During our recent wellness trip to Hawaii, my husband had the opportunity to take a cold plunge. He, along with many close friends, has been encouraging me to do so due to its multitude of benefits, but as a lover of steaming hot baths, I don't think I have what it takes to do it just yet.
Cold exposure increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature.
However, my interest in it increased even more when I saw an old friend (like really old, I've known her since I was 11) post about doing it in her stories daily. Turns out her husband is one of its biggest proponents in the Philippines, and of course, as it always does, curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to explore the many benefits and share them with you today. In this week's column, I had the opportunity to learn more from Dr. Shawn Kato, Luciano Zanirato, and Luigi Meer.
Thought Junkie: Please share a bit of the background of Optimal Wellnaess. What inspired you to start this in the Philippines? Who are the partners behind it? Have you always been entrepreneurs?
Optima Team comprised of Dr. Shawn Kato, Luciano Zanirato, and Luigi Meer: We first heard of the benefits of cold exposure through Dr. Kato, from his experience working with athletes overseas as a Sports Physical Therapist to optimize their recovery and performance. We also heard about cold exposure through various health podcasts, such as Andrew Huberman, Joe Rogan and Peter Attia. As health and fitness enthusiasts, we're always looking for an edge in recovery and performance so we became seriously interested in trying out some form of cold exposure in the Philippines.
Our first ice bath experience was through Mark Beltran, a seasoned yogi based in Alabang. After experiencing the incredible physical and mental benefits of regular ice baths, we became hooked on the cold and longed for a practical at-home solution. The problem was it was too tedious and cumbersome to prepare ice baths (with actual ice) for each and every use. After several months of preparing ice baths, we decided that an "iceless" cold plunge was way the more practical and economical approach. This is how Optima was born. We searched long and hard to find the right partner that can help us build a water cooling system. We tried different prototypes until we finally reached a version we felt had great build quality and effective precision cooling that matched our standards. Our Optima Pro is an iceless cold plunge system designed to reach as low as 3C without the need of any ice. All you need is an outlet to plug the chiller and a tub full of water to cool.
The Optima Pro System is a portable all-in-one versatile cold plunge system consisting of a chiller and a compatible tub.
What is your main product line?
The Optima Pro System is a portable all-in-one versatile cold plunge system consisting of a chiller and a compatible tub. With the Optima Pro Chiller, there is no need for any ice, as the ice-cold temperature is reached and maintained by the chiller's self-priming circulation pump, which can be controlled by our Wi-Fi enabled application. The compact size of the system makes it convenient for small spaces, yet big enough for even very tall individuals. For those not ready to commit to the full system, our pro tub can be purchased individually as well.
For those who don't know, what is a cold plunge and what are the benefits?
Cold plunges are the best way to unlock the ultimate benefits of cold water therapy. They have an array of physical and mental health benefits for anyone wanting to feel and operate at their best. Many people use cold plunges for resilience training – teaching them how to overcome stressful situations in their daily lives in a controlled environment.
Athletes and high performers such as Joe Rogan use the cold plunge daily to stimulate their body and mind and help them achieve their work, life and exercise goals. In fact it's one of the strongest controlled stimuli for activating noradrenaline and dopamine, that's why you feel great and want to do it again! In the short-term, cold exposure also increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories to increase core body temperature. There is the conversion of white fat (energy storage) to brown fat (which are highly metabolically active) that triggers sustained increases in metabolism!
How has the reception been in the Philippines? Is there still a learning curve?
At this point, the team is focused on further educating the PH community on the benefits of cold exposure for their health and wellness. Unlike other colder countries, it is not common practice for Filipinos to regularly ice bath or cold plunge. We hope to inform the PH community of the plethora of benefits of cold exposure and hope to one day see cold plunges as common and as popular as saunas.
What's next for you?
Our mission is to educate and transform the way people approach their health and wellness. We strive to provide our clients with an easy way to achieve higher levels of performance in all areas of life. Each cold plunge that someone uses is an opportunity for them to change their mind, body, and spirit the same way we did. It's an investment in their health and wellness. An opportunity for us to share the secret weapon for faster recovery, a healthier body, and stronger mind.
Where can we find you?
You can find us on our social media platforms on IG & FB @optimawellnessph for any updates on upcoming events and products. You can also reach us via email optimawellnessph@gmail.com.
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