What Is An Infrared Sauna

By Dr. Raleigh Duncan, Founder of Clearlight Saunas

Most alternative health centers use infrared saunas as a critical part of their healing regimen, for the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates (commonly referred to as the father of Western medicine) is credited with saying: “Give me a fever and I can cure any disease.”

I purchased my first infrared sauna many years ago while a student at Chiropractic College. I was so fascinated with how it worked: penetrating healing heat, effective detox and immune boost — all in a comfortable, affordable package. Soon I was also putting my patients and friends in the infrared sauna and many were getting dramatic results and relief from everything from psoriasis and arthritis to fibromyalgia. I became so intrigued with what I saw that I have spent the last 20 years of my life studying and refining it’s healing properties to help people to live toxin free and enjoy healthier lives.

You may wonder how does infrared accomplish all these things? The easiest way to explain it is that far infrared saunas produce the same general wavelength of the infrared spectrum given off by the human body. We see it as our own energy. In practical terms it works with the body rather than against it, amplifying and strengthening the body’s own innate energy and immune system.

INFRARED BOOSTS THE BODY’S HEALING RESPONSE 

We all know that stress causes disease, but what can we do about it? Meditation, enjoying nature – these are a few of the solutions that come to mind. In addition, spending time in the infrared sauna daily easily allows you to reside more in the parasympathetic state (rest, digest, heal) and less time in the sympathetic state (fight, flight, constrict). Eventually the set point of the autonomic nervous system can be returned to a normal healthy position and adrenal function can finally get a break.

When the sympathetic system is dominant, adrenaline is secreted, heart rate and blood pressure increase and blood vessels constrict. As we sit in the infrared sauna, the blood vessels open, muscles relax, pain starts to subside and the body starts to actively heal rather than thinking it is being threatened, thereby shutting down. This is such an important concept that is often misunderstood and overlooked. Our modern life with all its demands, technology and sensory input keeps us in a constant state of “fight or flight.” We were never designed to stay in this place all the time, but rather only for shorter periods to help us get out of bad situations. Chronic “fight or flight” can keep us perpetually sick, while we wonder why we aren’t getting any better.

EMF LEVELS IN INFRARED SAUNAS

Infrared saunas have been around for over forty years and have gone through many changes, mostly in the evolution of the heating systems, wavelengths and elimination of EMF’s. Always be certain to check and have EMF readings verified before getting in any infrared sauna. Dr. George Yu, eminent surgical oncologist, lecturer and anti-aging expert has said the following: “Sweating using infrared saunas is an efficient way of pulling toxic chemicals from the blood stream to the skin for elimination. Modern heating systems are efficient, but you must make sure that the EMF, electrical magnetic field, is kept to a minimum. This is why I only recommend Clearlight Infrared Saunas.”

HOW SHOULD I USE THE INFRARED SAUNA?

In one of his talks, Dr. Brian Clement, Director of Hippocrates Health Institute, said the following based on his personal and clinical experience: “I don’t go a day without a sauna. I don’t lecture anywhere if there isn’t a sauna available. I sauna seven days a week. Infrared is amazing. When you talk about chelating, guess what? Chelation is not the best way to get heavy metals out of your body, infrared saunas are. With what you pay for with chelation, you can buy an infrared sauna. I cannot say enough about it.”