One aspect of training in the Russian martial art of Systema is the health practice known as "cold tempering." Basically, it involves subjecting the body to brief periods of intense cold, to which the body responds by quickly spiking its core temperature, effecting a sort of "mini-fever," if you will. This is a great way to help your immune system keep invading microbes in check. I'm really making a long story short here, but that's it in a nutshell.
Here's a great way to try it out, using a method known as "cold water dousing." At least once a day (but preferably twice), fill up a bucket with water as cold as you can get it from the faucet. Breathe in, pour the water over your head, and breathe out. Repeat as desired. Don't warm yourself up immediately, but spend a minute or so practicing deep breathing. It's convenient to do this right after a shower, before you get out and dry off. If you are able to do it outside, I'd encourage you to do so. I've received some strange looks from the neighbors while doing this in the middle of a northern Wisconsin winter, standing in a couple feet of snow, when the temperature is well below freezing. I like to follow it up by rubbing myself down with handfuls of snow. In the summer, it's also a fantastic way to cool off. If you're sick, you might douse as often as every couple of hours.
A friend of my dad's is an avid duck hunter. Years ago, in late autumn, he was suffering from a terrible "stomach flu." Vomitting, diarrhea, the works... but not enough to stop him from going hunting. As luck would have it, he shot a nice drake that landed right in the middle of an ice cold pond. Not having a dog at the time, he had to retrieve it himself. By the time he reached the duck, the water was up to his chin. By the time he returned to shore, he was no longer sick. At all. True story.
If anyone else gives cold water dousing a try, I'd love to hear what you think of it!
