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2 Exercises to Avoid
If you want a good night, then avoid two of these old school moves.
Good Mornings:
Although I can't say I've seen these moves done in quite some time, I know that growing up I saw plenty of pictures of how the move should be done. If I had...
Let Your Intuition Guide You to Prioritise
Choosing your priorities varies from person to person. We're all different and our priorities, both personally and professionally, will be individual to us. So often, it's too easy to go off at a tangent and set priorities which we think are...
The Stress Test
Stress happens. Its a normal part of our daily lives. But it is how we react to and manage stress that affects the toll that stress will take on our lives. Overwhelming amounts of stress can lead to back pain, headaches, raised blood pressure,...
Why Diets Don't Work
One of the biggest scams ever successfully pulled on the American public is somewhat appropriately a 4-letter word. That word is, of course, Diet. By now you have seen advertisements for more diets than you can easily remember, and have also...
Why you must eat before going to bed?
You have probably heard the old myth, that you should not eat before bed, because all the food you eat will be stored as fat. That is simply not true. People burn quite a number of calories while sleeping or resting in bed. If you know how many...
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The health benefits of taking a sauna
There are many claims about the health benefits of saunas. They are supposed to be good for losing weight, cleansing the body of toxins, lowering cholesterol, relieving the symptoms of arthritis and treating respiratory problems like bronchitis and laryngitis. Sounds like a miracle cure, doesn't it? Some of these claims may be exaggerated, but others may have sound scientific foundations. Let's take a closer look.
Losing Weight
There are plenty of weight loss programs that suggest saunas are an effective way to lose weight. They point to the fact that when you are in a sauna your heart rate increases and the body is working to cool itself. You may hear a figure of 300 to 500 calories burned during a 30 minute sauna session.
It is true that the heart rate increases during a sauna, and it is also true that you are burning calories because of that. But during a regular exercise session your body is using many muscles in a sauna the heart is the only muscle being exerted.
Building and toning muscles is more important for weight loss than exerting your heart. The bottom line is: If you want to lose weight, do some exercise. A sauna afterwards is a bonus, but it will not help much in your weight loss program.
Toxins
'Saunas rid the body of toxins.' This claim is made by many sauna manufacturers and retailers and it is also a commonly held belief among sauna enthusiasts. The fact is there is no scientific evidence that toxins such as heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) or other such toxins are eliminated from the body by sauna use. These kinds of claims are heard more in relation to Infrared saunas than traditional saunas, but either way, there's no evidence for it.
Lowering Cholesterol
This is another dubious claim put forward by many sauna retailers.
Taking regular saunas is supposed to reduce cholesterol without any change in the diet. There is no scientific evidence for this.
Are There Any Real Sauna Benefits?
After looking at some of the quackery associated with saunas one might be tempted to write off any claims of therapeutic value. Don't be so fast there are real benefits to taking saunas and their use can be part of a regular health regime.
Physical Effects
During a sauna the heart rate increases and the blood vessels dilate to accommodate the increased blood flow. Blood flow to the skin increases and heavy sweating is induced. The nasal passages open allowing the sinuses to drain.
The heat experienced in saunas can have real health benefits. Arthritic and rheumatic patients will feel less pain and experience greater joint mobility. This effect, though, will pass once the sauna is finished. Athletes can benefit from a sauna before working out because the heat causes the joints and muscles to be more flexible.
Probably the biggest health benefit of saunas is the relaxation they induce. Our modern lives are filled with stress and the accumulated affects of stress can be the root of many health problems. Saunas are relaxing and calming and provide a great way to unwind at the end of the day. A sauna before bed promotes deep sleep necessary for the body to rejuvenate and recuperate.
People with health problems should consult with their doctors before using saunas but for most the sauna is safe and beneficial when taken in moderation.
Looking for more info about sauna or steam bathing? Don't look further! At 1st-in-sauna.com you learn all the information you need about sauna and steam bathing. For more info visit this sauna and steam bathing website.
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