Sweat Lodges, Infrared Saunas and Sweat Detox
Discussions about the possible dangers of sweat lodges, steam rooms and saunas have recently popped up all over the blogosphere. As a result some people have started doubting whether or not a good detox can be achieved by sweating. This leaves us wondering if something has changed to make us question the proven track record of saunas?
Most of the confusion surrounding the safe use of saunas came about as a result of a tragic accident that took place in the fall of 2009 at a “Spiritual Warrior” retreat in Arizona. Eighteen people were hospitalized and three died because of the drastic over use of the sweat lodge at the retreat. Dehydration was the main cause of the deaths.
Understandably, people have started questioning the safety of sweat lodges and the other type of sweat detox therapy. What most people don’t know is that of all the many types of workouts, diets and detox methods, using a sauna is one of the easiest and safest. Infrared saunas in particular are a quick and easy way to induce healthy sweating to stimulate the cardiovascular system. The American Medical Association explains that “many of us who run do so to place a demand on our cardiovascular system, not to build big leg muscles. Regular use of indoor saunas may impact a 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.”
The key to a good detox from a sauna is to understand the effects of a deep healthy sweat. Research has been conducted to find out exactly what toxins are leaving the body when we sweat. The sweat of people using a conventional sauna was found to be 95 to 97% water while the sweat of those using an Far-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 aluminum), sulfuric acid, sodium, ammonia and uric acid. Far-Infrared, Technologies that Harness the Sun, Valerie Free, 2001.
For someone to enjoy the detoxifying benefits of an infrared sauna or any type of steam room etc, the simple practice of drinking a glass of water before and after a 15-30 minute session is all that is needed to prevent dehydration or any other possible adverse reaction. Hydration is the key to sweating out toxins.

Another key aspect of infrared sauna use is to utilize a quality mineral supplement. Sweat detox pushes out toxins and heavy metals, but there is a small amount of good minerals that are invariably lost in the process. It is important to replenish these by adding mineral drops to your water before or after your sauna session.
Saunas, sweat lodges and detox are so simple that there really isn’t much to be confused about. The slight risk of dehydration is overshadowed by the ease of use and effectiveness of infrared saunas.
Benjamin Andrews writes, researches and blogs about sweat detox in addition to many other topics on natural living. To know more about FIR saunas and sweat detox, go to HEALTHandMEdBlog and read more from Andrews.
