By Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky
Turn Up the Heat With the Infra-red Sauna
Page 1 of 2
- Sweat Lodge History
- Detoxification
For thousands of years, the sauna or sweat lodge has been used to improve both physical and spiritual well being. There is something to it after all.
For thousands of years, the sauna or sweat lodge has been used to improve both physical and spiritual well being. Today, there are hundreds of scientific studies attesting to the health benefits of sauna therapy, also known as bio-toxic reduction therapy, hyperthermia therapy, or heat depuration.
Many integrated medical clinics are now employing the infra-red sauna as part of the therapeutic treatment of wide variety of illnesses.
The infra-red sauna is a new innovation that offers several advantages over the conventional sauna. Most saunas employ a unit that heats the air through convection (air movement) and conduction (direct heat transfer). These saunas typically operate at between 180 °F and 220 °F (82 °C to 104 °C). They are akin to sitting in an oven. They heat only the skin until it becomes too uncomfortable to sit any longer. Water is often thrown on the elements to create steam. These saunas do not allow the person to sit in them long enough to receive the health benefits associated with the infra-red sauna.
Infra-red saunas produce heat using a ceramic heater, which does not turn red hot but instead produces invisible, infra-red heat. Traditional saunas and sweat lodges use hot stones, which also produce the same type of soft radiant heat. This is the same type of heat as produced by the sun and our bodies. Infra-red heat is very safe and not at all like the heat produced by microwaves.
In an infra-red sauna, only 20 percent of the energy is used to heat the air, leaving the rest of the energy to heat the body. The radiant heat can penetrate the skin to a depth of one to two inches, producing a gentle warming inside the body. The temperature inside an infra-red sauna is adjustable and averages a comfortable 100 °F to 150 °F (38 °C to 65 °C). This allows a person to sweat faster and to tolerate a longer period of time inside the sauna, allowing for the therapeutic effects to occur. Typical sessions last 30 to 45 minutes and can be repeated once or twice during the day to maximize the benefits.
Some therapeutic protocols call for spending up to five hours a day in a low temperature, infra-red sauna. This is only necessary for the most extremely chronic and toxic individuals. Most people will benefit from one 45-minute session per day. Infra-red saunas leave you feeling invigorated, not depleted like conventional saunas. Many people, including myself, choose to have their sauna treatment first thing in the morning before work.
Health Benefits of Infra-Red Sauna
Heat therapy using the infra-red sauna can produce an impressive number of positive health benefits:
- Assists weight loss and increases metabolism: burns up to 600 calories in 30 minutes Improves circulation to deep and superficial tissues
- Promotes detoxification of the heavy metals and organic chemicals stored in fat cells
- Helps to boost the immune response to kill viruses and bacteria
- Pain relief
- Muscle relaxation
- Accelerates the breakdown of fat and cellulite
- Promotes skin tone, elasticity, pore cleansing, and healing of skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis
- Accelerates wound healing from injuries and surgeries and reduces scar formation
- Passive cardiovascular conditioning effect: enhances oxygen and nutrients to deep tissues
- Regulates blood pressure
- Useful in athletic conditioning to warm muscles before, and after, activity
- Reduces physical and emotional stress
- Reduces fatigue and stimulates energy
- Anti-cancer effect through hyperthermia effect, immune enhancement and elimination of carcinogenic chemicals
Page 1 of 2
- Sweat Lodge History
- Detoxification
