Step Seven: Does Sauna Therapy & Hydrotherapy Help You Detox?

This is the seventh step in a 20-part series about how to detox your body, life and spirit. Make sure to check out the first post in the series, which also lists all 20 steps of the detox program. You can also subscribe to be notified of future posts, and sign up to receive my free 67-page detox e-book.

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HEALTH BENEFITS OF SAUNA THERAPY

The benefits of sauna therapy have been known since the Finns popularized the usage in ancient ceremonies, dating back to 5000-3000 BC, for mental, spiritual and physical cleansing. Sauna therapy assists our largest organ, the skin, in detoxification. 

The heat helps to excrete toxins from the body via the sweat glands and pores, essentially speeding up the process of eliminating unwanted toxins. 

Sauna therapy also serves in promoting healthy circulation and heart health. Please consult a physician if you have serious health issues including but not limited to heart conditions, lymph and/or vascular disorders.

The adventitia, the muscles around the veins and arteries, act like pumps to move blood through the body. When we heat the body the blood vessels dilate and move blood closer to the surface of the body. When we cool the body, the vessels constrict and move blood towards the center and the internal organs of the body. 

This flushing actions improves circulation and improves the tensile strength of the vessels.  The flushing also pumps the blood through all the major organs and provides enhanced detoxification effects.

TYPES OF SAUNA THERAPY & NATURAL REMEDIES

There are many different ways to experience sauna and hydrotherapy:

• Traditional radiant heat
• Infrared sauna
• Steam rooms
• Salt rooms
• Clay rooms
• Cold rooms
• Cold pool plunges 

Spa facilities include many of the different types. The major gym chains usually have a radiant heat sauna, and there are also at-home sauna units that you can purchase for convenience. 

To increase detoxification when utilizing the sauna you can do a salt scrub, seaweed wrap and/or a simple therapeutic massage to facilitate the release of toxins through the skin. 

I also recommend using castor oil over the abdomen, liver and kidneys while in the sauna. Castor oil moves through the lymphatic channels, stimulates healthy flow of lymph fluid, keeping each cell of the body properly cleansed of waste material. 

Castor oil packs can also increase liver function, induce bile dumping, and assist the liver’s ability to detoxify the body. 

When the kidneys cannot adequately filter the blood toxins, the toxins travel into the lymphatic system and ‘congest’ the entire body. 

When used over the kidneys, castor oil provides the following benefits:

• Supports lymphatic drainage
• Helps the body purge toxins
• Protects against kidney stones
• Reduces inflammation

If you enjoy this seventh step in Dr S’s detox program, make sure to subscribe to be notified of future posts, check out the first post in the series to read the full list of 20 Ways to Detox, and download the free 67-page e-book to learn the entire program in full.

Dr. S, ND