Are warm, cold water good for health?
Are warm, cold water good for health?
Dear Dr. Donya,
I am a regular reader of your article in The Jakarta Post. I
want to ask you two questions:
1. I would like to know the advantages of taking a whirlpool in
warm water, about 40 degrees Celsius. How long should one stay in
the water? Next to the warm whirlpool, there is often a pool of
cold water. Should we use the whirlpool first and then go into
the cold pool, because that way we will have plenty of sweat
afterwards? We need to know the correct way to use the whirlpool
as well as the health benefits of taking a whirlpool.
2. If I have high blood pressure which I control by taking
medicine every morning, am I allowed to become a blood donor, at
least every three months? Some doctors say people with high blood
pressure should not donate blood while others say the opposite,
saying that with less blood in the body my heart is more relaxed
and pumps less, which is good for me.
-- Benny
Dear Benny,
They are very interesting questions.
Sources of heat and cold, such as a hot bath and hot or cold
compresses, can soothe sore and inflamed muscles. Hot water helps
loosen tight muscles, so the result may relieve pain in joints or
muscles. How long should you soak? I suggest 20 minutes maximum
due to hydration and heat issues.
If you have an injury, use a cold treatment for up to 20
minutes. Use ice for as long as spasms persist. I do not
recommend changing temperature very quickly by going from too hot
to too cold.
For the blood pressure, the fact is that a stronger heart can
pump more blood with less effort, and the less your heart has to
work the less force or pressure that is exerted on your arteries.
For hypertension and blood donations, they are a few points
that have to be considered. For example, what do you mean by
"control" and how many medications do you take to control your
blood pressure? And do you have any heart problems or heart
enlargement.
I would say if your blood pressure is under 140/90 and you
have no heart problems in terms of enlargement, and your blood
pressure is under control with one or two medications then you
should be able to donate blood.
-- Dr. Donya