NatNews

To ease soreness and reduce inflammation, some athletes opt to take ice baths, plunging their legs or half of their bodies into tubs filled with what one might describe as bone-chilling ice water. Many others, however, choose to use whole-body cryotherapy to get their freeze fixes, shortening the time of exposure to the cold but still feeling its effects in a number of ways.

During cryotherapy, an individual removes most of his or her clothing (except for undergarments) and then puts on thermal protective wear for the hands and feet before standing in a chamber that is generally shoulder-height. Dallas-area resident Kelly Carden, owner of Cryo1one (which has three locations in the metroplex), said though the main benefit of cryotherapy is the reduction of inflammation, there are a number of additional reasons individuals prefer this method.

“We see athletes replacing ice baths with cryotherapy because it is more effective, quicker (3 minutes versus 10 minutes), and completely dry,” she said. “For non-athletes, we see people enjoying better sleep, increased metabolisms, increased energy, and better moods.”

Dallas-area resident Emmanuel Amadi is one of those athletes who notices the expedited feelings of recovery. He said he favors using cryotherapy over ice baths because of the immediate effectiveness he experiences, noting that he feels more energetic as soon as he steps out of the cryo chamber.

“Since I run considerably high mileage (90 miles per week), it’s natural to feel lethargic at the end of the week,” he said. “I’ve found cryotherapy to be really beneficial in restoring that mental acuity needed to be properly present during training sessions and, importantly, to get a good night’s sleep. For the whole of 2022, I trained and raced through an Achilles tendinopathy sting, and frequent cryotherapy sessions played a major role in flushing out the toxins from my calves.”

It’s also something Amadi has made a part of his regular recovery routine for the past two years—typically going at least once every month as well as a day before every race.

“Cryotherapy is my go-to for whenever I’m trying to speed up recovery from an inflamed muscle group,” he said. “It helps me bounce back to the next training day, feeling fresh and mentally alert.”

Dallas resident Bo Price, who regularly takes yoga classes and works out at a local gym, began using cryotherapy two years ago and said he continues to do so multiple times each week for health purposes.

“I really think that inflammation is what leads to illness, and cryo really helps with inflammation,” he said. “Overall, it’s a really great thing. Some people take ice baths, but I can’t get that much ice up to my apartment, so this is more convenient.”

For individuals who are hesitant to or cannot take part in whole-body cryo, Carden offers a localized device that can focus on specific areas of the body. She said the frequency one should use cryotherapy depends on what he or she is hoping to accomplish.

“For people with recent injuries, we recommend that they come three to five consecutive visits as soon as the injuries happen,” she said. “For runners and athletes, we recommend that they do cryo before or after their hard workouts. So, if you are doing two or three long runs in a week, then each one of those should be accompanied by a cryo session to push out the lactic acid build-up. For people who are doing cryo for chronic inflammation or a disease like fibromyalgia that is associated with inflammation, we recommend three to four times a week.”

During each session at Cryo1one, the chamber reaches -167 degrees Fahrenheit, which Carden said is the necessary temperature for a person to benefit from cryotherapy. Aside from that consistent expectation, Carden said those who choose to visit Cryo1one will receive a much more caring and individualized experience.

“While we are providing a service, we are providing our customers with a high-level experience,” she said. “We believe that wellness and recovery are not just about cryotherapy but also the personal connection you receive while we talk to you during the 3-minute treatment.”

Sugary drinks are a major contributor to obesity in youth and adults and can result in the development of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

When booking a flight, sometimes an individual simply chooses the cheapest seat option and winds up getting whatever is available. Many times, though, people pick out their own seats, mostly avoiding the middle seats and going with aisle or window seats.

Individuals throughout the Dallas metroplex have a number of reasons as to why they choose to sit where they do on planes. For instance, Dallas-area resident Lyndsey Kohn said she usually prefers a window seat, especially for international flights, because she enjoys the scenic views from above.

“I got to see flower fields when I flew over the Netherlands, and it was breathtaking seeing it,” she said.

Kohn also said being near the window helps ease her nausea when traveling.

“I get motion sickness pretty easily, so being able to see where I am going (alongside air conditioning) is needed to have a good flight,” she said.

Dallas resident Drew Mbiam, on the other hand, opts for the window seat so that he is not disturbed by anyone when he dozes off during a flight.

“When you go to sleep, no one has to wake you up to go to the restroom,” he said. “There’s nothing worse than someone waking you up mid-nap.”

But the window seat isn’t for everyone. Dallas resident Scott Magdziak likes sitting in aisle seats to calm his nerves and allow him to get up more easily when he needs to.

“I get a little uneasy on planes, and the aisle feels more open,” he said. “Also, I end up drinking a lot of water, so I end up using the bathroom a couple times, depending on the length of the flight.”

For Dallas-area resident Madison Royal, her seat choice is contingent upon whether or not she is alone and what the duration of the flight is. For a short flight, whether she is by herself or with someone, she likes to be near the window so that she can lean her head against it and sneak in a quick nap. If it’s a long flight by herself, she opts for the aisle so that she can get up to use the restroom without bothering the people near her. Her ideal situation, though, comes on a longer flight while traveling with someone else.

“[In that case], I prefer a window seat because I get to lean my head against it for a quick nap and don’t mind bothering someone I’m traveling with,” she said. “In my book, it’s the best of both worlds.”

Dallas resident Pete Krogulski also has certain preferences based on his circumstances, but he said, most of the time, he likes to sit in Seat C toward the front of the plane.

“It depends on the situation, but I typically sit on the left side of the plane,” he said. “I typically like the aisle seat because it gives me flexibility. But if I’m flying on long flights, and I want to sleep—and I have a hard time sleeping on a plane—I usually sleep next to the window.”

However, where Krogulski sits is certainly not the most important detail of his flight.

“I want to get from Point A to Point B,” he said, “and if I get there in first class, if I get there in a middle seat, if I get there in a window seat or an aisle seat, it doesn’t matter. As long as I get there—and I get there safely—that’s all that matters.”

Some psychologists have indicated that where a person chooses to sit on a plane reveals a bit about his or her personality. For instance, one chief psychologist at a private therapy clinic suggested that someone who opts to sit in the aisle is often more social and more amenable and is less likely to sleep while on the plane, while someone who prefers to be next to the window could be more easily irritable, might like to keep more to himself or herself, and is likely not concerned with disturbing others if a trip to the restroom is needed. While those are not universal descriptions of people who select those seats, the choices individuals make are often reflections of certain aspects about them.

“I think everything about us lends to our personalities,” Royal said. “I would bet almost everyone has a preference for where and how they travel.”

Mbiam is also a believer in such a notion, summing up seat selection characteristics quite simply.

“Any kind of preference reveals a little bit about a person,” he said. “If I had to guess, people by the window value peace, aisle seat people value expediency, and middle seat people live the YOLO lifestyle.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

NatNews staff members held a high-level meeting with some dear readers in an apparent bright setting

Wednesday, July 12: Dallasites101 Barbie Ladies Night at Harper's
Thursday, July 13: Gary Levox of Rascal Flatts — Unplugged at the Meyerson Symphony Center
Friday, July 14: 14th annual Bastille on Bishop
Saturday, July 15: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint
Sunday, July 16: Yogarita at Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh