Sweatheory
Sauna is the only Finnish word in the English dictionary and means "bath" and "bathhouse." This sweaty ritual has been a way of life for thousands of years in Finland, where it was invented. It has been said that Finns used the sauna for various rites of passage: children were born, women went through a purification ritual before marriage, and older people would enter the sauna to die! Well I didn’t have a baby and I didn’t die, but I was able to experience some of the immense healing powers of the sauna when I went to Sweatheory this past week.
Many debates exist about the benefits of sauna and if they really help your body “sweat out toxins.” Some doctors say that sweating helps you lose some toxins, but normally if your body needs to get rid of something noxious, your kidneys flush it into your urine, not your sweat. (Our bodies are pretty good at detoxifying themselves naturally.)
So although you shouldn’t rely entirely on sweat to cleanse you, it definitely helps!
Saunas can help improve the appearance of skin, increase circulation, help strengthen your immune system and are great stress reliever. Sweating itself helps rinse bacteria out of the epidermal layer of skin and cleans pores. Think of sweating as energizing your skin, kind of how exercising energizes your muscles. Sweating produces a rush of fluid to your skin’s surface, which hydrates and helps maintain the collagen structure. (The stuff that keeps your cells plump and young-looking!)
Some other articles claim that a sauna helps you burn calories, stating that you can torch up to hundreds of calories in a 30-minute session. I couldn’t find many reliable scientific studies on this one and honestly wasn’t interested in the sauna for weight loss, which is something I really appreciated about Sweatheory. Everything in their space was focused on healing and feel-good vibes. They have it splayed across their window: “healthy is sexy” …a motto that’s hard to remember in the heart of Los Angeles- a city focused on being slim, no matter the method.
My take on this is: focus on what makes your body feel good (types of food, different movements, fresh air, etc.) and I can assure you you’ll start to look good too.
At Sweatheory, I was greeted by two friendly girls who were so informative, expertly listing off benefits of intense heat and some facts about their spot.
They gave me a cayenne pepper shot to help heat up my body and showed me how the sauna itself worked. They also gave me lots of crisp white towels and an entire glass bottle of water.
*Krafty tip: drink it all.
I stayed in for about 40 minutes, with the temperature climbing its way up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit! Lets just say that Krafty was cookin’. I selected a soothing CD soundtrack (there are mini sound systems for each sauna) and relaxed. No cell phone, no distractions… just me and lots of sweat. I will say that I got very hot (go figure) and opened the door occasionally for a breath of cool air- but overall I really enjoyed how I felt.
Some encourage hopping in and out of a cool shower in 15-20 minute increments, as it can help reduce pain and inflammation and improves your body’s ability to stabilize itself (which ultimately helps your immune system.)
After a quick rinse off and some lovely lavender bath products, I took a mineral shot which tasted really salty and sharp- this helps replenish some of the minerals you lose while sweating up a storm.
They also gave me a cool eucalyptus towel which was much appreciated after my sweaty sesh!
Overall I had a great time and left feeling refreshed and energized. (I’m already planning to go back this week.)
After you leave the sauna and shower off, I recommend changing into loose comfy clothing, drinking lots of water and having a light bite to eat. Try to avoid strenuous activity directly after – it’s even better if you can go straight to bed!
For $35 you can book a little room for an hour and get your sweat on. The website also includes information about Sweatheory’s other services and all their contact info.
For those of you in Los Angeles, get your buns in there. If you’re outside of Cali, try finding a sauna and see what you think!
besos,
Krafty
Information gathered from:
http://www.finnleo.com/pages/health-and-wellness.aspx
http://www.eos-sauna.com/en/advisor/having-a-sauna-and-doing-it-right