Welcome to Alternative Healing Solutions & Uforia Sauna and Cold Plunge

Sauna promotes healthy blood flow by activation of the thermoregulatory system. Practicing full “rounds” will provide the full health benefits. A round consists of 10-20 mins in the hot room (your body will tell you when your time is up), followed by a cool-down period outside. Letting your body cool down between rounds by relaxing and cooling off at the rinse station will increase your circulation and provide the full physical and mental benefit of the experience. A typical sauna session consists of 3-4 rounds of this hot-cold treatment.

Heavy metals

Heavy metals are naturally-occurring metallic elements that are toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Exposures to heavy metals in everyday products such as arsenic in agricultural products, cadmium in cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust, lead in toys, and mercury in dental amalgam and certain types of fish, are common occurrences. Some heavy metals are excreted in sweat, and sauna use may facilitate their excretion. In a study in which the presence of various compounds (including heavy metals) in the blood, urine, and sweat of 20 adults was measured, markedly higher excretion of aluminum (3.75-fold), cadmium (25-fold), cobalt (7-fold), and lead (17-fold) was observed in sweat versus urine.

Sauna use promotes growth hormone release, which varies according to time, temperature, and frequency. For example, two 20-minute sauna sessions at 80°C (176°F) separated by a 30-minute cooling period elevated growth hormone levels two-fold over baseline, but two 15-minute sauna sessions at 100°C (212°F) dry heat separated by a 30-minute cooling period resulted in a five-fold increase in growth hormone.

reatment with a far-infrared sauna has been shown to significantly lower fasting blood glucose levels. When insulin resistant diabetic mice were subjected to 30 minutes of heat treatment three times a week for 12 weeks, they experienced a 31 percent decrease in plasma insulin levels and a significant reduction in blood glucose levels, suggesting re-sensitization to insulin. The heat treatment specifically targeted the skeletal muscle by increasing the expression of a type of transporter known as GLUT 4, which is responsible for transporting glucose into skeletal muscle from the bloodstream. Decreased glucose uptake by skeletal muscle is one of the mechanisms that leads to insulin resistance.

Heat stress from using the sauna may modulate improvements in physical fitness and athletic performance by increasing endurance and maintaining or promoting gains in muscle mass.

Increased endurance

One small intervention study looked at the effects of repeat sauna use on athletic performance and other physiological effects in six male distance runners. The findings showed that one 30-minute sauna session twice a week for three weeks post-workout increased the time that it took for the study participants to run until exhaustion by 32 percent compared to their baseline.

Improvements in thermoregulatory function are also observed following heat acclimation. Heat exposure activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing peripheral blood flow and the sweat rate to dissipate core body heat. After acclimation, sweating occurs at a lower core temperature and the sweat rate is maintained for a longer period.

During exercise, core body temperature increases, attenuating endurance and accelerating exhaustion. Heat acclimatization and acclimation, however, induce complex physiological adaptations that improve thermoregulation, attenuate physiological strain, and enhance athletic performance in hot environments. These adaptations are mediated via improved cardiovascular and thermoregulatory mechanisms that reduce the deleterious effects associated with elevated core body temperature, optimizing the body for subsequent increases in core body temperature during future exercise. 

Whereas "acclimatization" refers to the body's response to heat exposure in natural environments, "acclimation" refers to the response in controlled environments, such as a sauna or heat stress chamber. 

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical used during the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is ubiquitous in the environment and can be found in plastic beverage bottles and food packaging, metal food and beverage can linings, dental composites and resins, and other products.

 BPA is an endocrine disruptor that can mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body like estrogens, androgens, and thyroid hormones, potentially altering normal hormonal signals. High levels of urinary BPA are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Bisphenol A bioaccumulates primarily in adipose tissue in humans, but some evidence indicates that it is excreted via sweat and, to a lesser degree, urine. Sauna bathing may serve as means to facilitate BPA excretion via the skin to eliminate this toxicant from the human body.

The exact amount of time in the hot room or outside cooling down depends on how long it takes your body to respond to the heat. When you sit in a 160 degree sauna, your body starts circulating blood to cool itself down. By breathing calmly and relaxing into the heat, you increase the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and the body’s ability bring your internal temperature into a more comfortable homeostasis. However, once the steam is added to the rocks the temperature often becomes more than we can naturally regulate. Breathing and listening to your body will help you decide when it’s reached its comfort zone. It’s important to listen and not push too much, which gives your body a chance to respond to the intensity of the environment in a calm non-fight-or-flight state. Breath and enjoy—it should always feel great!