Siberia can be a harsh and unforgiving land. The winters in Russia's east are world famous for being some of the harshest in the world. Naturally, only the toughest people can resist the toughest climates, but Russian mothers have a trick to prepare their children for the deep Siberian chilly season. They take their young children, some younger than 10 years old, and dive into the icy waters of Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake in the world. The lake freezes over in the winter and the ice can be over a yard thick.
These women are devoted members of the 'Pribaikalsky' club, and swimming in ice-cold temperatures during the winter is one of their favorite pastimes. They bring their children to swim by their side, dunking their heads under the water in special pools carved into the ice. Ice swimming is thought to boost the immune system and keep the kids from getting sick in the winter. It also increases the children's resistance to the cold weather and helps kids enjoy outdoor fitness activities in the dead of winter. Of course, the kids are treated to a warm bath after taking a dip in the teeth-chatteringly cold water.
Would you ever let your kids try this Siberian winter therapy?
