Give Flu The Cold Shoulder

There is mounting evidence that braving an icy shower in the morning could keep illness at bay and may even help your brain stay sharp. Brrrrrr!

- Michael Mosley

Recently, I made a 10-part Radio 4 podcast called Just One Thing where in each 15-minute episode I explored the science behind simple things you can add to your daily routine, like squats, eating more fermented food or going for brisk, early morning walks. It was an instant hit and was immediately recommissioned. You can find the original series on BBC Sounds, where you will also find the latest episodes of the second series.

One of the most popular episodes from the first series explored the risks and benefits of cold water immersion. For this episode I started having cold showers every morning, starting with a brief burst of hot water, followed by 45 seconds or so of an icy cold blast.