Here is a question emailed to me last week:
I’ve read that far infrared saunas are good for detoxing the body. Can you find these in gyms or other public use places, or do you pretty much have to buy one? Also, are conventional saunas you find in most health clubs helpful in detoxing?
My reply:
Far infrared saunas are great! I’ve had one for 7 years. The benefit of far infrared is that you can get a great sweat up at a low temperature. The far infrared rays penetrate deeper into the body than the typical thermal heat one would get from a conventional sauna. The deeper penetration causes more heat to be generated, plus it is dry in there so there isn’t any external moisture one would get in a conventional hot rock sauna. Certainly conventional saunas can help detoxify, however far infrared are more efficient at drawing out toxins. Plus they are safer because you do not spend as much time in the sauna, nor does your head overheat. In Ayurvedic medicine they say the head should never get too hot….in a far infrared sauna if you use it properly for about 20 minutes or so you do not get the lightheaded woozy feeling.
There are protocols for using the far infrared sauna. Typically you want the temperature about 120 degrees and you wouldn’t be in there for more than 30 minutes (typically 20.) Take lots of water in with you and blankets to sit on! When you get out of the sauna immediately take a cold shower. What this does is close your pores so the toxins you’ve just sweated out do not enter back into the body. Once your rinse off with cold water then you can take a typical soapy shower. In severe cases there are protocols for taking the sauna/shower cycle 3 or more times. (just soap in the shower the last time.)
