The blogosphere has been buzzing with talk about the the possible dangers of saunas, sweat lodges, and steam rooms. This has led to people doubting whether or not sweating is a valid method to get a good detox. For years saunas have been regarded as a reliable way to detox. Now people are left wondering if something has changed?
A tragic incident last fall involving the death of several people at a retreat in Arizona is largely the source of the recent confusion about sweat lodges and safe detox. In addition to 3 deaths, 18 people were also hospitalized due to the extreme use of the Arizona retreat’s sweat lodge. Heat stroke and dehydration turned out to be the culprit.
The simple way avoid these problems while using an infrared sauna, sweat lodge or steam room is to drink water before and after your15-30 minute heat therapy session. Preventing adverse reactions such as dehydration, one must simply stay hydrated. Hydration is the key factor to safe detox or healthy weight loss in a sauna.
The key to a good detox from a sauna is to understand the effects of a deep healthy sweat. Research has been conducted to find out exactly what toxins are leaving the body when we sweat. The sweat of people using a conventional sauna was found to be 95 to 97% water while the sweat of those using an Far-infrared thermal system was 80 to 85% water with the non-water portion principally cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals (such as mercury and aluminum), sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. Far-Infrared, Technologies that Harness the Sun, Valerie Free, 2001.
One of the main factors to keep in mind when using an infrared sauna is to stay hydrated. Drinking a glass of water before and after a 15-30 minute session will keep you appropriately hydrated, and thus able to detox.
Using a high quality mineral supplement is the other key factor to remember if you are going to be detoxing in a sauna. By adding mineral drops to your water before and after a portable sauna session, you will be replacing any lost minerals that are sometimes sweated out with the toxins.
There is no need for confusion when it comes to infrared saunas, sweat lodges and detox. The ease of use and effectiveness of a sauna certainly outweighs the sight risk of overuse and dehydration. Hopefully people will better understand that now.
Benjamin Andrews writes, researches and blogs about sweat detox as well as many other issues on natural living. To know more about FIR saunas and sweat detox, go to HEALTHandMEdBlog and read more from Andrews.