FAQ
How does infrared heat therapy control weight?
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 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 examined 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.
The heart receives a workout similar to a 6-mile run in a 20-30 minute FIR sauna session and the body perspires the same amount as a 6-mile run. Infrared saunas are perfect for those that do not have time for regular exercise or suffer from injuries that inhibit rigorous activity.
What Other Benefits Can I Expect?
The FIR wavelength lowers lactic acid, stimulates endorphins, kills certain bacteria and parasites, penetrates tissues, detoxifies cells by vibrating ionic bonds, stops swelling, improves lymphatic flow and blood circulation, attracts calcium to cell membranes where it is needed for healing, decreases the size of water clusters which gives them greater mobility and penetration for going in and out of body tissue. When these hyperactive or energized water clusters move in and out they mobilize stored toxins that can then be excreted.
The benefits of hyperthermia are many, however, the FIR heater causes profuse sweating at a much lower temperature than rocks heated by electric coils which heat the air to a searing temperature capable of damaging respiratory and vision and not recommended for those with cardiac or diabetic conditions. So very ill people can use FIR who cannot safely use conventional sauna.
The wood doesn’t get hot, only the body of the person getting the rays, so harmful terpenes aren’t released. You can use an acrylic or even cotton sauna box with FIR heater, or poplar wood instead of cedar. There is much lower ELF radiation and much less energy use. It is much safer in terms of fire hazard and burn hazard (little or none). It does not require venting. The heat is gone as soon as you turn it off.
Conversely, you can sauna in a cold room because it heats your body, not the air. FIR induces a core temp of 100.4 quickly with a low setting. This is enough to mobilize toxins and get them out in sweat. You can go higher of course for hyperthermia treatment.
What is far-infrared radiant heat?
Far-infrared radiant (FIR) heat is a form of naturally occurring energy that heats objects by direct light conversion (DLC). DLC warms only the object and does not raise the temperature of the surrounding free air.
All life requires FIR heat from the sun. FIR heat is not ultraviolet radiation but a narrow band of energy within the 5.6 to 15 micron level. This type of energy travels 2-3" deep into the body to increase circulation and nourish damaged tissue.
The sun is the primary source of radiant energy, but not all of this energy is beneficial. Although life needs energy from the sun, too much sunlight damages the skin. FIR heat provides all the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without any of the dangerous effects of solar radiation.
For years, the healthcare industry recommended infrared heat lamps as a source of FIR heat but the lamps were cumbersome, extremely hot and difficult to maintain at a constant temperature. The recent development of ceramic infrared heaters in the U.S. created a new and convenient source of FIR heat therapy. Today, many healthcare professionals use ceramic infrared heaters to treat a variety of diseases throughout the world.
How does far-infrared heat therapy improve the immune system?
Most illnesses are accompanied by a fever. During a fever, the body heats up to eliminate viruses and attack foreign agents. Often misunderstood, this rise in temperature is a natural stage of the immune system’s healing process and is one of the best ways to rid the body of chemicals and unwelcome visitors. The immune system weakens the hold of viruses and bacterial growth. FIR heat therapy induces an “artificial fever” by heating up the body but without the pains of an illness. Subsequently, the body wards off invading organisms much more easily because the immune system is activated consistently by the “artificial fever”. Recent studies also show that colds and flu-like illnesses are reduced dramatically if treated in the early stages with FIR heat therapy.
How does infrared heat therapy eliminate toxins?
Toxins such as sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and carcinogenic heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc, nickel) and mercury accumulate in the body during modern daily life. The body eliminates most toxins naturally by sweating but the process is sometimes too slow. Infrared heat therapy stimulates the sweat glands that cleanse and detoxify the skin. The FIR heat technology simply speeds up the body’s natural process!
How does far-infrared heat therapy benefit my skin?
Far-infrared heat improves circulation, expels dirt & chemicals and removes dead cells on the surface of the skin. All of these benefits lead to a more soft and firm complexion. Why is infrared heat better than traditional steam heat?
Far-infrared heaters warm the body in the same manner as natural sunlight. FIR heat therapy uses the wavelength of the visible and non-visible light spectrum of sunlight that heats the body normally.
Traditional steam saunas raise the temperature of the air to a very high level within the chamber to warm the body. Some people have difficulty breathing in this extremely warm air. FIR saunas work differently. Instead of heating the air within the enclosure, FIR saunas heat the body directly. The result is a lower power bill and deeper tissue penetration. In the FIR sauna, the body perspires and receives all of the healthy benefits but avoids the harmful and extremely hot air of a traditional steam sauna. FIR saunas are safe for all ages.