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Any success w Sauna Therapy?

ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
I just got a sunlighten FIR sauna (the "solo" dome-type, used). I felt worse after my session yesterday, which may be normal.. I have had some nasty virus, and was feeling much better, then backslid a little bit after my sauna session. I'm guessing that the sauna stirred up some of the latent virus... I feel like it takes many weeks to get viruses out of my system. So, maybe the sauna will speed things up..

Anyone else had success w (any kind of) sauna therapy? How many sessions over what time period to get results? I'm following the guidelines from Myhill's site, which are pretty loose..

thanks
 
Messages
76
Location
Southwest
The topic of red light therapy (not sauna) etc. is huge over at the Ray Peat forum. Peat has lot to say about the benefits of red light (although it's hard to parse out the information from all his papers/podcasts/comments to forum posters)--but basically this is what I have gotten about which lights are useful for health benefits:

"Plain incandescent bulbs are o.k., but the best kind are used by farmers for incubators, etc., and are designed as 130 volt bulbs, so when they operate on 120 volts they have a bias toward the longer wave red color, and they have an internal reflector. They are often called "infrared" or "heat lamps," but they have a clear glass front."

I have used an incubator heat lamp for better part of a year. I lay under the lamp for 20 minutes every evening--bare skin is important---The benefits for me: subtle feeling of well-being (???), perhaps an increase in BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin) (and I am sorry I can't find the research link for that--I am still looking)....better sleeping. I simply don't know if it helps improve your immune system (???).

So, how do you do it? I bought a 300-watt incandescent brooder light clamp (it has a porcelain/ceramic socket that can handle the high heat). Then I bought several bulbs (by Bulbrite/250 watt/130 volt---these are clear bulbs). Basically I strung the light up in my room and use it every night for about 20 minutes. Distance from the bulb is important for penetration into your body (or so I read)---mine is rigged so that it is about 18-20 inches from my body.

I don't burn from this bulb--I get warm and eventually hot if I lay under it for more than 20 minutes.

Ok--there it is ---hokey or not.
 

melamine

Senior Member
Messages
341
Location
Upstate NY
I have a sunlighten dome. I always felt worse after using it, sometimes much worse in the same way as spending too much time in front of the computer. It made me shaky and /or inner trembling. The effect on my nervous system did not feel like a healing reaction, but possibly like electromagnetic sensitivity. I tried adjusting hydration and electrolyte replenishment before, during and after, but it made little difference. Because of progressing neuropathy, its effect on my nervous system was worrisome and is the reason I will probably be selling it. I was unable to find the kind of information I would have liked to understand the reactions I was getting.
 

sregan

Senior Member
Messages
703
Location
Southeast
I have a couple of FIR heaters that I have used to make a ghetto sauna. When I use them it causes a substantial die off. Not sure if the IR is penetrating into my gut killing bad bacteria or possibly killing bad guys in my bloodstream (assuming it doesn't penetrate into the gut)
 

liverock

Senior Member
Messages
748
Location
UK
I just got a sunlighten FIR sauna (the "solo" dome-type, used). I felt worse after my session yesterday, which may be normal.. I have had some nasty virus, and was feeling much better, then backslid a little bit after my sauna session. I'm guessing that the sauna stirred up some of the latent virus... I feel like it takes many weeks to get viruses out of my system. So, maybe the sauna will speed things up..

Anyone else had success w (any kind of) sauna therapy? How many sessions over what time period to get results? I'm following the guidelines from Myhill's site, which are pretty loose..

thanks

Start off low and slow, 10 minutes or so initially for a the first few initial sessions. If you start off with too long a session to start with you can start detoxing to quickly and get adverse symptoms.
Toxins are being not only sweated out but being moved into the bloodstream to be eliminated through the kidneys so it is essential to keep hydrated and take a mineral supplement to replace lost minerals and electrolytes.

How long before getting results depends on how toxic you are (heavy metals,bad diets etc) and how long you have been sick. It also depends how good your detox enzymes,kidneys and liver are functioning. If you have been hyporthyroid for any length of time its usually means you have been detoxing poorly, and it could take longer than some others who had normal thyroid function. If you have high ammonia levels, lowering these will probably make you feel better first of all, because this will help increase BH4,which is important with the A1298C snp.
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
If you have been hyporthyroid for any length of time its usually means you have been detoxing poorly, and it could take longer than some others who had normal thyroid function. If you have high ammonia levels, lowering these will probably make you feel better first of all, because this will help increase BH4,which is important with the A1298C snp.
I will eagerly read more about that! Could you please post references in those lines? Or expand on that?
 

Hanna

Senior Member
Messages
717
Location
Jerusalem, Israel
I have a sunlighten dome. I always felt worse after using it, sometimes much worse in the same way as spending too much time in front of the computer. It made me shaky and /or inner trembling. The effect on my nervous system did not feel like a healing reaction, but possibly like electromagnetic sensitivity. I tried adjusting hydration and electrolyte replenishment before, during and after, but it made little difference. Because of progressing neuropathy, its effect on my nervous system was worrisome and is the reason I will probably be selling it. I was unable to find the kind of information I would have liked to understand the reactions I was getting.
There is also a near-infrared sauna that is promoted by Wilson for detox. In his site he mentions clearly the problem of electromagnetic sensitivity induces by FIR saunas.
Has anyone heard about those Near Infra Red Saunas ?
 

melamine

Senior Member
Messages
341
Location
Upstate NY
@Hanna - Yes, I have read about them but only after I purchased my FIR sauna and began experiencing problems. I assume many or most users of FIRs tolerate them and that adverse symptoms, if any for them, are likely to be detox or electrolyte/hydration related.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
I assume many or most users of FIRs tolerate them and that adverse symptoms, if any for them, are likely to be detox or electrolyte/hydration related.
I think many of us who use FIR do them "differently" than a person who didn't have ME would. I use very low heat and had to start on the very lowest heat and then only for 10 minutes. Mine has some sort of protection from EMFs. (It is a BioMat) I don't get hot enough for it to bother my dysautonomia or to need to rehydrate. FIR can relieve some symptoms without causing you to sweat. I don't overheat at all when I use mine--which I do daily.

Sushi
 

Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
but possibly like electromagnetic sensitivity
First mB12 helped me with that, and later Magnesium. I am not sensitive anymore, except when the wi-fi of my computer is on. I have been using a cable to avoid this problem, but I am afraid that when I get a new computer the cable option won't be availble anymore :grumpy:
 

melamine

Senior Member
Messages
341
Location
Upstate NY
@Sushi - Perhaps a BioMat would make mine usable. I was unaware they could be used effectively under those circumstances. I had also tried lower temps and shorter periods and the best I could say was that I didn't feel worse.

@Gondwanaland - I started MB12 about a month ago and am experimenting with different kinds of Mg. as per your experiences. Also keeping in mind potassium balance, as I have not found Mg to help with cramps or other nervous system/neuromuscular symptoms in any consistently noticeable way so far.
I also get electric shocks throughout the day and cannot exit a car without getting shocked while closing the door. There are signs of a systemic electrical problem in one of the zones of the house that will require assessment by an electrician. It's one of those things we've been putting off.

Thank you to both of you for the suggestions. Maybe I will be able to use my sauna again, if not now than with some changes. :thumbsup:
 
Messages
70
What is the sauna meant to treat? Just a coincidence that I happen to read this today. Apparently it helps the excretion of heavy metals. *EDIT Oops, this is the link, rather.
 
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Gondwanaland

Senior Member
Messages
5,092
I started MB12 about a month ago
MB12 worked instantaneously for me, but then I OD'd on it and had to stop. Still unable to tolerate it.
Also keeping in mind potassium balance, as I have not found Mg to help with cramps or other nervous system/neuromuscular symptoms in any consistently noticeable way so far.
Perhaps calcium is the missing link? I had to throw in some vit A at some point as an indirect way to throw some calcium in my inner mix :confused:
I didn't get the right electrolyte mix for my husband and his neuromuscular pains yet :rolleyes:
I also get electric shocks throughout the day and cannot exit a car without getting shocked while closing the door.
I used to be just like that. I would even get a shock from kissing DH :wide-eyed: My dr. said it is due to high sodium.
There are signs of a systemic electrical problem in one of the zones of the house that will require assessment by an electrician. It's one of those things we've been putting off.
We have a computer connected to the TV in the living room and I can feel when the HD is in overdrive and tell DH to shut it off :alien:
 

melamine

Senior Member
Messages
341
Location
Upstate NY
We have a computer connected to the TV in the living room and I can feel when the HD is in overdrive and tell DH to shut it off

I find that symptoms don't increase as bad with my laptop as with the ancient desktop I was using until about a year and a half ago, but there is wifi in the house now and a tangle of TV/cable wires plugged into the wall directly behind where the head of my bed is. A dumb "smart meter" was installed on the house about five years ago and I don't know if that is having an effect too. My nervous system has not felt "at rest" for more than several years and it has gotten worse over time.

My sodium intake is moderate and I have difficulty hydrating (polyuria), so I don't know if reducing sodium would be the answer to the cramps, but I will look into it. I didn't know vitamin A would affect calcium either. My bones are plenty strong for my age and calcium is plentiful in my diet, so I would be surprised if it's a problem. I'm currently trying Mg oxide instead of the mixed chelates form I was taking before. I seemed to tolerate it and it's a balanced formula (Nature's Way) that contains some calcium and B6 too, and maybe something else, but I thought I'd try the oxide for comparison. I had never noticed any special benefit from malic acid formulas of Mg, and honestly, Mg salts in the bath are not relaxing for me either.

I am still experimenting with MB12, dibencozide, and Hydroxy B12. Today I increased dibencoside to 3/4 of a pill + 2.5 mg MB12 + 2mg Hydroxy B12 in divided dose (+ folinic and Mfolate). I felt - maybe - very modestly more alert this afternoon than I've felt in awhile but other than that, if even that, have not felt any real energy boost from B12, or any other good effects. I will continue increasing it slowly while experimenting with the different forms, but I prefer to avoid super mega doses and will see how things play out over the next few months with the things I'm currently using.