| by: C.J. Gustafson
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| | smoke saunas, steam saunas, and those
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| The health benefits of saunas are not a
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| | that work with infrared waves as
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| recent discovery. The use of steam or
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| | described above.
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| smoke baths to cleanse the body and
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| | You can have a sauna in your home or
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| reduce stress has been a part of
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| | apartment, in your backyard, on your
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| religious, social, and family traditions
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| | rooftop, or even in a vehicle or on a
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| in numerous cultures for thousands of
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| | pontoon boat. The possibilities are
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| years. Native Americans, Russians,
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| | endless and creating innovative and
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| Romans, and Mediterranean cultures all
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| | sometimes quirky designs has become part
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| had some sort of bathing facilities and
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| | of the appeal of sauna bathing. But for
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| rituals that played important roles in
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| | most people, it is still the health
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| both private and public life in those
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| | benefits that are the main attraction.
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| communities. But it is the Finns who are
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| | A Wide Array of Health Benefits
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| credited with developing the modern
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| | As saunas have gained in popularity, the
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| sauna.
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| | health benefits have become more widely
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| The Finnish Savu
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| | documented. Perhaps the most recognized
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| Historical evidence and records indicate
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| | benefit is the cleansing action caused by
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| that the Finns built the first wooden
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| | heavy perspiration.
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| saunas over 2000 years ago. The early
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| | Sauna enthusiasts say that sweating
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| Finnish sauna was dug into a hill or
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| | caused by the high heat in a sauna can
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| embankment. As tools and techniques
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| | remove toxic chemicals, alcohol,
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| advanced, they were later built above
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| | cholesterol, cellulite, nicotine, and
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| ground using wooden logs. Rocks were
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| | even heavy metals such as mercury. Not
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| heated in a stone fireplace with a wood
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| | only does perspiration remove toxins, it
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| fire. The smoke from the fire filled the
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| | opens and cleanses skin pores creating
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| room as the air warmed.
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| | healthier skin and an improved
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| Once the temperature reached desired
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| | complexion.
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| levels, the smoke was allowed to clear
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| | In addition to cleansing the pores and
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| and the bathers entered. The wood smoke
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| | cells, the heat from saunas is said to
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| aroma still lingered and was part of the
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| | stimulate white blood cells and improve
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| cleansing ritual. This type of
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| | circulation, which in turn promotes
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| traditional smoke sauna was called a
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| | healing of infections and tissue
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| savu, which means smoke in Finnish.
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| | injuries. It also eases the pain from
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| The Evolution of the Sauna
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| | arthritis and other joint disorders. Some
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| Eventually the sauna evolved to use a
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| | people believe the high heat, especially
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| metal woodstove, or kiuas (ke-wus), with
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| | that from infrared saunas, can even be
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| a chimney. Air temperatures averaged
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| | used to alleviate cancer symptoms.
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| around 180F but often exceeded 200
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| | Some say a sauna will increase metabolism
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| degrees in a traditional Finnish sauna.
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| | and encourage weight loss. Studies show
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| Steam vapor, also called löyly (lou-lu),
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| | that a person can burn 300 - 400 calories
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| was created by splashing water on the
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| | during a 20 to 30 minute sauna. In
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| heated rocks.
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| | addition, even a brief sauna elevates
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| The steam and high heat caused bathers to
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| | heart rate and cardiac output, helping to
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| perspire, thus flushing away impurities
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| | improve cardiac fitness.
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| and toxins from the body. The Finns also
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| | Repeated use of saunas is said to restore
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| used vihtas (veh-tas) or bundles of birch
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| | a person's ability to sweat. Steam saunas
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| twigs to gently slap the skin and create
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| | are known to open nasal passages and
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| further stimulation of the pores and
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| | alleviate sinus discomfort. A sauna,
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| cells.
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| | followed by a refreshing shower and cool
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| The Finns also used the sauna as a place
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| | down period has been known to help
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| to cleanse the mind, rejuvenate and
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| | improve sleep patterns. The list of
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| refresh the spirit, and prepare the dead
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| | physical health benefits of saunas is
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| for burial. The sauna was an important
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| | extensive.
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| part of daily life, and families bathed
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| | In addition to these physical benefits,
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| together in the home sauna, but the
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| | saunas help promote relaxation by easing
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| genders didn't mix in public saunas.
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| | muscle tension and aches, and promoting
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| Because the sauna was often the cleanest
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| | an environment with no distractions or
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| structure and had water readily
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| | demands. Used on an individual basis, a
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| available, Finnish women also gave birth
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| | sauna can provide the perfect opportunity
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| in the sauna.
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| | for solitary reflection. Group
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| When the Finns migrated to other areas of
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| | participation can lead to intimate
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| the globe, they brought their sauna
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| | conversations and bonding.
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| designs and traditions with them,
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| | It is important to note that the high
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| introducing other cultures to the
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| | heat and heavy air can be uncomfortable
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| enjoyment and health benefits of saunas.
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| | and possibly dangerous for certain
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| This led to further evolution of the
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| | people. Pregnant women, and people with
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| sauna, including the electric sauna
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| | cardiovascular problems, Multiple
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| stove, which was invented and implemented
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| | Sclerosis, and other related health
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| in the 1950s and far infrared saunas,
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| | concerns should talk with their doctor
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| which have become popular in the last
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| | before using a sauna. And although a
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| several decades.
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| | sauna is said to help remove alcohol and
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| Infrared saunas use a special heater that
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| | other toxins from the body, those under
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| generates infrared radiation rays similar
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| | the influence of alcohol or drugs should
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| to that produced by the sun. Unlike the
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| | not use a sauna due to concerns with
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| sun's UV radiation, infrared is said to
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| | interactions as well as danger of passing
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| be beneficial to overall health. In an
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| | out.
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| infrared sauna, the electric heaters warm
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| | For thousands of years, saunas and sweat
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| the air and also penetrate the skin to
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| | baths have been used to improve physical,
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| encourage perspiration, producing many of
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| | mental, and spiritual well-being. They
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| the same health benefits of traditional
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| | have also played an important role in
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| steam saunas.
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| | social interactions. Today's saunas have
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| Today there are a wide variety of sauna
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| | evolved to offer a wide variety of
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| options. Heat sources include wood,
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| | technologies, designs, and personal
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| electricity, gas and other more
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| | adaptations. But the overall enjoyment
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| unconventional methods such as solar
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| | and health benefits of saunas continue to
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| power. There are wet saunas, dry saunas,
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| | appeal to millions across the globe.
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