People have been sitting in hot tents and rooms since ancient times. This practice of sitting in hot rooms was often thought of as a spiritual purification and to be healing and cleansing on the body. In today's podcast, we explore all the studied benefits of sauna usage and why this ancient technique has continued to be such a staple in many people's lives including Finland culture in particular.
In this episode you'll learn:
- About the health benefits of regular sauna use
- What hormesis is
- About heat shock/stress proteins, why they're important, and how sauna use can affect them
- What it means when proteins are damaged and how sauna use can help repair them
- About what a traditional sauna is compared to Infrared and steam saunas
- The recommended temperatures to set the sauna to and for how long, depending on your tolerance
- Why sweating is so good for you
- About how heat exposure can activate NRF2 in our cells
- About FOX03 proteins and how saunas can help activate it
- That using the sauna regularly has been shown to have direct links with lower risk of cardiovascular related death
- How long term sauna use can affect blood pressure, endothelial function, reduce inflammation, and more
- Why sauna use may be linked to a lower risk of developing hypertension in men
- How sauna use affects inflammation in the body
- About the protein BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and how it's affected by heat and exercise
- How regular sauna use has been tied to lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's
- About the cognitive effects of sauna use and how they may even help combat depression
- That some studies link regular sauna use to an increase in Norepinephrine and Prolactin levels in women
- That depending on dosage, saunas have been linked to the promotion of growth hormone release
- Why it's important to safely work your way up to longer time/higher temperatures in the sauna
- About how using the sauna can help you to maintain muscle mass
- How sauna use can help facilitate the excretion of BPA's and heavy metals
- Why it's important to excrete phthalates and how the sauna can help with the process
- About Bikram hot yoga and it's possible benefits
Studies Referenced:
- 1) Heat shock proteins in neurodegenerative disorders and aging
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- 2) Heat stress activates heat shock response
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- 3) Nrf2 protection
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- 4) FOX03 activation
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- 5) Congestive Heart Failure studies
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- 6) Coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and dyslipidemia studies
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- 7) Hypertension
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- 8) Inflammation
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- 9) BDNF – cognitive health
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- 10) Depression
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- 11) Attention & Focus
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- 12) ADHD
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- 13) Growth Hormone & Metabolism
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- 14) Muscle Mass Maintenance
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- 15) Reduction in All-Cause Mortality Events
