Detoxification
Every one of us living in North America is exposed to environmental toxins. More than 70,000 chemicals are in use and the number is increasing daily. According to an article published in USA Today, ordinary tap water, on average, contains up to 500 chemicals. And over 9000 chemicals found in preservatives, emulsifiers and solvents are used to process, package and store our foods. The question is how are these chemicals affecting our health?  Many of these chemicals, such as mercury and dioxin are proven to cause disease in human beings. Yet still our health practioners, for the most part, do not consider chemical toxicity a contributing factor to disease processes in humans.

Consider this sobering fact: Studies show that the average North American has between 300 and 700 different chemicals stored in adipose (fat) tissues. These chemicals can cause hormonal disturbances, damage sensitive brain chemistry and contribute to enzyme disorders. Moreover, these chemicals are suspected to cause or contribute to immune system damage and are strongly implicated in many chronic immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

 The good news is that many of these chemicals can be eliminated from the body if you know how. One of the ways you can eliminate toxins is by exercising—more specifically by sweating when you exercise. When you “burn” fat during exercise, chemical residues are released and are taken up and out of your system through sweating. However, a more effective way to eliminate toxins from your body is to take a far infrared sauna on a regular basis.

Here’s a little history for you: A few years ago, Japanese researchers looked into the possible therapeutic benefits of far infrared.  Dr. Toshiko Yamazaki M.D., author of “The Science of Far Infrared Therapies,” investigated how far infrared helps body tissues release large amounts of toxins.

Dr. Yamazaki and others discovered that capillary vessels dilate when exposed to far infrared heat. Once dilated, these vessels kick start a process that helps eliminate toxins (e.g. lead, mercury and chlorine) from the body.  They found that water molecules present in blood vibrate when exposed to a 10 micron far infrared wave. This causes the ion bonds of hydrogen, oxygen—as well as toxin—atoms in water molecules to weaken and eventually breakdown, releasing toxic gases and substances in the process.  As a result, increased volumes of toxic substances are more easily removed from the body via sweat and breath.

Researchers found that up to four times the amount of toxic chemicals are “sweated” from the body during a one half hour FIR session when compared to other eliminative methods. (E.g. exercise) 

Researchers were amazed to find that, in many cases, disease symptoms disappeared when toxins were purged from the body via far infrared sauna treatments.

Weight Loss
Another one of the great benefits of far infrared saunas is weight loss.  Studies have shown that you can burn up to 600 calories in a single thirty minute sauna session—here’s how:

Infrared heat gently warms the tissues and penetrates up to 1.5 inches. As the tissues are warmed, blood vessels dilate and your heart rate increases. At the same time, your body begins to sweat to get rid of the excess heat that has built up in heated tissues.  Your body now is working to get rid of heat. As it does so energy is burned. (Calories) All this happens as you sit and enjoy the sauna!

To maximize the amount of calories burned it is important to stay well hydrated. (Research has shown that a well hydrated person will burn calories at a higher rate.)  We recommend using chilled purified water because cold water causes your body to burn even more calories—actually 9 calories per cup!

Losing weight requires that you “burn up” more calories than you consume. It takes roughly 3500 extra calories per day to add one pound of fat to your body. So if you want to lose weight faster it’s important to moderate your caloric intake.

At the very least, you cannot increase your intake of food and expect to lose weight. So take a pass on that extra piece of cake.  In the long run you’ll be glad you did.

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