For centuries cultures around the world have used sweat baths and saunas to flush out toxins and disease and maintain optimal physical and mental health.
Infrared technology was first incorporated into a cabinet about 100 years ago when Dr. JH Kellogg invented his “electric light bath,” which was first displayed in the 1893 World’s Fair. However, infrared saunas became popular in the USA in the 1980s, and technology has been refined and made more effective in the past three decades.
1–Direct Cancer Cell Death
Cancer cells are weaker than healthy cells. Therefore, hyperthermia is effective because cancer cells are more sensitive to and intolerant of the effects of excessive heat than healthy cells.
In fact, high temperatures may, at times, kill cancer cells, usually without damage to healthy cells.
A 2009 clinical study on cancer cells revealed that far infrared therapy reduced tumor volume by 86% in only 30 days. Another study conducted in Japan suggested that far-infrared whole-body hyperthermia inhibited cancer tumors in mice with minimal side effects. These results indicate that hyperthermia is a promising non-invasive treatment for breast cancer.
2–Detoxification
Sweating is a crucial part of detoxification and is one of the body’s most natural ways to eliminate toxins. Yet many people don’t sweat regularly or often enough, further reducing opportunities to release toxins through the skin. The heat produced by infrared saunas creates perspiration, which cleanses the skin from the inside out.
The deep penetration of infrared heat releases toxins from the fat layers just beneath the skin and flushes out those toxins through the sweat. The dry heat of a sauna causes skin temperature to elevate, and if you’re well-hydrated before entering the sauna, you may release up to a pint of toxic sweat in a short sauna stint.
Furthermore, researchers analyzed the sweat from both traditional and infrared saunas. Sweat from conventional was roughly 97% water and 3% toxin. In contrast, infrared saunas produced sweat comprised of 80-85% water and 15-20% consisted of fat-soluble toxins, uric acid, ammonia, sodium, sulfuric acid, and heavy metals, sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia, uric acid,
In addition to cleansing the skin and the fat just below it, infrared saunas also support the health of internal organs by aiding with decongestion and elimination of toxins. The liver, kidneys, and other internal organs can become burdened with estrogen, chemicals, and toxic metals. Overload, sluggishness, and congestion of these eliminatory organs significantly inhibit the detoxification of all poisonous substances in our bodies.
Organ congestion is a critical issue for cancer patients. To get rid of excess heat, saunas move blood toward the extremities and away from the center of the body. This, in turn, helps decongest the body’s internal organs.
3–Stress Reduction
When we have an overload of stress, our adrenal glands produce excess cortisol. The sympathetic branch of our nervous system kicks into high gear, preparing us to fight or flee. Our digestive and elimination functions become inhibited, as does our immune system. An overactive sympathetic nervous system is often a factor in the development of cancer.
Saunas support parasympathetic activity in several ways. As mentioned above, saunas eliminate toxins that irritate the body’s tissues and keep it in a sympathetic state. Inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system may also promote cancer healing by helping to reduce excess acidity in the body. Cancer thrives in an acid environment. Other positive effects on the nervous system include mitigating appetite loss, pain, and depression, all of which are common among patients with cancer.
4–Weight Loss
Infrared heat is deeply penetrating and causes your core temperature to rise. This often leads to an increased heart rate – similar to what happens when you exercise. To reduce your core temperature, your body begins to work harder and your heart rate rises. This, in turn, burns calories, resulting in weight loss.
Often cancer patients who are sedentary due to medical conditions experience profound weight loss results with infrared therapy. During a 30-minute sauna session, core temperature increases, and the body works hard to cool itself, often burning 300-500 calories in the process.
5–Improved Circulation
Cancer often grows in tissues with poor circulation. An oxygen-rich environment reduces opportunities for cancer cell growth. Thus when infrared saunas boost circulation, they reverse the cancer process.
During a sauna, the pulse rate jumps by 30% or more. This, in turn, causes a dramatic increase in how quickly the heart blood.
In an attempt to reduce sauna-induced heat, blood is shunted from internal organs to the periphery of the body.
When blood reaches the periphery of the body, heat is often released through the skin. Saunas also improve oxygenation by increasing circulation to the lungs. The combination of quickly pumping blood and lung oxygenation benefits cancer patients, as many of whom cannot or should not exercise vigorously.
6–Improved Immunity
While conventional cancer treatments often suppress immune function, hyperthermia may actually enhance it. According to German professor Rolf Issels, MD, Ph.D., hyperthermia creates ´heat shock´ proteins on the cancer cell’s surface, making them more prone to attack by the immune system. This process causes cancer cells to look distinct from healthy cells, thereby generating an immune response that is both immediate and long-lasting.
In conclusion
Although many techniques for generating hyperthermia are available, the infrared sauna is definitely one of the easiest and safest. I have one and use it regularly. In the process of researching, I found that the Sunlighten mPulse series best suited my needs. It is a full-spectrum infrared sauna, including far, mid, and
If you have any questions about how I used my sauna in the process of my self-care, cancer treatment, and recovery book a call with me below.
Or you may reach me via my contact page.
