Health Benefits

Eases Joint Pain and Stiffness

In Europe, radiant heat therapy is widely used to treat patients suffering from many forms of arthritis. In addition, it has been proved effective in the treatment of sprains, neuralgia, bursitis, muscle spasms, joint stiffness and many other muscular-skeletal ailments. Much of the stiffness, aches and soreness that comes with aging is reduced or eliminated.

Reduces Stress and Fatigue

Perhaps the most immediate relief your Health Mate sauna offers is simple relaxation, as it melts away the stresses and tensions of modern day living. Just a few minutes in the gentle warmth of your Health Mate sauna gives you an overall massaging effect, soothing jangled nerves and knotted muscles. You'll feel rejuvenated and renewed, restored in both body and mind.

Energy returns with far-infrared cellular purification

Dr. Toshiko Yamazaki, MD owns an infrared therapy clinic in Japan where she has done extensive research on the uses of Far Infrared Therapy or Infrared Light Therapy. In her book, "The Science of Far-Infrared Therapies," she explains that one of the reasons FIR (Far Infrared Therapy) has beneficial results in a variety of illnesses is the ability of FIR waves to remove toxins with mercury detoxification, which is often at the core of many health problems. Since humans are bio-accumulators, numerous toxins that disturb natural body healing and cannot be removed immediately after entry are stored in our bodies and prevent future natural body healing.

Far infrared wavelengths have other beneficial properties. They lower lactic acid (the acid that accumulates and causes pain in muscles when you have overdone during exercising), stimulate endorphins or happy hormones of the brain, and kill organisms like bacteria and parasites. More important, they penetrate tissues, detoxify cells by vibrating ionic bonds, stop swelling, improve lymphatic flow and blood circulation, and attract calcium to cell membranes where it is needed for healing.

Relieves Pain

The deep heat of your Health Mate sauna helps peripheral blood vessels dilate, bringing relief and healing to muscle and soft tissue injuries. Increased blood circulation carries off metabolic waste products and delivers oxygen-rich blood to oxygen-depleted muscle, so they recover faster. Muscles relax most readily when tissues are warm, for greater flexibility and range of motion.

Heat therapy for pain relief

New clinical research on pain offers evidence to establish a novel class of pain -- "heat responsive pain" or HRP -- which encompasses several common pain conditions that can be treated with the use of heat therapy. Researchers studying HRP have observed remarkable therapeutic benefits by using continuous low-level heat therapy for treating lower-back, upper-body and menstrual pain, all conditions that fall under the new HRP classification.

"For centuries, healthcare providers have used topical heat to relieve minor aches and pains, but today, we are just beginning to understand the full range of therapeutic benefits that heat offers," said pain expert Peter Vicente, Ph.D., Past-President of the American Pain Society and Clinical Health Psychologist, Riverhills Healthcare, Cincinnati, OH. "Through new clinical research, we have found that heat activates complex neurologic, vascular and metabolic mechanisms to mediate the transmission of pain signals and effectively provide relief for a variety of pain conditions."

Heat Therapy More Effective Than Analgesics for Low Back Pain Relief

SOURCE: New Jersey Medical School
At UMDNJ--New Jersey Medical School -Researcher Finds Heat Therapy More Effective Than Analgesics for Low Back Pain Relief -Study Published in May 15 Issue of the Journal Spine
NEWARK, N.J.--(BW HealthWire)--May 15, 2002--Low level heat therapy is more effective than over-the-counter oral medications for relieving low back pain, according to the results of a nationwide study led by a sports medicine researcher at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).

In the six-month study involving 371 patients, participants were given the maximum recommended non-prescription dosages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen or low level heat therapy for two days to treat acute low back pain.

The results showed that the low level heat therapy provided significantly more pain relief beginning on the first day of treatment than the oral analgesics and that the effects lasted more than 48 hours after the treatment was completed.

"Although clinical guidelines in the U.S. have recommended the use of self-administered heat, this is the first study to compare the effectiveness of topical heat treatment versus oral analgesics for treating muscle pain and stiffness," according to Dr. Scott F. Nadler, director of sports medicine at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark and co-investigator of the study.

"Confirming that this treatment is effective is important to patients because it gives them a treatment option that does not have the potential risk to the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract than can accompany inappropriate analgesic usage," said Dr. Nadler, who is also an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the medical school.

Source: HealthNewsDigest.com, Date Published: 2002-

The far infrared sauna has been very beneficial in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FMS/FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFIDS/CFS). A number of doctors now believe that the "toxic load" of these patients are very high and their detoxification pathways are often compromised. When one is able to reduce the toxins and heavy metals in those with fibromyalgia (FMS/FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFIDS/CFS), their symptoms often greatly improve. A number of people are also suffering unknowingly from mercury poisoning or from other heavy metals such as lead and aluminium. The infrared sauna has been invaluable in accelerating the removal of these toxic metals. By raising the core temperature and creating a 'hyperthermia' effect the infrared sauna also improves a number of parameters in the immune system.

Women's Health

Improves Skin...

The profuse sweating achieved after just a few minutes in the Health Mate sauna carries off deeply imbedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing and immaculately clean, Increased circulation draws your skin's own natural nutrients to the surface. You'll see improved tone, elasticity, texture and fresh colour.

Increased blood circulation has also been shown to relieve acne, eczema, psoriasis, burns, lesions and cuts. In addition, open wounds heal more quickly, reducing scarring.

Clears Cellulite...

Health Mate saunas help clear ugly cellulite, the gel-like lumps of fat, water and debris trapped in pockets beneath the skin. European beauty specialists routinely incorporate daily saunas in programs to reduce cellulite. And because the radiant heat of the Health Mate sauna warms three times as deeply as conventional saunas, it is significantly more effective at reducing cellulite.

Burns Calories and controls weight...

As you relax in the gentle heat of the Health Mate sauna, your body is actually hard at work, producing sweat, pumping blood - and burning calories. According to a Journal of the American Medical Association report, in a single sauna session you may burn as many calories as you would rowing or jogging for 30 minutes. So you lose weight - not just water.

As the body works to cool itself, there is a substantial increase in heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate. Blood flow during whole-body hyperthermia is reported to rise from a normal 5 to 7 quarts per minute to as much as 13 quarts per minute.

This benefit was recognized in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association as long ago as August 1981: "Many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of a Sauna imparts a similar stress on the cardiovascular system, and its regular use may be as effective, a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories, as regular exercise."

For most healthy people, as well as for most patients with stable coronary heart disease, sauna bathing is well tolerated, safe, and has therapeutic value, according to a study published today in The American Journal of Medicine. A comprehensive review of the world’s biomedical literature (1966 to the present) was carried out by investigators from the Department of Internal Medicine and University of Oulu, Finland, and the Division of Cardiology, Washington Hospital Center, Washington D.C. The authors examine the benefits and risks of sauna bathing for healthy adults and children, as well as for patients with coronary heart disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.

A moderately conditioned person can sweat off 250 grams of sweat. While the weight of the water lost can be regained by rehydration with water, the calories will not be.

Removes Toxins and Mineral Wastes...

Scars...

Scars fully formed, even keloids, may be gradually softened. Burns and other wounds or incisions may heal with significantly reduced scarring.

Other skin benefits

* Open wounds heal quicker with reduced scarring

* Help acne, eczema, psoriasis, burns and any skin lesions or cuts

* Removes roughness, leaving skin baby smooth and soft again

* Firms and improves skin tone and elasticity.

Heart Disease

Title of Study
Repeated Thermal Therapy Improves Impaired Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients With Coronary Risk Factors

Authors:
Dr. Imamura, et.al, Kagoshima Japan
Publication and Date:
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2001

Purpose of Study

To determine whether Infrared Sauna therapy improves blood vessel function (endothelial) in patients risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. This dysfunction represents an early stage of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

How did they do it?

Studied 25 men with at least 1 risk factor. Patients were treated in an Infrared Sauna for 15 minutes once a day for 2 weeks.

Results: Infrared Sauna Treatment

Significantly lowered blood pressure
Significant weight loss
Significantly lowered blood sugar
Significantly increased blood flow
Lowered cholesterol
Lowered triglycerides
Conclusion:

• Repeated Infrared Sauna treatment improves impaired blood vessel functions in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol. This suggests a preventive role for sauna use for atherosclerosis.

Increases Blood Circulation and Strengthens the Cardiovascular System...

As your body increases sweat production to cool itself, your heart works harder pumping blood at a greater rate to boost circulation, supplying the conditioning benefits of continuous exercise. Heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate increase, while diastolic blood pressure drops, for improved overall cardiovascular fitness.

"Many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular systems, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of a sauna may impart similar stress on the cardiovascular system. and its regular use may be as effective as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories as regular exercise.... A moderately conditioned person can easily sweat off 500 gms. in sauna, consuming nearly 300 calories."

Far-infrared for increased circulation

Heating of one area of the body produces reflex-modulated vasodilatations in distant-body areas, even in the absence of a change in core body temperature’ i.e. heat one extremity and the contra lateral extremity also dilates; heat a forearm and both lower extremities dilate; heat the front of the trunk and the hand dilates. Heating of muscles produces an increased blood flow level similar to that seen during exercise.

Temperature elevation produces an increase in blood flow and dilation directly in capillaries, arterioles and venuies, probably through direct action on their smooth muscles. The release of bradykinin, released as a consequence of sweat-gland activity, also produces increased blood flow and vasodilatation.

Whole-body hyperthermia, with a consequent core temperature elevation, further induces vasodilatation via a hypothalamic-induced decrease in sympathetic tone on the arteriovenous anastomoses. Vasodilatation is also produced by axonal reflexes and by reflexes that change vasomotor balance.

Infrared heat assists in resolution of inflammatory infiltrates, edema and exudates: The increased peripheral circulation provides the transport needed to help evacuate the edema which can help end inflammation, decrease pain and help speed healing.

The ailing heart for example, is a result of a lifetime of tanking up on heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, aluminium, in addition to chemicals like the plasticizers, PCBs, volatile organic hydrocarbons, pesticides, dioxins, and more. The heart truly is a toxic target organ. No wonder it is the number one cause of death and disease. When there are only two causes for disease (diet and environment), it's imperative that we be able to reverse both of these. And we can!

What else can silently poison hearts? You guessed it, herbicides and pesticides, which are also hidden in our air, food and water. No one is protected, while not one toxin is suspected. And the causes of heart disease do not end there. They include hydrocarbons and other environmental pollutants or toxins, from trichloroethylene in city water supplies, solvent extraction fluids used to decaffeinate coffee, toluene in painted rooms, formaldehyde in carpets, and benzene in air fresheners, to good old diesel and other common pollutants in vehicle exhaust (EPA, Bond, Theriault, Levine, Atkins, Kesteloot, Alexander, Goldsmith, Meyerson, Asokan, Williams, Mee, McLeod, Wiseman, Wright, Speizer, Antti-Poika, Edling, Kobayaski, Sharp, Schroeder).

You might be tempted to fall for the story that there is no way to get all these poisons out of the heart, but you're much too smart for that by now. The far infrared sauna (FIRS) has been proven by specialists at the famed Mayo Clinic to improve heart failure, even when nothing more could be done by medicine. And in Japan, clinicians and researchers have confirmed its life-saving properties when nothing else could be done to (Time, Kihara, Imamura).

But not any old sauna was effective, for example, the regular dry Finnish saunas actually triggered worsening arrhythmias, increased hypertension and shortness of breath (even at rest), and most heart patients could not tolerate them. In fact, some of these heart failure patients could not even tolerate a hot bath or a hot day out of doors without drawing closer to death.

Repeated Sauna Treatment Improves Vascular Endothelial and Cardiac Function in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

Kihara T, Biro S, Imamura M, et al
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
March 6, 2002 (Volume 39, Number 5)

Rationale and Design

This group previously showed that thermal therapy by dry sauna improved clinical variables and cardiac output in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. In the current study, the investigators sought to determine the mechanisms of this improvement and the effects of thermal therapy on endothelial function.

Twenty patients with CHF class II or III and mean age 62 ± 15 years were studied. The mean ejection fraction was 38 ± 14%. The patients were placed supine in a 60-degree C infrared-ray dry sauna for 15 minutes and then removed and kept at bed rest with a blanket for an additional 30 minutes. Sauna therapy was performed once a day 5 days a week for 2 weeks.

Symptoms were evaluated with a self-administered questionnaire, and patients were divided based on their responses of improved or no change. Fasting blood was obtained

to evaluate neurohumeral factors, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Endothelial function was evaluated using a noninvasive ultrasound method to determine hyperemic response in the right arm and response to sublingual nitroglycerin.

Results

All enrolled patients completed the study. Clinical symptoms improved in 17 of 20 patients and were unchanged in 3. Two-week sauna therapy significantly increased the %FMD (flow-mediated dilation) in the improved group but not in the unchanged group. BNP concentrations were lower after 2 weeks of therapy but ANP and catecholamine levels were unchanged. The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension decreased significantly compared with baseline. There was a significant correlation between the change in %FMD and the improvement in BNP (P < .0005).

Editor's Comment

It is known that CHF patients have impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilatation and the proposed mechanism for this is decreased peripheral vascular production of endothelium-derived nitric oxide. Endothelial function in CHF can be improved with ACE inhibitors, physical training, and vitamin C. This study showed that 2 weeks of sauna therapy also improved endothelial function and decreased the BNP. BNP levels are an important marker of cardiac status and prognosis in heart failure, as highlighted by several recent studies. The sauna therapy also reduced systolic blood pressure. The precise mechanism by which sauna therapy improves CHF is not clear from this study, but the authors hypothesize that sauna therapy acutely causes vasodilatation, which leads to upregulation of eNOS protein in the endothelium. Clinically, it is worth commenting that sauna therapy may be widely applicable to CHF patients and could also be used in patients incapable of exercise.

Remove Toxins and Mineral Waste

Increased blood circulation stimulates the sweat glands, releasing built-up toxins and waste. Daily sweating can help detoxify your body as it rids itself of an accumulation of potentially carcinogenic heavy metals (lead, mercury, zinc, nickel, cadmium) as well as alcohol, nicotine, sodium, sulfuric acid and cholesterol.

Infrared sauna detoxifies seven times more heavy metals than a traditional hot rock or steam sauna

In one study performed by American researchers, the sweat of people using a conventional sauna was found to be 95 to 97% water while the sweat of those using an infrared thermal system was 80 to 85% water with the non-water portion principally cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, toxic heavy metals (such as mercury and aluminium), sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. This unusually high concentration of heavy metals and other fat-soluble toxins is not found in the sweat from normal exercise. Mercury is the most toxic element on earth, second only to plutonium.

Hyperthermic detoxification using these saunas is not only uniquely helpful in removing fat-stored toxins from the body, but also as an adjunct to mercury removal. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., of Seattle, who has been called “the holistic doctors’ doctor and teacher,” is one of the pioneers in combining the use of far-infrared saunas with the chelating agent DMPS in a heavy metal detox protocol.

Dr. Klinghardt explains, “Since hyperthermic sauna therapy removes metal contaminants from the body, we have found that it may be used to further the benefits derived from chelation therapy. And we have also found that it may be an alternative for those who are unable to undergo chelation. Research conducted by U.S. scientists has demonstrated that close to 80% of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome will improve markedly by a guided detoxification program.2 We combine this approach with hyperthermic therapy using the far-infrared sauna, as well as exercise and chelation. The results we are seeing are very promising.”

Dr. Klinghardt adds, “ If far-infrared saunas work, why wait to use them? People need information about what nutrients and minerals to take, how to stay hydrated, and a reminder to shower after the sauna. It’s not going to do much good to spend time detoxifying if you don’t wash off those toxins afterwards. And don’t overlook the importance of educating yourself and your children about sources of environmental toxins and allergens. Your future health depends on it!”

Far-infrared cellular purification

* Because it operates more effectively (the body actually sweats more) at temperatures 60 to 80 degrees lower than conventional saunas, the detoxification is from 7 to 10 times greater.

* Detoxifies heavy metals including mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminium.

* Detoxifies arsenic, formaldehyde, pesticides, agent orange, industrial chemicals, and gasoline.

* Detoxifies alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs.

* Purifies the body on a cellular level.

The bottom line is that sweat is the only proven method for getting the most damaging toxins out of the body. There are no drugs, no surgery, no chelation, nor other detoxification methods with before and after measurements proving that unwanted chemicals like PCBs and pesticides were eliminated.

The benefits of Infrared

What is Infrared heat?

"A sauna used to be thought of as a luxury, but studies now confirm that diet and environmental chemicals cause 95% of cancers. Furthermore, as the first generation of man exposed to such an unprecedented plethora of daily chemicals, we have learned that stored or undetoxified chemicals can mimic any disease. “Incurable” chronic diseases that were thought to have no known cause often disappear once toxic chemicals are gone. Since the far infrared sauna is the safest, most efficacious and economical way of depurating stored toxins, this makes it a household necessity."

Excerpt by Sherry A. Rogers, M. D. Northeast Center for Environmental Medicine and the Author of Tired Or Toxic? and Total Wellness Internationally known expert in environmental medicine:

Infrared heat is simply a form of energy that is directly transmitted onto objects because of its specific wavelength. It has nothing to do with ultraviolet light which gives you sunburn and damages your skin.
Where conventional saunas transfer heat by circulating hot air, thus warm your body from your head, the infrared heat rays warm your body directly. This allows an in-depth heat in a more pleasant temperature of 110-150°F(43 - 66°C), thus providing more health benefits and a highly enjoyable and comfortable environment.

Conventional saunas need high air temperatures to pull impurities from the body, but infrared heated saunas can directly penetrate up to 45 mm inside the body. Impurities can be pushed out using lower and more comfortable temperatures.

As the body temperature rises by infrared heat, perspiration occurs and blood circulation increases.The muscles and organs are stimulated and toxic waste (fat, heavy metals and other toxic materials) is removed from your body through perspiration.

How does it benefit us?

Our body reacts to the increased heating through the natural cooling process of perspiring. Through the perspiration process, acid and waste residue like toxins, sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and the potentially carcinogenic heavy metals are removed from the cells (especially zinc, lead, nickel, cadmium, etc). As well as the pores of our skin opening and discharging waste products, the skin sheds any old skin cells, leaving it glowing and immaculately clean, with improved tone, elasticity, texture and colour.

Cardiovascular Conditioning:

While the moisture on the surface of the skin evaporates and thus cools the body, a number of other changes occur in the body to release the heat as quickly as possible. The heart beats harder and faster, pumping more blood through the dilated blood vessels, thus achieving the conditioning benefits of continuous exercise.

Weight Control:

As our body expends energy to produce sweat (1 gm sweat requires 0.586 kcal) a moderately conditioned person can easily sweat off up to 1000gms or more in a sauna session - the equivalent to running 10-15 kms. While this weight loss can be regained by re-hydration with water, the calories consumed will not. This is a valuable system for those who don't exercise and those who can not exercise, yet want an effective weight control and fitness program, along with the benefits that regular exercise bring.

Where is infrared technology used?

Infrared heat is well known for pain relief. Health professionals have used red infrared heat lamps for decades to treat muscle and joint problems. In hospital baby care units, incubators are often equipped with infrared heating systems to keep new-born babies warm.