The Advantages of Saunas and Steam Bathing

There are many myths surrounding the health benefits of saunas and steam baths. However, the heat and steam of both of these bathing methods is very useful for a variety of bodily ailments.

By themselves, they are not an effective weight loss programs and they won't magically banish all diseases known to man. However, they will do many other wonderful things for your body.

Detoxification is an advantage that can be found in both saunas and steam baths. Raising the temperature of your body helps it to kill nasty organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Saunas and steam showers can also reach the smaller nooks and crannies of your body, such as your teeth, bones, and sinuses.

An infrared sauna is even more effective than a regular sauna or steam bath, for the infrared heat delves deeper into the skin to detoxify the body.

In addition, infrared saunas are not as intensely hot as ordinary saunas. Children, elderly, and those who cannot go into an ordinary sauna because they are sensitive to the heat will have a much grater chance of being able to tolerate an infrared sauna.

The heat from saunas and steam baths also help improve the immune system. The body reacts to the sudden increased temperature as it would to a fever. The immune system produces more white blood cells.

Saunas are also beneficial towards blood circulation. Blood circulation is very important in transporting nutrients throughout the body and improving the effectiveness of the heart, liver, and kidney. It helps eliminate toxins as well. This is because as the temperature of your body increases from the sauna, the sweat production must also increase. The heart needs to work harder in order for the body to have enough energy to create the sweat, so it pumps blood faster and in greater quantities. When good blood circulation is maintained for a long amount of time, more nutrients and oxygen is delivered to the surface of the skin, causing it to be brighter and healthier.

Sweating is also very healthy for the skin and body. When the body sweats, it rids itself of unwanted contaminants. It opens its pores, allowing deeply delved grit, grime, and dead cells to be washed out by the sweat. The steam from steam baths is especially effective in this; the higher moisture content in the air helps rinse out dirty pores.

This gives the skin a thorough cleaning and helps treat acne. The higher concentration of steam in a steam bath is much more effective for cleansing the skin than simply sitting in a hot tub. Steam bathing is also extremely effective for stiffness and pain in the muscles and the joints. The steam causes the red blood cells to expand so that more oxygen and nutrients have access to the damaged part of the body. The heat also helps relieve stress by causing the muscles to relax.

The high amount of moisture in steam rooms is also extremely good for respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and allergies because it helps to flush allergens and mucus from the lungs.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in do-it-yourself improvements to the home and bathroom, such as installing an infrared sauna or steam shower. For the perfect hot tub or sauna, check out http://www.mybath.biz/.

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