Swimming in cold water is a powerful stress for the body. Best option- preliminary hardening procedure, consistent accustoming to abrupt temperature changes.

When a person is immersed in ice water, the arising spasm of the skin vessels leads to a redistribution of blood to the side internal organs, on which the load sharply increases, primarily on the heart. In this case, a person suffering from arterial hypertension may have an increase in blood pressure.

Who is contraindicated to plunge into the Jordan for Epiphany!

It is not recommended to risk health to people who suffer from heart disease, arterial hypertension, arrhythmia and obesity. Those suffering from respiratory diseases, for example, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, should also refrain from the desire to swim in the ice hole. Also, you can not swim for people who have serious skin diseases such as psoriasis or eczema. You can not swim against the background of a cold, fever. The risk of contracting pneumonia increases dramatically.

Epiphany bathing will not benefit citizens who suffer from stress, insomnia, are prone to neurotic reactions, are registered with a psychiatrist, and receive psychological help.

For people with chronic diseases, young children and the elderly, it is better to refrain from this ceremony or take a contrast shower at home.

How not to get sick after swimming in the ice hole!

In order not to get sick after swimming in the ice hole, it is recommended to thoroughly dry the body with a towel, dress in a woolen warm clothes, drink hot tea with honey, do not drink alcohol and, if possible, do not walk long distances, but sit in a warm vehicle.

Is it possible to swim in an ice hole if you do not believe in God?

Baptism in an ice-hole is an ancient folk custom, not a church sacrament, only repentance during confession in the temple makes it possible for the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, if you do not plunge into the hole, nothing will be lost from a person.

Attention!

If you decide to join the ancient rite, first of all, objectively assess your capabilities. Don't risk your health. It is advisable to consult with your healthcare professional.

By tradition, for Epiphany, believers plunge into the Jordan - a special ice hole for bathing and water consecration. If you prepare well for the dive, then no health problems should arise. But if you dive without preparation, then the very next day you can pay for it.

They say that in Epiphany night (January 18-19) all water in reservoirs supposedly becomes holy. Everyone who plunges into it three times on this night will be healthy all year round and, possibly, will even be cured of diseases. But there are priests who believe that swimming in an ice-hole for Epiphany is just entertainment. Only bathing in riverJordan... And for this, no sacrifices are needed, the water there is almost always warm. There is another opinion on this matter: bathing is useful only for those who were engaged in fortune-telling during the Christmas week - swimming in the ice hole saves from this very sin. Howbeit, immersion in jordan has already become a tradition for our people, from year to year there are more and more people wishing to dive into the ice-hole. But no one has yet proven the ability to heal, the miraculousness of this ritual.

Ancient times cold literally all diseases were treated. Seven troubles - one answer: ice... For example, ice was applied to the head for cerebral hemorrhages, cold compresses were used to treat bruises, bruises, skin diseases, pulmonary bleeding was stopped with an ice bag, and from excess weight they were prescribed every day before meals and after taking them to swallow a few pieces of ice or drink cold water. And it all really helped.

Today, doctors also use cold to treat a variety of conditions, from acne to chronic sinusitis. Recently, scientists have found that the body of walruses copes with microbes 20% faster than ordinary people. But it is important to understand: one thing is regular tempering, and another is to plunge into cold water once for Epiphany. This is where the catch lies. Just jumping into icy water for no reason is very risky. If you plunge into the water instantly, then even absolutely healthy people may experience spasm of the coronary vessels, muscles, skin, and subcutaneous tissue. Because of this, blood circulation accelerates, the heart begins to beat faster and in the end may simply not cope with the increased pressure. And then a stenocardial attack, heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia is possible, and someone's heart may stop altogether.

Swimming in an ice-hole is categorically contraindicated in case of cold allergies (usually manifested in the form of urticaria), diseases of the genitourinary system (nephritis, cystitis, inflammation of the appendages), tuberculosis, impaired renal function, epilepsy, diseases of the cardiovascular system (myocardial infarction, hypertension ), gastrointestinal tract(stomach ulcer, cholecystitis), people suffering from chronic sinusitis or bronchitis and, of course, during pregnancy. But even perfectly healthy people (and there are not so many of them now) should still consult with a doctor before diving and undergo an examination.

Many drag children with them into the icy water. Doctors advise not to do this in any case. The fact is that young children still have an imperfect thermoregulation system. Hypothermia in ice water can occur in a couple of seconds of being in it, and parents simply do not have time to notice it. The child can get pneumonia, meningitis.

But this does not mean that you should give up swimming in the ice hole altogether. Just assess your physical strength sensibly and approach bathing wisely. A few hours before the dive, you need to eat a good meal - this "fuel" will be used to heat the body, it will help to better endure the cold. Drinking alcohol is not recommended - it is an additional burden on the heart. Just before diving, warm up well: do bends and squats. It is best to enter the water gradually, you can pre-wash your face, knees and hands with water. It is enough to be in the hole for 7-10 seconds, that is, literally dive in and immediately emerge. As a result, you should feel as if you were burned by fire. But if you feel a chill, then this is already a sign that the body has become hypothermic and you need to go to land as soon as possible.

Immediately after you get out of the water, put on a warm hat, woolen socks or felt slippers (rubber or rag slippers immediately freeze), and rub your body well with a terry towel. Be sure to bring comfortable clothes with you - without fasteners, buttons and ties (a regular terry robe will do), so that you can quickly put it on yourself.

And, finally, the most important thing: it is worth swimming in specially designated places and only where ambulance doctors, divers and rescue service specialists are on duty, so that if something happens, there is someone to help you. You need to be especially careful when swimming in a thaw - keep in mind that fragile ice may not withstand the mass gathering of people, which is usually celebrated on Epiphany night.

Alina BAVINA, Telenedelya LLC, Moscow (specially for ZN), photo by PhotoXPress

Very soon, already on January 19, Orthodox Christians will celebrate one of the main church holidays - the Baptism of the Lord. In the minds ordinary people, even far from believing in God, this celebration is associated with ablution in the font, which is usually cut in open water. But is it necessary to observe this ritual? With this question, the correspondent of the portal site turned to the rector of the Khabarovsk Transfiguration Cathedral, Archpriest Georgy Sivkov.

Swimming in the ice hole for Epiphany is not an obligatory ritual

- Tell us about the traditions of celebrating the Baptism of the Lord. How did it all start?

- The tradition goes back to the first centuries of Christianity. Celebrated by prayer communication with the Lord. Initially, the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord were celebrated on the same day, although the difference between these events is 30 years. Later they were separated, and the time interval between us was called Christmastide. Each of these holidays was preceded and is now preceded by a one-day fast - Christmas Eve. We need it in order to reverently prepare ourselves for the meeting of these events from the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In general, any church holiday is based on some individual examples from the life of the Lord, mother of god or holy saints. All this is related to the salvation of man. The Baptism of the Lord is remembered for us by the fact that Jesus Christ showed us an example of receiving this sacrament. He did not need the washing away of sins, since he himself was sinless, but he did it out of obedience to the law and the rules of God. By his nature, the Lord consecrated water and now his followers have the opportunity to touch him.

If a person does not believe in God, but at the same time takes part in the baptismal ablution, will he feel any changes in himself?

If you take water or be baptized in Jordan without faith in the Lord, then a person will not feel any cleansing spiritually. If there is faith, then along with water he receives the grace of God. For a Christian, this can be a new starting point, because he leaves behind everything that was before. Epiphany water is combined with God's grace, but I repeat, it is accepted only when a person believes.

Tell me, is it necessary for the Epiphany to plunge into the cold Jordan, equipped on a river or some other body of water?

No, this is just a folk tradition that has entered our lives. In church rules there are no regulations about bathing on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Everything must be approached to a reasonable degree. But the church goes to meet the desires of people, but at the same time explaining what framework is needed to observe reverence for holy water.

The church is against any outdoor swimming pools being consecrated. Such requests come in regularly. We explain that no entertainment or mass bathing should take place when the ordinance is performed. You need to respect the holiday.

- Are there any human actions on this holiday that the church does not encourage?

It is not allowed to approach the sacrament of Baptism while drunk. Swimming is also censured just for the sake of showing off to acquaintances or friends. We often have the first thing people do after dipping - photographs in social networks spread. This is some kind of vanity.

- What is the correct approach to ablution?

You need to tune in that you are making an impromptu sacrifice to God, a small feat. Good thoughts are important. It is in this mood that it is important to enter the water. It is advisable to avoid swimming in swimming trunks or swimsuits - it is advisable to wear a special long baptismal shirt. They are used for ablutions in holy springs, for example.

Before entering the water, you need to cross yourself one or three times, read a prayer. More knowledgeable people can sing the troparion to the Baptism of the Lord. But all this is a personal desire. In fact, there are no strict rules - only traditions.

- The opinion is firmly established among the people that bathing on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord cleanses from sins. Is it so?

No, it’s not like that. There are the sacraments of repentance and confession, to which a Christian, if he wishes and corrects his life, must resort. A man in the presence of a priest asks God for forgiveness, and he reads a prayer of permission over him. This is how they receive the remission of sins. Of course, we must personally turn to God. But in order to enter the water and all your sins were immediately removed, then there is no such thing. This is impossible without repentance.

- If a person wants to take a bath, but an ice-hole in the river is not for him, then where else can this be done?

Some churches have their own closed fonts. For example, in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral there will be free access to it on a holiday. Most often, people come with children or those who, for health reasons, are not suitable for swimming in open cold water.

- Do the clergy themselves necessarily plunge into the open Jordan on a holiday?

Well, speaking of me, then recent years three I didn’t do it, but before that it was. In general, many priests do not dip or dip at all. In general, it is not customary to ask about this from us - this is everyone's personal business.

- Is it possible to plunge into Jordan before it is officially consecrated?

- Well, after all, the main thing is the divine service. This is the sacrament of confession and communion, and the font is just an addition. And it's so easy to come and swim ... well, let them swim. But this will hardly apply to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. We must still think that the church is not only a mass bathing and the consecration of eggs for Easter - it's all secondary. If you stop at this, then you will never approach God.

On the day of Epiphany, many people collect water from open reservoirs and sometimes even use it. Do you somehow warn your parishioners against such actions?

In general, we do not recommend drinking such water. This liquid is suitable maximum for sprinkling something. Our open reservoirs are now quite dirty. Drinking water can be taken for a donation in the temples. For example, this year we will import liquid from an artesian well, bless it and bottle it.

- If you can tell, then what is the size of the donations for the water that you pour in the temple?

In fact, we put in the donation just enough to recoup the costs - there can be no talk of profit. Delivery of water and the bottles in which we pour it are not cheap. If in general people are interested, then I would like to say that we are completely self-sufficient - we do not receive any subsidies from the state.

We live only on donations. If they are not there, then there will be no church. For example, in one only our cathedral in winter we pay more than 200 thousand rubles a month for heat supply. An impressive amount also comes out for electricity - and there are 50 and 60 thousand rubles. In addition, people work in the temple - everyone who serves it should receive a salary.

10 chose

Once a year, a significant part of the population in our country becomes "walruses" for a day and with joy and delight or horror and shudder sinks into the ice-cold water of the ice-hole. It is easy to guess that this day - January 19, in the Orthodox calendar, the feast of the Epiphany... According to the scripture, on this day, many centuries ago, Jesus Christ was baptized in the waters of the Jordan River. And although we live in completely different latitudes, for many centuries Russian people on this day courageously climb into the ice-hole following the example of the Savior. By the way, the traditions of ice swimming as a health-improving practice grew out of this very custom. But you and I are rational people, we are more concerned not with the traditions of Epiphany bathing, but with their effect on the body.

There is no consensus on this issue: some experts point to a positive effect on the body of winter bathing, others warn of possible health hazards. The truth, as often happens, is somewhere in between, and you can find out only by weighing all the pros and cons and making your own decision.

But experts agree on one question: only a very healthy person can afford to plunge into an ice-hole. If you have doubts about your own health, it is better to find another way to join the holiday. For example, douse yourself with holy water at home, in the bath.

Benefit

In childhood, the benefits of hardening were told not by priests, but by quite pragmatic physical education teachers. But after all exposure to cold temperatures is exactly hardening(especially if it happens more than once a year, in Orthodox holiday, but with some regularity). The body, accustomed to stressful situations, does not react so painfully to them. That is why statistics show that "walruses" get colds less often than their heat-loving fellow citizens.

During winter swimming, oddly enough, people feel not cold, but inner heat... This is due to the fact that skin capillaries are narrowed, blood is directed to the heart and brain to support vital organs in a stressful situation. Under the influence of cold water, the body fights for survival, immunity increases, and some not very serious, but "long-lasting" sores disappear by themselves. In any case, experienced "walruses" talk about how they got rid of some chronic diseases after being addicted to cold water.

Usually people who have plunged into the hole the mood rises, they are charged with optimism and good spirits... Painful sensations, if any, go away. The thing is that the adrenal glands in a stressful situation begin to produce endorphins - hormones of joy. Therefore, it is not surprising that people who once decided to swim in Epiphany frosts usually do it as their tradition.

Harm

Tempering is always advised regularly and gradually., and a one-time exposure to cold temperatures can do more harm than good, an unprepared person can simply catch a cold and get sick. And, I must admit, Epiphany bathing is just such a one-time effect. Few people prepare for them ahead of time, gradually lowering the temperature.

But also "professional walruses" have their own "professional" problems. As I said, during winter swimming, the body produces the hormone of joy. Accustomed to this sensation, people "get hooked" on it. And if they stop dipping in the cold, they may have psychological problems: sadness, apathy and even depression.

"So don't stop!"- you say. But here, too, not everything is so simple. The fact is that if the body often has to deal with stressful situations, it wears out faster. Hormonal system, so actively used, may fail after some time. In addition, with age, any person may have contraindications to such a cold bath.

Contraindications

How I told before, only people who are confident in their health should get into the icy water. But apart from that there are very specific contraindications for Epiphany bathing.

• Cardiovascular diseases- a sharp temperature drop causes vasospasm and has a serious load on the heart. In the worst case, a diseased heart, unable to cope with the load, may even stop.
• Epilepsy and seizure tendency. Ice water can provoke an attack or convulsions.
• Inflammation of the kidneys and broncho-pulmonary system.
• Hypertension.
• Thyroid problems.
• Infectious diseases.
• Allergy to cold.
• Alcohol. This is not a joke: a strong drink drunk before dipping "for courage" is a serious reason not to go swimming. First, alcohol dilates blood vessels, and cold water on the contrary, it narrows. This difference puts even more stress on the heart. Secondly, there is no need to explain that in this stressful situation you have to control what is happening very well.

For those who have decided

If you were not afraid of the cons and contraindications, and you nevertheless decided to join Epiphany bathing, I will tell you a little about exactly how to dip to avoid health problems.

Before you plunge, you should do a few warm-up exercises: run a little, wave your arms and legs.

You need to cool down gradually: first take off your outerwear, after a couple of minutes your shoes, then undress to the waist and go into the water. This will prepare the body for the effects of the cold.

You can stay in the water for no more than 1-2 minutes... After that, you risk getting no longer tempering and high spirits, but banal hypothermia.

When you get out of the water, rub yourself thoroughly with a towel, get dressed and go to a warm room where you can have tea.

Have you ever plunged into an ice hole? Would you like to try? What do you think is more of this activity: benefit or harm?

Every year, the number of people who want to get rid of sins and diseases through healing properties Epiphany water is growing. There are many women among the desperate daredevils diving into the ice hole. Find out how safe it is for their health and what are the risks from our material.

Everyone who has already tasted the euphoria from diving into Epiphany water claims that this pleasure is beyond words. But there are nuances that you need to know about before deciding on such a bold step.

The tradition of winter swimming has been revered by Russians for a long time. In addition to the fact that such a procedure hardens the body, it also promotes rejuvenation (which may be especially interesting for women). But before diving into the hole, you need to temper for a long time, so that the first experience Epiphany bathing did not become the last for you.

Who benefits from bathing on Epiphany:

 experienced walruses;
 people with good health;
 those who know and strictly follow the rules of winter swimming.

Many scholars argue that the Epiphany tradition has a beneficial effect on human health. Under the influence of low temperatures, beneficial hormones are released and the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. People who devote themselves to winter swimming are less susceptible to colds, viral and cardiovascular diseases, and the pressure of such adherents of cold therapy is always normal.

For whom Epiphany bathing is contraindicated:

People with ENT diseases;
susceptible to disease pulmonary system;
having problems with vision and cardiovascular system;
those who have suffered head injuries;
suffering from neuritis, epilepsy, diseases of the urinary tract;
with diagnoses: ulcer, hepatitis and cholecystitis;
women with gynecological problems.

To take a bath in the baptismal font, follow the rules.

Epiphany bathing rules:

- Start hardening in advance.
- Bring a swimsuit, warm slippers, clothes, a terry towel and a thermos with a hot drink.
- Do a warm-up to warm up.
- Never drink alcohol.
- Take with you an accompanying person who will supervise your dive and insure against unforeseen situations.
- Enter the hole gradually, and not at a run, so as not to harm the body.
- We do not sit in the water for a long time, but we leave immediately after we plunged several times.
- After bathing, be sure to rub yourself with a towel and dress warmly. Pre-made tea will come in handy.

As you can see, recreational swimming in the ice-hole is quite extreme, but at the same time it is useful. That there is only one effect of rejuvenation from low temperatures! At the same time, endorphin allows us to feel happy, joyful and vigorous, and for women, such sensations are never superfluous. So, if health and doctors allow it, why not give it a try? Forward for new emotions, youth and beauty!