Far Infrared Ray Saunas, also known as Hot Boxes by our Clients here at Valeo, provide a number of health benefits.
A FAR Infrared Sauna is a sauna that employs FAR infrared light to heat you up instead of using conduction (through the hot wood) or through convection (heated air or steam.)
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. The subcutaneous fatty layer is located just below the skin. An infrared sauna emits rays that penetrate into the tissues to a depth of 1.5 inches. This heat stimulates our fat cells to release the accumulated debris that they have been holding on to.
The infrared sauna also stimulates the sebaceous glands to release harmful toxins such as petrochemicals, mercury and other heavy metals. Since humans are bio-accumulators, toxins that cannot be expelled immediately after entry are stored in our bodies. One of the reasons infrared saunas are so beneficial with a variety of different illnesses is the ability of the FAR waves to accelerate the removal of toxins that are often at the core of many different health challenges.
When toxic substances encounter large H²0 molecules in our body, they are encapsulated by water clusters. This accumulation of toxins blocks blood circulation, oxygenation, nutrient supply and waste removal. When the FAR emitted by an infrared sauna hits these water molecules, they begin to vibrate. As the bonds which hold clusters of H²0 molecules together are dissolved, the toxins they are holding are released.
How often can I use the infrared sauna?
For some folks who are particularly toxic or unhealthy, once or twice a week might be all they can handle. That being said, most people that are looking to do some cleaning out like to come three times a week during a serious cleanse. We’ve even had one fellow who got in the infrared sauna everyday for months on end. That slowed down after a few months but he lost a lot of weight and his skin looked great.
What kind of conditions can be helped by the infrared sauna?
- Psoriasis and other skin conditions: According to many forms of holistic medicine, psoriasis and many other skin disorders actually originate in the liver. When certain toxins are ingested, the liver does not have the ability to break down, metabolize and excrete the toxins. The toxins are sent to the skin for elimination via sweat. When the toxins hit the cells just below the skin, the body overproduces skin cells by a factor of 10,000. The toxins come out on the dead skin cells. By sweating regularly and profusely, the toxins are eliminated via the sweat and sebaceous glands as opposed to through the shedding of skin. The dramatic increase in circulation to the skin that comes with infrared sauna use is also a major factor in toning, tightening and rejuvenating the skin.
- Weight Issues: Weight loss from perspiration is quickly regained. However, being in a hyperthermic state due to the increased core body temperature increases blood circulation, especially to the capillaries, converts fat and increases heart rate. It is possible to burn 300 – 600 calories in a single session in an infrared sauna. Some infrared sauna proponents claim that a 30 minute sauna session is equivalent to jogging or rowing for thirty minutes. The removal of heavy metals that were contributing to metabolic imbalance and weight gain can also improve the basal metabolic rate and normalize body weight. The decrease of toxins stored in the subcutaneous fat goes a long way towards increasing a feeling of lightness in the body and willingness to exercise. Also increasing circulation and oxygenation to the glands improves their health and their ability to keep the body balanced.
- Heart Disease: Studies done at the Mayo Clinic in the 1990’s were performed on 37 congestive heart failure patients. All 37 displayed improvement and some even got off their medications after 6 weeks of low heat infrared sauna therapy.
- Arthritis: In our infrared sauna, the model most therapeutic studies have been performed with, you are surrounded by the carbon heating element which produces the FAR infrared waves. This allows the heat to penetrate deeply into the joints and muscles to break up lactic acid deposits and to increase circulation to the joint capsules which accelerates soft tissue repair and increases the suppleness, flexibility and pliability of the connective tissue.
- Asthma: During the 1980’s infrared sauna therapy studies demonstrated that industrial chemical exposure was alleviated in about 4 weeks. Some regular infrared sauna aficionados claim that inhaler use dropped from 3x / week to 3x / year.
- Fibromyalgia (chronic pain disorder): Many holistic doctors and more and more traditional medical doctors are beginning to believe that these types of patients have a very large toxic burden. It is also the case that for many of them, the liver (the major detoxification organ) and the kidneys (the major organ of filtration and excretion) are not functioning optimally. Oftentimes when their toxic load begins to lighten up, many of their symptoms begin to decrease. The infrared sauna is invaluable for accelerating heavy metal and petrochemical excretion.
If you have any questions or simply want to talk about your particular situation, please don’t hesitate to call us. We are here to help you!
