8 Alternative Pain Management Techniques

Whether it’s chronic or temporary, pain can get in the way of everyday life. Thankfully, there are many holistic and alternative pain management techniques such as sauna use, CBD products, acupuncture, and a range of other natural remedies that can help reduce, manage, and potentially eliminate pain.

If you are seeking natural pain remedies, read below to see the top treatments for alternative pain management.

Alternative & Holistic Pain Relief Treatments

Acupuncture

The use of acupuncture for pain management has been practiced for centuries with origins in Asia. Western culture has adopted the practice to remedy a range of pain-related ailments such as migraines, low back pain, joint pain, and fibromyalgia. The practice is conducted by placing fine needles into acupoints in the skin to relieve pain or tension. It is believed that the placement of these needles releases endorphins that are natural pain killers.

Some acupuncturists place needles in specific areas to balance energy, while others may apply heat or electric stimulation to further work muscles and nerves. Depending on your provider, many insurance companies cover this holistic pain management treatment with a certified acupuncturist.

CBD Products

As cannabis has become more accepted in today’s culture, CBD products have been on the rise. Because they typically do not contain THC compound that causes psychoactive effects, they are legal and accessible in most states. CBD products can be found in many forms, from drinks and edibles to drops and body creams.

These items have gained increased popularity due to their healing properties. Studies show that topical CBD products are effective in reducing inflammation in joints and improving the heal time of wounds. Taken orally, CBD in cannabis-based medicines helped alleviate neuropathic pain while improving sleep.

Chiropractic & Massage Treatments

Back pain and neck pain are often treated with either one of both of chiropractic and massage therapy treatments. Chiropractic adjustments help realign the body through a series of spinal manipulation. While the practice may seem intimidating with all the pops and cracks, realigning the body can alleviate pain and prevent future injury.

Massage therapy focuses on treating muscular ailments that may be causing pain. Muscle tension causes aches throughout the body – and can even lead to the misalignment of the skeleton. Both professional and at-home massage can help release muscle tension by increasing blood flow to affected areas and reducing stress.

Chromotherapy

The practice of chromotherapy has a range of health benefits, many tied to the reduction of pain and improvement of healing. Each color is associated with a different healing attribute for the body and is practiced by exposing the body to various colored lights depending on the ailment.

Learn more about the benefits of each color with this color chart.

Color therapy, another term for chromotherapy, can be used to reduce swelling, tension, and inflammation, thus reducing pain. Color therapy has been shown to accelerate the body’s capabilities to repair, improve circulation, and to speed healing time for injuries.

Dietary Modifications

Making a few changes to your diet may be the holistic pain relief you’ve been searching for. Inflammation is often a culprit of chronic pain, and there are a number of anti-inflammatory ingredients to help. Often, switching to a healthier diet leads to weight loss, which can also alleviate pain.

Ginger, turmeric, blueberries, tart cherries, and salmon all contain anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce swelling. Other ingredients such as virgin olive oil and chili peppers contain compounds that act as painkillers.

Exercise

It seems that exercise is always the go-to remedy for health-related issues, and that’s because it works! Exercise benefits your body in countless ways, but especially when it comes to pain relief. Sometimes pain can make exercise seem impossible, but it is important to stay active to whatever you can tolerate – even if that’s just a quick walk or light stretching.

Working out helps improve your pain threshold, strengthens your muscles to provide your body better support and avoid injury, and aids in weight loss that can help alleviate pain. Consult a doctor before trying any rigorous exercise for alternative pain management.

Infrared Sauna Use

One of the many infrared sauna health benefits is its effectiveness when it comes to natural pain remedies. The infrared heat therapy used allows heat to deeply penetrate into muscles, joints, and muscles to improve circulation and increase oxygen flow.

This heat helps soothe aching muscles and joints while speeding up the body’s recovery process. Radiant heat found in infrared saunas is also helpful in reducing joint stiffness that can cause discomfort. Taking the time to relax in an infrared sauna also improves sleep, giving your body a chance to repair and restore.

Mind-Body Therapies

The mind is a powerful tool in managing pain naturally. Mindfulness is a necessary part of pain relief, as mentally handling the pain is just as impactful as physically managing it. When suffering from pain, finding the right coping mechanism can make all the difference.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and visualization are useful techniques when handling pain. By approaching the situation with a calm mind, it has been shown that you can reprogram your brain and the way it manages pain intensity.

If you are suffering from chronic pain, speak with your doctor before attempting any rigorous natural pain remedies. Be safe when introducing new practices to your routine, and stop immediately if your pain worsens.

When managing pain, it may take a few attempts and a combination of treatments to finally find relief. Adding one or two of these alternative pain management practices to your treatment can bring about the results you have been searching for – or at least will introduce you to a new practice that can help avoid injury and pain in the future.

Infrared Sauna Cleaning 101: Sauna Maintenance & Care Tips

Investing in an infrared sauna is the ultimate step toward investing in your health. Just like you need to take care of your body to keep it running smoothly, you need to take care of your infrared sauna. Making sure you take proper care of your infrared sauna ensures you’ll be able to enjoy its benefits for years to come. Read below to find tips that cover maintenance, cleaning, and care tips to keep your infrared sauna performing optimally!

Infrared Sauna Cleaning Tips

Because Clearlight® infrared saunas provide dry heat, they require very little cleaning. The interior can typically be cleaned with a simple wipe down with a damp cloth. Do a light cleaning after every use, and aim to do a slightly more thorough cleaning every two weeks or so to maintain optimal cleanliness.

When more than water is needed for a more thorough cleaning, you may use a sauna cleaning solution or make your own. To make your own sauna cleaner, diffuse a few drops of high-quality essential oil in water and lightly wipe down the interior of your infrared sauna for a mild clean and refresh. You can also make a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a gallon of water to lightly scrub the wood and rinse for a deeper clean.

Using pure water will help reduce future maintenance as it avoids any minerals that may cause buildup in your infrared sauna. While unfiltered water is fine for cleaning, you can save yourself some additional work down the road by using filtered or distilled water.

How to Clean a Sauna Bench

Your sauna bench is the area that gets the most use during your sauna sessions. Because of this, you will need to take extra care to keep them clean. After each use, wipe the area down with a damp cloth. Perspiration stains are common to form from your body, and are nothing to worry about. If stains appear, remove them easily removed by lightly sanding the area.

How to Clean a Sauna Floor

Aside from the bench, the sauna floor is the most trafficked area of your sauna and can easily trap debris and bacteria. Use a vacuum hand attachment once per month to clean dust or dirt from your sauna that may have collected over the course of use. It is beneficial to mop your sauna floor from time to time with a sauna cleaning solution for a more thorough cleaning.

How to Clean Sauna Walls

The interior walls of your infrared sauna can be cleaned with the sauna cleaners mentioned above. For exterior walls, treat the wood like you would any piece of fine furniture. If using a polish (NOT paint or varnish) on the exterior wood, reapply when needed to maintain shine. Outdoor infrared saunas will require more exterior maintenance, and a periodic pressure washing will help keep the outside looking pristine.

How to Clean a Sauna Heater

Our Clearlight® infrared saunas naturally produce negative ions that help purify the air through the ceramic compound in True Wave heaters. Even so, your sauna heater may need an occasional wipe down. Simply use a damp sponge to wipe off any debris, fingerprints, or other buildup that may have collected over time. Just be sure the heater has cooled down prior to cleaning to prevent burns.

Infrared Sauna Maintenance Tips

Clean Yourself

Your body is the only way moisture, dirt, and dust can enter your infrared sauna. Because of this, you can minimize the chances of dirtying up your sauna by taking a quick rinse and dry before heading into your sauna session. If you cannot rinse off before entering, take extra care to clean away any debris you may have tracked in.

Use a Towel

When using your infrared sauna, use a towel on the bench and under your feet. On top of it adding another layer of comfort, this prevents stains forming in the wood from sweat, body oil, dirt, and dead skin cells. While the stains don’t affect performance, they can affect appearance.

Go All-Natural

Never varnish or paint your sauna. While you may want to match the wood to your decor, paints and stains prevent the natural wood from breathing. Breathing allows the wood to stay clean and feel “soft” with the heat. You may, however, use furniture polish on the exterior.

Stay Dry

If you notice excess moisture after a session, wipe off any excess perspiration with a hand towel. You can also crack the door or roof vent and keep the sauna running for a few minutes once your session is over to evaporate any remaining moisture. This helps air out the sauna to keep it fresh.

Don’t Overdo It

Infrared sauna maintenance is quick and easy, so don’t worry about spending large amounts of time to clean. Taking the little steps after each use will minimize your work even more, so make the above sauna cleaning tips a habit.

With the proper care and attention, your Clearlight® infrared sauna will give you stellar performance for years to come. Make your sauna cleaning easier by taking the small steps along the way to prevent any issues from forming. Learning how to clean a sauna takes no time at all, and has long-lasting results.

Healthy Resolutions Check-In for Wellness in the New Year

2019 has kicked off, and New Year’s resolutions are in full swing! January is always the most active month for healthy resolutions, but now is when people tend to fall off and revert back to their old ways. We’ve put together a list of our favorite healthy resolutions that are easy to maintain after the hype of the start of the year is over.

So are you on track with your healthy New Year’s resolutions? Read below to see what you can do to keep them up, and maybe add a few new healthy resolutions to your list for wellness in the new year!

Health & Wellness Resolutions

Be Kind to Yourself & Others

It has been found that negative thinking is linked to increased stress, lower self-esteem, and even increased risk of death. Make it a goal in 2019 to spread positivity. Remind yourself of your successes and capabilities, and help others on their positivity journey by being kind to those around you. A smile or compliment goes a long way!

Cook at Home

Start cooking more of your meals at home this year, whether it’s through meal prep for the week or by having a few date nights at home. Studies show that people who cook at home consume fewer calories than those who don’t – both at home and while out. Cooking at home also allows you to use healthier and fresher ingredients.

Declutter Your Life

Cleaning up your home and organizing your life is the “in” thing to do right now, and it’s something we can get behind. Get a head start on spring cleaning this year by decluttering your home, organizing files, and keeping things tidy. Decluttering has been shown to decrease anxiety, reduce allergens, increase productivity, and more.

Disconnect for a Bit

In this day, our phones are always around. Make one of your healthy resolutions for the remainder of the year to disconnect from time to time. Whether you do a 24-hour phone detox or simply make an effort to not use technology 30 minutes before bed, unplugging can give you time to connect and be present in life on a new level.

Do a Quarterly Detox Diet

Sticking to a new diet plan that is too rigorous can lead to you losing steam, which can cause you to cut the diet short. Instead, stick to making small lifestyle changes with your diet that are manageable for long-term success, and do a quarterly detox to get a fresh start every few months. Less of a time commitment and more success!

Friends Hanging Out with Alcohol-Free Drinks

Drink to Your Health

What you drink can make a huge impact on your health. For the remainder of the year, be mindful of what you have in your glass. The goal: Drink more water; drink less soda, alcohol, and sugary juices. Staying hydrated has a number of health benefits like muscle cramp prevention, detoxification, better skin, and better brain function.

Get More Sleep

This tip is imperative for wellness in the new year. Maybe January was busy with getting the year started, but now you have the rest of the year to get your sleep schedule on track. Getting ample sleep helps reduce stress, improve cardiovascular health, and boost your immune system. All you need to do is catch some Zs!

Improve Your Posture

We’ll bet you just sat a little straighter or stood a little taller after reading that, didn’t you? Being conscious of your posture is a simple and effective wellness fix, as good posture has many health benefits such as reduced back pain, increased energy levels, boosted confidence, improved workouts, and more. It only takes a second.

Join a Fitness Class

“Join the gym” is probably one of the most-used New Year’s resolutions around. Now that the first month of the year is over, gyms empty out as people burn out on their resolutions. Avoid burnout the remainder of the year by finding fitness you enjoy and keeps you moving, whether that’s yoga, spin, a running club, or something else.

Learn How to Say “No”

This might be one of the most difficult healthy resolutions, as it requires unlearning a lifetime of saying yes. In 2019, tend to your mental health by learning how to set boundaries for yourself by saying no to things that do not add value to your life. Simply be firm and kind, and know that you come first for your own mental health.

Pick Up a New Life Skill

Take the rest of the year to develop a new life skill! Have you been wanting to learn a new language? Or maybe you’re ready to learn how to master the kitchen? Whatever you choose, make this your year to learn and become a better-rounded person. As the saying goes, a year from now, you’ll wish you started it today.

Plan a Vacation

In 2017, it was reported that 52% of employees in the United States had unused vacation days. While working is necessary, so is taking a break! You have 11 months left to use up those days, so start planning your vacations! Not only will you get a well-deserved time to relax, you also have something to look forward to over the year.

Spend Time Outside

There’s nothing like some fresh air to keep you feeling fresh. When weather permits, opt for a stroll instead of a short drive. Read a book or have your morning coffee on the patio when you have time to relax, or plan a full day of hiking. Whatever you choose, you’ll increase your Vitamin D, feel happier, and get more exercise.

Try New Health Practices

Been interested in trying some new health practices? This year is your time to try something new. Depending on your desired health benefits, there are plenty of great practices to look in to. Some of our favorite health practices are detoxifying in an infrared sauna, chilling out with cryotherapy, releasing tension with acupuncture.

Visit Your Doctor Regularly

Forgetting to book your regular appointments can be easy with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This year, make it a priority to get your routine checkups with your doctor and dentist, and don’t be shy to make appointments when feeling sick. It’s better to maintain health than to only tend to it once you’re already sick.

Maintaining your healthy resolutions doesn’t have to be a New Year’s activity that fades away after the excitement of January. Use these tips to make sure your health New Year’s resolutions last throughout the whole year! Your mind and body will be on the right road toward total wellness in the new year and beyond.

15 Best Nutrition, Fitness & Health Podcasts for 2019

With our busy lives, podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. From entertainment to news to lifestyle, we can listen to our favorite topics in the car, at work, or on a run. As the new year begins, we round up the top health and wellness podcasts to listen to in 2019. Whether you’re looking for some workout motivation, are looking for diet tips, or just want to learn fun facts about health, these podcasts have the answers to keep you feeling happy, healthy, and refreshed going in to the new year!

Best Health Podcasts

Bulletproof Radio
Dave Asprey wasn’t going to just stop at the Bulletproof Coffee craze. Instead, he expanded his efforts to teach the world how to “hack” the body and live the ultimate life through body and mind. Bulletproof Radio features insights from meditation experts, MDs, biochemists, and more.
Motivated
ABC News correspondent Mara Schiavocampo guides listeners through their total health and wellness journeys based on her own experience in weight loss and the tips and tricks she picked up along the way. Listen in for the keys to living a happier and healthier life through spirituality, health, wellness, and nutrition.
Optimal Health Daily
Want to listen to a range of health topics, but don’t want to download every health podcast on the market or search far and wide for the best topics? The Optimal Health Daily podcast rounds up the best content from health blogs and other resources to curate the ultimate audioblog.
TEDTalks Health
This health podcast covers a wide range of health topics, from teaching you daily health habits to featuring in-depth interviews with medical professionals about research and medicine. It’s like being at a TED Health conference, but in the comfort of your own home or car!
The Wellness Mama Podcast
Designed by a mom who understands the busy lifestyle of having a family, the Wellness Mama Podcast is perfect for those looking for a healthier family life. This weekly podcast by Katie Wells of Wellness Mama covers topics like holistic health, stress, parenting, nutrition, and natural living.

Woman Eating Healthy Meal for Winter Health

Best Nutrition Podcasts

Balanced Bites
Diane Sanfilippo, New York Times bestselling author of Practical Paleo and The 21-Day Sugar Detox, teams up with co-host Liz Wolfe to share a witty approach to health, wellness, and a modern take of the Paleo diet. Every week they answer listener questions and makes it feel like you’re spending time with good friends.
Diet Starts Tomorrow
If you’re on the market for fun, explicit nutritional help, this podcast is for you! Aleen Kuperman and Samantha Fishbein from Betches host this no-nonsense podcast to share real experiences from real women while tackling the psychological and emotional side of weight struggles – all while keeping a smile on your face.
Dishing Up Nutrition
You’ve heard of the saying “You are what you eat,” right? The Dishing Up Nutrition podcast aims to teach how you feel what you eat and how to feel better by improving your diet. The podcast covers nutrition’s impact on topics such as fertility, stress, brain health, and more.
Food Heaven
Two friends Wendy and Jess are both registered dietitians with Master’s degrees in nutrition. With their knowledge and love for delicious and nutritious eating, the two set out to educate others to make lifelong sustainable changes toward health while keeping a lifestyle they love.
The Nutrition Diva
From licensed nutritionist Monica Reinagel comes the Nutrition Diva podcast. Listen in for tips on how to make nutrition easy without to stress or complicated instructions. Topics such as fasting, mindful eating, diet trends, and information on the ingredients you use everyday make nutrition fun and painless.

Woman listening to music while working out

Best Fitness Podcasts

20 Minute Fitness
Today’s science and technology have certainly helped make fitness easier and more effective. This fitness podcast dives into the latest health technology, science, methodology, and nutrition that will help you stay up-to-date in your fitness routines. With quick, 20-minute shows, you can easily listen to and from the gym!
Ben Greenfield Fitness
Functional fitness and natural remedies are the main focus in Ben Greenfield’s fitness podcast. Ben’s approach is all about getting your body to peak performance through fat burning, hormonal balance, gut health, mental efficiency, and recovery. This podcast takes fitness beyond exercise and diet.
Hurdle
Want to see how fitness has transformed people’s lives? The Hurdle podcast brings you inspirational stories from a range of people, from top CEOs to average Joes, who have found success and established happier and healthier lives by focusing on wellness during tough times.
Marathon Training Academy
Many people set the goal to run a half or full marathon in the new year. If this is your goal for 2019, be sure to listen to the podcast from Marathon Training Academy! Host Angie Spencer is a registered nurse who helps you through the ups and downs of training for this true fitness feat.
Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth
In the fitness world, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest fads and trends. Mind Pump aims to break down and shed light on common misconceptions in the fitness industry. Using humor, science-backed facts, and knowledge from being trainers, coaches, and gym managers, these guys make learning about fitness fun.

When kicking off your health goals this year, check out some of these health and wellness podcasts to start you off on the right foot. Sometimes all you need is that little bit of motivation, a community to lean on, a coach to look up to, or simply just something to listen to while stuck in traffic on the way to work! Find the hosts and topics that meet your style, and you’ll be surprised just how much fitness and health podcasts can make an impression on your wellness.

Your Post-Holiday Detox Plan to Cleanse & Reset

There’s no denying that the holidays are indulgent… Large meals, delicious treats, decadent drinks, and more time snuggled up by the fire on the couch. It’s almost impossible to turn down homemade pumpkin pie, and a giant turkey dinner is always better enjoyed in leftover form. After a season of indulgence, many of us feel bloated, uncomfortable, and vowing to never eat again. A post-holiday detox is exactly what is needed to reset back to normal.

Start planning your post-holiday detox plan with a proper detox diet, detoxification tips and tricks, and easy lifestyle changes to make sure you’re back on track with your wellness now that the holidays have ended and the New Year’s resolutions have started!

Post-Holiday Detox Tips

Clear the Fridge

First things first, clear out your fridge! We know that holiday leftovers are amazing, but they can derail you from your post-holiday diet efforts. Give leftovers to family members, freeze them for a later date, or have a mini post-holiday clear-the-fridge party for friends to help you clean out your leftovers and remove any unhealthy temptations.

Write Down Your Goals

One of the first steps in being successful in your post-holiday detox plan is being clear in what you want to accomplish. Whether it’s a 3-day detox or one month long, make a list of all the goals you’d like to achieve. Goals can include: Cut down on sugar, reduce bloat, lessen alcohol consumption, lose 5 pounds, have a more positive body image, etc.

Be Understanding

Know that your after-holiday cleanse may not produce immediate results. Going through the detoxification process is a slow and steady one, but the results are worth the wait! Be realistic and understanding of your goals and what your body can accomplish in a set amount of time. Unrealistic goals will leave you feeling discouraged, and may hinder progress.

Set Up a Support Group

Round up your friends and family to keep you on track! Whether it’s a post-holiday detox buddy who does check-ins with you and is there for moral support, your partner to meal prep with, or a coworker who can help keep those break room snacks at a safe distance, tackling anything with a partner is much easier than going solo.

Control Your Environment

During your post-holiday detox, the first tip was to clean out your fridge. Maintaining a controlled environment at home, work, and while out is just as important, if not more. During this time, learn what things aren’t serving your journey toward health. This way, you’ll keep temptations at bay and learn new healthy habits to continue throughout the year.

Get Some Sleep

You might think that laying in bed for 8 hours won’t necessarily help with an after-holiday cleanse, but it is an important factor in weight loss. Poor sleep habits have been linked to worse appetite, higher calorie intake, and lower resting metabolic rate. On the other hand, studies show that sleep detoxes the brain and helps improve physical activity.

Start Your Day with Breakfast

By starting your day on a healthy note, you will be more likely to continue making healthy choices throughout the day. Not only will you be primed to make healthier decisions, the benefits of eating breakfast will also help you experience more controlled blood sugar, better heart health, and heightened focus, making the post-holiday detox easier.

Sweat it Out

One of the best ways to detox is by sweating out the toxins. Getting in a good workout is always a great option, as you are burning calories and sweating. You can also do a post-holiday detox by sweating in an infrared sauna – which is especially effective for detoxification when used after working out. You can detox and destress with hot yoga as well.

Stay Hydrated

After sweating out all the toxins in your body, it is imperative to stay hydrated. Be sure to replenish any fluids you may have lost while sweating to ensure you body is functioning properly. Drinking water flushes toxins from your body, which is especially important after holiday eating. It also helps reduce the bloat you may experience from the holidays.

Add Color to Your Diet

A healthy plate includes a range of items, including protein, high-quality fats, fruits, and vegetables. When it comes to your post-holiday diet, studies show that vegetables such as broccoli, radishes, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower help aid in the detoxification process, along with fruits like pomegranate, blueberries, grapes, and black raspberries.

Post-Holiday Diet Plan

Breakfast

As mentioned previously, starting your day with a well-balanced breakfast is key to starting you off on the right foot for your post-holiday detox diet. It is recommended that your breakfast contains approximately ⅓ of your daily calorie intake. Keep your plate simple and healthy with protein, fruits, and vegetables. You can even help boost your metabolism with some plain, black coffee!

Healthy egg scrambles are a delicious and easy way to get protein and vegetables in your morning routine! If you prefer your breakfasts on the sweeter side, other healthy breakfast options include Greek yogurt with fruit and oatmeal with peanut butter – just be sure to keep the sugar content of the ingredients down.

Lunch

Having soup at lunch for weight loss is an easy way to have a delicious meal while cutting down on calories. A soup for lunch has a high volume with a low calorie count, meaning it has a low energy-density. On top of that, because of the volume of food you are eating, you will feel full quickly, thus suppressing your appetite for the remainder of the day.

When deciding on a soup, stick with broth-based or vegetable-based soups. Avoid fatty or creamy soups, but feel free to add in lean proteins like chicken, fish, or beans. A low-sodium and low-glycemic lentil soup is recommended for a post-holiday detox diet, as it is easy to digest after a season of indulgent eating while maintaining healthy blood sugar.

Dinner

Dinner during your post-holiday diet is fairly straightforward. Focus on filling your plate with lean proteins and vegetables, while cutting out starchy menu items. Keep the meals simple to reduce the amount of sugar added, but make sure you add spices and seasonings that will keep your meal interesting and leave you wanting more.

If you would like, start off your meal with another bowl or cup of soup to help reduce your appetite and reduce the portions of your meal. You can also add in a cabbage salad to get things moving, as cabbage is high in fiber and can aid in eliminating toxins through waste. Cabbage also contains anti-inflammatory antioxidants and helps lower cholesterol.

Snacks

In between meals, have some carefully-portioned healthy detox snacks on hand that will help whet your appetite without encouraging binging on unhealthy treats. Just like with the full meals, keep your ingredients simple and natural to avoid unhealthy additives in processed foods.

Start off your morning with a holiday cleanse green smoothie filled with leafy greens and fruit to reduce inflammation or Greek yogurt that is packed with antioxidants. If you have mid-day cravings, slice an antioxidant-rich avocado and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, or spice up some popcorn with cayenne pepper to jumpstart your metabolism.

You know what they say: New year, new you! So start off this year right by making some healthy decisions. Not only will a post-holiday detox leave you feeling healthier after a season of indulgence, it’ll set you up for a year of better decisions with a balanced diet, improved sleep, more exercise, and a more positive body image. Treat your body right and it will reward you with the best year yet. Happy New Year!

Should You Use a Sauna or Steam Room for Weight Loss?

When on a weight loss journey, it’s important to find the practices, tools, and activities that work for your body. For years, people have used the power of heat through sauna and steam room use during their process. While both are similar tools, they each offer unique benefits for losing weight. So when it comes down to it, should you use a sauna or steam room for weight loss?

Below, learn more about how these tools aid in losing weight and find information on the shared weight loss benefits of sauna and steam room use, along with the differences that set them apart when sweating it out:

Sauna vs Steam Room Weight Loss Basics

What is an Infrared Sauna?

An infrared sauna is a room constructed of wood that warms the body through infrared rays with a dry heat. Infrared heat can penetrate 1.5” into the skin to warm the body efficiently. Because of this heat penetration, infrared saunas only need to operate between 115°F and 130°F as opposed to the 170°F to 200°F temperatures of traditional saunas. Outside of weight loss, there are many sauna health benefits, including boosted metabolism, detoxification, and stress reduction.

What is a Steam Room?

A steam room, also known as a steam bath, is an enclosed space outfitted with a steam generator. Because of the moisture content, steam rooms often have tile floors and either glass or tile walls to avoid the growth of bacteria in porous materials. Temperatures often range between 110°F and 114°F with 100% humidity. Due to the high heat and moisture, steam room benefits include skin hydration, respiratory relief, and lowered blood pressure.

Learn more about the sauna vs steam room debate here.

Are there any Risks of Steam Rooms or Saunas?

As with any big lifestyle change such as a weight loss journey, it is always advised to consult with your doctor to avoid complications, especially if you have any health conditions. Those with heart conditions, pregnant women, those on medication should take extreme precaution when using a sauna or steam room.

If you are incorporating these methods into your weight loss journey, one key factor to keep in mind is hydration. Sweating means your body is losing fluids, so it is extremely important to replenish those fluids to avoid dehydration. Keep sessions in both devices to approximately 15 to 20 minutes. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded, stop your session immediately and take a break.

What is Water Weight?

One thing that is very important to consider on the topic of steam room and infrared sauna weight loss is water weight, or the collection of fluids in your tissues. This buildup of fluid causes bloating, and can make the scale fluctuate by 2-4 pounds every day. If you hear about something that will help you “lose weight quickly,” water weight is typically being targeted. While it is a quick weight loss tip, long-term weight loss requires more than simply losing water weight.

There are a number of ways to reduce water weight, including reducing sodium intake, reducing carbohydrate intake, increasing water intake, and sweating it out – something both infrared saunas and steam rooms are great at helping you achieve.

Unfortunately, the weight lost from this process is merely water weight and no fat burn. This means, as a stand-alone activity, the results of using a sauna or steam room for weight loss are very short-term and the weight will return once you drink water again.

Infrared Sauna Weight Loss

Boosted Calorie Burn

There are many claims stating that sitting in a sauna can help you burn a lot of calories fast, but infrared sauna weight loss is more of a gradual burn. The infrared heat increases your heart rate and boosts your metabolic rate to burn approximately 1.5 times your regular calorie burn. For example, if you typically burn 40 calories in 30 minutes, a 30-minute sauna session will burn 60 calories. While it isn’t a large difference, any additional calorie burn helps!

Regulated Lipids

Lipids such as fats and cholesterol can be big deterrents in weight loss. The penetration of infrared heat helps increase blood flow to fat cells, helping detoxify and reduce the appearance of fat cells. Additionally, sauna use has been shown in studies to significantly decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) and slight increase in HDL (good cholesterol), which is a good sign of weight loss and leads to better health due to improved cardiovascular health.

Muscle & Joint Pain Relief

When your muscles and joints ache, it makes it difficult to pursue your weight loss goals. Infrared sauna use helps reduce this pain by penetrating deep into muscles to release tension. This use of heat, also known as thermotherapy, triggers heat shock proteins that push the body into optimal repair and rebuild mode. Reducing, and even eliminating, aches and pains makes it easier to keep going back to your fitness routines and your weight loss efforts.

Improved Sleep & Relaxation

Have you ever snacked when you’ve been stressed? Or reached for unhealthy treats when your energy has been low? Feeling well-rested and relaxed helps us make better dietary decisions and stay on track for weight loss. Infrared sauna use puts you in a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state that helps you unwind and sleep well, which will leave you feeling motivated to make healthy decisions to reach your weight goals.

Steam Room Weight Loss

Water Weight Loss

As mentioned earlier, water weight can cause your weight to fluctuate by a couple pounds every day, and sweating it out is one quick way to lose this weight. The humidity in steam rooms create an especially effective environment for sweating, helping you lose weight.

Workout Boost

When used after exercising, the steam room is a great supplementary practice to help you on your journey. Steam rooms can be used after a workout to help sweat out any remaining toxins. The application of steam also helps the recovery of muscles, making it easier for you to get back to your workouts. And like saunas, where calorie burn isn’t much higher than normal, consistent use of a steam room after working out can give you an extra calorie boost to lose weight.

Whether you choose a sauna or steam room for weight loss, both are great additions to your routine. While using as stand-alone treatments may not show quick or drastic results, using saunas and steam rooms can be used to improve your overall health and weight goals when combined with proper diet and exercise.

Healthy Holiday Gift Guide: Healthy Gift Ideas for Everyone

This year, give the gift of health to your loved ones. Many people are becoming more invested in their wellness, and the holidays are the perfect time to treat them with gifts that will benefit long after the season ends. From healthy subscription boxes to a home sauna, this holiday guide of healthy gift ideas has a gift suggestion for any health guru on your list within a range of budgets.

Focus on wellness for yourself, and avoid the stresses of holiday shopping with these health and wellness gifts for anyone on your list!

1. Travel Walking Tour

Prices Vary

A travel walking tour gives a whole new perspective on seeing a new place. Whether it’s a hike through the mountains or discovering a city by foot, this is a gift that will provide priceless memories in any city you choose.

2. GoPro HERO5 4K HD Waterproof Camera

$215 | Buy Here

Any adventurer will love this gift during the holidays! Having a camera that can brave any condition is the perfect excuse to go outside and start exploring. This sturdy camera will be a trusty companion on any expedition.

3. Allbirds Travel Shoes

$95 | Buy Here

From walking around cities to sitting on long flights, keeping your feet comfortable is necessary for travel. These eco-friendly shoes offer support, comfort, and durability to make sure the exploring doesn’t have to slow down.

4. Aria Travel Kit

$79

If your loved one is always on the go, a travel kit is a must. This travel kit has everything you need for comfortable and healthy travel, including moisturizer, an eye mask, earbuds, a toothbrush, and much more.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Culinary Wonder

1. Cooking Classes

Prices Vary

Pinterest can only go so far in the kitchen. Give the gift of learning new kitchen skills and finding new healthy recipes! A cooking class is a great activity for a couple, or to give your significant other for a future date night.

2. Vitamix 7500 Blender

$530 | Buy Here

This may be an expensive gift, but people swear by it in the kitchen. Not only is it durable, it’s also versatile and can be used to chop vegetables, puree fruits, grind spices, heat soups, emulsify sauces, and so much more.

3. ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide

$179 | Buy Here

Recently, the sous vide has been taking modern kitchens by storm. This is one of the healthy gift ideas that keeps on giving, as making healthy meals is as easy to start and monitor through an app on your phone.

4. Blue Apron Subscription

$60 | Buy Here

Even if your foodie loved one is a pro in the kitchen, it’s nice to take a break from finding recipes and grocery shopping every now and then. Blue Apron is one of the pioneers in this field, meaning they know how to make great food.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Health Guru

1. Fitness Classes

Prices Vary

Fitness classes are fun healthy gift ideas, because there are so many workouts to choose from. From dance to boxing to yoga, you can find just about anything to fit the fitness levels and interests of those on your gift list.

2. Garmin vívoactive® 3

$270 | Buy Here

Smartwatches are a fitness enthusiast’s best friend, and the vívoactive 3 is the ultimate accessory for an active life. Not only does this watch have built-in GPS, it also has Garmin Pay to go cardless and Bluetooth to stay connected.

3. Muhdo DNA Profiling Kit

$193 | Buy Here

You’ve probably heard of the other DNA profiling kits, but Muhdo does something the others don’t: fitness. This kit offers personalized fitness routines, diet tips, and health reports to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

4. Fitbit Aria 2™ Wi-Fi Smart Scale

$130 | Buy Here

If someone on your gift list is on a fitness journey, a smart scale makes tracking easier with just one step. This scale records your weight, BMI, and body fat percentage through an app, and is compatible with Fitbit trackers.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Homebody

1. Home Infrared Sauna

Inquire for Prices

Giving the gift of an infrared sauna is giving the gift of ultimate health and wellness – and all to enjoy at home! Whether a gift for your family or yourself, treat your loved ones to the many benefits of sauna use this season.

2. Smart Garden 9

$120 | Buy Here

Many people enjoy tending to a garden. It’s a calming activity that truly allows you to enjoy the fruits of your labor. This garden is wonderful for new gardeners or for bad weather when indoor gardening is more convenient.

3. UGG Aira Slippers

$90 | Buy Here

Slippers are unassumingly wonderful wellness gifts for anyone in your life. From cozying up in front of the fireplace to walking around the house in comfort, slippers will keep everyone comfortable this holiday season.

4. Lush Honey Gift Box

$38 | Buy Here

Sometimes, all you need to unwind is a spa day at home. This simple but sweet gift is great for anyone on your holiday gift list with all-natural soap, shower gel, lip balm, and body butter to rejuvenate winter skin and stress.

Healthy Gift Ideas for:
The Tech Enthusiast

1. Sony Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones

$198 | Buy Here

Workouts, long flights, relaxation… whatever headphones are needed for, these are the right choice. Your friend or family member will love the high-quality sound of these versatile earbuds that can be enjoyed every day.

2. Echo Show

$180 | Buy Here

The Echo Show is the home voice assistant that does it all. This gift features video and voice calling with other Echo devices, can control smart devices in your home, and can be used to pull up recipes, music, and more.

3. Ember Smart Travel Mug

$150 | Buy Here

Is your loved one always on the go? Or notoriously bad for forgetting about their tea until it’s cold? The Ember mug allows you to monitor the temperature of your beverage through an app, keeping the drink perfectly warm.

4. Hue Color Light Bulb Starter Kit

$80 | Buy Here

These are both a cool party trick and ambiance lighting or chromotherapy in your home! The Hue Color bulbs are controlled with an app or voice assistant to light your home in various ways, making for a great Smart Home gift.

When shopping for your friends and family this holiday season, keep these healthy gifts in mind to end the year on a happy and healthy note! These wellness gifts are sure to be enjoyed for many years to come and provide lasting health benefits, whether it’s mentally, physically, or emotionally. Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

Workplace Wellness Ideas for Work, Life & Personal Balance

Workplace wellness has been a growing trend for businesses as management realizes the benefits of having happy, healthy employees. Additionally, people are increasingly putting a larger emphasis on working with companies who invest in employee development, work-life balance, and personal wellness. Because of this, today it is more important than ever to create a positive, healthy atmosphere in the office to encourage new hires and ensure current employees feel appreciated.

If you are an employer, discover how to keep your workplace feeling refreshed with workplace wellness programs that include meditation sessions, physical activity, standing desks, time outdoors, and more. If you are an employee, find easy office ideas and tips to do your part in promoting wellness in the workplace.

For Employers: Workplace Wellness Programs

Promoting a healthy lifestyle in your company will not only result in healthy employees, it’ll result in happy and more productive employees, as well! Studies show that employees who participate in workplace wellness programs regain an additional 10.3 hours of productivity annually. On top of that, healthy employees means fewer sick days.

Try incorporating these four healthy scenarios to increase wellness in the workplace:

Schedule a Weekly Meditation Session

It is no secret that mental health plays a large role in mood, productivity, and even physical well-being. Supporting your employees’ mental health is especially important in today’s hectic world. Meditation is a powerful tool to find balance and help clear the mind of negative thoughts and instead focus energy on a positive and relaxing outlook.

Scheduling a company-wide meditation once a week will help everyone feel more centered and prepared to take on the remainder of the week. Meditation sessions can include guided and sound meditations – many of which can be found on YouTube. Choose a time when meetings are light and office mood starts to hit a wall in order to revitalize the workplace.

Plan Outdoor Team Outings

Being cooped up in an office all day, staring at a computer screen, and getting little to no physical activity can make it difficult to stay motivated and focused. Getting fresh air and some Vitamin D have been shown to have many health benefits, from boosted mood to increased energy. Help get employees moving by scheduling outdoor team outings.

This can be done by creating calendar invites for short, 5-minute walks around the building every couple of hours. Not only is this an opportunity to get fresh air and a few extra steps in, it is also a natural way to get to know your team a little better. Have a packed schedule but still need fresh air? Get out of the conference room and start doing walking meetings.

Set Up Standing Desks

One of the most popular recent workplace wellness trends is the standing desk. While the initial claims of weight loss may have been blown out of proportion, as standing only burns approximately 8 more calories an hour than sitting, there are still many benefits to standing while you work.

Sitting for prolonged periods of time has been linked with higher risk for health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and breaking up the day by standing can help decrease risk. While standing all day might not be preferred by all, setting up a standing desk station provides those who want to stand an opportunity.

Invest in a Workplace Wellness Center

If space and money permit, investing in a workplace wellness center for employees is a great step toward investing in their health. An office gym with an infrared sauna to use after a long work day or during the lunch break is great for employees who want to sweat out the stress and tensions of sitting at a desk all day.

If a gym is out of reach for your situation, a quiet area with a massage chair and healthy snacks is also great way to invest in your employees’ wellness. Other cost-effective and space-saving solutions are corporate gym memberships to allow employees to use a gym at a discount and simply hosting activities such as 5-minute abs or yoga in a conference room.

For Employees: Workplace Wellness Tips

Working in an office that promotes a happy and healthy environment with workplace wellness programs is ideal, but what if your company still isn’t there yet? Luckily, there are plenty of things you can personally do on your own to promote wellness in the workplace in the meantime!

Keep up your own personal wellness while in the office with these workplace wellness ideas:

Get Up to Stretch

Let’s face it: You aren’t doing your body any favors by sitting all day and staring at a screen. Most likely, you’re not properly set up with back support for sitting with perfect posture. Extended sitting has been shown to increase your risk for mortality. The simple solution: Get up and move.

Stretching, whether simple 3-minute stretch breaks every hour or longer walks to stretch your legs, has been shown to improve posture, increase blood flow to muscles after being sedentary, prevent back pain, and even decrease tension headaches – all things very important to keep your body in top-shape at the office.