Page 28 - WIM Hoff Method

system. The immune system regards the body's own cells and substances as

intruders and thus attacks them by producing antibodies.

People suffering from rheumatism, for example, have an over-active immune

system. This results in irregularities in the body's defense system. Under normal

circumstances, the body produces defense cells to protect the body against viruses

and bacteria. Everything that does belong to the body is tracked and attacked by

these cells. When a person suffers from rheumatism, these defense cells

erroneously produce protein bodies that cause inflammation of, for example, the

joints and tendons (Reumafonds, 2012). The body thus attacks itself. As practicing
the method can result in temporary accrual of stress hormones in the blood, the

WHM method could potentially have a positive effect on this.

While doing so, this can also lead to a limitation of inflammation bodies, which in

turn can result in a reduced risk in developing inflammation in the joints and

tendons. People who suffer from autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism, can as

such profit from the WHM. Further research is needed to show this.

Heart and vascular diseases

Exposure to the cold has a major effect on the heart and vascular system. The Wim

Hof Method (WHM) can be used to strengthen the cardiovascular system, so that the
heart needs to pump less frequently, as all muscles in the blood vessels support

the blood flow.

Through exposure to cold you train these little muscles within the blood vessels
and by this blood will flow more fluently through your vessels.

Overweight and obesity

The study has shown that exposure to the cold has a positive effect on the

development of brown fat. This type of fat makes it possible to convert energy

(glucose and body fat) directly into body heat. This is possible because brown fat

cells contain numerous mitochondria, which act as the energy providers of a cell.

28