What to bring:
- change of clothes
- 3 non-colored bath towels (1 to sit on, 1 to wipe off sweat and one for showering)
- slippers (paper or rubber soled)
- robe
- one liter glass or stainless steel container with top
- hairdryer if needed
- Soap and shampoo-please no sodium laurly sufate ingredients
- Please do not bring essential oils for the sauna
How to Sauna:
Each person may be different in terms of the length of time they are able to spend in the sauna. The goal is to raise your body temperature until you feel yourself sweat and then to cool off in the shower in alternating rounds. These alternating rounds allow blood to flow to the surface of the skin and then the cold shower pushes the blood back into the body. Do not sit in the sauna for long extended periods without cooling off in the shower.
Aim for 1-3 rounds of 15-20 minutes each in the sauna. Take a cool shower of 30 sec-2 minutes between sauna rounds to activate your circulation. Always end your sauna session by taking a cool shower to send your blood back into your core body.
There is a bucket and ladle available. You may fill this with water to pour over the hot rocks to create steam. Please do not add scents or herbs in consideration of other patietns.
Cautions and Contraindications:
Caution: The following conditions requires modifications to sauna therapy: diabetes, lymphedema, respiratory disorder, fibromyalgia (about 75% benefit from sauna, 25% aggravate from heat), heart condition, kidney condition, liver disease, bleeding disorder, hyperthyroid, environmental sensitivities, history of drug or alcohol abuse, anemia, and people who cannot take potassium supplements (heart or kidney condition).
Children under 12 have poorer temperature regulation and so must only do modified sauna detoxification that is supervised.
If you are taking any kind of medication, the sauna may cause it to be metabolized more quickly, so your dosage may need to be adjusted over time. This is especially true of transdermal patches, diabetics on insulin, epileptics, and people taking antidepressants.
Correct bowel function (one or more bowel movements daily) is required before beginning sauna detoxification.
Contraindications: Don’t do sauna detoxification if you have the following conditions: pregnancy, breast-feeding, a seizure disorder, brain tumor, stroke within the past 6 months, recent heart attack, aortic stenosis, MS, heart arrhythmia, hemophilia, untreated hyperthyroidism, metal parts in your body (eg artificial joints, metal pins, rods), silicone implant, a pacemaker, narcolepsy, high fever, recent injury or surgery (within the last 48 hrs), uncontrolled high or low blood pressure, or are taking systemic steroids.