24 JANUARY 2024 BY MALLORY GLEICH T he first time I heard about cryotherapy, my mind went to that old fable of the frog in hot water. Have you heard this one? If you put a frog into boiling water, it’ll immediately jump out. But if you place it into water at room temperature and slowly heat it, it won’t notice, and, well, you know the rest. Morbid, I know – but I thought, ‘If I go into this cold room, is it going to be room temperature first and then get colder, or is it cold right away and I’m just going to freeze for a few minutes?’ The second thought is the answer. Whole-body cryotherapy means exposing your body to extreme cold temperatures for a short period, which puts your body into a fight or flight mode. It reduces inflammation, increases recovery, improves blood flow and more. When I arrived at iCRYO (in the Safeway Plaza at 48th and Indian School), the first order of business was filling out the obligatory paperwork. I was then led to a dressing room, where I stripped down to my skivvies and put on the provided protective wear: long socks, shorts, slippers, mittens and a cloth face mask. They also provide robes – which I am eternally grateful for – but most people stay in just shorts. The cryo chamber reminded me of a walk-in cooler. It’s about nine feet tall and five feet wide. Boston Stuhan, my guide for the day, said three people could fit in it, but while in there, it felt small – and got smaller by the second. The chamber is bathed in blue light, and there is a little strip of rainbow lights near the door, used as a countdown for the person inside. People choose their preferred temperature and time limit: -145° is the “warmest,” and -175° is the coldest. The minimum time is two minutes, but most go for 3.5. I went in between: three minutes. Oddly enough, time went by quickly once I was inside the freeze box. “As your body adapts to the cold, the magic happens. Blood rushes from your extremities to your core, which hyperoxygenates your blood and sends signals to help reduce inflammation,” Boston said. “When you come out, you will feel your body start to warm up, and your blood rush back into your extremities. Your body starts to produce dopamine, and you feel ready to tackle any obstacles that come your way!” The most helpful thing, in my opinion, is that they give you a playlist of songs to choose from – I’m assuming to keep your mind off the fact that it’s colder in there than it is on the moon at night – so I went with “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine. Air guitar-ing saved me from busting out of there like a madwoman. After my session, I was also able to experience red light therapy, which Boston said is one of the most popular iCRYO offerings. The machine looks like a giant tanning bed, and you lay in it like a tanning bed, but they use clinically selected red and near- infrared lighting instead of regular bulbs. Benefits include increased blood circulation, pain relief and cell regeneration – but since I was only in there for eight minutes, the only thing I felt was ready for a nap! I also tried compression therapy, which was my favorite . Boston fitted me with these giant leggings that have balloons in them. The balloons blow up and apply pressure to the legs, helping with circulation. And you’re in a recliner. I was really ready for a nap after that – but that could have had something to do with the lunch I’d eaten right before heading to iCRYO. Boston explained some of the benefits of cryotherapy: an exponential boost in metabolism, reduced inflammation, enhanced athletic recovery, skin and beauty elevation, uplifting mood and alleviating anxiety, enhancing sleep quality, boosts in the immune system, and alleviating symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. While putting something cold on an injury has existed forever, cryotherapy takes it a step further. In 1978, Dr. Ken Yamaguchi started using extremely cold temperatures on the entire body to treat patients suffering from rheumatic diseases. He noticed the treatment was successful for those and several other conditions. iCRYO was founded in October 2015 by Kyle and Bill Jones in League City, Texas. Kyle managed the cryotherapy division of a physical therapy clinic in Texas for three years before deciding to branch out. At 24 years old, Kyle – with help from his dad, Bill – opened iCRYO. Now, there are over 300 locations in the United States. The wellness brand also offers infrared saunas, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, IV infusions, NAD+ therapy, vitamin shots, and ozone therapy. They create patient- specific plans for members and provide free consultations and tours for interested parties. Pricing ranges from $100-$400, depending on membership. “We want people to know that what we do isn’t what you would get at an ordinary recovery center,” Boston said. “We are a relationship-based business that focuses on learning about you, and we take the time to understand pain points in your life – that way, we can truly implement a plan to help elevate your lifestyle!” icryo.com BRRR, IT’S COLD IN HERE! Trying out one of the “hottest” trends in therapy The inside of the cryo chamber is bathed in a blue light. The mask is worn to protect your face and ears from the extreme temperatures. After the cryo session, I did the red light therapy. I drew a smiley face on the glass to let them know I was okay. After three minutes of standing in a -145° cooler, I emerged – with Boston there to congratulate me on my very first successful cryotherapy session.            

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