Do we really need to think about detoxification and are we really exposed to that many toxins? And of greater interest, can infrared saunas help with this removal of toxins.
Over the past century, medicine and technology have advanced in remarkable ways providing us with many comforts and products. However this has been accompanied by an ever increasing amount of new designer compounds and toxic materials.
While this has been an issue for an even longer period of time, it is the vast amount of chemicals and the concentrations that were not present centuries ago. The environment, water, air and foods are all now saturated with substances that can cause minor and major damage to our bodies. They also just plain can ruin our day to day energy and effectiveness.
Is this a serious issue?
We can see that contaminants enter our bodies every day on a regular basis. But is this a serious problem. Other than the chromium-6 mentioned above, are other substances dangerous. And is it all that prevalent? Does the presence of these substances cause any real damage?
Many experts strongly suggest they do cause damage and are widespread. This detoxification is one of the benefits from infrared sauna.
In the United States, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) shows a higher incidence north of the 37th parallel latitude. This is the same region that very heavily relies on petroleum products.
Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system and exposure to organic solvents have increased over the past decades. It’s well-documented that these solvents, when absorbed in substantial amounts, tend to accumulate in the central nervous system.
Autoimmunity is increasing. Evidence indicates that exposure to certain chemicals can trigger autoimmunity. Research supports the notion that minimizing toxic exposure and combined with detoxification can have a positive effect on the progression of MS.
Data compiled by numerous physicians in recent years strongly supports the effectiveness of detoxification programs that incorporate heat therapy can safely eliminating harmful toxins from the body. Sauna use, extensively reviewed and practiced millions of times without adverse effects. This demonstrates that with careful monitoring and common sense, saunas are a safe component of detoxification strategies and they are needed.
It is known that there is a pervasiveness of chemicals and how fast we can consume them. But also how fast we can reduce the new exposure. However, it is the acquiring of these foreign substances overs years and decades that causes the real problems. Remnants of chemicals and prescription drugs remain in the body, often stored in little pockets in fat cells in the liver and throughout the body.
Toxins And Chemical Are Everywhere
The primary role of detoxification is to eliminate toxins from the body. Over time, these toxins can adversely affect various bodily functions and overall health.
We can absorb these toxins from environmental pollution, smoking and even overly-processed foods.
However, chemicals and other substances enter our bodies every day.
During the past 4 decades, over 4 million chemical compounds have been reported. Thousands of them are intentionally added to our foods and nearly a thousand to our water supplies. We netnion just one of those later in this article. It is estimated that over 10,000 chemical created compounds become part of our foods during the full processing cycle.
Add to this the medicines that remain in our bodies long after we have taken them, radiation and all other forms of toxic bombardment on our bodies. So is there a real problem, is it something we need to address and can we do anything about it?
Chemicals Are Still In Drinking Water
If you have seen the movie Erin Brockovich (which was based on a true story), you know she crusaded to stop a terrible carcinogen called chromium-6 from being allowed to pollute a local water supply. Numerous residents were sick or had died as a result of the chromium. That was almost 3 decades ago.
We would think that of all the thousands of contaminants in our environment, at least that one would have been addressed to protect us. Unfortunately, this still has not been the case.
In the movie “Erin Brockovich,” the environmental advocate challenges the attorney of a power company that was responsible for contaminating the tap water in Hinkley, California. It was found to have high levels of a carcinogenic substance known as chromium-6.
Unfortunately, after a quarter-century following that real-life event, the chromium-6 problem persists. According to a recent Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysis of federal drinking water data, this harmful compound is present in the water supplies of over 200 million Americans across all 50 states.
Despite the ongoing threat, federal regulations remain hampered due to opposition from the chemical industry.
This resistance could prevent the establishment of national standards for chromium-6, a chemical that, according to state scientists in California and beyond, can cause cancer even at extremely low levels of exposure.
Removal Of Toxins Is Important
Dy Hyman, well known for his studies and books on detox, provides a few basic straight forward reasons that removal of foreign substances is important. As Dr. Hyman has correctly pointa out, what we are often told by the scientific community does not equate to the actual science. Toxins are prevalent everywhere, and Dr. Hyman has built an entire career around the topic of detoxification. Need some more evidence?
Detoxification Improves Organ Function
Effective detoxification helps in ensuring that key organs like the liver, kidneys, and colon function optimally. These organs are are the ones that filter out toxins and waste from the bloodstream and body tissues.
Detox is Important To Boosts Immune System
By removing toxins, detoxification can strengthen the immune system. This makes it more effective at fighting infections and disease.
Detox Needed For Energy Levels
Accumulation of toxins can lead to fatigue and lethargy. This can also lead to complete adrenal fatigue. Detoxification can help restore energy levels by improving metabolic function and reducing the burden on your body’s systems.
Infrared Saunas Help With The Needed Detoxification
And this is where Infrared Saunas are brilliant. The healing heat penetrates deep into the tissues, shaking the toxins off of the fat cells. They are then removed by elimination and sweating.
We encourage everyone to begin eating organic food. In addition to the increase in nutritional value, it reduces the toxic burden on your body. This reduces the burden on the liver and other elimination systems. And it will allow methods of true removal of toxins such as infrared heat therapy to be most effective.
Eliminating Two Types of Toxins
One of the most powerful benefits of an infrared sauna is detoxification. But what is this process of detoxing talked about by so many websites? To clarify the terms, these substances fall into two main categories. They are internal poisons and external poisons.
But what exactly are toxins? A clinical definition is any poison type substance that enters the body or is a result of our body’s metabolic activity. Basically this is anything that is harmful to our bodies. It sounds vague and inclusive of many things and that is a result of all the different types of toxins.
It does help to understand a bit more about the types and causes as this helps in understanding how to remove them.
Can Sweating Remove Internal and External Contaminants?
There are a few good ways to remove them from our bodies. Far Infrared is one the best and easiest way to accomplish this.
Sweating is a natural detox mechanism. While it’s impossible to completely avoid exposure to all harmful substances, promoting the natural detox process through sweating is highly effective. Using an infrared sauna regularly is a proven way to remove heavy metals and other contaminates from your body.
Infrared Saunas Are Superior Detoxification Method
Research shows that far-infrared saunas are better than traditional steam saunas as far as detoxification. Far-infrared saunas emit wavelengths that penetrated deeper into tissues. This improves the detox process. This deep penetration of light wavelengths allows for a more substantial release of toxins.
Regular use of an infrared sauna can begin to improve your body’s natural ability to detoxify itself. It is better at removing toxins more effectively than traditional methods.
We recommended to start out slowly. Then over time gradually increase the amount of time of each sauna session. Detoxification is more productive with at least 3 sessions per week and at least 25 minutes at at time.
An ultimate goal would be 30 minutes at least 5 times per week. When you can comfortably handle this, you will be dramatically improving your overall health and helping your internal processes perform their normal cleansing activities.
Defining Toxins
The concept encompasses a broad range of harmful substances.
However, toxins can be broadly categorized into the two types of internal and external. Understanding these categories is helpful in identifying and then ultimately eliminating them from our bodies.
What are Internal Toxins?
Internal poisons are part of our everyday lives and are produced as a normal part of daily activities. Our body will constantly repair and replace worn out cells. This is a normal part of our body’s energy production.
However, this also produces internal waste materials that can poison us from the inside. So these simply need to be broken down and eliminated. The problem arises when we do not properly break these down or fully eliminate them. When we have what is referred to as toxic overload, these actually can be stored up in the body.
So internal toxins are produced within our bodies through normal biological processes. As our bodies generate energy and repair tissues, they also produce byproducts, known as internal toxins, that must be managed.
Although our bodies are equipped with ways to handle these processes, they can struggle with accumulated toxins. If not properly detoxified, these internal toxins can overload the system which can result in damage to tissues and cells.
Especially today as we over stress ourselves and are faced with an ever increasing amount of external poisons, we can have significant build up. All of this build up can sometimes harm surrounding tissues.
We simply need a way to properly detox so that our systems function smoothly and fully.
What Are The Common Causes Of Internal Toxins?
Chronic Stress
Chronic stress impacts digestion beginning with the alarm stage, or fight-or-flight response. Continued stress leads to nutrient imbalances. This can make a person prone to diseases like diabetes and cancer and even simple fatigue due to poor nutrient absorption.
Specific Food Choices
Most people are unaware of their specific nutrient needs, often misled by generalized “healthy foods” lists. True health comes from eating foods that cater to one’s unique biochemical needs.
Nutrient Imbalances
Nutrient imbalances can stem from various factors including diet, stress, and even family inherited conditions. As metabolic pathways are disrupted, an accumulation of metabolic toxins can occur.
Common Sources of External Toxins?
The above discussion excluded chemical substances that are manufactured and enter the body from the outside. These are known as external poisons.
External toxins are harmful substances that originate outside our bodies and can be ingested, absorbed through the skin or inhaled. Whether chemical or microbial, these can enter our systems through food, water, air, or direct contact with the skin.
Glyphosate Known As Roundup
One main culprit is glyphosate, also known as Roundup. This weed killer is used extensively in large scale farming and in even in your neighbors’ yards. Over 10 million tons have been sprayed on yards and fields worldwide.
How bad is Roundup? Glyphosate has been shown in research to be an endocrine disruptor. This means that it interferes with the production and functioning of hormones. This alone is a great reason to detox.
Bisphenol A And Phthalates (BPA)
Bisphenol A and Phthalates (BPA) are chemicals found in some plastic products like drinking bottles and the lining of cans. There has been a reduction, but despite a reduction in their use, BPA is still present in around 44% of canned food linings as of a 2015 study.
Avoiding products containing BPA is advisable.
Unfortunately, nearly half of all food producers still use this although it has been proven to poison the body. More and more food containers and kitchen plastics are being labeled as BPA-Free.
Environmental Pollutants
Smog, airborne particulates, and smoke can severely affect our eyes, lungs, and sinuses and may linger in the body long after exposure.
Indoor Pollutants
Pollutants and other harmful substances can also accumulate in smaller spaces such as homes and commercial buildings through various sources.
Household Chemicals
Common cleaning products may release harmful fumes, particularly in poorly ventilated areas. Additionally, some pet products contain harmful chemicals that can be dangerous to both you and your pet.
Addressing both internal and external toxins is important.
As we can see, we are bombarded with poisons in many forms on a daily basis. Choosing to eat organic foods and avoid ingesting synthetically manufactured substances are terrific initial steps in helping the body deal with cleansing on its own.
But we also have decades of exposure to foreign substances which accumulate in our bodies. These need a direct approach to remove.
Infrared saunas are one of the top methods of removing these from our bodies. Our top recommended companies are all good brands for this. However, remember that not all saunas provide infrared that will deeply penetrate and release the contaminants from your cells. Many lower priced units actually provide little benefit.
Before selecting a sauna, we encourage you to read our individual brand reviews. These will help you choose one that has been proven to positively detoxify the user.