Infrared Sauna Therapy

Infrared sauna therapy is one way to help your body rid itself of "toxins." Toxins enter your body as pesticides or processing chemicals in your food and drinks, we breathe in toxins from pollution, and we may even shower or bathe in them, unknowingly.

Many of these 3,000 or so chemicals may be stored in the fatty tissue as well as the fat cells themselves. As the blood and lymphatic system circulate, most toxins should be transported out of the body. But due to an increase of these pollutants in our environment, our bodies become overwhelmed, unable to remove them as efficiently (or unable to remove them at all!).

How to Use Infrared Sauna Therapy

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Infrared sauna therapy can be done with the aide of an infrared sauna designed for this type of use. You can find a sauna at some day spas, gyms or athletic clubs, or you can purchase a home unit. Also, utilize this type of therapy as you do a colon cleanse or body detox program; both of which involve a clean diet specific to cleansing and the use of certain supplements that will nourish you as you go through the process.

To start your infrared sauna therapy, begin by eating a cleansing or detox diet. The lighter, healthier type of diet eases the burden on your digestive system, so your body can begin removing stored toxins and waste to be eliminated via the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

As your diet becomes lighter with less stress and burden on your digestion, more toxins will begin circulating through your system as your body is moving them out from adipose tissue and other areas where they may be stored.

The sooner you can help your body to get these toxins out, the better you will feel and the more efficient your organs will be at detoxing even deeper, with less stress. This is when the infrared sauna therapy will enhance your body cleansing and detox functions.

Add colon cleanse supplements to help remove even more waste. This may be in the form of a residue left in the intestinal tract due to poor diet, stress, medications and other lifestyle factors. The supplements can help break down the waste and help your body more easily remove them.

So to summarize, use infrared sauna therapy with a colon cleanse or body detox program. Incorporate herbs and a temporary change of diet to induce your body's natural cleansing and detoxification processes. Utilize sauna therapy to help your body remove environmental toxins and waste. Mild exercise increases circulation, thereby helping your body to mobilize and remove even more internal waste.

How is Infrared Sauna Therapy
Better than a "Regular" Sauna?

Sweating is one way our bodies attempt to detox chemical or environmental toxins and waste from our bodies. Besides exercise, healthy sweating can be induced with time spent in a dry sauna, infrared sauna, steam room or through the use of body wraps. Sauna therapies are popular due to the research and comfort level utilizing modern technology.

Infrared Sauna therapy induces whole body hyperthermia (a rise in body temperature) similar to that of a cardiovascular workout. However, because of the waves of this type of sauna, body temperature stays low enough to be safe for those with heart problems while creating the same effects of increased blood flow, increased metabolic rate and increased tissue repair.

The August 7, 1981 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the regular use of a sauna may be as effective for cardiovascular conditioning and burning calories. Infrared sauna therapy is deemed safer due to the lower heat, resulting in lower heart rate.

Because of studies such as this, NASA has done their own research and concluded that infrared therapy would be the ideal way to maintain cardiovascular strength in astronauts during long space missions.

Sweating and saunas have long been used by Native Americans for cleansing and detoxification of the mind and body. Infrared sauna therapy is used by practitioners and doctors in China, Japan, Europe and Australia. Japanese studies have shown infrared heat treatment to be effective at speeding the healing process.

The Toxins in Your Sweat

Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are known toxins that are prevalent it today's environments. They have no biological benefits and, in fact, are all known carcinogens and all are associated with health issues that can adversely affect the body through various systems including; cardiovascular, renal (kidneys), endocrine (hormonal) and immunological.

Contamination may be through soils from which your food derives from. Environmental toxins enter our food through soils that have been treated with fertilizers, pesticides, mining and other industrial processes, vestigaes of older products (paint, plumbing parts, electronics, etc.) as well as emissions from coal or other incineration practices.

Luckily, our bodies are equipped with a natural system of detoxification through our sweat. But you have to "train" your body to sweat through regular exercise or at least mild exercise and then a practice such as sauna use.

Sweat is not all sodium and chloride as some used to believe. In fact, salt loss is minimum and reabsorbed back into the system, thanks to the sweat glands located just underneath the skin. (1)

In fact in at least one study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health (a peer-reviewed and open access journal for public health professionals), sweating has long been a preferred method of mercury detoxification.

Not only that, all of the aforementioned toxins may be excreted in amounts exceeding urinary excretion. In fact, those who experience health issues due to environmental toxins are also found to have inhibited sweat processes. Once the ability to sweat is regained, the ability for healing follows. (2)

Since avoidance is not probable, cleansing our bodies is something we can control and even assist with. And luckily for us, our built-in detox process of sweating may be the best way to eliminate these toxins from our bodies; and using infrared sauna therapy may be the best prevention of future ailments.

Infrared Sauna Therapy Guide

Decide and plan how long you'd like to do your cleanse and sauna therapy. Remember the toxins didn't build up in one day so will take time for your body to remove any stored waste. Plan on anywhere from two to four week your first time.
Plan a diet for your cleanse program. If you eat junk food or foods you know are not healthy for you, you are just consuming toxins and then expecting your body to get rid of them quickly. Your body requires that you eat lighter so it can better do it's job of removing older or stored waste.
Research and plan which cleanse or detox supplements you want to take.
Purchase a home infrared sauna or find where you will use one (your gym, spa, etc.)
Once all above is accomplished, begin your program
Before your sauna sessions and all throughout your cleanse program, be sure you are sufficiently hydrated. Drink plenty of fresh, spring water throughout the day. Add lemon juice or other citrus into the water. Some people enjoy infusions of cucumbers, strawberries or mint to liven up their daily water intake. All of these are beneficial for hydration and electrolytes.
If you decide to incorporate cleansing exercise, do your routine before your sauna session
Begin your sauna session by simply sitting in your sauna anywhere from three to seven days a week. Use a towel to sit on and for your feet to rest on, and you may want an extra towel to continuously wipe the sweat (and toxins) from your skin during your session.
Be sure to use a timer and do not sit in the sauna too long. Even thought the infrared is less hot than a traditional sauna, it is always best to allow your body to get used to the new environment. Most people begin with the lowest heat setting of a home sauna and stay in for 10 minutes the first few times.
If the sauna you use is at the gym or spa, check to see if you have access to control the temperature guage. If not and you feel it is too warm, just sit for five minutes and build to longer sessions from there
If you decide to take your phone in the sauna to listen to a podcast or music, don't forget to set a phone timer or be sure you can hear one; and don't fall asleep.
Shower afterwards to remove the toxins and sweat
Keep up your program for 2-4 weeks (longer if you are experienced, but no longer than 8 weeks)
Post cleanse; stick to a healthier eating plan with lots of raw, organic fruits and veggies, less processed foods and stop taking the cleanse supplements. Continue with daily exercise (or at least close to daily) and enjoy life as much as you can.

REFERENCES:

(1) Cage GW, Dobson RL. Sodium secretion and reabsorption in the human eccrine sweat gland. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1965;44(7):1270–1276.

(2) Sears, Margaret E., Kathleen J. Kerr, and Riina I. Bray. "Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review." Journal of Environmental and Public Health. Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 22 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2018.

Next Up; Check out how to do a Total Body Cleanse