At Encore Pilates and Wellness, we don’t just follow trends — we research, we question, we seek truth.

As we open the doors to our brand new Infrared Saunas and Cold Plunge Sanctuary, I want to share something with you that most places won’t:
Not all cold plunges are created equal — and if you care about your health, you need to understand why.

Let’s talk about grounding, your nervous system, and why the material you cold plunge in matters more than you’ve probably ever been told.

What is Grounding and Why Does It Matter?

Grounding — also called earthing — is the practice of connecting your body directly with the earth’s natural electrical field.
It’s simple, it’s free, and it’s profoundly healing.

Our bodies are electrical.
Every nerve impulse that fires, every heartbeat, every cellular repair process runs on electrical conductivity.
But our modern lives — surrounded by rubber shoes, concrete floors, synthetic clothing, Wi-Fi signals, and plastics — have cut us off from the earth’s natural balancing charge.

Grounding replenishes the body with free electrons from the earth.
These electrons act as natural antioxidants, neutralising free radicals, reducing inflammation, calming the nervous system, and supporting the body’s innate healing processes.

Scientific studies (such as those published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health) show that grounding can:

  • Reduce cortisol levels (your primary stress hormone)
  • Regulate sleep patterns
  • Decrease chronic inflammation
  • Support immune system function
  • Improve mood and mental clarity

And you don’t need to be a hippie walking barefoot in a forest to benefit — simple daily grounding practices have been proven to support profound health improvements.

How Cold Plunging and Grounding Are Connected

Cold plunging, by its very nature, came from nature.
Think icy lakes, oceans, natural springs — environments where you are naturally grounded simply by being immersed in earth-connected water.

The cold itself stimulates the vagus nerve, shifts the body into parasympathetic dominance (calm/rest/digest mode), reduces systemic inflammation, improves metabolism, and strengthens mental resilience.

When you combine cold therapy with proper grounding, you don’t just supercharge your immune system —
you rewire your whole stress response at the deepest level.

But here’s the hard truth:

If you’re plunging into plastic tubs, you’re cutting yourself off from the very grounding benefits that cold therapy was meant to offer.

The Problem With Plastic Tubs

Let’s be real.

The vast majority of commercial cold plunges today are made from plastic — and plastic is one of the most significant contributors to toxic overload in the body.

Plastic leaches harmful chemicals like BPA (bisphenol-A), phthalates, and other xenoestrogens — compounds that mimic estrogen in the body and completely disrupt hormonal health.

Exposure to these chemicals is linked to:

  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Fertility issues
  • Early puberty
  • Weight gain
  • Mood disorders
  • Cancer risk (especially breast, ovarian, and prostate)

When water sits in plastic — even cold water — those chemicals can still leach.
Now imagine sitting fully immersed in that water, your largest organ (your skin) soaking it in.
This is not the way to reclaim your health.

Cold plunging in plastic tubs undermines the very health benefits you’re seeking.
It’s like eating a superfood salad off a plate coated in toxic paint.

Why Stainless Steel is the Superior Choice

At Encore Pilates and Wellness, we refuse to compromise.

That’s why we have invested in premium stainless steel cold plunge tubs — not plastic.

Stainless steel is naturally conductive.
When you sit in water inside a stainless steel tub, your body is in an electrical conversation with the earth.
You’re not just cooling down.
You’re being grounded, healed, restored.

There are zero hormone-disrupting chemicals, no xenoestrogens, no toxins leaching into your body.

Just pure, clean water (yes, we use an Ozone sanitiser), natural materials (yes, we infuse with magnesium), and the profound biological reset that cold plunging was always meant to provide.

It’s not about being trendy.
It’s about returning to the original wisdom of nature — and doing it in a way that truly honors your body.

What You Need to Know Before You Cold Plunge Anywhere

Ask what material the tub is made from. If it’s plastic, know that you’re not getting the full grounding or health benefits.

Ask about the water quality. Encore Pilates uses clean, filtered water and stainless steel to ensure every cell in your body is supported, not burdened.

Choose spaces that invest in your long-term health, not just short-term thrills.

We are not here to do ‘wellness lite.’
We are here to offer true, responsible, health-first practices — the way nature intended.

Ready to Experience the Difference?

At Encore Pilates and Wellness, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to.
We’ve created a sanctuary where real healing can happen.
Our Infrared Saunas and Grounded Stainless Steel Cold Plunge Tubs are now ready for you.

Because when it comes to your health, you deserve truth, integrity, and the very best.

Book your Contrast Therapy session today and discover what it feels like to truly reconnect with the earth — and with yourself.

Sources drawn upon:

  • Journal of Environmental and Public Health: Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons
  • Natural health leaders such as Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr. Laura Koniver, MD (“The Intuitive Physician”)
  • Studies on xenoestrogens and plastic chemical leaching in Environmental Health Perspectives