Sauna, Secrets of Healthy Life and Longevity
Sauna, Secrets of Healthy Life and Longevity - Most of us know that spending time in a sauna increases your
inner body temperature and of course makes you sweat. Sweating makes the pores
open and allows the release of dirt that builds up in it and is thought to also
make the body release alcohol, salt, and cholesterol.
The researchers
also believe that sauna and sweating can help relieve pain, help control moods,
can help reduce the risk of kidney stones and can reduce the risk of heart
disease by as much as 50%.
Fever is
actually the body's natural way to fight infection by stimulating the immune
system and preventing bacteria from growing and spreading. This also makes it
uncomfortable for viruses and bacteria because most require a temperature range
and a level that is stable enough to continue to reproduce.
Purely for this
reason, it is a good idea to make sure your first aid kit contains a good
clinical thermometer. So it makes sense that a sauna that creates artificial
fever will be beneficial but research has shown that they can really help save
lives.
The results were
recently published from studies conducted in Finland over a twenty-one year
period beginning in the 1980s and involving 2,300 men between 42 and 60 of whom
took regular saunas and some that did not take at all.
The results show
that the more often men do saunas and the longer they stay in the sauna, the
lower the risk of fatal coronary or cardiovascular death or sudden cardiac
death over a 21-year period.
Those who had
two or three saunas a week experienced a 23% reduction in the mortality rate
from coronary heart disease which rose to 48% with between four and seven
saunas a week. Similarly, the death rate from cardiovascular disease was
reduced by 27% for those who used two or three saunas a week and 50% for those
who had between four and seven.
An impressive
number, but when you also see the risk of sudden cardiac death reduced by 22%
for those who use two or three saunas and 66% for those who take four to seven
it becomes very attractive.
The length of
time spent in a sauna also makes a difference, the longer the time, the greater
the benefits. Those who stayed in saunas for 11-19 minutes made a 7% profit
compared to those who lived under 11 minutes, while more than 19 minutes
produced a 52% risk of sudden cardiac death and similar rates for coronary and
cardiovascular heart disease
This study has
not confirmed why saunas have this effect on life span but because the results
are very positive, further studies will be carried out to establish a link.
But it should be
stressed, that saunas are not recommended for very young, very old or pregnant
women and anyone with existing health problems should always consult their
doctor before taking risks.