Sauna and Health: Getting the Best Out of a Steam Bath
Sauna and health have been closely related because of what hot steam can do to the well being of the human body. This kind of therapy has been used for centuries as a form of relaxation and healing by many civilizations.
As early as 568 BC, exposure to steam has been considered to be one of the most important ways for people to stay healthy. This kind of information was garnered from the well-known Ayurveda which served as a Sanskrit medical document during times past.
Not only has this been a popular practice in the East, sauna and health have been related even in the early practices of European and Western doctors and medical practitioners. In the United States the Indians used to use sweat lodges to cure the sick, in Russia a similar practice was done with the ‘banai’, and in Finland the steam treatment was a popular way to get relief from illness.
Sauna and health have been closely related because of the benefits that hot steam can give to the body, such as providing the skin with the cleansing and pliancy that it needs to feel renewed. Toxins are released when the skin is exposed to hot steam and wastes from the system are removed along with the moisture that a person sweats.
It has been studied that a steaming session that lasts for a quarter of an hour can increase a person’s heart rate to up to 75 percent of its normal rate. This is a good sign when considering metabolic rate. If a person were to take a walk for exercise in the morning, they would experience the same effects as this steam bath session.
Not only this, the increase in heart rate and metabolism will also enhance the flow of blood to the extremities of your body, such as through to the fingers and toes. This helps in circulating nutrients throughout the body to supply bodily tissues in those areas.
When a person sweats in a steam room, their skin is detoxified and their skin pores open up to release bodily toxins that cause clogging and infection. It has been proven that as much as 30 percent of toxins and wastes can be released through the skin when it is exposed to hot steam.
For people who are overweight, steam baths can be used to help them increase their metabolism and get rid of excess fat. With the combination of a steaming session and a massage to help soften fatty tissue, the effects are therapeutic and effective in weight loss.
People who suffer arthritis have often remarked that having a steam session relieved their arthritic pains. This is also true for hardworking athletes who just want to relax after a tiring week of just working out.
Overall, sauna and health cannot be set apart because of the wondrous healing that hot steam can have on the body. With its benefits effectively benefiting the respiratory, muscular, and circulatory system, one cannot avoid the fact that they should try a steam bath session soon!
Author Bio: Gain health benefits and improve your home with infrared saunas. Both indoor and steambaths make a great addition to your home with added convenience.
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: saunas, health, home, medical