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Win Hof has actually had legitimate studies done where he has proven he can activate his immune system with his mind

User23 5y ago
Given the brain’s regulatory role in virtually every aspect of homeostasis, I’m surprised that folks are surprised that by mental exercises autonomous functions can be influenced if not controlled. Wim Hof is interesting, but any Hindu can tell you that yogis have been performing similar feats for millennia.
- panabee 5y ago
  this is a great point re the brain's regulatory role. thanks for sharing. can you recommend terms to google to learn more about what mental exercises yogis do and can achieve immunologically?
asdff 5y ago
The wikipedia article on wim hof where they quoted the study seems a lot more believable: " . . . forceful respiration results in increased sympathetic innervation and glucose consumption in intercostal muscle, generating heat that dissipates to lung tissue and warms circulating blood in the pulmonary capillaries. Our results provide compelling evidence for the primacy of the brain (CNS) rather than the body (peripheral mechanisms) in mediating the Iceman's [Wim Hof's] responses to cold exposure.[28]" By hyperventillating you are just flexing your intercostal muscle and that's warming your body. If you sat there flexing your quads or your core over and over you would probably get a similar sensation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof
- thevagrant 5y ago
  That's in response to cold. He has also been tested for effects on immune response: "It was shown that this individual was able to voluntarily activate the sympathetic nervous system through a self-developed method involving meditation, exposure to cold, and breathing techniques. This resulted in increased catecholamine and cortisol release and a remarkably mild innate immune response during experimental endotoxemia compared with more than 100 subjects who previously underwent experimental endotoxemia." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034215/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034215/ Perhaps it is bunk science? I'm not qualified to say. I personally did find the methods have been helpful.
mementomorti 5y ago
I think its worth nothing that the Wim Hof method also includes both cold exposure and breath holds, both of which I believe are physiologically linked to the immune response. Though the article does seem to suggest that focusing your thoughts in a particular way could be involved as well. Pretty cool!

Given the brain’s regulatory role in virtually every aspect of homeostasis, I’m surprised that folks are surprised that by mental exercises autonomous functions can be influenced if not controlled. Wim Hof is interesting, but any Hindu can tell you that yogis have been performing similar feats for millennia.

panabee 5y ago
this is a great point re the brain's regulatory role. thanks for sharing. can you recommend terms to google to learn more about what mental exercises yogis do and can achieve immunologically?

asdff 5y ago

The wikipedia article on wim hof where they quoted the study seems a lot more believable: " . . . forceful respiration results in increased sympathetic innervation and glucose consumption in intercostal muscle, generating heat that dissipates to lung tissue and warms circulating blood in the pulmonary capillaries. Our results provide compelling evidence for the primacy of the brain (CNS) rather than the body (peripheral mechanisms) in mediating the Iceman's [Wim Hof's] responses to cold exposure.[28]" By hyperventillating you are just flexing your intercostal muscle and that's warming your body. If you sat there flexing your quads or your core over and over you would probably get a similar sensation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof

thevagrant 5y ago
That's in response to cold. He has also been tested for effects on immune response: "It was shown that this individual was able to voluntarily activate the sympathetic nervous system through a self-developed method involving meditation, exposure to cold, and breathing techniques. This resulted in increased catecholamine and cortisol release and a remarkably mild innate immune response during experimental endotoxemia compared with more than 100 subjects who previously underwent experimental endotoxemia." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034215/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034215/ Perhaps it is bunk science? I'm not qualified to say. I personally did find the methods have been helpful.

mementomorti 5y ago

I think its worth nothing that the Wim Hof method also includes both cold exposure and breath holds, both of which I believe are physiologically linked to the immune response. Though the article does seem to suggest that focusing your thoughts in a particular way could be involved as well. Pretty cool!