Category: MOVE STRONG

Prostate Cancer, Saunas and Sunlight

Natural Prostate Health

As a male over 50 I need to be concerned, or at least aware, of my prostate function. When you consider the facts, it really is a no-brainer. According to the Cancer Council “it is estimated that 18,110 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in Australia in 2021. One in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.” Let’s look at some novel research and some common sense applications of this knowledge that might help reduce the chances of us developing prostate cancer.

In a 2019 study titled Sun Exposure: Beyond The Risks they state “in the last few years, several connections between solar exposure and prevention and/or treatment of several diseases have been discussed, with studies suggesting that regular solar exposure may be beneficial for conditions such as …… prostate.”

Sunlight Therapy

Initially the benefits were thought to come from the UV light and its corresponding increase in Vitamin D. This might not be the entire picture.

In a 2016 article titled Regular Sun Exposure Benefits Health they found when looking at diseases like prostate cancer that “it became evident that immunomodulation, the formation of nitric oxide, melatonin, serotonin, and the effect of (sun)light on circadian clocks, are involved as well. So it’s not all about Vitamin D.

What you might not know is that the regular use of saunas provides you with most of these very processes.

Now let’s look at infrared saunas and it’s influence on these processes. In particular we’ll look at near infrared full spectrum saunas.

Nitric Oxide

Infrared saunas and regular Finnish saunas are well established to increase circulation of nitric oxide (NO). In this article, PDE5 inhibitors in the treatment of LUTS(lower urinary tract symptoms), they state that NO “affect LUTS by decreasing smooth muscle cell proliferation in the prostate, and relaxing smooth muscles in the prostate and in the bladder neck. It is very likely that NO is playing a large role with our prostate health. The heat of the sauna may be a very convenient and productive way to ensure this pathway is optimised.

Incomplete Emptying

An interesting finding in “sauna bathing and lower urinary tract symptoms – the heat is on?” was that the ‘feeling of incomplete emptying’, was less common in frequent sauna bathers. This particular symptom is well known to men with prostate issues. This is an observation though, and the study goes on to say that sauna bathing does not affect LUTS development. There are weaknesses in the design of the study though and more studies should be done to look a bit deeper.

Inflammation

All types of sauna will have a significant affect on inflammation in the body. If you decrease inflammation systemically good things happen. Laukkanen found in 2018 that saunas had a substantial affect by decreasing inflammation when saunas are used regularly.

Let’s shift now to near infrared saunas, and the unique EXTRA sauna benefits they bring to help with prostate health.

Near Infrared Sauna

These will provide all the benefits mentioned so far from far infrared saunas and traditional saunas. They have the added benefit of a healthy dose of red and near infrared light. This is called photobiomodulation. If you don’t know what this is google it along with a health condition you are interested in such as Alzheimer’s, and be prepared to be amazed.

The impact of the photobiomodulation will help with your prostate health in several ways.

Increased Energy

Photobiomodulation works by increasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in your cells. This is energy your body uses to do things. When you have more energy available to you more healing, repair and other good things can occur in your prostate cells.

NO

It also has a significant impact in raising nitric oxide and the benefits of that have already been explained when it comes to prostate health. Regular saunas will boost your NO but near infrared saunas will boost it even more.

Melatonin

The use of this red light therapy and near infrared light has been shown to boost melatonin independently of the pineal gland. Above we established that melatonin was playing a factor in prostate health and here we have a good way to ensure high levels of this important hormone. As an added bonus your sleep will improve.

Here’s an added bonus. Did you know that melatonin is the precursor to serotonin? It is, and serotonin was one of the other factors that has been shown to be involved with prostate health. More things are linked in the human body than we tend to believe and most things don’t exist in isolation.

Circadian Clock

Finally, when you use your near infrared sauna you are getting the red light therapy and near infrared light that you are designed to get from natural sunrise and sunsets. Our eyes need this light to help set our circadian clocks, and our circadian clocks have been shown to be involved in prostate health as well. A sauna in the evening or morning can have many far reaching benefits.

Summary

We know that prostate health is complicated and that there is no single therapy for the prevention of prostate cancer or other problems.

However, we do know that regular solar exposure appears to be beneficial for conditions such as prostate health. We also know when looking at prostate cancer that the formation of nitric oxide, melatonin, serotonin, and the effect of sunlight on circadian clocks, are involved as well. All of these things are provided by sunlight in one form or the other. And by near infrared saunas.

We also aren’t saying if you use your near infrared sauna regularly that you won’t develop prostate cancer.

You’ll want to address toxins, diet and ensure you do have optimal Vitamin D levels from sunlight or a high quality Vitamin D supplement. And it goes without saying you will need to seek and listen to medical advice.

What we are saying is that the use of a near infrared sauna has huge potential benefits for our prostate health. I prefer to look at it from the perspective that I will do my regular saunas because of the overall sauna benefits. Health, relaxation and stress management benefits to mention a few, and then IF it helps my prostate great!

If you have any questions on near infrared saunas feel free to reach out to us

Yours in Health,

Dr Todd Lizon (Chiropractor)
B.P.H.E., D.C.

Sunlight Deficiency and Heart Disease

Heart disease, in all its forms, is a very common problem. It’s the leading cause of death in Australia and most countries around the world. Another very common related problem is sunlight deficiency and yet few have even heard of this. There are at least two reasons that low levels of exposure to sunshine are contributing to heart disease and I’ll explain both and what we can do about it. It’s not as crazy as it first sounds.

VITAMIN D

No surprise here. Studies have shown that heart disease is more prevalent in northern countries compared to southern countries (northern hemisphere). This is thought to be due, in part, to lower levels of sunlight exposure which can lead to vitamin D deficiency.

North of 40° and south of 40° latitude there is no available ultraviolet light during wintertime and people in these locations must “rely on food sources and supplementation to maintain serum vitamin D at a sufficient level”.1 Even if you are outside these ranges, it is still very common to not get enough sunshine for various reasons such as adiposity, clothing habits, cloud cover, pollution, skin pigmentation and genetic factors.

When you dig into the research the evidence strongly suggests that “chronic and often decades-long vitamin D deficiency….. are important in the pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, myocardial hypertrophy, diastolic heart failure, and the metabolic syndrome”.2
The condensed version is when you have sunlight deficiency you don’t produce enough Vitamin D, and this in turn contributes to higher rates of cardiovascular disease.

PHOTOBIOMODULATION

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a non-invasive therapy that involves the use of red and near infrared light, typically in the form of lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to stimulate cellular function and promote healing in the body.

We naturally get this from the sun. Red and near infrared are the dominant wavelengths (as compared to UV light) at sunrise and sunset. So, if we are outside for sunrise and sunset, we get the photobiomodulation dose we are designed to get. When was the last sunrise you witnessed? Our ancestors did and it’s not likely a coincidence that heart disease rates have been rising in modern times.
With respect to cardiovascular diseases, the therapeutic benefits of PBM therapy include “ischemia-perfusion injury, myocardial infarction, hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction, and aortic aneurysm formation”3 This is quite a lengthy list of heart benefits from red and near infrared light.
The condensed version here is the same as Vitamin D in that when you apply PBM there is less heart disease.

ACTION STEPS

When we accept that a lack of sunshine is having a negative impact on our heart health we can take steps to rectify it. There are three things you can do.

Spend time in the sun. Healthy time. Too much UV light in your attempt to get Vitamin D is clearly linked to skin cancer. Witness the sunrise and sunset when you can.
Vitamin D supplementation. A high-quality Vitamin D supplement will ensure you have healthy levels in your tissues.
Use a photobiomodulation device. There are all kinds of panels and devices available to use. Here are several examples.

CONCLUSION

Sunlight deficiency is a more significant issue than most are aware of. Our ancestors spent time in the sun. When we don’t spend enough time outside we risk being low in Vitamin D and we don’t get the full photobiomodulation dose. The combination of these two deficiencies contributes to cardiovascular disease. More research needs to be conducted to fully determine the extent of the problem. In the meantime, the solutions outlined are easily available and easy to implement.

Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jul 19;357(3):266-81. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra070553. PMID: 17634462.
Wallis DE, Penckofer S, Sizemore GW. The “sunshine deficit” and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2008 Sep 30;118(14):1476-85. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.713339. Erratum in: Circulation. 2009 Jun 2;119(21):e550. PMID: 18824654.
Syed SB, Ahmet I, Chakir K, Morrell CH, Arany PR, Lakatta EG. Photobiomodulation therapy mitigates cardiovascular aging and improves survival. Lasers Surg Med. 2023 Mar;55(3):278-293. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23644. Epub 2023 Feb 23. PMID: 36821717; PMCID: PMC10084725.

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TheraBulb 300W Bulb Near Infrared Sauna Upgrade

The TheraBulb 300W Bulb Has Arrived!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of the NEW TheraBulb 300W incandescent lamp to the Lifestyle Integration group.

These higher wattage bulbs will provide more heat and options in the near infrared sauna than the 250W bulb which they are replacing.

To celebrate the arrival of this infrared sauna Australia upgrade we thought it appropriate to review some of the many benefits of TheraBulb incandescent near infrared bulbs.

MORE HEAT

With more wattage you get more heat and power. When it comes to an infrared sauna the more heat and power the better!

BETTER SAUNA

Speaking of saunas you have more options. Our portable near infrared sauna has four lamps. You get to select if you want one, two, three or all of the TheraBulb lamps on at once. This means you can choose the full effect of an incredible 1200W of heat or, if that’s too hot, you can turn one off and relax with a more comfortable 900W.

PLUG AND GO

A common question we get regarding our infrared sauna, which is also known as a full spectrum sauna is if you need any special wiring? You do not. With all TheraBulb incandescent lamps you simply plug them into a normal household socket. No need for any expensive electrical modifications. Plug and go!

PHOTOBIOMODULATION

To me the secret weapon of the Therabulb is the lab verified photobiomodulation benefits. The bulbs are coated to ensure you are getting as much of the therapeutic mitochondrial stimulation band wavelengths as possible. This ensures steady application of the healing near infrared and red light therapy.

THIRD PARTY TESTED

This is perhaps the most important factor in our decision to use TheraBulb in our portable near infrared saunas. I think most of us now understand from a marketing perspective anyone can make a claim about something. Not everyone can back it up with independent certified lab testing. This is exactly what TheraBulb has done. They use the same lab as the US military.

SAFETY COMPLIANT

TheraBulb bulbs are RoHS certified. This means that they are free of substances covered in the European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive 2002/95/EC. These substances include lead, mercury, and Teflon. TheraBulb bulbs also bear the CE mark, meaning that they meet the safety standards for their product category.

ZERO EMF

TheraBulb incandescent bulbs emit virtually no EMF by design. When submitted to an independent lab for testing, the following result was provided by the lab: “Due to the fact that these are incandescent bulb (sic), the EMF values are extremely low and at or below the resolution of the measurement equipment.” TheraBulb’s LED bulb has been tested and its EMF emissions were recorded at .03mT.

THE COMPANY

I’ve worked with TheraBulb for many years and can say that they are a group of people that truly care about what they do and the products they produce. They back their product and will go the extra mile to ensure you get what you are paying for.

If you are looking to reap the many sauna benefits that a near infrared sauna can offer such as hyperthermia therapy, photobiomodulation and red light therapy the TheraBulb 300W bulb delivers. In Australia you can order them here. 300W TheraBulb

For orders outside Australia here is the link to TheraBulb

UPDATE! A quick video we put together showcasing the TheraBulb

Want to know more about photobiomodulation, redlight therapy and sauna therapy? Have a look at our blog or learning centre and have a think about joining our newsletter below. Once every two weeks we will email what is new and exciting in these fields and more.

Yours in Health,

Dr Todd Lizon (Chiropractor)
B.P.H.E., D.C.

We care deeply about your metabolic health here at Lifestyle Integration.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our free eBook on how to manage metabolic dysfunction
The SPEED Trap: How To Reverse Metabolic Dysfunction

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The Hashimoto Thyroiditis Natural Cure

If you knew about a still being researched therapy that could cure your chronic degenerative condition with no side effects likely, would you do it? This is the question you need to ask yourself if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

If you have this form of hypothyroid problem, you know that Hashimoto’s is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid. You would also know that the only known therapy is hormone replacement where you take levothyroxine for the rest of your life. This is pretty harsh, and you still aren’t addressing the root cause of the problem. There is another option.

The “magic pill” that I am referring to is photobiomodulation (PBM). This branch of light therapy works by applying red and near infrared light to the cells where it is absorbed in the mitochondria. The result of this process is an increase in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and a decrease in inflammation. ATP is the energy your cells use. Of course, we are going to be healthier when we have more energy for healing and repairing and with less inflammation in the body.

This is not new science and has been known of and researched since the late 1960’s. Just google photobiomodulation and any health condition you can think of and see what comes up. You might be surprised.

The Study

A few human studies have been done that looked at the effect photobiomodulation has on the thyroid and the most recent was in 2020. It is titled Impact of Photobiomodulation on T3/T4 Ratio and Quality of Life in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. In this study they applied the near infrared light (850nm) directly to the thyroid twice daily for a total of 3 days. They don’t state the spacing of the treatment. They evaluated the thyroid for function before the testing and at the three-month mark. For all the parameters and measurement units you can look at the article.

The important stuff is the following.

T3 levels increased significantly (84.7 to 130.4)
T3/4 ratio increased significantly (0.009 to 0.013)
Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO Ab) decreased (705.9 to 193.8)
Medication significantly decreased. 28.5% STOPPED taking it. (419.2 to 208.8)

Wow.

Home Therapy

Oh, I forgot to add that because photobiomodulation is a natural form of therapy (think condensed sunlight) it has virtually no side effects. Almost none. In fact, if you take too much it just stops working. This is called the biphasic dose response. Too little light no real positive benefit. Too much and no real positive benefit.

So, at the risk of sounding redundant, if you knew about a still being researched therapy that could cure your chronic degenerative condition with no side effects likely, would you do it?

There are simple hand held units you can purchase such as this that are not overly expensive and should help. No guarantees of course but what have you got to lose?

hypothyroid thyroid

How To Lower Your Blood Pressure In 5 Minutes Per Day

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Sunburn and Natural Sunscreen Protection

A Natural Sunscreen Alternative

We all know that the suns UV rays can be damaging causing sunburn and skin cancers. Slip, Slap, Slop is a common catchphrase around the application of sunscreen and any visit to the beach or time spent in the outdoors. The reality is that many of us have decided that the sun is bad and to be avoided.

This is a mistake.

Yes, spending too much time in the sun is detrimental to the skin and overall health. But mounting research is showing that the benefits of time in the sun are vastly outweighing the negatives.

One of these benefits is natural sunscreen protection.

Pre-Conditioning The Skin

Barolet writes in the 2016 article Infrared and skin: Friend or foe that when you pre-condition the skin with a dose of near infrared light that you get “a SPF-15 like sun protection factor effect.”

Some background information is needed here to fill in the gaps on how to reduce sunburn and get this natural sunscreen protection.

The field of photobiomodulation (PBM) is where red and near infrared light are applied to the body to increase energy production, decrease inflammation and speed up healing in brief. Infrared light is NOT ultraviolet light. Near infrared light is invisible but is not ionising. UV light is ionising, and this is what causes skin damage.

Barolet explains in his research paper that when you apply near infrared light to the skin BEFORE you are exposed to UV light that you get the sunscreen SBF-15 protective effect which they call photoprevention.

In other words, near infrared light (photobiomodulation) protects against UV damage and sunburn.

This is not surprising. Of course, nature has protection against sunburn naturally built in to the system. We just aren’t using nature correctly and to our benefit. We don’t pre-condition our skin we just run out in the middle of the day, burn, and then say the sun is bad!

Another piece of the puzzle to understand is that the ratio of UV light to near infrared light is lower when the sun is rising and setting as this figure from Barolet paper shows. The most harmful time to be in the sun is mid-day. Conversely the most beneficial time is when our shadows are long. The mornings and the evenings.

If we were more in tune with natures rhythms, we would be up at the crack of dawn and WITNESS the sunrise. We would be outside soaking up the beneficial photobiomodulation light and pre-conditioning our skin so that we would have natural sunscreen protection against sunburn.

Natural Sunscreen Protection

The sunrise is our natural sunscreen.

If you look at the image above you will also see that the sunset is where PBM repair occurs. Should you damage yourself with too much UV light during the day the sunset is natures way of repairing this with photobiomodulation.

The sunset is our natural repair system to UV light damage.

I realise that not everyone will be able to witness the sunrise. The good news is that there are other ways to get your photobiomodulation dose and your natural sunscreen alternative.

Sunscreen Alternative

You can use a near infrared sauna. This will very closely mimic the sun in that you are getting the red light therapy and near infrared photobiomodulation with full spectrum light and some of the warmth of the sun.

Alternatively, you can use a LED panel which will provide single wavelengths in the red and near infrared spectrum. Just be careful not to have the irradiance level too high. You want to mimic the sun which is about 20 to 30mW/cm2

Ironically, the sun that you are so scared of is actually what you need to protect yourself.

To learn more about near infrared saunas and photobiomodulation you can visit www.nirsauna.com.au

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions either.

Yours in Health,

Dr Todd Lizon (Chiropractor)
B.P.H.E., D.C.

natural sunscreen photobiomodulation sunburn sunburn natural protection sunburn protection sunscreen alternative

Stem Cells Restored With Photobiomodulation

George Bernard Shaw once wrote that “Youth is the most precious thing in life; it is too bad it has to be wasted on young folks.”

As we age and pass various “benchmarks” we can reflect on our youth and the energy and health that usually comes with it. Most of us with a true sense of fondness, in the sense that we would like it back!

The anti-aging field has really taken off in the last number of years and there is now a lot that can be done to improve our health and well-being. Today I want to share a documented way to raise your stem cell function back to the level of your younger days.

First, we need to understand why this is important.

Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell lineages, including osteogenic, chrondrogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, and neurogenic lines. This means that your stem cells can change into whatever cell is needed based on injury or disease. Bone, muscle, cartilage, muscle and nerve. Therefore, MSCs hold great promise in a vast number of medical fields. Things like anti-aging, and the treatment of both chronic and acute diseases.

The problem is that as we age and need our stem cells, the functional capacity of them declines. If we need them but they aren’t there in abundant numbers, the repair system is compromised and we get sick. We can’t properly fix whatever issues need to be fixed.

The critical piece of information you need to be aware of is that the decreased function of aged MSCs has been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction.

Photobiomodulation and Stem Cells

What those of you who follow us know, is that Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), is a fantastic way to directly improve mitochondrial function.

A study was published in June 2021 titled “Photobiomodulation has rejuvenating effects on aged bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.” They wanted to test the hypothesis that overall effectiveness of aged stem cells can be restored to the level of young stem cells by photobiomodulation.

They took MSCs isolated from bone marrow of both young (3-month-old, 3 m) and old (24-month-old, 24 m) mice and subjected them to different PBM regimens

What they found is that the beneficial effect of a single PBM treatment did not last very long in aged MSCs as compared to younger ones. This is NOT good.

Take Home Point

What they then did is applied 3 consecutive PBM treatments at 24 hour intervals. This more intensive and cumulative treatment was able to demonstrate that the beneficial effect of PBM therapy can be achieved by applying three consecutive PBM treatments at 24-h intervals. In other words, they were able to get stem cell function back to the level of young stem cells with regular photobiomodulation treatments.

How can you do this yourself?

The simple answer is pick a PBM device and actually use it consistently if you are over 50.

We recommend using a portable near infrared sauna. These provide near infrared and red light therapy with the wavelengths you need to get the photobiomodulation effects of the mitochondria. You can choose any sort of photobiomodulation device but when you use the near infrared sauna you get the PBM benefits as well as the heat and detoxification benefits of a infrared sauna.

You can view our other videos to better understand all the benefits to a portable near infrared sauna.

The key point today is that CONSISTENCY is required to have a beneficial and LASTING effect on stem cells when you are over 50.

photobiomodulation stem cells

Stress And The Three Stressors

Stress. As simplistic as this may sound the cause of your problems primarily comes down to one of, or a combination of, these three stressors; physical, emotional or chemical.

Let’s back up a little. In Bruce Lipton’s sensational book The Biology of Belief he illustrated how it is the environment (stress) and not our genetics that are the cause of our problems unless you are one of the 5% who can legitimately claim genetic issues.

He did a fantastic experiment where he removed what we would consider to be the brain of the cell, the nucleus. He found that the cell did NOT die as we would have expected if it was well and truly the brain of the cell. It continued along with its business.

Genetics Are Not The Key

Months later however the cell did die. When they removed the so called “brain” of the cell (the nucleus) what they actually removed was the DNA. The role of DNA is reproduction and repair of the cell! Therefore the cell died because of an inability to repair the ongoing damage of day to day stressful living.

What this means is that it is not our DNA that is running the show. Genetics are not the only key to good health.

What is key is our ability to manage our stresses.

So going back to the beginning, unless you are one of the legitimate 5% who can claim genetic defects then it is our inability to cope with stress that causes damage and disease over the long term.

It is our stressful environment that tears us down. Let’s assume your DNA is not broken. If you can minimise the three stressors, you should be able to optimise your health. This is referred to in loose terms as epigenetics.

This chart summarizes the various forms of stress in the broadest of strokes and is well worth memorizing. Notice how the arrows point to each other? What this means is that in addition to being the cause of degenerative issues when you work on one you improve the others!

The Three Stressors

This is great news for a chronically depressed person for example. If they are having trouble with the emotional they can improve by going for a walk (physical) or by taking the right supplements (chemical). If someone is very fatigued and tired all the time (physical) they can improve by speeding up the metabolism with specific supplements which is chemical in nature.

Your health is able to be reclaimed. Just because we are over 50 doesn’t mean we can’t thrive.

This article focuses on stress, the three stressors and understanding how it’s our environment that is key to reclaiming our health. However, there are even things you can do to help with the dna as well. Things like stem cell therapy.

At Lifestyle Integration we are continuously looking at you and your stresses, and helping you thorough personalized lifestyle and supplement programs to help you live a long healthy, vibrant life. Get your stresses optimized and good things happen!

stress stress relief

A Near Infrared Sauna Duplicates Exercise Benefits

Over 50 with health issues that prevent you from exercising the way you would like to? This is surprisingly more common than you might think. Unfortunately, it can lead to inactivity, blood pressure issues, obesity, lung issues, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and more.

New research shows that the use of a sauna may provide a substitute or alternative to exercise when you can’t get the exercise yourself for whatever reason.

First you need to wrap your head around this concept. Without doubt, sauna bathing and aerobic exercise have both, individually, been shown to positively affect cardiovascular function. Things like blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

The second key thing to take on board is that direct comparisons of the results between a single sauna session and the combination of exercise and sauna, or exercise alone are sparse.

This study is attempting to change this and matched the time of a sauna (30 minutes) with the time of a sauna followed by exercise (30 minutes total).

The Study

Standalone sauna vs exercise followed by sauna on cardiovascular function in a non-naive sauna users A comparison of acute effects.

It looked like this.

They used a Finnish sauna, which is a hot air sauna, but a near infrared sauna would provide similar results. Realistically, it would most likely provide even better benefits as you will get both the heat benefits as well as the light or photobiomodulation benefits. Here is a link for more on the benefits of a near infrared sauna.

Results

The results show that both the 30 minute sauna alone, and the 15 minutes of exercise followed by the shorter 15 minute sauna were able to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure along with mean arterial pressure.

There are some limitations to this study, but this is encouraging work.

It’s encouraging because not everyone can exercise and we need alternatives. A portable near infrared sauna, or any type of sauna, can provide many of the benefits of exercise without the exercise. This is an important area of research and one that needs to be further explored.

If you are in a situation where you can’t exercise it is strongly suggested you look into a near infrared sauna. Not just for the exercise benefits but also for the energy, inflammation, wound healing, sleep, detoxification, relaxation, heart, brain and other benefits. A portable near infrared sauna in your home may be the tool you are looking for to help get your health back on track.

exercise mimic exercise therapy sauna benefits sauna therapy

Full Spectrum Sauna: How To Choose A Sauna

Purchasing a sauna for your home may be one of the most important health decisions you make. We have been in the industry for over 10 years and know it can be difficult to sort through all the features of the different types of saunas. This is why we have put together this series. To help you learn what a near infrared sauna is and how it compares to traditional and far infrared saunas.

Part 1 Full Spectrum Sauna

First, let’s define what we mean by full spectrum infrared light.

Infrared light is divided into 3 types based on their wavelengths.

When you use a near infrared sauna you are getting visible red light, near infrared light, as well as mid and far infrared. Hence, we can call it a full spectrum sauna.

So why does this matter?

Near infrared (and red light) is fundamentally different from mid and far infrared in that the light is absorbed by the mitochondria in your cells, not water. This is called photobiomodulation. The key point here is that there is essentially no heat felt. Red and near infrared are heat-less as they are not absorbed by water.

How Can You Have A Sauna Without Heat?

You can’t. This is why, if you are going to have a sauna with all these wavelengths, you need some of the mid and far infrared for heat. The red and near infrared light, and their photobiomodulation benefits, are best thought of as a bonus. A two for one deal. Heat benefits as well as substantial photobiomodulation benefits. Google photobiomodulation if you aren’t sure.

There is a little bit more to consider with full spectrum light though…….

If we go back to our chart, you will see that near infrared light ranges in wavelengths from 700nm to 1400nm. If you only were to get one of those wavelengths, would you consider this to be FULL spectrum? Or would you consider FULL spectrum to have all these wavelengths?

I think most people would consider all the wavelengths to be full spectrum. This is what a near infrared sauna ONLY provides.

full spectrum wavelengths in a near infrared sauna bulb

You can see in the diagram it has a wavelength distribution that includes a little bit of all the wavelengths. This is more in line with how nature provides this light via sunlight.

How does this compare to far infrared saunas and traditional saunas?

Traditional Sauna

Traditional saunas don’t have any red or near infrared photobiomodulation effects so they can’t be considered full spectrum.

Far Infrared Sauna

Far infrared saunas will often put a LED panel in their units that typically have a red light at the single frequency of 680nm and a near infrared light at 850nm. This is good. But, would you consider this full spectrum? It depends how you define it. To me it’s not truly full spectrum and nature has all the wavelengths for a reason.

One final point. To get a therapeutic dose of near infrared light you will need to spend time in your saunas. Fortunately this is how saunas are used!

Consider that in a traditional photobiomodulation session with an LED panel you are very close to it and the strength (irradiance) of the light is much greater. As a result, your time in front of the panel is much less. The sauna will work…..it just takes longer so make sure you use your sauna regularly.

Near Infrared Sauna

A near infrared sauna provides the best of both worlds. Heat and photobiomodulation benefits. There are other factors to consider to determine the best sauna for you but if full spectrum benefits are important to you the NIR sauna might be best. Our portable near infrared sauna is designed so you can use it in any space or any place. For more information visit www.nirsauna.com.au

full spectrum sauna near infrared sauna