Throughout history, sauna therapy has been recognized in many parts of the world as a feasible means of cleansing and relaxing the body, promoting a sense of wellbeing, as well as improving overall health. In fact, medical practitioners recommend sauna therapy as an effective adjunctive therapy for detoxifying the body.
Saunas provide a practical and safe means of stimulating the body to get rid of toxic or non-essential trace metals such as lead, cadmium, and nickel through sweat. The logic for using infrared sauna therapy is overheating the body in order to induce an artificial fever, stimulate metabolism, increase the ability of vital organs, inhibit the growth of bacteria, and increase the skin’s capacity to cleanse and detoxify via profuse sweating.
How do infrared saunas work?
Infrared saunas mainly use radiant energy to penetrate tissues to a depth of more than 1.5 inches. The sauna’s energy output corresponds closely to our bodies’ own radiant energy. Therefore, the body absorbs up to 93% of the infrared rays that reach the skin. Infrared energy that is produced within the body is associated with various healing responses. Therefore, our tissues may require a boost to improve the healing response especially in tissues under repair.
Infrared sauna therapy provides gentle whole-body hyperthermia that improves health in many different ways. When it comes to cancer, infrared saunas offer a combination of various therapeutic mechanisms that act synergistically and simultaneously to fight cancer and improve overall health.
1. Direct death of cancer cells
Cancer cells are intolerant of and more sensitive to high temperatures compared to normal cells. Cancer tumors lack the ability to adapt to the effects of excess heat because they are weaker than our normal body cells. Therefore, excessive heat can kill cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. Numerous studies have shown that hyperthermia (thermotherapy), when combined with other cancer treatments helps reduce tumor size significantly.
Scientists in japan have discovered that sauna therapy with far infrared waves strongly inhibits the growth of cancer tumors in mice, specifically breast cancer without harmful side effects.
2. Detoxification
In addition to hampering the supply of oxygen and nutrients to cells, poor circulation also prevents the elimination of toxins and waste materials. Sauna therapy helps purge our bodies of hundreds of chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxins. It also helps neutralize acidic body chemistry. The heat produced by saunas creates perspiration which helps cleanse the skin.
Infrared heat penetrates deep into the skin and helps release toxins from fat layers beneath the skin. These toxins are then flushed out through sweat. Infrared saunas also help eliminate toxins from internal organs such as the kidneys and liver. This helps decongest organs by getting rid of estrogen, toxic metals and chemicals. Congestion, sluggishness, and overload of these organs inhibit the detoxification process of toxic substances in the body. This is a major problem particularly for cancer patients.
3. Improved circulation
Infrared sauna therapy boosts circulation, which aids in bringing oxygen, nutrients and other essential substances to cells. Cancer cells often thrive in tissues with impaired circulation, and hence poor oxygenation and nutrition. Improving circulation helps create a high oxygen environment which is unfavorable for cancer cells.
During sauna therapy sessions, the pulse rate increases by up to 30%, hence increasing the amount of blood the heart pumps each second. The body directs a huge percentage of the additional blood flow to the skin in order to get rid of the excess heat. Infrared saunas also increase blood flow in the lungs, boosting oxygenation. Improved circulation is of great benefit especially for cancer patients who should not or cannot exercise much.
4. Immunity activation
Studies show that conventional cancer treatments suppress immune function which puts cancer patients at risk of other diseases and infection. The good news is, infrared sauna therapy can actually boost immunity through various immune cell responses. Saunas produce “heat shock” which destroys proteins on the surface of cancer cells, making them prone to attack and destruction by the immune system.
Moreover, the heat produced during hyperthermia makes cancer cells appear different from normal cells, thereby initiating an immediate and long-lasting immune response. The immune system immediately sends macrophages and natural killer cells to the tumor hence improving the monitoring function of the immune system.
5. Weight loss
Studies published by the American Institute for Cancer Research show that Obesity is a risk factor for cancer as well as cancer death. This is attributed to the fact that carcinogens and cancer-promoting hormones reside in fatty tissue and they are particularly tough to metabolize out. Infrared sauna therapy has been clinically shown to aid in weight loss by burning fat.
According to a 2009 study, saunas help reduce weight as well as waist circumference in just 3 months. This is an ideal weight-loss solution especially for people who are sedentary because of medical conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
The bottom line
According to studies, infrared sauna therapy helps improve outcomes for several cancers including cancers in the neck and head, bladder, brain, rectum, lungs, vagina, vulva, cervix, esophagus, and induces cell death in non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer cells. However, this does not mean that cancer patients should refrain from cancer treatments prescribed by their doctors and jump into a sauna.
Moreover, it’s critical to understand that a sauna can be very risky for people who have underlying medical conditions such as heart issues. Therefore, it’s essential to check with your physician before trying any cancer self-treat methods.
Can you help treat COVID-19 with infrared sauna therapy? Learn more HERE