The Goop Lab review: Freezing your ass off might reduce anxiety
A group of Goop employees get ready to face the cold.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Episode two of Netflix's The Goop Lab with Gwyneth Paltrow features Wim "The Iceman" Hof, a self-proclaimed healer whose main tactics are breathing and cold exposure. To prove his methods, Hof takes six Goop employees through a series of breathing exercises that culminate in "snowga" -- that's yoga in the snow -- and jumping into a near-freezing lake.
One woman who deals with extreme anxiety claims she hasn't had a panic attack since the plunge, while another describes how emotionally freeing the breathing exercises were.
It's true that the benefits of cold therapy are many -- quicker workout recovery, reduced inflammation and general pain relief, to name a few -- and they're backed up by decades of science that have tested the effects of the familiar ice bath.
More recently, trendy whole-body cryotherapy has ousted ice bathing as the most popular way to reap the benefits of cold temperatures, but there's a caveat: Most research on whole-body cryotherapy ends with "there is insufficient evidence" or points to ice baths as being just as, if not more, effective.
So why would you expose yourself to below-freezing temperatures when the standard 50-59-degree temperature of an ice bath is known to work just as well?
According to Hof, baring your body to wickedly cold temperatures can teach you to better withstand the stressors of everyday life and generally make you a healthier, happier, stronger human.
As someone who has studied and written about cold therapy before, I was prepared for some pretty outlandish claims in Goop's Cold Comfort episode. I certainly got what I expected, but I was also confronted with some research that shockingly proves Hof (mostly) legitimate.
Hof has an app on which you can learn his methods.
App Store/Screenshot from by Amanda Capritto/CNET The Goop Lab episode 2: Cold Comfort
The episode opens up with a panorama over a wintry Lake Tahoe, landing on Hof pulling a thermometer from the water and reading its chilly temp out loud: 7 degrees Celsius; 44 degrees Fahrenheit. "You cannot just jump in," Hof explains. "This is dangerous," going on to say that a human wouldn't last long and "would go into involuntary gasping."
But apparently, when trained with the right breathing techniques, anyone can enter the water and get benefits like mental clarity, a strengthened immune system, reduced anxiety and more -- which is why six Goop staff members opt to undertake Hof's cold therapy activities.
Hof teaches the six Goopers how to enter the water safely. He does this by showing them a breathing technique he developed -- which is essentially intentional hyperventilation -- that purportedly allows you to control your autonomic nervous system.
By the end of the episode, all six previously nervous Goop employees jump into a 38-degree Lake Tahoe and easily swim their way to shore. Afterward, everyone discusses how surprisingly easy it was -- and having had my fair share of cold-water swims, I know that it usually feels like your limbs lock up and you're going to drown.
So despite the eyebrow-raising claims (read: breathing can give you the ability to consciously control an unconscious part of your nervous system), Cold Comfort is worth exploring.
Goop Lab's claims about breathing and cold exposure
Hof's method includes two main components: breathing exercises and cold exposure. His main claims include that:
Of the six Goop Lab episodes, Cold Comfort may very well be the most scientifically grounded, if seemingly very staged. (The case study featured throughout the episode ended in a lot of head-shaking on my part.)
Surprisingly, though, Hof is the subject of several scientific studies published in actual peer-reviewed journals that prove his methods effective. For example, one 2018 paper in the journal NeuroImage states that Hof was able to activate control centers in his brain that produce analgesic (pain relief) responses. This is likely how he's able to withstand the piercing temperatures he exposes himself to.
Another paper published in 2014 showed that people who were trained with Hof's method can suppress their immune response, enabling them to better fight off a direct injection of the endotoxin E. coli. An additional 2014 report suggests that Hof's breathing techniques can help hikers ward off a condition called "acute mountain sickness," which occurs with drastic changes in altitude and temperature.
Also well-documented is the fact that breathing exercises can impose all sorts of beneficial outcomes, including: lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, decreased anxiety and depression, increased relaxation and improved sleep. This happens largely because of a down-regulating effect on the autonomic nervous system -- Hof's claim about conscious control may not be too otherworldly, after all.
Overall, the Cold Comfort episode isn't horrendous, but it could definitely use more of a "don't try this at home" vibe.
Adam Rose/Netflix
And as for the whole "alkalize your body" thing, there's not much research about doing so and whether it would be beneficial or harmful (or if it's even possible). A key concept that Hof seems to disregard is that different compartments of the human body have wildly different pH levels for important reasons.
For example, your stomach, which contains a great deal of acid and enzymes for breaking down food, operates optimally at an acidic pH of 1.5 to 3.5, fluctuating a bit depending on your meals. Your blood, on the other hand, is slightly alkaline with a normal pH of 7.35 to 7.45. Overly alkalizing your body isn't known to be helpful and, in fact, humans need a "tightly controlled" pH of about 7.4 to survive.
Also, it's highly unlikely that breath work is a mechanism by which you can alkalize your body. If anything, you'd need a special diet to do the legwork.
The verdict: While promising, these concepts need more research. The findings need to be replicated to prove that Hof's methods really do work, and the language in the show should've alluded to that.
One other point about this episode: They should have done a better job of emphasizing that you must practice the breathing techniques before attempting cold exposure. I worry that people might watch this episode and think it's a good idea to go romp around in freezing temperatures wearing a swimsuit, all because Hof sits cross-legged on icebergs and has an unbreakable immune system.
What do the experts think?
Dr. Jennifer Gunter, who famously grinds false claims into the dirt on her blog, specifically questions Hof's tactics: "Could people watch this episode and think that they should abandon proven therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy to follow Hof's method? Could someone trying this at home hallucinate? Or have a seizure? We don't get that information."
She encourages viewers to look past the admittedly impressive physical feats of Hof (like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts) and understand that endurance is "not synonymous with health or longevity."
Overall, experts seem to think that the entire Goop Lab series is just an unfortunately long infomercial for expensive, unattainable "wellness" goals that disguises itself as an informative miniseries.
Clare Wilson, a medical reporter with expertise in cell biology, says that Goop Lab "shows how easy it is to fall for bad science."
Can this help you?
If your question is, "Can breathing exercises and cold showers generally make me feel happier and healthier?" the answer is yes, most likely.
Again, intentional breathing is known to reduce stress, help you center yourself, think through your emotions and calm anxiety. Cold showers, ice baths, ice packs and even splashing your face with cold water can offer benefits like pain relief and, at the very least, temporarily invigorate you.
But if your question is, "Should I jump in the closest body of near-freezing water or make snow angels naked?" The answer is no -- at least, not without being thoroughly trained in Hof's breathing and cold-exposure techniques.
Until more research investigates the Wim Hof Method, you're better off sticking to milder versions of cold therapy and maybe practicing some more proven mindfulness techniques such as meditation and diaphragmatic breathing.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
11 tricks psychologists say can help you manage anxiety and stress at work
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Work-related stress is anything but uncommon.
Some 68% of Americans report experiencing moderate to high levels of stress on the job, according to a 2018 survey from tech company Wrike.
Navigating the workplace can be even more difficult for individuals dealing with anxiety. In fact, anxiety, along with often co-occuring depression, is a leading cause of disability, research shows.
So what can someone with anxiety do to help themselves be more comfortable at work?
1. The most important thing is to not change the way you live.
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Above all, people with anxiety should avoid limiting themselves, according to Marla Deibler, licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia.
"Those who struggle with anxiety should strive to fully participate in life, despite their bodily experience of anxiety — anywhere at anytime," Deibler says. "Being willing to fully experience themselves and their private experiences (thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, etc.) and being accepting of that range of experiences, while continuing to act on with what is important to them, will lead them to in the direction of ceasing the struggle with anxiety."
Deibler provided Business Insider with some other crucial tips — from symptom management strategies to changing your entire mindset — for handling anxiety in the workplace.
2. Don't suppress your anxiety.
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Stifling your feelings is counterproductive.
"Everyone experiences anxiety," Deibler says. "It is a normal response to stress. Let it in when it shows up. Practice acceptance. Rather than trying to push it away (which tends to be futile, resulting in feeling more overwhelmed and less in control), make room for anxiety. It is showing up to try to bring your attention to something."
Deibler says that, by allowing space for some anxiety at work, you'll render it less bothersome in the long run.
3. Be mindful.
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Check in with yourself once in a while.
"Examine anxiety with curiosity when it shows up, rather than rejecting it," Deibler says. "What do you notice when it shows up? What are you thinking and feeling?"
4. Invite anxiety along for the ride.
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Confront your anxieties head on. If you're nervous about public speaking, join a club to improve your skills. If you're afraid of talking to your coworkers, try to strike up a conversation.
"Push yourself to enter situations that lead to anxiety in order to demonstrate to yourself that you can persevere and succeed despite anxiety," Deibler says. "Exposing yourself to anxiety provoking situations, rather than avoiding them, helps to change your relationship to anxiety and increase your confidence in these situations."
5. Practice self-care.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Don't forget to take care of yourself.
"Attend to your own feelings and healthy lifestyle practices: good nutrition, sleep, and exercise are important to well-being, resilience, and healthy stress management," Deibler says.
6. Remind yourself that your mind is not always the best advisor.
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Sometimes, you can't trust yourself.
"Our minds like to constantly tell stories, analyze, judge, give advice, and criticize," Deibler says. "Sometimes these thoughts are supremely unhelpful to us. Observe what your mind does. Notice the thoughts. Note that they are not objective truths. You get to decide whether the thoughts are worthy of your attention."
7. Take a break.
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Deibler notes that changing your pace or scenery from time to time actually helps with managing anxiety.
8. Try progressive muscle relaxation.
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Engage in exercises that relax your body and set your mind at ease.
"Diaphragmatic breathing or other relaxation inducing practice (e.g., mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery exercises, tai chi, yoga) can reduce stress by helping to encourage the relaxation response."
9. Lay off the coffee.
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When it comes to managing anxiety, that latte in the morning is not your friend.
"Keep caffeine consumption to a minimum, as it can increase heart rate and physiological symptoms of anxiety," Deibler says.
10. Stay connected.
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You can get by with a little help from your friends.
"Social support is vital to managing stress," Deibler says. "Maintain connections to family and friends. Talking with others can do a world of good."
11. Seek professional help.
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Remember, you don't have to go this alone.
"Sometimes anxiety can be difficult to manage without professional help," Deibler says. "A clinical psychologist who provides cognitive behavioral therapy can assist individuals in learning to better understand anxiety and change their relationship to their anxious thoughts and feelings. Concerned coworkers and employers might also choose to express their concern for a colleague and help to normalize the experience and encourage the individual to seek help."
17 Practical Ways to Stop Emotional Eating, According to Nutritionists
There's no denying it: food can make you feel good. There's nothing better than getting to indulge in your favorite pasta dish at dinner, sip on a warm latte in the morning, or share a stack of fluffy pancakes with your friends over brunch. However, food can also be used for reasons outside of filling an energy need. If you've noticed you resort to eating food during sad, happy, or stressful times, you may be practicing emotional eating.
To combat mindless stress eating, we asked dietitian nutritionists to explain just what emotional eating is, the negative side effects, and how to stop emotional eating.
What is emotional eating, and what causes it?
"Emotional eating means that you eat for reasons other than hunger," says Amy Kimberlain, RDN, LDN, CDE, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Emotional eating is a recurring, unconscious attraction toward foods that fulfill an emotional void or distracts you from what's really bothering you. This may include emotions ranging from stress, sadness, frustration, and anxiety to name a few."
While it may have negative connotations, emotional eating may not always be prompted by negative emotions.
"Emotional eating can also be linked to happy times," adds Kimberlain. "Think about how you celebrate big achievements and special occasions, or even just define fun outings. We treat ourselves to our favorite foods to define a moment of pride or joy, and we link activities like going to a movie with getting to indulge in candy."
What are the negative side effects of emotional eating?
"Emotional eating can be okay in moderation. It's when this behavior becomes a bad habit where it can be an issue both physically and emotionally," says Kimberlain.
If uncontrolled and repeatedly done over time, Kimberlain tells us that emotional eating can cause a number of possible weight-related health conditions such as:
It also can have a heavy impact on your mental health.
"The mental health consequences can trigger symptoms of anxiety or depression, or worsen symptoms in people already living with these issues," says Kimberlain. "This is when emotional eating is used as a coping mechanism, and you're avoiding dealing with the underlying issue."
17 tips to stop emotional eating.
If you find yourself in the throes of emotional eating, here are 17 tips from dietitian nutritionists to help you stop emotional eating.
1. Identify any triggers you have.
"While eating is emotional and it's okay to occasionally soothe our emotions with food, it becomes problematic if that's the only way we know how to soothe emotions," says Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Bucket List Tummy.
It can be helpful to identify any triggers you have that may cause you to turn to food. Some common examples include:
If you have awareness of what the stress trigger is, you can try to proactively put some other self-care measures in place to help ease the emotions. Schlichter recommends these self-care replacements for emotional eating triggers:
"Now's the time to buy that new food journal you've been eyeing!" says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Shaped by Charlotte. Martin gives the following simple instructions:
"Although it may seem daunting at first, tracking both your food intake AND any emotions you were experiencing at each eating occasion can help you identify emotional eating behaviors and what's triggering them. It can also make you aware of the types of foods you tend to gravitate towards when you eat emotionally," says Martin.
3. Reward yourself with something other than food.
"If you are always associating happy or bad events with food this could very easily lead to emotional eating that happens frequently," says Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, a Chicago-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Once Upon a Pumpkin. "Instead replace a food reward of let's say ice cream with something like painting your nails, or taking some 'me time' to read or journal."
4. Eat consistently throughout the day.
"Oftentimes I see clients eat from a place of emotions in the evening because they're under-nourished during the day," says Chelsey Amer, MS, RDN, CDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Chelsey Amer Nutrition and author of Thrive in 5. "Aim to eat balanced meals (with a protein, veggies, carbohydrates, and healthy fats) when you feel hungry throughout the day. Avoid getting over-hungry because that makes it more difficult to eat well-balanced meals."
5. Find other ways to deal with stress.
"Discovering another way to deal with negative emotions is often the first step toward overcoming emotional eating," says Kimberlain. "This could mean writing in a journal, reading a book, or finding a few minutes to otherwise relax and decompress from the day. It takes time to shift your mindset from reaching for food to engaging in other forms of stress relief, so experiment with a variety of activities to find what works for you."
6. Get moving.
"Some people find relief in getting regular exercise. A walk or jog around the block or a quick yoga routine may help in particularly emotional moments," says Kimberlain.
In one study, participants were asked to engage in eight weeks of yoga. Researchers then assessed participants on their mindfulness and insightful understanding—basically their understanding of themselves and of situations surrounding them. The results showed that regular yoga may be a useful preventative measure to help diffuse emotional states such as anxiety and depression.
7. Slow down when eating.
"When you eat to feed your feelings, you tend to do so quickly, mindlessly consuming food on autopilot. You eat so fast you miss out on the different tastes and textures of your food—as well as your body's cues that you're full and no longer hungry," says Kimberlain. "But by slowing down and savoring every bite, you'll not only enjoy your food more, but you'll also be less likely to overeat."
8. Keep trigger foods out of your pantry.
"Identify what foods you typically gravitate towards when eating emotionally and try removing them from your pantry and eyesight," says Martin. "The reason emotional eating can turn into such a huge health issue is because we typically gravitate towards high-fat, high-sugar foods, and beverages during these times, not leafy greens and water. By removing these foods, and replacing them with something a little healthier, you may be more likely to take pause before emotionally eating and/or engage in something non-food-related. And if you decide to go for it, you'll fill up on more fiber-rich and protein-rich foods, which help reduce cravings later on."
Adds Martin, "For example, if you indulge in something sweet like cookies when feeling sad, replace it with fruit and nut butter. If you indulge in something savory like chips when stressed, replace it with roasted chickpea snacks."
9. Ask yourself WHY you're eating.
"Emotional eating is not always inherently a bad thing. However, it's important to partake mindfully," says Amer. "If you notice yourself emotionally eating, pause and ask yourself why. Just identifying that you're eating from an emotional state is a step in the right direction."
10. Don't deprive yourself of your favorite foods.
"One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle is avoiding certain foods not perceived as healthy," says Kristen Smith, MS, RD, a registered dietitian at Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta, GA, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "It's common for people to overindulge in foods when they avoid certain foods in their diet, especially when they experience emotional triggers."
11. Make a mindful food decision.
"The truth of the matter is that food is connected to our emotions, and certain foods may remind you of your childhood, or certain ones you hate because they made you sick," says Michalczyk. "Rather than fighting this urge in every situation, make a mindful choice when you are turning to food in emotional situations. Can you make a pizza healthier by adding vegetables? Could you bake something healthy and delicious? Reframing emotional eating from, let's say, turning to fast food every time something bad or good happens to perhaps making something at home, etc. can make a huge difference, too."
12. Try a mindful eating exercise.
"Slowing down and savoring your food is an important aspect of mindful eating, the opposite of mindless, emotional eating," says Kimberlain. "Put your utensils down between bites, and really focusing on the experience of eating. Pay attention to the textures, shapes, colors, and smells of your food." Ask yourself:
How does each mouthful taste?
How does it make your body feel?
"By slowing down in this way, you'll find you appreciate each bite of food much more. You can even indulge in your favorite foods and feel full on much less. It takes time for the body's fullness signal to reach your brain, so taking a few moments to consider how you feel after each bite—hungry or satiated—can help you avoid overeating," says Kimberlain.
13. Focus on your breath and count to 10.
"The act of focusing on your breath and counting forces you to stay in the present," says Schlichter. "If you find yourself heading into a territory where you feel powerless and out of control, try to focus on your breath to bring you back to the present moment. Check in with yourself and see if there are any other coping mechanisms you could utilize in this moment."
Schlichter recommends coping mechanisms to stress eating like:
"Aim for 7 to 9 hours of good quality sleep per night," says Martin. "We know that sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on our stress and appetite-regulating hormones, which then leads to cravings for high-fat and high-sugar foods. There's also evidence to suggest that sleep deprivation can predispose us to emotional eating because a tired brain is less able to handle emotional experiences with controlled and logical responses. A well-rested brain is better able to deliberately respond to emotional triggers, making you more likely to think twice about reaching for a cookie after a stressful day."
15. You can help prep for a full night's sleep by trying a few things.
"To help you fall and stay asleep, try engaging in relaxation techniques before bed, like yoga, meditation, or guided imagery," says Martin. "Tone down the blue light at least two hours before bed, and consider turning on a diffuser with lavender essential oil to set a calming mood. You can also try a magnesium supplement (specifically magnesium glycinate) before bed. Magnesium helps promote natural calm and relaxation."
16. Get support.
"Similar to rewarding yourself with something other than food, exploring a different coping mechanism is another good option if you feel like emotional eating is becoming a problem. Perhaps it's time to meet with a registered dietitian, or talk to someone," says Michalczyk.
"Just like with anything we deal with on our own, things can feel very lonely and isolating. But it's important to know that you're not alone, and you can learn to cope with your emotions differently no matter where you are on your journey with your emotional health or nutrition choices."
17. Ask yourself if you're really hungry.
"When you have a need to fuel your body with food, you will likely experience physical hunger signs such as stomach emptiness and growling, or weakness and fatigue," says Smith. To stop emotional eating, "learn how to identify head hunger versus physical hunger. Being able to identify true physical hunger will help you better understand when your body actually needs fuel." One of the best ways to do this is by using a hunger scale.
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