What Is Infrared Sauna Therapy?
An infrared sauna differs from a traditional sauna in the way that it generates heat, as well as with the increased benefits that it provides to the user’s body. Infrared saunas generate heat through infrared light, which is an invisible part of the sun’s spectrum with the ability to penetrate human tissue. This means the infrared actually permeates deep into your joints, muscles and tissues, speeding up oxygen flow and increasing circulation, thus producing a host of health benefits. Rather than simply warming the air, the infrared sauna therapy heats the body directly. This raises the core body temperature and produces a deep, detoxifying sweat at the cellular level, removing impurities from cells, specifically those inside our fat where our body stores waste and harmful toxins such as cholesterol and heavy metals.
Infrared is primarily known as a powerful detoxifier that increases blood circulation, which has many positive effects on the body.
Origins of Infrared Therapy
Infrared therapies began in the early to mid 20th century in Germany and have been actively developed by Japanese doctors and therapists for the last forty years. Since the early 1980’s, infrared therapy has been further refined and sold in the United States and many European countries.
Infrared works synergistically with Ozone Therapy to provide natural wellness benefits.
Health Benefits
1) Improve blood circulation and skin complexion
* Far-Infrared expands capillaries which stimulates increased blood flow, regeneration, circulation and oxygen.
* It also maintains and promotes healthy lung function
* If sebaceous glands are activated, accumulated cosmetics in pores can be eliminated through the skin (sweat and oil glands), resulting in clearer skin
2) Strengthens cardiovascular system
* Far-Infrared can strengthen the cardiovascular system by causing heart rate and cardiac output increase, and diastolic blood pressure decrease – research by NASA in the early 1980s concluded that far-infrared stimulation of cardiovascular function would be the ideal way to maintain cardiovascular conditioning in American astronauts during long stretches of space travel.
* FIR and the gentle tissue warming has also been shown to help improve the ‘health’ of the cells that line our blood vessels, which if left untreated may increase the risk of heart disorders.
3) Improve detoxification
* Far-Infrared is excellent for detoxification and helps support lymphatic cleansing.
* Scientists in Japan report that in the FIR treatment of clogged capillary vessels, heat expands the capillaries and then initiates the start of a process to dissolve hidden toxins.
* Far-Infrared thereby promotes the elimination of fats, chemicals and toxins from the blood: poisons, heavy metals, carcinogenic substances from processed foods, lactic acid, free fatty acids, subcutaneous fat associated with aging and fatigue, excess sodium associated with blood pressure, and uric acid.
* Where these toxins accumulate, blood circulation is blocked and cellular energy is impaired. Elimination begins when an 8-10 micron Far-Infrared wave is applied to these large water molecules and the water begins to vibrate. This vibration reduces the ion bonds of the atoms that are holding together the molecules of water. As the vibration continues, breakdown of the water molecules takes place and encapsulated gasses and other toxic materials are released.
4) Wound healing
* Recent well-researched experimental and clinical scientific studies (2003) in Japan have shown FIR to result in more rapid wound healing, which was independent of changes in blood flow and skin temperature.
FIR supports this healing by stimulating a group of cells called fibroblasts to make more collagen which is crucial for salubrious wound healing and tissue repair.
* Furthermore, it supports the cell growth, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis all necessary during tissue repair and regeneration. Excellent for healing burns, scar tissue and skin problems such as acne and skin breakouts – also promotes anti-aging effects and lessening/softening of wrinkles due to enhanced collagen production.
5) Relaxation and pain/aches management
* FIR relieves nervous tension and relaxes auto-neuro muscles thereby helping the body make the most of its intended healing abilities.
* FIR reduces soreness on nerve endings and muscle spasms, as muscle fibers are heated. As a result, we can see a rapid reduction of swelling, inflammation, and associated pain. Reduces back, shoulder and neck pains as it relaxes muscles and provides relief from muscular aches.
* FIR soothes tension and stress in both body and mind.
6) Immunity boosting
* Far-Infrared strengthens and supports the immune system by supporting increased production of white blood cells (leukocytes) by the bone marrow and killer T-cells by the thymus.
* “Natural killer cells in the immune system are crucial to effective immune defense. Hyperthermia releases a bunch of cytokines and heat shock proteins which make cancer cells more immunogenic that means they are better recognized by the natural killer cells. NK cells are essential in killing virus-infected cells and destroying cancer cells. The nutrients selenium, ß-glycan and zinc increase circulating levels of natural killer cells and boost their cancer-killing activity.” – Excerpt from an article written by Dr. Friedrich Douwes, Klinic St. Georg, Germany.
7) Cancer support
* Far-Infrared Thermal Therapy — commonly known as hyperthermia across Europe and Asia — provides support in the destruction of malignant cells which cannot survive if the temperature of the cell becomes 107.6F/42C and above.
* Hyperthermia is used worldwide by hospitals and thermal oncologists. Here are just a few countries that implement hyperthermia treatments in their respective medical practices — Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Turkey, Iran, India, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Japan.
* Hyperthermia is used extensively in Asia and Europe – especially Japan and Germany – but is only recently being researched and utilized in the US. FIR is now acknowledged and its efficacy attested to by the American Cancer Association and the National Cancer Institute on their respective websites.
* Targeting the disease and its macro-environment is a modern goal. One of these targets is the blocking of tumor angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors). Blocking the formation of vessels slows down cancer growth, facilitates apoptosis (the programmed cancer cell death), and prevents tumor metastases.
* “Hyperthermia has also a marked anti-angiogenetic effect. The tumor vessels are not as well built as normal capillaries; they are less organized and cannot constrict and relax as normal capillaries. In the early phase of hyperthermia, when the temperature in tumor tissue is rising, the vessels relax to increase the blood flow to the tumor tissue, but as soon as the temperature goes higher than 104°F the constriction of the blood flow stops, it comes to formation of microthrombi causing hypoxemia in the cancer tissue, which together with other important mechanisms induce apoptosis and cancer cell death. So hyperthermia is an elegant form of anti-angiogenesis.” – Excerpt from an article written by Dr. Friedrich Douwes, Klinic St. Georg, Germany – Integrative Cancer Therapy Concept.
Session Details
* Length of Session: 30 minutes
* Description: You may sit or lay comfortably for the entire session. Sweating may occur as you take this time to relax and detox.
* Average Temperature: 130-140 degrees.
* Clothing: We recommend not wearing any clothing. We provide wraps if you don’t feel comfortable being nude, but they may inhibit the infrared light’s ability to penetrate the body by approximately 10%.
* Learn more on sessions with our helpful Treatment Menu.
Tips for the Participant
* Drink plenty of water before, during and after your session.
* Bring your glass water bottle if you would like to take your water into the sauna or we can provide you with a glass of water as well.
* Use the provided hand towel to dab off sweat and toxins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often should I use Infrared Sauna Therapy?
A: The frequency will depend upon your own individual health and wellness goals. We recommend it at least 2-3 times a week. For more aggressive results, 4-5 times per week is recommended. We also suggest visiting the sauna immediately following your workout to see optimal weight loss and recovery results.
Q: Can I invite someone to join me in the sauna?
A: Yes, our saunas will comfortably accommodate you and a friend or loved one. We charge $20 extra to bring a friend or family member into the sauna with you.
Q: What if I don’t sweat a lot?
A: Everyone sweats at different levels. It may take a few sessions for your pores to open and allow the body to sweat. The more water you drink before, during, and after your session the better hydrated you are and the more you’ll sweat.
Q: What can I do while I am in the sauna?
A: We encourage this to be 30 minutes of quiet time to relax and melt away any stresses or tensions. However, you are welcome to bring a book, your phone, or your tablet/iPad into the sauna. You may also listen to your own music or we have an Alexa device available.