Traditional vs. Infrared Saunas

Are you contemplating purchasing a sauna for your home? Since there are many companies selling home saunas, your choices are nearly endless. You could rely on the opinion of a friend or co-worker for your decision but with the diverse and ever changing technology within the marketplace, how do you know if you are arriving at the right selection?

Many Types of Saunas with So Many Differences!
Fundamentally we can divide home saunas into two main classes: the traditional style that features a heating element with "hot lava rocks" and the "newer" type which boasts infrared technology. Traditional style saunas are okay for shorter sessions but unfortunately, the traditional sauna does lack many of the benefits that one could receive from using an infrared sauna.

A disadvantage that traditional saunas present is that their temperatures must reach upper heat levels (150-180 degrees) in order for the body to actually start sweating. This temperature is way too high to safely manage, for any extended length of time, especially if a person has cardiovascular disease or hypertension. Physicians agree that anything longer than 20 minutes at those high temperatures could have a detrimental effect upon your health. In fact, it could actually be putting excessive strain on your heart as your body attempts to counter the effects of the high heat.

Infrared saunas have a totally unique way of "heating up the body". The heat rendered from infrared saunas permeates the body much deeper (up to 1 3/4 inches compared to the traditional sauna, which only penetrates approximately 1/8 of an inch). Because of this greater heat permeation, your body can create a healthful detoxifying sweat at a much lower sauna temperature--about 120 degrees. Thus, with lower heat, you have greater safety and tremendous added health benefits.

Many physicians are starting to incorporate infrared sauna therapy into their patient's treatment programs. These include those with inflammation, necessitated weight loss, cholesterol control, and blood pressure control! An additional impressive advantage of infrared therapy is that the deep penetrating heat is able to allow detoxifying effects on the body. The infrared heat helps the body by releasing toxins way below the skin and exfoliating them through the skin. Since daily we are exposed to several toxins, infrared therapy can aid in releasing these toxins, strengthening our immune system and improving our health and well being.

Are All Infrared Saunas Alike?
There are essentially two types of infrared saunas that are currently in the market place today. The differences are based upon by the type of heaters used-ceramic vs. carbon based. In the past, ceramic heaters were the industry standard, but as the technology evolved, carbon based heaters were introduced and now are the industry's gold standard for infrared sauna therapy.

Ceramic based heaters in infrared saunas are much less effective than carbon based heaters. This is because the ceramic rods can only produce a limited amount of heat and must operate at very high temperatures. This creates an uneven dispersion of the heat, creating "hot spots" (which could burn the user!) and "cold spots", where there is no heat at all!

Carbon based technology produces an even and uniform heat throughout the sauna, therefore there is no uneven distribution of heat that you get with ceramic heaters. In comparing, a typical two person ceramic infrared sauna, the rods produce approximately 56 square inches of infrared heat, whereas the carbon based infrared saunas produce approximately 572 square inches of heat, in the same size sauna! The research concludes that the whole body should be surrounded by the infrared heat to have the greatest opportunity to absorb as many rays as possible in order to optimize the health benefits of the therapy.

Is An Infrared Sauna Safe?
As told above, the medical profession has recognized and documented the many benefits of infrared saunas. Infrared therapy and treatment includes: detoxification of the body, weight loss and burning extra calories, hypertension control, pain reduction, decreased inflammation, alleviating fibromyalgia symptoms and improvements in overall health and well being.

Where Can I Purchase A Carbon Based Infrared Sauna?
There are several company's specializing in carbon based infrared sauna technology. I suggest that you look for the established companies that are Better Business Bureau accredited and ETL certified and have Carbon Wave 360 Technology. This combination will ensure a safe and high quality purchase.

Looking to find the best deal on home saunas? Then visit Bruce Lipsky, MS's site to find the best advice on home infrared sauna for you.

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This post was written by Bruce Lipsky, MS on April 26, 2010

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Natural Treatments for Fibromyalgia

If you or someone you know suffers from fibromyalgia, then you're well aware of the chronic pain that can be caused by this condition. If you don't know about the illness, fibromyalgia is a pain disorder of the musculoskeletal system that has no known cause.

Many scientists believe that diet plays a large role in the development of fibromyalgia. Their theory is that our bodies are designed to function best with a diet of vegetables and fruits, herbs, seeds, meat, water, and other natural foods. and for thousands of years these foods did form the main part of the diet. Today, however, our diets include significant amounts of sugar and sweets, white flour in our breads, fats and oils, coffee and sodas as our body's energy sources - not to mention the cigarettes, drugs and chemicals, preservatives and other harmful substances which enter our bodies.

It is no wander that as time goes on we are having more and more problems with the way the body is functioning; new conditions, like fibromyalgia, are on the rise.

While there are many options of prescriptions drugs available for the treatment for fibromyalgia, they are only designed to try to relieve the symptoms of the disease, not the underlying cause. I believe that natural cures may prove to be a lot more effective, as they will allow sufferers to start to alkalize their bodies that have been in the process of acidification for years as the result of the diet we just discussed.

Correcting the body's imbalances through natural treatments can effectively regain the natural energy, vitality, and optimum state of health that all of us have the capacity to enjoy.

Many natural treatment for fibromyalgia have been discovered, including free form amino acids. One of the discoveries made while trying to understand fibromyalgia is that its sufferers can not process proteins they way they should. Usually proteins are broken down into amino acids which help the body to produce enzymes. These enzymes are play a role in the repair, growth, and maintenance of body tissues and assist in maintaining proper blood sugar levels, which are vital if the immune system is going to function properly.

Many fibromyalgia sufferers state that the best natural cure they have ever used are amino acid supplements. However, it is vital that free form amino acids are the type of supplement used, because they do not need to be broken down by the body, allowing them to be used immediately.

Methyl Sulfonyl Methane, a compound found naturally in the body, is deficient in the bodies of those afflicted with fibromyalgia. It is present in various fresh fruits and vegetables, but processing or cooking destroys this substance. It serves to reduce pain and is a natural anti-inflammatory, and is reported to improve overall health by those who supplement with Methyl Sulfonyl Methane.

Designed to work in conjunction, methyl sulfonyl methane and free form amino acids can be very effective natural cures for fibromyalgia when taken together.

Recent studies have also shown that fibromyalgia sufferers are also deficient in vitamin D. Some of the common symptoms of this deficiency are muscle pain and muscle weakness. If a vitamin D supplement is used, positive health benefits can be achieved. For people with fibromyalgia, it is suggested that vitamin D3 is the most beneficial.

As you can see, there are natural cures for the treatment of fibromyalgia, so you do not have to endure its pain or buy prescription drugs for the rest of your life. Many sufferers have found relief naturally, and there is hope ahead for you too.

Fibromyalgia has been recorded in medical studies since the 1800's, but only in recent times have people learned that the natural cures for the ailment can affect the proper treatment of the illness. Many people have benefited tremendously from the natural cures available for fibromyalgia, and are enjoying substantial improvements to their overall health.

You have now found some natural cures for fibromyalgia that may prove to very beneficial when you are looking for an alternative to prescription drugs for treating your condition.

Instead of just prescription pills, there are a lot of more natural and alternative treatment for fibromyalgia. Sometimes that may be just what the doctor ordered!

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This post was written by Stephen Paul on March 25, 2010

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Exercising For Fibromyalgia- Yes Exercise Can Help Cope With Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia, or popularly called FM, is that type of chronic illness that shows signs ranging from a mere body fatigue to a more painful and more constant body aches and pains. Today, this type of illness has made doctors difficult to diagnose because each case vary from the other and that, no proven cause has yet to be established of the problem.

However, constant research proves that fibromyalgia is general related to a problem in the sensory processing of one's nervous system. And because manifestations like pains, fatigue, and stiffness are often observed in people suffering from FM, one of the best ways to deal with the problem is to have proper exercise for fibromyalgia.

So how can proper exercise help fibromyalgia? People with fibromyalgia often set aside the thought of doing exercises because in the first place, the body is already in pain, so why make it worse? However, one should remember that the only way to keep the muscles healthy to avoid chronic pains and stiffness is to provide it with proper exercise. When the muscles are relaxed, the chance of experiencing painful stiffness is generally avoided.

Upon starting exercise for fibromyalgia, the first thing you need to take into consideration is that you are doing this not to lose weight but to improve your overall health. Start slowly and set small goals and then gradually increase them at a time.

One of the most effective and common forms of exercises specifically helpful for FM patients is swimming. With swimming, you get to condition both your body and your heart at the same time. Plus, the gentle support you get from the water generally protects your body.

Yoga and tai chi are also other forms of exercise. But whatever type of exercise for fibromyalgia you consider, keep in mind that this one can help ease the pain of your FM. After all, proper exercise can help boost your energy levels and provide you with a better sleep at night. So to lessen your worries about fibromyalgia, get your feet moving now and start exercising.

Learn more about fibromyalgia pain relief. Stop by at the site to find out aboutFibromyalgia Symptoms and much more.

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This post was written by Shaun Marsh on January 9, 2010

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