The sauna was recently ranked as the no.1 global wellness trend by the Global Wellness Summit. Cold-water swimming is a growing trend and is being proposed as a cure for all manner of things, from improving mental health to boosting immunity. But what exactly is hot and cold therapy & why is it important for physical and mental health?
Dive into the unique world of hot and cold via Finland, where a good steam and an icy dip in a lake or the sea are the foundations of wellbeing for mind, body and soul.
This definitive guide by two experts takes readers on a journey into the transformative powers of hot and cold by pairing the sauna, that quintessential hot Finnish steam bath, with a cold-water dip. Along the way, it serves up the inspiration and practical tools for creating a wellness retreat at home using the Nordic contrast bathing philosophy wherever you are in the world.
The Finnish method of alternating hot and cold boosts happiness by increasing wellbeing and connecting with nature. It's the secret to how the world's happiest nation keeps calm and carries on - no matter what life throws at them.
Katja Pantzar (Author) Katja Pantzar is a Helsinki-based writer and journalist who swims in the Baltic Sea almost every day - all year round. Raised in Canada, with stints in New Zealand and England, she is the author of The Finnish Way (Penguin Random House/2018), a bestselling non-fiction book about Nordic well-being, winter swimming, sauna and sisu that has been translated into 24 languages. Her newest book, Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life (Penguin Random House/2022) explores through expert interviews and fact-based information how we can better support our mental and physical health while taking care of each other and our planet.
Carita Harju (Author) Carita Harju is a Finnish sauna experience expert and marketing professional whose mission is to share the Finnish sauna's positive health and wellness benefits with the world. She is the founder and executive director of Sauna from Finland, which represents an international network of more than 200 sauna industry companies. Her first illustrated guide, Sauna - The Way of Finnish Life (2016), has been published in four languages, including German and Chinese. Her second book, Soul of the Sauna, was released in Japanese and Hungarian, while her newest title Saunafulness (Hyvää oloa saunomalla/2021) was published in Finnish and will be published in Estonian in 2023.
