1 Surprising Way To Get Healthy From The Inside Out
As we face uncertainty as to when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, I am saddened about the lack of a public health message focused on the importance of healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices. It has gotten buried under the single source ‘solution’ that the vaccine is all that is needed.
It is well established that 70% of chronic illnesses are rooted in poor nutrition and many of those illnesses are correlated with worse outcomes from Covid infections.
However, I am honored to do my part to inspire and empower others to focus on those things we can control – primarily our nutrition and lifestyle choices. This will certainly enhance your journey to better health! In the past year and a half, hundreds of people have joined my 3-week online group programs. I’m excited to share that registration is now open for the New Year’s Real Food RESET Challenge: Reduce Your Inflammation and Rebalance Your Hormones in 21 Days!
In addition to my detox programs, educating and coaching clients, I also get to spend a good amount of time evaluating and researching various health and wellness practices and products. When I find something of merit, I want to distill the best in my community. A favorite this year was learning about and experiencing Infrared Saunas. I first experienced one at a wellness retreat in Thailand several years ago, and always wanted to have access to one. More recently I had been using an Infrared Sauna when I go to my skincare spa or to my medical practice.
What I noticed right away besides getting a good sweat, was how calm, yet energized I felt after those 30-minute sessions. Other immediate benefits I noticed were glowing skin and feeling warm to the bone for hours (yes this Icelandic girl is frequently a bit cold). There is increasing research showing that regular infrared sauna sessions have multiple health benefits that go way beyond the more immediate ones. They include a calming effect on the central nervous system, improved immune function, enhanced detoxification and weight loss, reduced pain and inflammation, and improved circulation and exercise recovery.
Fast forward to this autumn when it was time for our next home improvement project. We decided to pivot from the more usual criteria of an investment in our home, to a direct investment in our health and the quality of our lives as we continue to work from home. We are now the most grateful owners of (a small but powerful) Infrared Sauna! We did lots of research and decided on a sauna from Clearlight which met all our criteria – budget & size, lifetime warranty, low EMF, and quality construction. Our model is the one-person, Clearlight Premier IS-1, Far-Infrared sauna.
This sauna has become my little sanctuary where I can temporarily escape from all the ‘noise’. And a bonus point, it has helped me to be more consistent with meditation. Even the kids like it as they have been hearing about many professional athletes use it for faster recovery and improved athletic performance. I know it will help preserve and enhance our health this winter and for years to come.
So what is it about infra-red sauna that’s better than regular sauna?
All saunas are beneficial. In fact, historically, heat treatments have been used to help heal the body for thousands of years. Hot air baths and Sweat Lodges were used for relieving stress, increasing relaxation and detoxification among Native Americans, Eastern Europeans and in Ancient Chinese Medicine.
Nowadays, traditional saunas use steam and extreme heat (usually 160 degrees and above) to warm the air and surface of your skin. Alternatively, infrared saunas use infrared light waves to penetrate the skin and warm up your core body temperature directly from the inside out. The heat is dry and at a lower temperature (130F +) which is better for those who are heat sensitive. The infrared light is able to open up the small blood & lymphatic vessels 4mm below the surface (much deeper than steam saunas), thus helping you sweat faster and giving you more flushing of the toxic ‘crud’ that builds up in our bodies. Some infrared saunas are full-spectrum, but the majority of the ‘work’ is done from the far-infrared vs. near-infrared. Our model is only a far-infrared one.
If you aren’t able to purchase your own infrared sauna or you don’t have the space, there are still ways to get the benefits (and pleasure) of an InfraRed sauna. First, I suggest looking online for locations in your area that offer sauna sessions. There are more of them out there than you think because this is becoming a well-known wellness and recovery strategy. Try several sessions there consistently and see how you feel. This is how I fell in love with one.
If you want to own something that gives you infrared therapy benefits, here is a good summary of other quality products available such as an infrared tent or an infrared blanket. Please note that you should always consult with your doctor before using any of these products. The reason why I am saying this is it can get quite hot in the infrared sauna. Sessions should be no more than 30-35 minutes. You can sit in the sauna and warm up with the temperature or you can let it warm up and enter at the desired temperature. Lastly, you should always hydrate (with water + electrolytes) before and after use.
I hope you stay warm and healthy this holiday and winter season. May you find lots of ways to rest and rejuvenate with your loved ones.
Yours in health,
Linda