Sauna and Health
by Gail Templer
http://www.saunay.com
Until recently, when sauna became popular in many countries
of the world, sauna has been a national pride and necessity
only in Finland. But times are changing and in the last
years sauna became an obsession in many countries, including
the hot ones.
The reasons sauna to become so famous internationally are
that if one is healthy, sauna is a nice addition to one's
sports and fitness program and at the same time it is a kind
of an entertainment. However, knowing some basic concepts
about sauna is useful, if one wants to enjoy sauna in a
healthy way.
First, in some cases sauna is completely out of question.
One such case is very young children, because in general
they do not have a properly functioning temperature control
system. On the other hand, for most of the Finnish the first
sauna was before they were two, but this does not mean that
young children should be taken to the sauna, if they cannot
feel when the heat is too much for them.
Pregnant women should also avoid going to the sauna. The
high temperatures (typically from 60 to 100C) make it more
probable that the newborn will have malformations. Male
fertility is also at risk, when the temperatures are that
high, because testicles feel better at lower temperatures
that the normal body temperature, not to mention 100 C.
Maybe the most positive effect of sauna is that it
detoxifies the body. The heat in the sauna makes the skin
pores open and when they are open, the toxins leave our
body, dissolved in the sweat that goes out through the open
pores. To complete the process of purification, one must
have a shower after the sauna.
But be careful about the amount of liquid you sweat out. It
is healthy, to get detoxified but getting dehydrated isn't.
To avoid dehydration, have a cup of coffee or some juice
during or after the sauna. Enthusiasts suggest a bottle of
beer but basically one should refrain from drinking, while
in the sauna.
There is a mass delusion that sweating in the sauna leads to
weight loss. It is not so. By sweating in the sauna or the
steam bath you lose only liquid, but the fats remain intact.
If you want to lose weight by sweating, you should go
jogging in the park, instead of sitting in the sauna.
After a visit to the sauna you might weigh less, but this is
not due to the slimming effect of sauna. Rather it is the
weight of the litters of sweat you left in the sauna, which
you will compensate for in the next couple of hours, when
you intake some liquid. Your organism will demand its normal
balance of liquids to be restored.
Low blood pressure is also a condition that demands
precaution, when going to the sauna. Your low blood pressure
might drop further, when you get into the heat and your skin
capillaries start to widen. To avoid this, start gradually
and watch if your stay in the sauna is a pleasant one. It is
no use to behave like a hero and faint all of a sudden.
The opposite processes happen afterwards, when you are
having a cold shower or are swimming in the ice-cold water.
The low temperatures make one's blood pressure rise and if
one is healthy this is not hazardous but in case you have
heart problems, do not take the additional risk without
consulting your doctor if sauna is recommendable in your
case.
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