What's all the Heat on Infrared Sauna Therapy?

Y’all, I just read this article that stated, “every system in our body performs better when it functions in a detoxified state.” Uhm. Good job, Sherlock.

The statement begs the question though, how can one get to a detoxified state and stay there? Most would say, “by eating right and exercising.” Why exercise? Because exercise causes the body to sweat. Ahhh, sweat.




We all know that sweat is a wonderful[ly disgusting] way to amp up our metabolism, burn calories, and rid our bodies of nasty toxins. BUT.... how can you sweat when you're injured or live with an Autoimmune Disease(s) that makes mobility eight (8) times more of a challenge for you than the average Joe, but still want to reap the health benefits that are released from sweating?

Insert: infrared sauna therapy.

                       

For some reason, when people hear "infrared" they think tanning bed = ultraviolet rays = skin cancer. This is so far off I can't even deal.

UV rays and infrared rays have different frequencies and wavelengths, causing them to have different energy levels. UV light has a higher energy level than infrared. Since ultraviolet rays have this high energy level, when the rays strike DNA (the little important molecules in your cells that make you who you are), they can cause mutations. An accumulation of these mutations can lead to skin cancer. Infrared light has a shorter frequency and a longer wavelength. The effects of infrared light have been proven to be therapeutic in many instances for hundreds of years. So, let me just clear the air on the issue:

Infrared saunas are not tanning beds.

Another misconception is that all saunas are created equal. This also is not true.

Traditional saunas, or steam rooms (like those found in gyms), raise the temperature of the room using a heat source (wood, coal, gas) and emit a "wet heat" that, while some find it beneficial (and I'm not going to knock its ability to be relaxing - especially the steam rooms that are infused with eucalyptus, holy cow), they really don't do much more than help induce relaxation and stress-relief. Honestly, if I'm going to perspire (girls don't sweat. We glisten. Ahem.), you'd better believe that it's going to benefit me on more levels than stress-relief and relaxation.

Infrared saunas actually heat your body directly. What? Bear with me here. The infrared waves penetrate 1 1/2 - 2 inches into your skin, organs, and deep tissue for a heating action which allows your  body to improve blood circulation and activate sweat glands. Sweat glands are one of the few mechanisms our bodies have to eliminate toxins. Toxins are bad and we want them to go. Pronto. Hasta la vista!

There have also been reports that infrared sauna therapy is safer and easier for people who normally can’t tolerate regular saunas/steam rooms or various other types of heat treatments. (Interesting, hmm?) IR sauna therapy has also been shown to stimulate the production of collagen. And we all know how I feel about collagen (♡♡♡).

One last definition and then we can move along: Near-, Middle-, and Far-Infrared therapy.

The difference between these three (3) types of therapy is the difference in infrared wavelength and intensity of treatment. Near is best for wound healing and ramping up immune functions. Middle works great for increased circulation and muscle relaxation. Far is mainly used for detoxification. I'm sure it could get more scientific, but I'm no scientist and I don't want to dabble. So...

On to the good stuff!

Here are just a few of the (somewhat) well-known benefits of infrared sauna therapy:

Detoxification.  As I’m sure you already know, our epidermis is one of the best at eliminating toxins from our bodies by way of sweating. Infrared sauna treatments can eliminate about seven (7) times more toxins than a traditional sauna can. (And it’s much safer, too.)

Relaxation and Stress-Relief. Infrared saunas help balance cortisol levels (your body’s main stress hormone). IR sauna treatments also help relieve muscle tension and prompt muscle relaxation throughout your body. When your cortisol levels are balanced and your body is relaxed, you can manage stress healthfully and be the best you! (If you want to get all scientific, the technical term for what infrared saunas do for stress management is “parasympathetic healing.”) Since you’re able to relax and de-stress in an IR treatment, you actually come out feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. (Yes, you’re covered in sweat, but you feel so good that it doesn’t even matter!)

Pain Relief and Circulation. These two really go hand-in-hand. When you have an injury (or chronic inflammation), infrared heat stimulates vasodilation (the widening of blood vessels), which, in turn, causes your blood vessels to vasoconstrict (the narrowing of your blood vessels). This increases blood flow. Because of this increase in blood flow (and oxygen-rich blood!), the result is muscle and joint repair and recovery (which I need in my life. All day, every day).

Infrared saunas also help manage inflammation. As I’ve said before, acute inflammation is actually a good thing because it’s an important defense mechanism that let’s your body know when something is off and needs to be dealt with. Chronic inflammation – the thorn in my side – is something that needs to be controlled. (And if you’re not up for freezing, infrared is a good option!)

Cleansing. When there is an elimination of toxins from your pores, there is an increase in clearer, softer, healthier skin! And who doesn’t want to be “forever young,” am I right? ;)

Weight Loss. Every bit of research you will do on infrared sauna therapy will, in some shape or fashion, mention "weight loss" as a benefit.  Honestly, this one has a long way to go and could probably be (and has been) debated in many ways. Most professionals say that you only shed water weight, which will be added back as soon as you drink something. I like to think that anything that causes my heart rate to increase will, in turn, burn calories because it causes my heart rate to get outside it’s normal range. Say what you will; think what you choose. I’m going to stick with my analogy.

Side note. Studies have shown that sitting in an infrared sauna for 20-30 minutes a day can help fend off a cold or flu. The thought is that by heating your body with IR rays, the heat will rev up your body’s circulation, jump-starting the boost in production of white blood cells, and awaken your immune system’s response to “invaders.” Have you ever thought about how people rarely get sick in the Summer, but always get some sort of crud during the Winter? Maybe there’s a connection here…

After all of the rambling on about how good infrared therapy, why not give it a try? I, of course, had to! (Did you really expect any less??)

The same place that I go for Cryotherapy has an infrared sauna. IR was actually the first treatment that I tried at Cool Therapeutics. The tech that runs the clinic made it sound so interesting that I couldn’t not try it out.

So, my sports-bra-and-shorts-clad self climbed in the 2-seater sauna (apparently it can fit 4 people, but guys…. I need my space when I’m sweating like a pig. There isn’t any way in thunder that I would want to sit practically right on top of another person during a sweat session. Nuh uh) with a book and a towel and…sat. For several minutes.  And nothing happened. I wasn’t warming up, I couldn’t tell that big of a difference in the temperature of the room even though I was watching the temperature rise.

Then, probably 15 minutes into my 30-minute session, buddy…. The floodgates of hell opened up inside my pores and sweat droplets came POURING out.

By the time my session was over there wasn’t an inch of my body that was dry (I know, gross, but kiiiiiinda neat if you think about it). And, even though I got sleepy inside the room (I mean…it’s warm and when you start sweating, there’s really nothing you can do other than just sit there and, well…sweat), within minutes of stepping out, I was energized and felt pretty good. I can’t say that I necessarily see the “instant” results like I do when I have a cryo session, but the benefits are still there! They just take a bit longer to show their pretty faces. 😉

One thing that I did notice right off the bat was that the swelling I generally get in my fingers when I’m hot wasn’t really present. I mean, my fingers were a bit swollen, but the swelling went down a few minutes after I got out and my joints weren’t hurting. Which was HUGE. For me anyway. 😊

One last side note. Every new therapy that you try should be done with caution. Don't just run and jump head-on into 30-minute sessions. The only reason I did was because I’ve done similar treatments and have sat in traditional saunas before, so my body (sort of) knew what to expect. Your body won't know what hit it. Start low and slow. I will be the first to admit that I love getting immediate results. (Who doesn't?) It's one of my flaws. But, I have learned over the past five years that consistency is key and, by starting slow and being consistent, you'll see a greater improvement with fewer setbacks. 

Happy sweating! (Or freezing. Or whatever you want to do!)

XOXO,

Heather

Cranberry Balsamic Roasted Chicken

Serves: 4-6
Recipe courtesy of cottercrunch.com 

Ingredients:

4-6 Chicken thighs or breasts, rinsed clean and patted dry

Fresh Thyme
Dried Italian Herbs
1/2 cup Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

Marinade:
1/3 cup Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrups
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon minced Garlic

Directions:

Put chicken in a gallon-size storage bag. Combine all marinade ingredients together; pour over chicken and seal bag. Place in the refrigerator and 30 minutes to 24 hours (the longer it sits, the better). 

Preheat oven to 375*. Remove chicken from fridge. Add 1/2 cup cranberries, thyme, and Italian herbs to a baking dish. place chicken on top of cranberry spread. Bake for 22 minutes; remove from oven and turn chicken. Brush each piece with a mixture of 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Return to oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Spoon sauce from pan over each chicken piece and serve.

*This goes really well with broccoli salad and sautéed fingerling potatoes.