By Allison Gorman, Natural Awakenings
If you’ve been a reader of Destin Life for any period of time, by now you know Cryotherapy—a brief, controlled exposure of the body, or part of the body, to ultra-low temperatures—has become a popular way to reduce inflammation and pain associated with overworked muscles and sports injuries. Amy Milligan, CRYO850 owner, says whole-body cryotherapy is based on the same science as the traditional ice bath. “It’s designed to significantly lower your body-surface temperature in just three minutes,” she says. “While an ice bath chills the tissue to increase blood flow and release endorphins, cryotherapy tricks the nervous system into the same response. The result is the same.”
Of course, modern cryotherapy is much more sophisticated, and that’s especially true of the technology used at CRYO850. The “Emerald Coast Igloo,” as Amy fondly refers to her cryotherapy chamber, is the only one in North Florida that uses electricity rather than liquid nitrogen for refrigeration. The effect is more even cooling of the body with no risk of nitrogen burns, and re-oxygenation of the brain for a mental “reset,” she says.
Amy says the physiological response to this super-cooling is immediate: The metabolism speeds up and blood vessels rapidly constrict, sending blood from peripheral tissues to the core, to regulate body temperature. Then the body’s natural filtration system kicks in, expelling toxins and inflammatory agents in the blood. After the session, as the body warms, highly oxygenated blood flows back into the brain and extremities. The body releases adrenaline, endorphins and norepinephrine, reducing pain and providing a burst of euphoric energy.
There’s also a more prolonged, nuanced response. “As the process of restoration occurs over the next 48 hours, range of motion increases, depleted energy levels are replaced and antioxidant levels expedite the body’s natural ability to heal. The body and the brain are reset,” says Amy.
CRYO850 also offers localized cryotherapy—the more sophisticated equivalent of an ice pack—to treat one specific area of pain or inflammation. While a standalone treatment will bring results, localized cryotherapy used in tandem with a whole-body session brings “exponential healing,” Amy says.
Beyond Athletic Recovery
When cryotherapy is built into a health and wellness regimen, its benefits extend beyond the realm of sports therapy, Healthline reports. Clinical evidence suggests that it can reduce migraine symptoms, ease anxiety and depression, relieve arthritis pain and treat some dermatological conditions. There are also ongoing clinical studies to determine whether cryotherapy might help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Amy notes two more popular benefits: a revved-up metabolism and rejuvenated skin. Clients burn between 500 and 800 calories per session, she says, plus super-cooling stimulates collagen and elastin, the two most important components of a healthy, youthful complexion.
Location: 4495 Furling Ln., Ste. 10, Destin, FL. For more information, call 850-279-4145 or visit Cryo850.com. Courtesy Natural Awakenings Magazine.
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