Latest news with #healthcoach
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Safety alert over popular ice baths after man develops agonising condition - 'it's the most dangerous health trend out there'
A health coach has sounded the alarm over the popular ice-bath trend that sees people plunging into freezing temperatures—after he was left with a debilitating condition that can trigger organ failure. The performance coach, who goes by joeinbalance on Instagram, told his followers that despite its mood-boosting abilities, the practise is 'the most dangerous health trend out there.' In a video that has been viewed over 4.4million times so far, Joe alleged that doing the plunges regularly for a year had resulted in him developing kidney stones. These caused by waste products in the blood forming crystals that over time, form a hard, stone-like lump in the kidneys. Once a kidney stone has formed, the body will tries to pass it through urine which, if depending on the size, can be extremely painful. If untreated, the stones can trigger potentially serious urine infections and blockages, which raises the risk of kidney failure. Fitness fanatic Joe, who developed kidney stones at just 18-years-old, described the condition as 'the worst pain I've ever experienced'. Initially, Joe—who has also trained in nutrition—thought that the stones were unrelated to his ice bath routine. At first I loved the adrenaline rush and the dopamine high', he said. But, when he suffered two more kidney stones in quick succession, his 'mind finally clicked'. 'I started connecting the dots,' he explained, adding that he believes the freezing temperatures puts undue stress on the immune system, causing waste products to build up in the blood. Cold exposure also increases urination and dehydration which promotes the formation of kidney stones, he added. Not drinking enough water is a well-known cause of kidney stones. Diet, lifestyle, and genetics also play a role in the likelihood of someone developing kidney stones. But, Joe said: 'Ice bathing definitely made [my kidney stones] worse.' He also noted that he has had no new stones appear since he stopped ice baths three years a go. He is now urging people to take an alternative approach to holistic health, swapping freezing cold plunges for sauna sessions instead. Sauna-lovers say the hot rooms have a variety of health benefits including managing stress and easing muscle pain. Ice baths have also surged in popularity in recent years, amid claims they can boost circulation and improve heart health. Plunging into cold water trigger's the body's cold shock response, where a sudden drop in temperature leads to a surge in adrenaline, noradrenaline and other hormones that boost feelings of alertness. This process is believed to be behind the alleged health benefits, although experts have warned that not everyone will reap the same rewards. Experts warn that ice baths come with an increased risk of hyperventilation and hypothermia. This is because, when the body is suddenly exposed to cold water, we almost instantly take a deep breath as the body demands oxygen. This is followed by hyperventilation—a rate of rapid breathing ten times faster than normal. Sudden exposure to cold water also dramatically increases the risk of cardiac arrest as the body desperately attempts to slow the amount of heat escaping to keep the vital organs functioning as normal. At the same time, heart rate increases, putting the organ under immense strain, creating a potentially fatal spike in blood pressure. As of last year's figures, 11 people are thought to have died as a result of cold water exposure. However, researchers in Canada recently found that cold plunges can help ward off disease and slow down biological aging. The researchers tracked 10 healthy men who took the plunge for 60 minutes a day over the course of a week. Overtime, analysis of blood biomarkers showed there was a reduction in inflammation and cellular damage. Dr Kelli King, who lead the study, said: 'Cold exposure might help prevent diseases and potentially even slow down aging at a cellular level. It's like a tune-up for your body's microscopic machinery.' He suggested that the stress response from the cold water was responsible for the boost in cell function.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Recognizing warning signs of mental health issues can save young lives
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at How do you know if your child or teen is going through a mental health crisis and what should you do if you see a problem? University of Alabama professor Abby Horton, a certified health and life coach and instructor in the Capstone College of Nursing, says communication is an important key for a young person's mental health and to help parents see warning signs. "If you are concerned about their health overall, their mental health, their moodiness, you're noticing patterns that have changed, then have a conversation one-to-one. You can figure that out in your family dynamic, but have that conversation, ask open-ended questions, keep them talking. You know, figure out what is the main thing that's really causing them to be stressed, or to feel hopeless or whatever the case may be," Horton said. Horton said there are signs a child or teen is experiencing a mental health issue, but seeing those signs requires a relationship. "I think it's really important for us to notice patterns. And so for us to do that, we really have to know the person that kid, the teen, and know that their pattern is different," Horton said. Here are some of the signs there could be a problem. Speech patterns change. Your kid becomes more talkative than normal or less talkative than normal. Changes in sleep patterns. This could be from a loss of sleep or sleeping more than normal. Unusual moodiness, sadness, or hopelessness. Talks or hints about death and/or suicide. Giving away belongings. Quitting activities that they have always enjoyed. Horton said this is not a comprehensive list and parents, friends, and teachers who know the person well can detect problems and should not be afraid of addressing them. Horton said a common myth that worries parents is if they talk to their child about suicide, it might induce them to commit suicide. Horton said having a conversation about suicide is not going to harm the child but will open a door of communication to help them. If a parent, friend, or teacher sees the danger signs, there are steps to take to get help for the person in need. If the crisis seems severe, the first step should be to call 911 in cases where a person's life is in danger. If the situation is less dire, the following steps can get the ball rolling to get help. Start a conversation with the child or teen. Talk to their coaches, teachers and friends. Contact mental health professionals in the school who can put the family in touch with appropriate resources and referrals. Contact mental health providers in the community to set up doctors visits or visits to counselors. Call 988 the suicide and crisis lifeline. "Once you start that conversation, once you reach out to the school, oftentimes you're going to be surrounded by a community of support where they start helping you at the school, in the community, and they help form a plan that's going to work for that child or teenager," Horton said. "It's so important for kids and teens to have a trusted adult they can reach out to when they have a challenge, or when they're having a mental health issue, because having someone the child or teen trust can help walk them through whatever they're facing is critical," Horton said. "Hopefully it's a parent, but it might be a teacher or a coach. It might be someone in their church or community that can have a conversation where there's a previous relationship with that child or teen, and they kind of know that teen's behavior. They know maybe things that are going on in their life and they can help really tailor advice or mentoring or coaching to that particular individual," she said. "You know, it's so important to realize what teens need, especially teens going through difficult circumstances, is someone to be willing to show them empathy, to be able to have conversations and let them know that it's OK to not be OK. It's OK to ask for help," Horton said. Reach Gary Cosby Jr. at This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Recognizing warning signs of mental health issues can save young lives
