RUNGA Radio
RUNGA Radio is where physical health, emotional well-being, and personal transformation collide. Hosted by Joseph Anew, a 20+ year health and fitness coach, and Dr. Richard Blake, a PhD in Psychology, RUNGA Radio blends evidence-based insights with proven high-impact approaches to optimize your mind and body. Join us as we sit down with some of the world’s leading experts to explore the cutting edges of personal transformation and long-term health with deep explorations into breathwork, biohacking, functional fitness, emotional resilience, psychedelics, and beyond.
RUNGA Radio
228 | Laura Fullerton: Rethinking Cold Exposure, Ice Baths & Biohacking for Women
Laura Fullerton (@laurafullerton) is the founder of the high-performance ice bath brand Monk. In this episode, Richard (@the_breath_geek) and Joseph (@therungaguy) dive into:
- How cold exposure uniquely benefits women (and what week of your cycle to plunge)
- Why temperature matters way less than you think
- The secret link between trauma, PTSD recovery, and the cold
- The biggest myths about ice baths (and why “harder” isn’t always better)
Get ready to rethink what you know about cold therapy, stress resilience, and performance.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:01 – Meet Laura Fullerton: founder of Monk Ice Baths and unexpected ice bath enthusiast
00:44 – Laura’s first (reluctant) plunge and life-changing breathwork experience
03:49 – Why the more afraid you are, the bigger the dopamine reward
04:18 – How the menstrual cycle affects cold tolerance: when women should (and shouldn’t) plunge
08:37 – Should you plunge when sick or hungover? (spoiler: probably not)
09:44 – Ice baths and inflammation: how plunging helped endometriosis symptoms in a pilot study [Liability Note]
11:07 – Does cold exposure blunt muscle growth? Here’s the real nuance
14:37 – When cold plunging boosts athletic recovery and endurance pre-cooling
16:14 – Carnivore Aurelius says cold plunges are bad? Here’s why that’s misleading
17:23 – Gender differences: how men vs women experience the benefits of cold
19:54 – Is cold therapy a lasting health trend—or just a stepping stone to something bigger?
24:03 – Joseph’s near-death hypothermia story (and accidental DMT experience)
26:00 – Swearing during cold plunges: surprising science about pain tolerance
28:47 – Laura’s #1 ice bath myth she wishes would disappear
33:26 – Behind the scenes: building Monk, hardware + software in the biohacking space
38:36 – Monk’s vision: syncing cold therapy with your biometrics
40:08 – How cold plunging could help PTSD and mental health for veterans
48:55 – Cold immersion, menstrual cycles, and psychedelics—new research insights
53:46 – Why women’s health research is finally (slowly) catching up
57:45 – How to find Monk, Laura, and what’s coming next
