8 reasons to have an infrared sauna
Did I mention that saunas are relaxing, rejuvenating and even a little indulgent? Did I also mention that they are a fantastic way to detox your body and to improve your health?
In fact, I rate infrared sauna therapy so highly that I purchased one for my home wellness clinic!
I personally use it between 4 – 6 times a week to support my detoxing efforts, to relieve pain and inflammation, to improve my aging skin, and the list goes on…
My favourite chronic disease doctor, Neurologist Dr Dietrich Klinghardt, found that the sweat of people using a conventional sauna was 95–97 per cent water while the sweat of those using an infrared sauna was 80–85 per cent water, the non-water portion being cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals, sulphuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid.
Use of a FIR sauna has a cumulative effect on the body; that daily use magnifies its benefits.
Your first experience in an FIR sauna will give some benefit. After several days and then weeks, detoxification, weight loss, immune building and other benefits will increase dramatically.
What’s not to love?
You can book a 50m infrared sauna at our Fairlight clinic for just $35
Here are 8 ways infrared saunas can benefit you
1. Induces weight loss
When using a FIR (Far Infrared) sauna each day for only 20-40 minutes, fat becomes water-soluble at a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius before it begins to dissolve and enter the bloodstream to be removed from the body. In an FIR sauna, fat is removed through sweat. Many people who have unsuccessfully attempted weight loss through conventional dieting will be pleased with the fat-burning results of an FIR sauna, because often the inability to lose weight is associated with chemical and heavy metal toxicity.
Assuming a session takes 30 minutes, some interesting comparisons can be made. Two of the highest calorie output exercises such as rowing and running marathons. Peak output on a rowing machine or during a marathon burns about 600 calories in 30 minutes. An infrared sauna may better this from just slightly by burning 600-800 calories in the same period of time. A single sauna session can simulate the consumption of energy equal to that expended in a 6-9 mile run. ~Aaron M. Flickstein
2. Purges toxins
The human body is a reservoir of all kinds of bio-toxins which cannot be expelled immediately and become stored in the body, thereby triggering illness. When toxic heavy metal toxins such as lead and chlorine meet large water molecules, they are encapsulated by clusters of water and trapped in the body. Where these toxins are accumulated, blood circulation is blocked and cellular energy is impaired.
However, when an FIR wave is applied to these large water molecules, the water begins to vibrate. This vibration reduces the ion bonds of the atoms which are holding together the molecules of water. As the breakdown of the water molecule occurs, the encapsulated gases and toxins are released.
The Result: These nasty toxins inside your body that make you feel sick, have skin conditions, tired, and cause you to take on weight are eliminated. With an infrared sauna, up to 300% more carcinogenic heavy metals, sodium, cholesterol, nicotine, and alcohol are eliminated than with a standard type sauna, and it’s 10 times more effective than urinating it out.
3. Cardiovascular health
Far Infrared strengthens the Cardiovascular System by causing an increase in your heart rate, cardiac output, and diastolic blood pressure decrease.
Blood flow during a sauna session is reported to rise from a normal 5-7 quarts a minute to as many as 13 quarts a minute. This beneficial heart workout leads to the desired cardiovascular training and conditioning effects. Far Infrared heat is reported to be able to neutralise blood toxicity and smooth the walls of arteries, capillaries and veins.
German medical researchers concluded one session of far infrared thermal therapy for over 1 hour can have significant reduction of blood pressure thanks to a persistent peripheral vessels dilation. They also noted that blood viscosity was improved. After 1 hour of FAR infrared radiance, there is a significant decrease of blood pressure - cardiac ejection resistance - total peripheral resistance - and significant increase of heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and ejection fraction.
4. Strengthens your immune system
Far Infrared strengthens immunity by stimulating increased production of white blood cells (leukocytes) by the bone marrow and killer T-cells by the thymus. This has been proven to increase the body's ability to fight off bacteria, colds, flues, and other ailments.
A FIR heat treatment in the early stages of a cold or flu has been known to stop the disease before the symptoms occur. Many health practitioners use FIR as a method for removing immune killing toxins from the body.
5. Pain relief
Far infrared saunas have been proven to reduce pain sensation by getting heat deep into both the free-nerve endings in tissues as well as on the peripheral nerves. Pain is often associated with a lack of blood supply to the injured area due to tension or spasms. The introduction of heat deep into these areas helps to eliminate further spasms which in turn alleviate the pain.
Far Infrared promotes rebuilding of injured tissue by having a positive effect on the fibroblasts (connective tissue cells necessary for the repair of injury). Furthermore, it increases growth of cells, DNA syntheses, and protein synthesis all necessary during tissue repair and regeneration.
Studies have also shown that FAR Infrared helps with autoimmune type conditions like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and mild depression.
6. Reduces inflammation
Far Infrared heat therapy does the following:
Decreases joint stiffness.
Relieves muscle spasms.
Increases blood flow.
Leads to pain relief.
Affects soft tissue injury.
Increases the extensibility of collagen tissue.
7. Increases blood flow
Far Infrared heat expands capillaries which stimulates increased blood flow, regeneration, circulation and oxygenation. Increased blood flow has been proven to improve hair, skin, aid in the healing of injuries, recovery of muscles and joint stiffness.
8. Improves the skin
Far Infrared heat increases blood circulation throughout your skin which is mandatory for glowing, beautiful, and youthful skin. Infrared heat penetrates deep into the skin pushing out toxins while rejuvenating your skin. To truly slow the aging process, it’s essential to push these pollutants out of your pores instead of trapping them with lotions and make up. Common reported benefits include; restoring more youthful skin, decreasing the look for scars, getting rid of acne, and improving eczema and psoriasis.
Try this test the next time you take a sauna: Wash your face with your very best product you have before going into an infrared sauna. Make sure to bring a small white towel into the sauna with you, work up a good sweat and use this towel to wipe your face. You will be shocked at how much dirt you just wiped off your clean face. This is because the infrared heat is penetrating deep under your skin pushing out the toxins which have made a home deep into your pores.
Another benefit to infrared sauna therapy is the break down of cellulite. Many Dermatologists are now recommending the use of infrared saunas with any anti-cellulite program as the profuse sweating helps clear the unwanted debris from your body.
20 mins is the minimum but you’d like to get up to 40 mins if you can. You don’t need to shower after as you’re cleaner than when you got in. You can just towel off the sweat and this is fine.