If you live in a highly populated area, you are probably living in a cesspool of invisible trash. Although you may not see the garbage in the air, the soil, and the water, you’re walking through large amounts of pollutants every single day. The cars that are zipping past you are releasing fumes and heavy metals in the air. Construction sites are pounding concrete and metals into the air and soil as they erect new buildings or repair broken roadways. Chemicals leech into our water sources as companies use the ground for dumping. No matter how hard you try to live a clean, pure life, pollutants are all around you, and therefore, in you. This is why it’s so important to detoxify your body.
We are born with natural ways to detoxify. Primarily, this is the function of the liver and kidneys. Toxins are processed by these organs and should be eliminated through urine or feces. Unfortunately, because we are exposed to high levels of toxins every day, our liver and kidneys can become overtaxed with trying to eliminate these toxins. This results in a backup or toxic congestion, requiring another method of waste removal. When this congestion occurs, the toxins are sent into the bloodstream where they are eventually stored in fat cells. One of the best ways to rid your fat cells of these toxins is through sweating.
Your skin is the largest organ that you have; therefore, it’s your largest opportunity to detoxify your body. When your lymphatic system is stimulated, your sweat glands are activated to release fluid from your body for two main purposes to: 1) Cool your body off and 2) Release waste products. On an average day, your body releases approximately one quart of sweat, assuming that you’re not using anti-perspirants that block the sweat glands from producing sweat.
Your body has two types of sweat glands, apocrine glands and eccrine glands. The apocrine glands are located in the armpits, pubic area, and the scalp. Through the apocrine glands, pheromones, believed to make one more attract to the opposite sex, are also released. Emotional sweating, especially sweat caused by stress, is produced in the apocrine glands.
While you may be more familiar with some of the negative consequences of stress on you mentally and emotionally, if you notice a not-so-pleasant odor from yours or someone else’s sweat, that scent hitting your nose could be due to stress versus poor hygiene. Although the sweat itself is typically odorless, your apocrine glands produce bacteria which is supposed to break down your sweat. In addition to the bacteria, sweat caused from stress causes your body to release proteins and fatty substances that interact with this gland-produced bacteria. The release of the bacteria, proteins, and fatty substances, creates the odor that you can then discern.
The eccrine glands are located all over the body. The main purpose of these glands is to cool your body off. These are the glands that are activated during your workouts or when you’re hanging out in the rays of the hot summer sun. This sweat is typically odorless, comprised mostly of water and salt, as it exits the body to cool it down.
When comparing sweat to the body’s other waste removal processes, one study, published in the Journal of Public and Environmental Health, showed that heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead, were excreted just as much, if not more so, through the sweat glands than in blood or urine. It also showed that the sauna-induced sweat by the study participants contained higher levels of potassium, urea, ammonia, and lactic acid concentrations than in blood. This study concluded that sweating should be highly considered as a method for toxic element elimination. Although many have debated whether or not sweat truly assists in the detoxification process, this study provides ample scientific evidence.
Historically, countries like Sweden, Finland, and Norway have always believed in the healing and detoxifying benefits of sweating and sauna use. In some of these countries, you can find a sauna in almost every home. Saunas assist the body in heating up to activate the sweat glands so that they can begin the process of dumping toxins from the eccrine glands. However, not all saunas are the same.
Traditional saunas can be dry or steam producing. If dry, heaters are used to raise the temperature of the room. If wet, steam is produced through a generator, or by throwing water on hot coals. The traditional sauna is beneficial in that it relaxes tired muscles, strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves resistance to viruses and illnesses, purifies the skin, and takes some of the burden off the kidneys and liver to excrete toxic waste from the body. Steam saunas are great for opening up congested lungs. According to Dr. Brian Clement, Director of Hippocrates Health Institute, steam saunas are very beneficial for detoxifying water-based organs, such as the kidneys, lungs and bladder.
With this style of sauna, the temperature can become unbearably hot as the body is heating up from the outside in. Essentially, the room becomes an oven. Therefore, those with a high sensitivity to heat or breathing problems should avoid the traditional sauna. Additionally, women with breast implants may want to consult with their physicians prior to spending time in the sauna, although the temperatures at which silicone may deteriorate will likely be far higher than temperatures typically used in saunas.
Most people have heard about infrared saunas, but there are two types of infrared saunas – Near Infrared and Far Infrared. Unlike the traditional sauna, which heats the body from the outside in, infrared saunas penetrate 2 – 3 inches into the skin, allowing the body to heat from the inside out. Because the waves are penetrating the skin, infrared saunas don’t require the temperature to be nearly as hot as the more traditional sauna. According to world-renowned detoxification doctor, Dietrich Klinghardt, the sweat from someone using an infrared sauna contains 4.3 times more toxins than the sweat from a traditional heat sauna.
Far infrared saunas have similar benefits as traditional saunas, but also lower blood pressure, kill bacteria and viruses, improve lymphatic circulation, and allow the body to excrete toxins. The main drawback of the far infrared sauna is that it emits high levels of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) which can disrupt the body’s cellular processes.
Near infrared saunas also have many of the benefits of traditional saunas without the extra heat. However, unlike far infrared saunas, the near infrared sauna emits much lower EMFs, making it less damaging to cellular tissue. In fact, it boosts the healing and regeneration of tissue as it increases human growth hormone, reduces pain, reduces overall body fat, and aids the body in regulating insulin levels, and kills infections far more effectively than classic saunas.
After working in and out of the laboratory for 30 years as a physicist, I knew that my body was laden with all sorts of toxins that had major impacts on my body. In order to detoxify my system, I went through a program which incorporated niacin, exercise, and sauna use in order to support and speed up the detoxification process for my body. You can read more about my program here. As a result of this program, I noticed an immediate increase in energy, vitality, agility, as well as a sense of resilience within my first week. I found that I was able to bound up four flights of stairs without feeling winded or out of breath. Also, upon waking in the morning, I noticed that both my mind and body felt incredibly clear and ready for the day’s activities. Not only did my circulation and complexion improve, but my skin also became smoother.
With the introduction of infrared saunas on the market, it is much more affordable to purchase a sauna for your home as compared to the cost of the traditional saunas. It’s important to know the type of infrared sauna you are purchasing. Also, if you’re purchasing a portable tent, be mindful of the tent material being used. If petrochemicals are used in the tent construction, your open pores could be absorbing toxins from the tent in which you are sitting.
When beginning a sauna regimen, it’s important to start off with only a few minutes in the sauna at a time to make sure that your body can handle the heat and the release of toxins. Eventually, you can work your way up to 15 – 30 minutes in an infrared sauna, or 10 – 20 minutes in a traditional sauna. It’s also best to consult a health professional if you are dealing with any respiratory issues or chronic conditions that can impair sweating, such as multiple sclerosis, central nervous system tumors, and diabetes with neuropathy.
Overall, I’m a huge proponent of saunas and their detoxification benefits as I’ve seen the results within my own body. By incorporating sauna use in your routine, you can be sure that your body will be eliminating toxins that could be disrupting your organ function and lowering your energy levels. If you want your body to perform the way nature intended, incorporate detoxification methods into your routine for improved health and a better outlook on your life.
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Sources:
https://www.drwhitaker.com/health-benefits-of-a-sauna
http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/far-infrared-sauna-benefits/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/21/dr-clement-on-detoxification.aspx
https://www.mamanatural.com/near-infrared-sauna/
https://well.org/fitness/detoxing-saunas/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/05/07/sweating-detoxification.aspx
https://dailyhealthpost.com/toxins-stored-in-your-cells-and-how-to-detox/2/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312275/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341445/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001016073704.htm
http://deannawon.com/want-to-lose-weight-and-feel-happier-try-the-niacin-detoxification-a-k-a-the-sweat-program/
https://www.wellandgood.com/good-sweat/science-backed-detox/
