Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Health Benefits Of Far Infrared Ray (FIR) Saunas

By Benjamin Andrews

Infrared ray saunas, it turns out, are very effective and have been clinically researched quite thoroughly in Japan. Raising our bodies temperature in the sauna's controlled environment assists our bodies' tissues activate and function more efficiently. Below is a helpful list of some of the many health benefits that come from infrared ray saunas.

Acne: Three or four infrared treatments may open pores that have not been functioning in years, forcing out cosmetics which were clogging the pores and loosening dead outer skin. The sauna is thus a boon to teenage skin, clearing acne and blackheads.

Blood Flow/Circulation: Blood flow during whole-body hyperthermia is reported to rise from a normal five to seven quarts a minute to as many as 13 quarts a minute, which is a blood flow similar to that seen during exercise. Several reasons FIR sauna therapy boosts blood flow and circulation: 1. FIR Sauna Therapy increases your heart rate which relaxes the smooth muscles in the blood vessels and causes them to dilate, which in turn increases blood flow. 2. Temperature elevation which reaches the subcutaneous tissues produces an increase in blood flow and dilation directly in capillaries, arterioles and venules through direct action on the smooth muscles. 3. The heat radiated by FIR saunas causes a phenomenon called resonance when it is absorbed by the cells in the body. This invigorates and boosts cellular metabolism and blood circulation instantaneously. 4. The release of bradykinin from increased sweat-gland activity also produces increased blood flow and dilated blood vessels. 5. Heating one area of the body produces reflex-modulated blood vessel dilation in distant-body areas, even in the absence of a change in core body temperature; i.e., heat a forearm and both lower extremities dilate; heat the front of the trunk and the hand dilates. 6. Through other metabolic reflexes. This increase in blood circulation helps to flush out impurities and metabolic wastes from the blood out through the sweat and increased energy.

Cellulite: Cellulite is a gel-like substance made up of fat, water and wastes, which are trapped in pockets below the skin. FIR sauna therapy can assist this condition, as profuse sweating helps clear this form of unwanted debris from the body. European beauty specialists confirm that a sauna will greatly speed any anti-cellulite program. Because FIR saunas have at least twice the depth of heat penetration into cellulite combined with up to 10 times the level of heating in these tissues, they are significantly more effective than any conventional sauna at removing cellulite.

Detoxification: Hyperthermia (fever) is the body's natural way to eliminate bacteria, viruses and toxic organisms by sweating them out through the skin. Infrared sauna use is perhaps the most effective method of prompting hyperthermia (rise in body temperature) for the purpose of detoxification. Increased blood circulation stimulates the sweat glands, quickly expunging built-up toxins and waste, through the skin, the body's largest organ. Daily sweating can help detoxify the body as it rids itself of an accumulation of potentially carcinogenic heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, aluminum) as well as alcohol, nicotine, sodium, sulfuric acid, arsenic, cholesterol, ammonia, uric acid, hydrocarbon residues, narcotic drugs and hormone disrupting chemicals (dioxins, PCBs, formaldehyde, agricultural chemicals, industrial chemicals, gasoline, pesticides, food additives, etc.). These toxins may be deposited deep beneath the skin in the body fat and internal organs. Infrared is able to penetrate deep into the body and cause a resonance in the water molecules that surrounds the cells. Because the far infrared frequency matches that of the body, this resonance allows the water molecules to move more freely in and out through the membrane of the cells. As sweat and oils and secreted, the toxins dissolved in them are secreted as well.

Flexibility: A FIR Sauna is perfect as a "heat therapy room" for athletes looking for a pre-workout warm-up to warm up muscles and increase flexibility, helping to prevent injury. It's also ideal for pre-warm-up for physical therapy and massage therapy, or for a relaxing, wind-down at the end of a stress-filled day.

In a sequential, longitudinal, interrupted time series trial at the Mayo Clinic , 15 hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure underwent daily 15 minute infrared sauna treatment for 4 weeks. These serious end-stage congestive heart failure patients were maximally medicated, unable to walk across the room without shortness of breath and were unable to tolerate warm baths. When they were treated with FIR sauna therapy, symptoms improved in 87% of patients (13 of 15). Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 30% to 34% on average, meaning that their hearts beat more efficiently and with less effort. Every patients 6 minute walking distance increased. Distance increased from an average of 388 meters to 448 meters (15% faster pace). Average plasma epinephrine (adrenaline) concentration decreased by 48% from 40 pg/mL to 21 pg/mL. Average plasma norepinephrine decreased by 30% from 633 pg/mL to 443 pg/mL. These two are both used to diagnose congestive heart failure. Diastolic blood pressure (the low number) decreased but systolic pressure (the top number) was unchanged. This means that they did not get hypertensive and the work that the hearts had to do decreased. There were no side effects (something that never happens with drugs and surgery). No patients had dyspnea (shortness of breath), angina (chest pain) or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), or complained of excess heat. FIR sauna therapy literally saved their lives.

Inflammation: The increased peripheral circulation occurring with FIR sauna therapy provides the transportation needed to help evacuate the edema, which can help stop inflammation, decrease pain and help speed healing. Researchers have observed high success rates when applying FIR therapy to resolve post surgical infection, pelvic infection and frostbite with inflammation.

Muscle Spasm: Muscle spasms have long been observed to be reduced through the use of heat, whether they be secondary to underlying skeletal, joint, or neuro-pathological conditions. This result is possibly produced by the combined effect of heat on both primary and secondary afferent nerves from spindle cells and from its effects on Golgi tendon organs. The results produced demonstrated their peak effect within the therapeutic temperature range obtainable with FIR heat.

Menopause: FIR therapy relieves menopause related symptoms: relieved chills, nervousness, depression, dizziness, head & stomach aches.

There seems to be an almost continual flow of new information regarding infrared ray saunas and their benefits to our health. Hopefully you enjoy this short list of the benefits that we already know about. - 14130

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