Mhm. Like for example, as well when my husband got CO, he would get really bad headaches, but he'd do a round of breathing, the headaches would subside, he'd feel a little better. Few hours later, you know, the headache would come on, another round of breath work, subside the headache. Wow. Yeah. That's how it practically implemented in dayto-day life to help with uh immunity. So you do you don't need to take a pill or tablet because you can do the breath work and get rid of migraine or headache. Yeah. Same as if I get a headache. Do a few rounds of breath work. It's brilliant for a hangover. For anybody that gets hangovers, [laughter] good to know as well I think for anyone. It's good. Yeah. So that's just one of the brilliant side effects. Yeah. Um we have a lot more I feel we get a lot more concentration. So the mind's more focused. Um you know it gets rid of foggess in the brain. We have a lot more mental clarity. Um yeah sleep can really help with sleep. A lot of people report yeah sleeping. Mhm. This is perfect because many people nowadays have problems with sleeping because of the stress. Yes definitely. And yeah, that's one of the things that is the most reported especially amongst friends of mine that implemented the method. That's one of the things they say it helps most with. Oh, this is awesome. And also what I observed is that the stress level that stress is also reduced by applying this method and breathing as well on a regular basis which is also perfect. Yeah, huge thing for stress and anxiety. And that's one of the things the what I previously said about my friend is that she really feels like she can keep her anxiety under control. It's like she has this little tool box she's always got.
this little tool box she's always got. So if things get tough, bring out the tools and yeah bring seems to bring everything back into balance. Perfect. uh when we speak about uh the the well the benefit we have just spoken about the benefits and now how to start applying those methods in our everyday life. How should we begin with it? Yes. So um you can there's the Wimhof method app which is really good or you can watch videos on YouTube so it can be guided because that's always a lot easier and there's introduction of how to do it. So, that's a really good, you know, nice way to find out the ins and outs. Um, it's really important to not worry too much whether you're doing it right or wrong. So, just give it a go. Um, follow follow the guidance. Um, there's a lot on the Wimhof Center France YouTube channel, there's a lot of different guided breath work sessions from different people and it's really important to find what style you like as well. So some people are quite um you know it's very there's a good beat, it's quite powerful, it's strong, but then there's also people that do it quite gently. So it's really finding what what style you like, what suits you, try out a few different ones. Um the most important thing is we say with safety element is always when you do the breath work, it needs to be lying down in a very safe uh environment. So on the floor or bed or chair, somewhere that where you can be really relaxed, never near any water, never in the shower or driving because you know it's quite powerful breathing. So always need to keep that safety element front of mind. And also when you're the more relaxed state the body is in, the better effects the breathing are anyway. So um yeah so it's really important to yeah be
yeah so it's really important to yeah be safe relaxed and then probably do it guided to start with follow follow the breath work it's brilliant at any time of day but I always start in the morning just I believe it's a great way to start the day it sets me up and also I put it off I'll think I'll do it later but then you know don't necessarily get round to it so no weight or something. Yeah. Like exercise or anything. So, do it in the morning. Um Yeah. And then the cold shower, literally once you've had a cold shower in the morning and you've you feel invincible, like if I've had a cold shower, I can do anything. Oh, yeah. Yes. And it's important with the cold to build up slowly. So, um I think you can download free off the Wimhof website the 20-day um cold shower challenge. This is awesome. I will also put the links to the YouTube channel Vhoff Center France where by the way you also have great bre. I did good breathing technique with you on the online on YouTube and it was really very great. Uhhuh. Yeah. And also I will put there the link uh later about the 20day of challenge what you mentioned just this is perfect. Yeah. Because it's really important to start off slowly. So, what you would do is you would get up in the morning, have your lovely warm shower as normal, switch to cold, and just do 5 seconds. And it's going to you're going to get that shock response in the body where the breathing is going to go. Yeah. [gasps] So, the important thing is when that happens in and out gently through the nose. So, it's not the Wimhof breathing. It's literally just slow inhales, slow exhales. And what this does is teaches the body that you're safe. So when we're breathing through our mouth first, it's giving us a sign to the body that we're not safe, that we're
the body that we're not safe, that we're in shock. Whereas when we're breathing, you know, out through the nose, sending the message to the body, I'm safe, and it calms the nervous system down. So yeah, do that 5 seconds at the end of your warm shower. Do that for a week. Next week, build it up a bit more. 10, 20 seconds. Keep building, building slowly until at the end you'll literally just be able to put it on to cold. I'm not saying it ever gets easy. [laughter] Yeah, you'll definitely notice the difference of how amazingly the body does adapt. It's incredible. But yeah, take it slowly. Um, seek support of others. It's nice to be maybe to connect with other like-minded people to be on a WhatsApp group so you can chat support each other and um of course you can do a workshop uh which teaches the science behind it the techniques that's really brilliant and also you teach uh you teach Vimhof method and breath work so what do you observe on people who attend those courses when they come uh do you also see or observe but on them uh the change in in their mindsets uh how they feel after after the workshop after the seminar completely. So the workshop I had last Sunday had a a lady, she turned 70 this year and she did the ice bath and she was so proud of herself and said it was lifech changing that I think wow if she can get to 70 and you know still be trying new things and things that are feel lifechanging just to see that transformation and you know people come and they're not sure about it and they're like oh you know I'm really nervous or I'm not sure I want to do the ice bath, but when they've done it that, you know, realizing the the power that we all have within us and really important message that always
really important message that always comes out is that we are stronger than we think. We're we're stronger than we believe, you know. Uh yeah, that is just that's that's absolutely true. when when you mentioned the lady the 70 plus or 70 year old lady uh it came up to my mind a question who is actually this these who are these metals for is there any limit with age or uh I don't know some some is there any limit or is it for anyone well you um we do advise that you are generally healthy and if you have any concerns to you know ask your GP or uh yeah that's really important But if you are generally fit and healthy um and you're yeah not in pregnancy for obvious reasons and not if you suffer with epilepsy okay but you have other ailments you know if you feel comfortable and you've checked with your GP that's fine to do so there's nothing really holding anybody back um yeah all ages do it um it's usually 18 plus for uh to come to a workshop shop and yeah, all ages, all backgrounds. Yeah, it's great. It's it's once I did an interview with uh with also about about exposure to cold water in Czech language and uh there was in a group uh in um of people who do the cold exposure and who who swim in open waters in in crack lady uh who was 98 years old or something like this. And I was so surprised that someone like 98 years old can also do this. Absolutely. So what we're doing when we go into the cold and uh with an extent the breath work is we're training the cardiovascular system. So we in one human being with all our veins, capillaries, arteries, I think we have 100, 000 kilometers if you put them
have 100, 000 kilometers if you put them end to end that would wrap around the world two and a half times. Now with our sedentary lifestyles and with our comfort lifestyles in the warm all the time it's a bit like a muscle if we don't train it it gets weak. So we have this huge network this system through our body which is actually quite weak. So by training with the cold each one of these little capillaries no matter how minuscule it has a vascular muscle inside it and we are training those muscles. So we get into the cold and all those veins constrict. So we get out, they dilate, and we're doing this on a regular basis. We're really strengthening that whole cardiovascular system. That's a lot stronger. It therefore then the blood flow is working a lot better. So we have a lot less stress on the heart because the heart doesn't have to do all the hard work. Yeah. Um we have our lymphatic system which is um places within the body that contain fluid that is basically cle the cleansing part of the body. Now these this system doesn't have its own pump. So the blood is pumping better. It's helping this lymphatic fluid to flush around the body a lot better, clean toxins. So therefore, yeah, the the body's a lot cleaner and get rid of waste a lot more effectively. Yes, it's really incredible all those benefits. It's and also I would say that also that people look younger as uh you do because you you do. Can we uh can we say how old are you? Because when I found out I couldn't believe it. I still cannot believe it. So I'm 52. I'll be 53 in a couple of months. Can you understand how Jane can be 52 or she will be 53? I can't understand this. It's like [laughter] they found out oh my god that's not possible. You have like a shape of your body as a assemb when I saw the your videos on on the Bop
when I saw the your videos on on the Bop Center in France. And also you you look so young, incredibly young really. It's like I don't know 38 maybe something like this. Not 52. Thank you. But I think the important thing is is not how old I look but how old I feel because Yeah, absolutely. You know, coming up to 53 now, I've got more energy than I did in my 20ies. Wow. So, you know, in my 20ies, I felt tired a lot. Um, yeah, I just did I just don't have the energy that I have now. And that just astounds me. Um, so I think that's the most important thing, you know, is and I just feel like it gives me this glow. You know, you get out a cold shower, you you're bright red, [laughter] it's flushing the skin. So, actually is going to have that effect of Yeah. constantly. Uh you don't need fresh blood. Uhhuh. You don't need to use Botox or anything. No, which I haven't. You can't tell when I Everything does still move. [laughter] Well, amazing. Absolutely amazing. And also uh during certain age of course women will undergo menopause. Uh and also I I have read that you underwent menopause because of this method really smoothly that even you didn't observe like s some signs right is that right that's correct so it probably um started my menopause or permenopause around six years ago which would have coincided accidentally with starting the wimp off method and I've had I've been through the whole menopause so I'm out the other side now and I've had no symptoms at all, no hot flushes, nothing. And um you know, some people say, "Oh, it could be genetics, but there are a lot of other women my age that do the Wimhof method that report the same thing." Yeah, I believe it is this reason. Yes.
Yes. So yeah, I guess the blood flow, keeping the body in balance, helping the hormones to be in balance just been absolutely incredible for my menopause. Same. It can also help um people who suffer with really bad periods. Oh, this is also the topic. Absolutely. Because when I when when I went to the workshop, there was Laura and Isabelle as well. liver and uh there is a new book uh this is in check but it's in English secret of ice women newly released uh book about women's health and uh can you also describe like how how do you see what benefits does also called exposure have to women's body and women's health because I would say honestly that before I would say uh I would be afraid to call exposure especially during the special days uh over the period and so and and thanks to this workshop, I have a feeling that it's healthy to any woman if I'm not mistaken. Yes. And always listen to your body as well. And you know, obviously we go through the different four stages in a in our menstruation cycle and um the book contains a really lot of good in-depth information about that. So yeah, the important thing is to to listen to your body. Um, and just yeah, I think once you do start the breath work, you do become a lot more in tune with your body. So if you're at a particular time in your cycle where you're just not feeling it, it's really important to to listen to those messages. But because we've got that connection back with the body, we can be a lot more in tune with it throughout the different um the cycles of the month. Mhm. Um yeah. So what was the Yeah, this was actually it uh if if it is also because women women's body is different than than the male's body. So yeah um
body. So yeah um before I would say I would be a little bit afraid uh for women to to do to undergo their cold exposure but um but actually also what you talked about it's very beneficial for us even when we have uh the menstruation menstruation and it's it's anyway it's very beneficial uh that listening to the body uh how do we feel and we do not because sometimes I think we we tend to force things and push things and maybe this method also teaches us not to push it but to do it on a gentle gentle way right uh I 100% agree with that so it's the one of the biggest things that whim and all the the method says is never force so yes go go in how with how you feel obviously there are certain limiting beliefs that holding us where we do need to push ourselves a little bit more. But I think we can tune into the difference between fear and not doing something and not forcing when the body really doesn't want to do it. You know, if you've got a cold or anything like that, don't force the body into the cold water. Um, but there's a lot of stigma as well around women and cold water. I think, you know, there's a lot of clickbait on social media. um a lot of discussion around it and I can only attest to my experience. I can't speak for everybody and also cold water isn't for everybody. Um but yeah, as a woman it's given me so much strength, clarity, clearmindedness, helping through the menopause, removing that fog, uh make making me realize I'm a lot stronger than I think I am. I just think those are really really important factors for women. So not to think, oh, cold water is not for women. A lot of the studies they did around
A lot of the studies they did around that was really extreme cold exposure for a long period of time. Whereas the Wimhof method is about taking it gently. You know, it could just be a quick cold shower. It could be no more than two minutes in cold water. We don't have to be extreme with it to experience benefits. Even just the the short exposures are probably more beneficial, I would say, than anything extreme. And what would you say Jane about the inner strength? Uh how does it also uh support our inner strength? I would say that they're not right. Definitely. And and one other thing that really uh helped me in life was when my dad he suffered with cancer for 4 years and sadly passed away and obviously that experience uh is you know very stressful and it's not like I didn't grieve but I grieved in a healthy way and I felt like through his battle you know taking him to chemotherapy seeing his decline instead of being like my emotions were usually up and down so much and you know, feeling kind of out of control. I felt a lot more stable dayto-day and was able to handle the emotions that were coming up in a much more calm way. Um, yeah. So, that I think I would have really struggled with the old way that I was living through something like that compared to this tools that it gave me to really feel like I could manage day to dayto day. And I think that's one of the things it helps with the inner strength is because when we do the breath work, we're coming into the body. When we do the cold, we're coming into the body. So, we're constantly teaching ourselves to live in the now into in the present moment. And I think that's one of the things I've tried to learn since I was 20, you know, with the likes of Echart Holly and the power of now. If we live in the now, everything's okay. But to actually do that in a practical way, I was always a
that in a practical way, I was always a bit grasping how do I do that? How do I live in the now? Whereas the breath work, the cold, the power of the mind, it's taught me uh intuitively and gently a way to actually be in the now without grasping at that. So by being in a present moment, I'm able to handle things a lot better. You know, with my dad was not thinking what's going to happen tomorrow, when's he going to die? when this how you know you're just taking each moment as it comes handling that moment in the present moment so I really feel that that's that's what the method has given me there had to be very difficult situation and very challenging times because something like this it's always hard uh thank you for sharing this uh art experience and and um yeah I'm I'm really happy that we are talking about this topic how really it can help uh so many people to when they start to apply it. Yes. Yeah. When you mentioned your husband uh he who started with the cold exposures uh what about your children? Do they also do it or how do they she was coming up to her teenage years at the time. So not the best time [laughter] to try and encourage a child and as we know children really rarely listen to their parents. It's the same with Laraov with her father whim you know always said obviously with he was the crazy guy at the gates in the middle of winter with his shorts picking us up from school or you know we tried to get us do cold and we didn't want to have any interest in it. It was just, you know, crazy dad. And then one day in her 20ies, she was at university and she was on the phone to her dad and was saying, "I've got a really bad hangover." He's like, "I told you do the breathing." [laughter] So she did a breath work session and the hangover was gone and she was sold on
hangover was gone and she was sold on it. So, ever since then, yeah, you know, she adapted it into her life and obviously is now her and incredible ambassador and yeah, she's inc they're both all his family are just amazing. Um, so it's not something your parents can tell you to do, but I think if you've got I think it's setting by example rather than trying to get my daughter say, you know, have a cold shower, do the breath work. I think she's really just subtly, subconsciously really seeing the changes in both of us as parents, uh, physically, mentally, you know, our health. We're a lot healthier than we used to be. Um, we're more present emotionally, we're calmer. So, you know, children have an intuition where they put two and two together. have got and will know that implementing this into our life is what has led to a more peaceful yeah that's what also caring family environment so what I wanted to ask you that if you can see the difference in your uh family uh relationship and with with the family and with with your husband. So thank you for for bringing this up also to to me and to us to everyone who is watching. So you can also you observe that also the relationship also has improved while applying it this method together with your husband right 100% and also it's something that's fun to do together obviously [laughter] you know we would be in Scotland on holiday in the middle of winter and then all of a sudden we'll just just go in the water and you know come out and your dopamine and your serotonin you know it gets all your happy hormones going it's buddy. It's fun. So, it creates that sense of adventure, I think. Uh yeah, we have a lot more connection within the family. I just think because we're more present because, you know, we do the breath work in the morning. We've had our cold showers. We're more fully present to each other with within the
present to each other with within the day. Uh and obviously it's never perfect and we still you know encounter situations that every family does when you're together for such a long time but yeah that's the biggest difference we've known that that connection and presence. So you have around or dates with with breth and also cold exposure that you go to open waters and together that's really nice. It's also yeah to do it with friends as well. Yeah, really nice. And I noticed as well like with my friend that I spoke about earlier, you know, her daughter who is now, you know, she's older now, but since she was young, she's, you know, got in the cold water or cuz she sees her mom doing it, she's like, "Oh, I'll try this." And then she'll she'll have a dip and she loves it. And yeah, it's that that's a really important thing as well, I think, with children is to, you know, I grew up being told, "Put a coat on, don't go outside when it's cold, you'll get sick."you know, this is the way I was brought up, which is I was very fearful of cold. Uh, you hear it all the time and I used to do it myself, but before I knew, you know, I chase after my daughter saying, "Put your coat on, you'll, you know, children, they don't, they'll put a coat on if they need a coat." So, really try to listen to, you know, and almost be like a child yourself as well. Am I putting a coat on because it's habit or am I putting coat on, you know, do I actually need this? If I don't wear a coat, how do I feel? Um, yeah. So, it's also good. Really in that sense with children. Uhhuh. But because you are more present, you are more aware about the body needs, right? What the body needs. And then you don't push yourself to win to wear um heavy coat or something when the body doesn't mean it. Yes. Yeah. We just program, aren't we? We have to have layers and go out but up and then usually we're sweating underneath. Actually
sweating underneath. Actually have a go at cold exposure that way. You know, go out on a frosty day, take your coat off for a few minutes, see how how do you feel afterwards. Yes, it might feel a shock, but you know, don't think of it as an enemy. Think of embrace it as a new sensation. So don't think, oh, I'm cold. And if the body does this, it's going into protective mode. So it's giving signals to the body. So when you're in the cold water as well, try not to or if you're in the shower, try not to take on this posture. Okay? Bold, you know, be brave. The body will then the body will talk to each other by the way that you behave. Uh-huh. When we get into the eye spot as well, we put our hands on our thighs. Not not like this or keeping them out and you know relax your shoulders, embrace the moment. It's also when because now I when you were talking about this uh I remembered when I was doing when I was at the workshop it was not a problem to be under my waist under the water. That was okay. But uh from the waist up till here it was for me really difficult to go uh like this this part uh like up to my head and uh it was stuck in the freezing water. I saw that majority of the people who practice on a regular basis, they were already bu they were already correctly under the water. And what I observed is that when I breathed out because some of the instructors advised to breathe out and slowly and focus on the breathing only and do also put the hands on the ties. I actually experienced when I was with the water like this that I felt warmer than before than how when I was only like this. I felt I didn't feel as freezing and it felt actually it felt so calm and interesting with the
it felt so calm and interesting with the hands on the thighs and focusing on the breath. Yes, that is one thing we say that when you do get into the cold water or the shower, go all in. So you're not giving mixed messages to the brain. So say you're getting halfway, it's like the well, am I in am I out? What's happening? Whereas if you get fully in in one fell swoop, you're in and then the body can do what it needs to do. Whereas if you're in, up, down, in, out, half in, half out. It's like go fully in and then the body will do what it needs to do. And it's really important that you know we really trust this inner power within us and trust that the body knows what to do. So for example uh you know we go into a sauna the body just sweats. We don't have to do anything. The body just does it for us. So trust our bodies will do the same when we go into the cold. We'll get into the cold and the body will do what it needs to do. So putting that trust back in the body which is what we've lost in again in modern society. We think we need pills to fix us or someone to tell us what to do or it's actually really put that trust in ourselves. We've got that innate power within us. Trust that the body will do what it needs to do. Go in fully and then because it it knows what to do. Yeah. And you know what was also interesting after after this exposure to cold water when we went back uh on the floor let's say uh from from the water we started to do this Wimhof exercise which I knew from TV or from from also yeah from TV what I when I saw it and it was interesting that the body needed itself so quickly that when we did this also together with a breath so yes So that's one thing that we say
yes So that's one thing that we say about coal exposure is the most important part of the experience is actually when you come out that's when you need to do the work because you know if we lose distraction we start chatting we're you know we come out of the body. So it's like a there's a protocol to doing the cold. So before we go in we set an intention we visualize what's going to happen. Imagine ourselves getting in calmly. How does the body feel? Imagine ourselves being calm. Imagine ourselves getting out calmly. So that's setting our intention and preparing the body. Then when we get in the water, there's the protocol we discussed, you know, with a slow breathing, staying calm, hands on the thighs. Then when we get out, the most important part, yes, stay focused. So we're excluding the world around us. stay within. We get into the horse dance position. The reason for the horse stance is we've got the largest muscles in our body in our thighs. By doing the horse dance that generates a lot of heat within the body, helping the recovery. So, we don't rush to put clothes on. We don't rush to drink because what we're actually doing is teaching the body to warm up by itself. And we all feel a lot more benefit and a lot warmer from letting the body do that itself than trying to use outside sources to warm up. Um yeah, it's incredible. I I saw them off I remember first time in the group uh series on Netflix. Uh there was one of the first uh episodes about healthy healthy treatments and lifestyle was uh Vimhof and his his method introducing his method and it was just I also for the first time people doing it and when I did it uh this weekend few months ago I think it was November uh in November it was incredible to see that all my body felt uh really warm. The only thing
body felt uh really warm. The only thing what the only part of my body which didn't feel warm but it was because I was not used to I I believe that was the reason were my toes on my legs that was the only part but otherwise the whole body was really warm up warmed up totally and it felt so well so amazing it was amazing feeling. Yes. And it's just the power that the body has. And also when you do the breath work first got we've got our rib cage in between each rib we have intercostal muscles. There was another study they did with Wimhof. It was the brain over body study. Um so he was in a a PET scan and a MRI to see what was happening in the brain and the body of how he retains a skin temperature without you know being exposed to cold. But without his body temperature lowering and it's a lot to do with, you know, obviously having a scan, he wasn't allowed to move, so he couldn't do the breath work while he was having the scan. But if he'd done it prior, his muscles between his ribs had chewed up a lot of glucose, so they were producing a lot of heat and a lot of energy. And also when he was in the MRI, he used a lot of meditation about thinking visualizing how he was when he was climbing Everest. What did he do then? He's visualizing his body being warm. And then they when they did the scan of the brain, they saw a lot of activity in the period aqueductal gray area, which is the part of the brain that has like mind over matter. So there was a lot of activity. So it's showing how you know these exercises and this focus and this body mind connection really shows we have a lot of influence over the body just by using the mind. Yeah. Again more than we believe. Absolutely. How is it Jane to cooperate
Absolutely. How is it Jane to cooperate straight with Binhoff and Laura and Issa? Well the whole family it must be incredible. Yeah it's an amazing experience. But when you're in the moment, you kind of you're there for the participants. So, um, but yeah, it's just it's an absolutely incredible experience. And, you know, again, to be part of the Wimhof Center France is is just incredible. It's an amazing place to visit in beautiful nature. Um, yeah, Leandre who runs the center, it's he's so passionate and he's created such a great team and a great community. just go back again and again. So you're basic. So, you're based in Leon in France. Uh, actually I'm based in the UK. I know. But the the center is in uh in L. Oh, yeah. So, it's it's um it's 2 hours north of Marles in in the mountains. Yeah. And it's just in this incredible valley that has the Yeah. There's just some sort of energy coming from the earth. It's incredible. the views, the fresh air, it's Yeah, the center itself is very calm. It's beautifully set up. But um yeah, Leandre and Stash have put a lot of love and care into the center in creating this this beautiful space where you just feel really held and has the most nourishing food. How many people are there in the Gimhof France Center? Uh how many members does it have? Um as in actually people that visit. Well, people just keep going back and back. No, I mean the trainers or instructors as you are. Oh, okay. Um, so usually there's around four at any time. Uh, four or five. Yeah, depending on the size of the the group of participants. Perfect. Looking forward. Is there any wish uh you would like to share with people who are watching or listening to today's episode? What would you like to
today's episode? What would you like to share with them? Well, I I think the biggest thing for me is to say not to have fear around the cold. So, don't overthink things. Um, just be open to it. As I say, you know, I was so fearful of the cold. I wouldn't even dip my my little toe in slightly cool ocean. You know, I lived in Australia for 10 years in Sydney where the water is, you know, it's quite cold. It gets warmer, you know, in summer. But, you know, that whole winters where I could have been swimming and I never even went near the ocean. And I think what a waste just because I had that fear. The fear isn't something to the cold isn't something to fear. It's actually a really good teacher. Um, it brings us out of our comfort zone, but it makes us a lot stronger. uh and just really brings up that power within us that we've we've lost or we we're not sure we have. So, I would just say be really open-minded. Um give it a go. Give it a few goes and just the benefits that you will receive. I think you need to feel it for yourself. Feeling is understanding and the feelings that come up are so so profound. I think once you experience that then yeah and then you get a real zest for life and yeah it's really fun and meet so many incredible people as well on this journey. Uh yeah thank you very much. Thank you very much Jane for today's uh episode for your time valuable tips and also introducing uh breath work and wimhof method and its awesome benefits. Oh yeah, it's like once you get started, it's like there's this, you know, there's so much to find out and I didn't go too much into the science side of things today, but you know, you can explore so much about how the breath work it releases endockinabonoids,
endockinabonoids, our body's pain relieving system and uh yeah, the endockinabonoids have such an effect on the body. So if you're curious about that side of things, there's a lot of great stuff to read up on. So thank you very much. I'm looking forward to our another episode about special questions. How do you apply Wimhof in your everyday life and the daily habits and yeah also to remember as well there's a such huge network of instructors all over the world in every country. So you can literally go on the Wimhof website look in your area and it will show you people around you. Um it's really nice to be yeah supported and I think cold's so much easier to do if you're feeling safe and we create those safe environments for people to to try and to learn and so yeah that's a really good network to tap into in every corner of the world from China to wow Japan you know Holland all over the world and it's even in the comic also the center here what people are also some instructors what I found out which is awesome Yes. Super great growing community. Yeah. Absolutely. Thank you very much. I'm really happy to talk today about this topic and I also thank you ladies and gentlemen for watching uh today's episode and following talk podcast. Definitely share it with your friends or anyone who who doesn't have enough energy or who is frustrated or undergoing challenging situations in life or need some support or little encouragement because definitely James tips uh will be are worth it and will help anyone who will watching who will watch today's episode. I'm looking forward to seeing you next time, next Sunday when we will be talking with Jane about her daily rituals and how does she apply the breath work and Wimhof method in her everyday life. And I wish you a wonderful day. Take care. Bye-bye.
Transcript auto-generated by YouTube. Verbatim — duplicates intentionally preserved.
66 minutes of source material 82 Reacher quality score
The strongest thread in this conversation is discernment. Cold exposure is most useful when it is treated as a precise stimulus, not a personality trait. The body responds to dose, context, recovery, and consistency.
Cold, heat, breath, nutrition, and movement all work through biological mechanisms. They shift the nervous system, alter circulation, change inflammatory tone, and create an adaptive response. The felt benefit comes when that challenge is brief enough to recover from and repeated enough to become familiar.
A sustainable protocol should make daily life steadier. It should support sleep, training, focus, emotional regulation, and long-term health. If a practice creates anxiety, exhaustion, or a need to constantly escalate, the protocol needs refinement.
Women are not smaller men. Cycle phase, perimenopause, menopause, sleep, stress load, and training history all change the response to fasting, cold, and intense protocols. The intelligent approach is responsive rather than rigid.
Wellness trends move quickly. Evidence moves more slowly, and that is its value. Good practice leaves room for uncertainty, medical context, and the simple foundations that repeatedly outperform novelty: sleep, movement, nutrition, connection, and recovery.
The protocol is only as strong as the recovery it creates.
Start with control. Build consistency. Let intensity arrive only when the foundation is steady.
Choose a protocol you can repeat without strain. Consistency creates the adaptation.
Track how you sleep, focus, train, and recover after the practice. The after-effect matters more than the performance.
Keep medical context in view, especially with fasting, hormone changes, cardiovascular risk, pregnancy, or a history of fainting.
