Sweat Lodges, Infrared Saunas and Sweat Detox
Discussions about the possible dangers of sweat lodges, steam rooms and saunas have recently popped up all over the blogosphere. As a result some people have started doubting whether or not a good detox can be achieved by sweating. This leaves us wondering if something has changed to make us question the proven track record of saunas?
Most of the confusion surrounding the safe use of saunas came about as a result of a tragic accident that took place in the fall of 2009 at a "Spiritual Warrior" retreat in Arizona. Eighteen people were hospitalized and three died because of the drastic over use of the sweat lodge at the retreat. Dehydration was the main cause of the deaths.
Understandably, people have started questioning the safety of sweat lodges and the other type of sweat detox therapy. What most people don't know is that of all the many types of workouts, diets and detox methods, using a sauna is one of the easiest and safest. Infrared saunas in particular are a quick and easy way to induce healthy sweating to stimulate the cardiovascular system. The American Medical Association explains that "many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of indoor saunas may impact a similar stress on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective, as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories, as regular exercise."
Many people are unaware that using a sauna for a cardio workout, detox or a diet is one of the safest and easiest ways to go about it. Infrared saunas are especially a good sauna for stimulating detox through sweating. The American Medical Association (AMA) explained that "many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of indoor saunas may impact a similar stress on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective, as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories, as regular exercise."
For someone to enjoy the detoxifying benefits of an infrared sauna or any type of steam room etc, the simple practice of drinking a glass of water before and after a 15-30 minute session is all that is needed to prevent dehydration or any other possible adverse reaction. Hydration is the key to sweating out toxins.
Another key aspect of infrared sauna use is to utilize a quality mineral supplement. Sweat detox pushes out toxins and heavy metals, but there is a small amount of good minerals that are invariably lost in the process. It is important to replenish these by adding mineral drops to your water before or after your sauna session.
The effectiveness and ease of use of portable infrared saunas and other methods of sweat detox, make them an excellent way to improve one's health. The benefits outweigh the slight risk of dehydration, leaving us wonder why there was ever any confusion to begin with.
Benjamin Andrews writes, researches and blogs about sweat detox as well as many other issues on natural living. To find out more about FIR saunas and sweat detox, go to HEALTHandMEdBlog and read more from Andrews.
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