Two thousand years ago, the first saunas were said to be seen in Finland. In those days, they were used to protect people from the cold by digging pits in the ground. Stones in the pit were made to become hot due to a fire that was lit. Once these hot stones were arranged around the pit, they gave warmth. With the passage of time, this concept of using heated stones was utilized by primitive people living in the northern hemisphere to provide their dwellings with warmth during certain winters. At some point in history, it was discovered that water poured on heated stones was converted into steam, thus increasing the temperature of the interiors. As a result, the inmates could remove their insulating winter wear and experience the heat trapped inside their homes. With the increase in quality of construction material, the dwelling structures retained more heat within them, and the indoor temperatures began to rise high enough to make the inmates sweat in the most different winters. As a result of sweating, they felt refreshed and energized. This prompted them to build a number of separate structures just to experience the pleasure of sitting in the steamed-up environment, which enabled them to enjoy the benefits of sweating. This is how a heat pit evolved into a sauna, as it is popular today.
The skin, being the largest organ in the human body, helps regulate heat along performing other physiological functions. The skin produces sweat in response to heat, and this sweat has a dual purpose: to cool the skin when the sweat evaporates, and to flush out toxins collected in the body. The liver and the kidneys are the organs mainly responsible for excretion. The liver filters out toxins into the urine and bile and the kidneys excrete them. There is great pressure on the liver, and this pressure can be eased-off when the skin does its part of producing sweat, in order to flush the toxins out. The skin that helps the kidneys and the liver to function efficiently.
We live in a world that is highly polluted. Many of these pollutants are ingested or externally absorbed by the body. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are categorized as 'persistent organic pollutants', are known to cause cancer in a vast majority of cases. Pesticides and dioxins are highly toxic; and phthalates, which are used in the manufacture of plastics, can cause a number of long-term disorders. According to experts, a sauna is the most effective way of detoxifying the body among other methods. Saunas are used in hyperthermia (sweat producing therapy). This therapy facilitates the flushing out of toxins and also has a soothing effect on the autonomous nervous system, so making the muscles feel relaxed. It reduces blood pressure and is beneficial to the digestive system. When the core body temperature is raised by using a sauna, the immune system is boosted and its ability to fight diseases increases.
Individuals that have been regularly exposed to toxins can be benefitted by sauna therapy. They include farmers, drug addicts, firefighters and pilots who fly pesticide-spraying planes. American veterans, who suffered the ill-effects of being exposed to Agent Orange during the Herbicidal Warfare in the Vietnam War, are known to have benefitted from sauna therapy. Those who can not tolerate medications, either for removal of toxins or for treatment of medical problems, can also be benefited by the use of saunas.
A beneficial treatment such as the sauna treatment faces a paradoxical situation. This is because it sometimes becomes unsuitable for exactly those people who could actually benefit from it. For example, saunas may produce adverse effects in heart patients. Fortunately, technology has found an answer.
The answer to raising the core body temperature without overheating the surroundings lies in the infrared technology. Infrared or radiant heat is easily absorbed by human tissue without being absorbed by the surroundings. Infrared saunas operat at temperatures of 110 – 130 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the wide range of 108 – 230 degrees Fahrenheit of the steam sauna. Infrared saunas raise the body's internal temperature while keeping the external temperature at tolerable levels, since the external environment does not absorb more than 20 percent of this heat emanating from an inferred source. This infrared sauna not only penetrates deeper for more sweat production, but is also safe and does not produce adverse effects.
The uses of infrared saunas are not limited to just making a person sweat, but they are used in soothing muscle pain caused by sports, chronic fatigue and arthritis. They are also used in treating fibromyalgia, a chronic condition characterized by severe pain in the muscles. Infrared saunas generate enough heat to facilitate the elimination of chemicals and metallic toxins dissolved in fatty tissues. Once these toxins are out of the fat tissues, they can be carried out of the body by sweat. This has a two-fold benefit: alleviating the pain, and removing the toxins that cause these conditions.
Apart from providing relief from various conditions with its heating abilities, infrared saunas are also used to treat people who suffer from eczema, acne, psoriasis and cellulite deposits. As a result of the internal heat, dead cells of the skin are shed, bringing to the surface the new, elastic and well-toned skin. The appearance of the skin is also improved as the deep heat melts the cellulite deposits. The infrared heat increases growth hormones and facilitates weight loss. Under standard conditions, infrared saunas can help burn as much as 600 calories in just 30 minutes.
Although conventional saunas have a wide range of benefits, infrared saunas are more efficient and effective, and ideal for the therapeutic use, since they speed up the elimination of toxic substances from the body. As a result of the detoxification process, those who use infrared saunas, end up feeling energized and rejuvenated.
While saunas do not provide a miracle cure for various physical ailments, they have an extensive history of being broadly beneficial to those who have regularly used them. In case you are suffering from a medical problem, and you are doubtful about the benefits of a sauna, or you are wondering if it is suitable for you, it is best that you consult your health professional before beginning its use.