What the Sauna?

Saunas have been used for a very long time in many different cultures. Perhaps you're more familiar with another name - sweat bath or maybe a sweat lodge. You may be asking, what exactly is a sauna? Well, it's an enclosed "box" that is heated up to a high enough temperature to make you sweat. A lot. The average American does not move or exercise enough which leads to a lack of sweat and therefore clearing out some of the toxins that are everywhere in our modern world.

Why on earth would a person willingly do this? Great question. Raising the body temperature is a proven means to flush out toxins and disease. Fun Fact - the dry heat from a sauna can cause the skin temp to rise to about 104 degrees. Assuming a person drinks enough water BEFORE entering the chamber, a pint of toxic sweat will be eliminated in one session. Heat is a natural way for your body to fight infections, foreign invaders, and heal. This is why our bodies spike a fever when we start to come down with a cold.

For these next sections I am including infrared saunas as well. These guys use different light frequencies to target different areas of your body for specific needs. This is very similar to red light therapy - just with heat.

So, let's talk about the benefits of a sauna.

1) Direct Cell Death: cancer cells are more sensitive and intolerant of high heat than normal cells. Cancer cells are weaker and will become damaged from the heat. The blood circulation of the cancer cell is also inhibited and therefore the cell will die. Normal cells are not affected and studies have shown cancer masses/tumors have been reduced when combining this method with traditional cancer treatments.

2) Improved Circulation: circulation is boosted which helps to bring an increase in oxygen and nutrients to the whole body. Studies have shown that our pulse rate can jump as much as 30% or more! The blood flow is moved from the internal organs to the outside of the body (in an attempt to get rid of the heat) which incidentally causes increased circulation to the lungs and that increase in oxygen.

3) Elimination of Toxins: As mentioned above, circulation is improved which leads to cleaning the body from the inside out. Without enough circulation, needed nutrients and oxygen don't get into our cells and toxic waste can't get out. Saunas can help eliminate heavy metals, chemicals, and pesticides from our organs which will ultimately make our bodies healthier and run efficiently. (Think lead, copper, mercury, arsenic and clearing our liver and kidneys). Being able to clear the liver and kidneys is a huge bonus when you're going through chemo - I didn't discover how badly my organs were clogged with toxins from my treatment until almost 2 years after my last chemo cycle.

4) Immunity Activation: the number one goal (in my opinion) in helping a cancer patient is to activate or strengthen the immune system. The body is already weakened by the cancer cells that have taken over and then the immune system is utterly destroyed by chemo and radiation. The more a person can build up their immunity the easier it will be to navigate through treatment. The explanation for sauna use and immunity is more "scientifically" explained. Here goes - the high heat from a sauna "produce a "heat shock" protein on the surface of the cancer cell making them more prone to attack by the immune system... Because the damaged proteins on the surfaces of the tumor cells look very different from healthy cells, the immune system is alarmed, and natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages are immediately sent to the tumor." (credit: BeatCancer.org, Susan Silberstein)

As I mentioned in the Red Light Therapy post, I found a great clinic that had infrared saunas and other treatments like a cold "plunge". I began my experimentation first with the infrared sauna and I was very surprised and impressed with how invigorated I felt afterwards. My body felt great and I had extra energy that I hadn't felt in a long time. I unfortunately do not have a home infrared sauna but I do know several people who do. If this something you would like to investigate as a home purchase I would encourage you to talk with somebody who already has one (if possible) and definitely try one at a wellness clinic to see if you like the experience. Saunas are an incredible tool for all people - but it does take a little bit of willingness to sit in a very hot enclosed space for a block of time and just sweat it out.