Welcome, VivaRays Community!

As we've journeyed together through the "Winter Blog Series," we have been exploring how we can align more harmoniously with the natural rhythms of the season.

• Part 1: shared my personal struggles with winter. [If you missed it, click here to read part 1]
• Part 2: uncovered how wild animals thrive in the freeze, challenging us to rediscover our own resilience. [If you missed it, click here to read part 2]
• Part 3: looked at light as more than something we see by, showing its role in syncing us with nature's cycles. [If you missed it, click here to read part 3]
• Part 4: gave us actions to make the most of light for better winter well-being. [If you missed it, click here to read part 4]
• Part 5: delved into darkness and its cues for seasonal adaptation. [If you missed it, click here to read part 5]

Today's Focus: The Force of Temperature

Now, we turn our attention to the often overlooked, yet profoundly transformative power of temperature.

The rising trend of cold baths has caught the attention of health seekers worldwide. It's genuinely promising and uplifting to see so many individuals embracing the invigorating effects of cold water. It shows a collective desire to reconnect with our bodies and the natural world in a more profound, meaningful way.

However, the depth of understanding regarding why and how nature uses the power of cold temperatures to help us thrive, especially in the context of winter adaptation, is still very superficial.

The cold in the winter months isn't just an obstacle to overcome. It's a call to adapt, to strengthen, and align with the cyclical flow of life.

The goal here is to help you use the power of temperature in context, at the right time, in the right place. Remember that great things can equally become bad things when they are out of context. For example, consider the duality of light: Think about how the blue wavelengths invigorate us during the day, yet disrupt our internal rhythms at night.

This duality reveals a fundamental principle of nature. All the elements of nature, including temperature, are composed of equal and opposite forces (cold and hot for temperature) that serve distinct purposes at different times. It's a reminder that everything in nature has its own time and place. Context is everything. What heals in one scenario can harm in another.

’’Use temperature wisely; what benefits us in one context can harm us in another, illustrating nature's principle of timing and balance.’’

So, why does temperature play such a crucial role in resetting our seasonal rhythms? What evolutionary connections do we share with the change of temperature from season to season, and how has modern comfort disrupted this natural alignment? What practical steps can you adapt to harness the power of temperature in your daily life?

This blog will answer this and much more.

Temperature: Another Important Messenger Nature Uses to Communicate with Our Bodies

The third physical force that nature uses to communicate with our bodies that winter is here is the drop in temperature.

What 's the first thing most of us do when we feel that chill inside our homes? We turn up the heat. It's an almost automatic response. An easy switch, and voila, our home becomes warm and comfortable.

But here's something to think about: Our efforts to outsmart nature and stay warm are messing with another messenger that nature uses to help our bodies change, adapt, and get better at dealing with winter's cold.

‘’Interfering with nature's way hinders our adaptation to cold.’’

Today, we created indoor spaces lit with blue light, mimicking the color temperature of 12 noon in summer, and keeping the temperature constantly at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This replicates summer-like conditions all year round. And when we step outside, we're usually wrapped up in thick, thermal jackets, insulating ourselves from the cold.

Ever noticed a feeling of resentment towards winter and its cold after the first snow?

It's no surprise. In life, it’s all about being prepared for different events. When something happens and we are not prepared, it shocks our systems.

By using technology to create a never-ending summer inside, we stop our bodies from getting the natural cues they need to get ready for colder weather. This makes us less resilient and less able to handle a drop in temperature. We end up staying indoors as much as possible, telling ourselves that we just can't stand the cold.

However, it might surprise you to learn just how adaptable we all are – you, me, everyone.

Our bodies are powerful, especially when we let nature provide them with the right cues at the right times. We have an amazing ability for thermal plasticity, which means our bodies can thrive perfectly in a wide variety of temperatures. We've always had this kind of resilience, but our disconnection from nature has made this natural skill a bit rusty.

‘’Relying too much on technology for warmth weakens our natural ability to adapt to cold, yet we inherently have powerful adaptability to diverse temperatures.’

My Adventure with Wim Hof, the IceMan

Imagine this: I'm standing in the mountains of Poland in December 2015, the ground covered in snow, shivering in my thick winter jacket. Coming from Lebanon, cold like this is alien to me. 'Are you ready for what's next?' Wim Hof, the Ice Man himself, asks with a tone that suggests an adventure is about to unfold.

'We're going to take a dip in the frozen river,' he announces.

I am standing there in shock, my breath is fast and shallow, feeling extremely cold and for a moment, I'm convinced I won't make it.

But here I am, telling the tale. 'What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,' right?

This plunge pushes me far out of my comfort zone, brushes off the fear, and awakens a giant fire within me that has been extinguished by too much comfort.

For the next ten days, we're mostly outdoors, away from the artificial glow of screens and bulbs after dark, syncing our sleep with the setting sun.

We hike in shorts, walk barefoot on the snow, meditate, contemplate the beauty of nature, breathe deeply, and even plunge into icy lakes and rivers in temperatures hitting -20.

'Can you feel that?' someone in the group asks. 'It's like there's a fire inside, melting away the cold.'

Everyone in the group is fundamentally transforming. Our inner fire blazes, turning us into powerful heroes. We no longer fear the cold; we are like ancient gladiators, feeling at one with nature.

Even though we still feel the cold on our skin, our inner heaters are melting away the discomfort, radiating from the inside and giving us a sense of aliveness and warmth we've never experienced before.

'It's clear something intentional is happening in our bodies. Day after day, we continued to exercise our thermal plasticity.

Our mitochondria started kicking in faster, responding to the cold by vigorously releasing more infrared light in the form of heat.

Why the freezing temperatures in Poland led us to feel more alive, look younger, and more vibrant

"The true magic of adapting to the cold goes beyond just getting used to it. The real game-changer is how this process makes our mitochondria better at generating heat, leaving us feeling younger and full of life. But why does this heat generation inside the mitochondria invigorate us?

Deep within our mitochondria, there are five special proteins known as 'respiratory proteins' floating in a sea of cellular water that are key to our energy production. However, when those proteins start moving apart with time, their efficiency drops, reducing our energy levels.

How heat generation inside the mitochondria invigorates us

The photoelectric effect by Einstein tells us that light programs the electrons in the food that we eat with a spin. When the mitochondria break down the food that we eat into electrons and protons, those 5 respiratory proteins convert those spins back into a form of light, mostly infrared heat and UV light, which builds a special type of water in our cells known as EZ water.

This light energy catalyzes a split in the water molecule of negative and positive charges. The separated charges are similar to a battery, creating potential energy that drives blood flow, energy production, and healing.

Also, those spin states give our mitochondria information about the environment that food was grown in, which the body uses to know the time of the season and the geographical location (More on this in Blog number 7)

‘’When light hits an electron, it makes it spin in certain ways, depending on the frequency of light absorbed and their intensity’’

• Analogy: Imagine the 5 respiratory proteins as quantum Navy SEALs in the water, each one tossing and passing energy orbs (electrons) in a precise, coordinated dance to generate ATP (energy). These SEALs need to maintain an ideal position; if they move too far apart, this decreases their efficiency and their ability to produce energy.

• Sunlight, particularly infrared light, energizes the water around the navy seals, causing the water to shrink. When the water shrinks, the navy seals move closer together. This enhances their performance, which optimizes energy production.

• Conversely, bad habits like exposure to artificial blue light from phones and led lights dehydrate the water around the seals and causes the seals to move apart.

In quantum physics, every 1 angstrom (10−10 meters (m)) increase in the distance between the respiratory proteins drops the energy production by a factor of 10.

When we have less energy available, we have less energy to heal and carry out optimal daily functions like thinking and being creative. We start feeling foggy-headed, fatigued, and irritable.

Also, our mitochondria won’t be able to repair themselves at night, and this causes you to sleep terribly and wake up feeling groggy and unmotivated.

‘’The infrared heat from the sun creates what's called 'structured' water inside our mitochondria. This kind of water is denser and brings those vital proteins closer together, boosting our energy-making capabilities. It's like nature's own youth elixir, which is why getting out in the natural light is so crucial.’’

Now, you might wonder, 'How do I tap into this natural elixir during the winter when sunlight is in short supply?'

Well, the cold holds the answer. Just like animals adjust their mitochondria in winter to convert fat into infrared heat, our bodies do something similar.

Exposing ourselves to the cold fires up our mitochondria to burn our food intake into infrared heat. This process contracts the water inside our mitochondria, making them work more efficiently and keeping them young and vigorous. This boosts our energy levels and makes us feel more alive and youthful.

So can you start to see how nature uses its forces in a purposeful way? When sunlight is scarce, nature offers you a cold temperature to energize your mitochondria. Turning down your heaters, and embracing the cold will help you activate your inner heater and unlock a vibrant energy that keeps you feeling young and dynamic.

Conclusion: Embracing the Chill for Vibrant Winter Wellness

And there you have it, VivaRays Community – our journey through the transformative power of cold has revealed the remarkable ways nature communicates with us, guiding our bodies to adapt, thrive, and harness the vibrant energy of winter.

Golden Nuggets from Our Adventure:

• Thermal Plasticity: Our bodies have an innate ability to adapt to a wide range of temperatures, a skill that can be reawakened with a little exposure to the cold.
• Mitochondrial inner fire: The winter time alters our metabolism, causing our mitochondria to start burning food and fat to generate heat. This process generates EZ water inside the mitochondria, which boosts our respiratory proteins, enhancing our energy production and making us feel younger, more alive, and vibrant.
• Nature's Balance: Just as sunlight nourishes us during summertime, the cold offers its own form of energy during winter time. It reminds us to welcome every part of nature's cycle, showing us the value in every season.

Stay tuned for Blog Number 7, where we'll dive deeper into the benefits of cold exposure. We'll explore three more ways nature PURPOSEFULLY uses this force to boost our well-being and share four actionable steps you can take today to embrace the cold and activate your inner heater.

Here's to a winter filled with health, vitality, and the vibrancy of nature's wisdom.