Infra-red saunas

[A Friend]

[user=2234]rlane19[/user] wrote:

Can anyone tell me where I might look for an Infra-red sauna?  I would also be interested in testimonials, the cost of one, how long and often do you use it, etc.

Hello rlane19,

Looks like you've gotten some good information about the FIR (far infrared saunas).  Something I didn't see mentioned that is very important to know is about hydration and replacement of minerals, etc. that we sweat out of our body when we use the FIR. 

When I first heard about this type sauna, it was from a radio program with Dr. Sherry Rogers speaking on health issues, and she was very high on its benefits.  She gives much detailed information about sauna use and necessary replacement of electrolytes, minerals, etc. in “Painfree in Six Weeks.”  Her books are available from http://www.prestigepublishing.com  or you may be able to get a copy from your library.  (I've enjoyed the FIR we purchased several years ago, soon after learning about them, and it was very helpful.  I need to get back to using it)

Good luck to you,
AF

[PetRescue]

It sounds like a sauna needs to be on my wish list! I would love to get relief from my Raynauds. It is such a constant reminder of SD and gets so bad when I get stressed! It has also caused my hands to go numb and tingly at night, which can't be a good thing.

I found the following link on another post about supplements that can also help with raynauds:
http://www.lef.org/protocols/heart_circulatory/raynauds_syndrome_02.htm

What would be the better option? Investing in all these supplements or putting it towards a sauna? Should I wait until I start the Minocin in two weeks and see if that provides relief from the raynauds? I have also read about Serracor NK-would that be a better option than the supplements in the article?

I would love to do both-but I'm also getting the Lyme test this week-so that's another $200. I'm just trying to prioritize and needed some advice from the experienced.

Thanks!
~jen

[Mumof3]

Hi Jen, I absolutely love my sauna and it certainly does help with circulation. But one thing that has really helped is ginko bilboa. My rheumatologist recommended it for my circulation and it really helps me. It is very inexpensive too.

[MMW]

Hi Petrescue,

I don't have all the answers.  But it seems it is most important to ultimately get your immune system back in shape to get cured.

Get rid of bacteria…as much a possible with help of antibiotic.  (your immune system has not been able to do this on its own and has led to progressing symptoms.  So this is #1.
This relieves the immune system from at least one burden and frees it to work on something else.  

So #2  would be to rev up your immune system.   I think we have to pay very close attention to what it needs to do this. Everyone is different in their needs.   I am sure MINERALS are very important.   If you have thick blood then yes, enzymes will help.  And supplementing is defintely helpful, too.  The thing is that you need to figure out which ones your body is in need of which may take time and experimenting.

#3   I haven't got my suana yet, but I must say  it sounds like it is a real answer too.  But I don't know about giving up Mino and antibiotics for it. 

So  I think all 3 are needed ultimately.   If you can't do them all at once, it seems like start with #1 and progress as your budget allows you.

Hope this helps,

MMW

[MMW]

Thanks A friend,

Sherry wrote the “Detox or Die” book with the chapters on sauna use as well.

Do you use the detox cocktail and all her recommendations?

I know you are very knowledgeable on the use of Magnesium.  Do you use the solution form she recommends or the Mag. Malate.   I have uped my dose on taking this in addition to the Cal/Mag 1000/500  that I have taken for years.

It sure seems to help with my staying asleep and getting to sleep issues, lately.  I have past postings here at RB to thank for this helpful information.

I would love to hear about  your supplemental protocal before and after your sauna, a Friend.

I think I need to order some additional supplements online and get ready for the big day….MY FIRST SAUNA!  It arrives at the end of the week.

Thanks,

MMW

[A Friend]

[user=2168]PetRescue[/user] wrote:

I found the following link on another post about supplements that can also help with raynauds:
http://www.lef.org/protocols/heart_circulatory/raynauds_syndrome_02.htm

What would be the better option? Investing in all these supplements or putting it towards a sauna? Should I wait until I start the Minocin in two weeks and see if that provides relief from the raynauds? I have also read about Serracor NK-would that be a better option than the supplements in the article?

I would love to do both-but I'm also getting the Lyme test this week-so that's another $200. I'm just trying to prioritize and needed some advice from the experienced.

Thanks!
~jen

Jen,

A search found this link, which appears to have some helpful information. 

http://www.vitaminworld.com/pages/healthnotes.asp?xs=&org=nbty&languri=eng&ContentID=1254008

Over the years, for myself, I learned that EFAs (essential fatty acids) are very necessary for health, to get the EFAs into our cells.  I found EFA's from liquid flaxseed oil very helpful; however, I've read that some people may have difficulty converting the plant-type EFAs ( flaxseed) for use; and that a pure quality fish oil for some may be more effective. [ For myself though, paired with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1 tablespoon of liquid flaxseed oil (I added stevia and fruit to mine as breakfast or snacks) worked miracles when I was in a severe wasting syndrome back about 1998.] 

There is excellent information on EFAs in http://www.arthritistrust.org under Articles Important:  “Essential Fatty Acids Are Essential”, which also tells about scientist Johanna Budwig's work which turned around some terminal cancer patients during her research. 

 Also, Dr. Stephen Sinatra (cardiologist, nutritionist, and a degree in some type of psychology as well, gives some of the most helpful overall supplementation advice I believe I've read.  He has a free web site, but you do have to register.  On his program, the husband of one of my friends actually was able to unclog arteries in his heart over a period of 2-3 years using Dr. S's recommendations). 

Some others on this thread have written about the importance of assisting our immune system with AP, and I agree.  Also, I agree that along with the AP help, we need to get a good idea of the “best other programs” needed to further assist our bodies with what they have lost the ability (temporarily) to do on their own.  Some of the clues seem to be hidden from us, even when they are right under our noses.  But, if you persevere, answers usually always come.  Everything we can do to assist our body should be helpful, and antioxidants I found were very important as well. 

Best to you,
AF

 

[Maz]

[user=2168]PetRescue[/user] wrote:

What would be the better option? Investing in all these supplements or putting it towards a sauna?

Hi Jen,

I'm so excited about your trip to see Dr S in two weeks! 😀

My money would be on saving for a FIR sauna (though worth checking your insurance carrier, if you have a definitive diagnosis, as apparently these are being approved for other AI diseases, such as RA, according to my doc). The cardio-vascular benefits of FIR saunas speak for themselves with Raynauds and any other benefits reaped are fantastic added bonuses (e.g. bugs don't like heat and for detoxing). As for supps, the rest of my money would be on systemic enzymes…either Neprinol or Serrakor-NK (Serrakor-NK is said to be a newer, slightly less expensive version of Neprinol).

Peace, Maz

[Eva Holloway]

I am going to use my sauna today, have not been in it since Wednesday last week. Thursday I went to a funeral and at that time my allergies had already gone through the roof and I stayed in bed most of the afternoon and evening. Friday we left for San Antonio and didn't get back till late Sunday evening and this morning I had physical therapy. So sometimes today I will get in the sauna hoping to get rid of the bugs that makes my nose run, my eyes water and keeping my throat sore.

I had some great gluten-free food in San Antonio. There is a place called: The Aussie Bakery and Cafe, they serve only gluten-free food, there is no cross contamination because they use nothing with gluten. If anyone goes to visit San Antonio look it up.

Jen, I definitly would save up for the fir sauna. I did, after about 8 months I got one and I really enjoy it. I go by the book from dr. S. Rogers with the before and after  stuff. doing okay.

Eva:D

Eva Holloway

[A Friend]

[user=1619]MMW[/user] wrote:

Do you use the detox cocktail and all her recommendations?

I know you are very knowledgeable on the use of Magnesium.  Do you use the solution form she recommends or the Mag. Malate.   I have uped my dose on taking this in addition to the Cal/Mag 1000/500  that I have taken for years.

It sure seems to help with my staying asleep and getting to sleep issues, lately.  I have past postings here at RB to thank for this helpful information.

I would love to hear about  your supplemental protocal before and after your sauna, a Friend.

I think I need to order some additional supplements online and get ready for the big day….MY FIRST SAUNA!  It arrives at the end of the week.

Thanks, MMW

 AF replies in bold print:  

Sherry wrote the “Detox or Die” book with the chapters on sauna use as well.
Do you use the detox cocktail and all her recommendations?

I've not used the sauna in a while, but I did use the ingredients in the Detox Cocktail… especially when my new PCP suggested it in my first visit.  He also recommended I get the “Detoxify or Die” book with the detox cocktail recommendations in it. 

I know you are very knowledgeable on the use of Magnesium.  Do you use the solution form she recommends or the Mag. Malate.  

 Let's say, I've become more knowledgeable about magnesium since learning from a local N.D. about testing my pH, and then finding I was extremely acidic.  When I started searching for articles on acidosis, that was when magnesium deficiency became very important to me.  If you do a search on the board for “pbraun and magnesium” a very important paper hopefully will show up.  If it does not, then I'll find the link and paste it here. 

It was in one of Dr. Rogers' two books I mentioned that I read about magnesium chloride and a recommended source as being the Pain and Stress Center lab in San Antonio.  When I was having a difficult time in getting my pH to the slightly alkaline range on a regular basis, I was giving thought to having IV magnesium which was mentioned in the PBraun paper.  I decided to call the SA lab first, and try the recommended MagChlor85 from Dr. Rogers' book.  It was then that I was told that this was the closest one to IV magnesium that is sold over the counter.  So, I ordered it.  I've been using it for at least a year now, and everything I've been doing since about early 2007 has been working really well — along with modifying my diet and not eating  beef or pork  except on rare occasions (these make me very acidic and use up all my magnesium trying to neutralize the acidosis).  I do eat recommended fish/seafood, white chicken & turkey, and yogurt regularly with the flaxoil combination. 

I have uped my dose on taking this in addition to the Cal/Mag 1000/500  that I have taken for years.

 If you are consuming quite a bit of calcium from foods that contain it in addition to your calcium supplements, you may want to read about this possibly using up the magnesium you are taking.  Whenever we take or consume calcium, it has to be paired with magnesium.  What I got from this is that this can use up the magnesium we are supplementing, and “may” leave us still magnesium deficient. (We have to judge whether this is true for us or not.)

It sure seems to help with my staying asleep and getting to sleep issues, lately.  I have past postings here at RB to thank for this helpful information.

I would love to hear about  your supplemental protocal before and after your sauna, a Friend.

 I'll have to take a look at it and get back with you on quantity.  At various periods of time, I've used Tri-Salts and other electrolyte solutions during and after saunaing.  And at a later time, I began doing the detox cocktail that has glycine powder, vitamin C ascorbic acid powder, a powdered glutathione known as Reconcostat, and one other thing I can't recall just now. 

It has been very helpful when ordering things related to Dr. Sherry Rogers' recommendations to learn that Needs.com and PainandStressCenter in S.A. both are very familiar with her recommendations.  There are counselors at both of these places that have been very helpful — In S.A. lab they even told me about her more recent choice that was different than was in the copy of the book I had. 

(I've got to run now, but will write myself a note to get back with you on the supplements for the sauna.)

I think I need to order some additional supplements online and get ready for the big day….MY FIRST SAUNA!  It arrives at the end of the week.

Thanks,

MMW

 More later, AF

 

[MMW]

Thanks A Friend,

Just curious.  How does one figure out if they are acid or alkaline?  Is there a test or does one just use dip sticks (urine)?

MMW

[Kim]

[user=1619]MMW[/user] wrote:

Thanks A Friend,

Just curious.  How does one figure out if they are acid or alkaline?  Is there a test or does one just use dip sticks (urine)?

MMW

My health food store carries the pH test strips, for testing either saliva or urine.  Last time I bought them they were under $10.

Take care….kim

[A Friend]

[user=1619]MMW[/user] wrote:

Thanks A Friend,

Just curious.  How does one figure out if they are acid or alkaline?  Is there a test or does one just use dip sticks (urine)?

MMW

MMW, I looked through my Sent file and randomly chose this one. 

http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/felipe2/id29.html

 Hope it is one of the better ones.  If not, I have others…lol

I've purchased the pH strips from the health store, but my favorite ones come from a Natures Sunshine distributor.  I find the strips and two little charts with them very helpful for interpreting readings, etc. 

AF

[PetRescue]

Me too Maz, me too!!! I am thinking of bringing him a big fruit basket as thanks for all he does for us being semi-retired and all. Do you think that is OK? My husband says it's not necessary…but what does he know, right? Also, good to know about Serracor-NK being your next pick. Do you think just nattokinase would be ok to start with? The serracor is so expensive. I was also looking into LDN. It is not that much, but is the Serracor better? It all adds up so quickly. But then again a $20 bottle of pills is cheaper than a $300 sauna.

Mum-Ginko, huh? That's easy, I put my husband on it for supplements, so I have some in the cabinet. I saw that on the link A Friend posted too. I will have to start that right now actually. Thanks!

MMW-Yes, I would love to get my immune system back to beat my SD! I'm so confused about Minocin though. I hear all the time that it doesn't actually “kill” the mycoplasma. This might sound really dumb…but is the goal of AP to kill everything it can to allow your immune system to kill the autoimmune disease? That may be oversimplifying it a bit. When I called Dr.S I remember him saying “that if you believe in the infectious theory of rheumatic disease like I do, then it will work”.

I'm not sure if I have thick blood. I know it goes along with SD, but I don't have the typical case. I had a PTT test done in August and it was normal. Does that go with the Raynauds? Or is the raynauds just narrowing of the blood vessel's?

A Friend-Seriously-are you trying to completely kill my social life? That site has soooo much good info like this one. It is all too much! Thank you so much for your help. I will have to look further into EFA's. I currently take cod liver and fish oil, but I'm not sure of the quality. I will have to confirm that. I have to look under my nose and see what else I can do to assist my body. And I will have to check out Dr. Sinatra's website. I need a good overall vitamin/mineral clarification. I am overwhelmed with that and then add on Serracor, LDN, Coq10, MSM, ALA. I've got to get one area in balance first and then worry about the rest of the supplements later. I just don't want to waste time getting there!

~jen

[jlane1111]

Hi Maz

I would like to purchase a sauna and am trying to find info on having it approved by my insurance co as they said it's “experimental and investigational.”  Do you or your doc know of any sites that contain literature I can use to justify the ins payment? I've been searching but to no avail as of yet.

Thanks

Jo
 

[Maz]

[user=2400]jlane1111[/user] wrote:

I would like to purchase a sauna and am trying to find info on having it approved by my insurance co as they said it's “experimental and investigational.”  Do you or your doc know of any sites that contain literature I can use to justify the ins payment? I've been searching but to no avail as of yet.

Hi Jo,

I had already bought my sauna when my doc mentioned that some insurances were covering it for RA. Here is a study showing the benefits of FIR sauna for RA and Ankylosing Spondylitis that was published in Clinical Rheumatology in 2008. I'm afraid I don't have a subscription, so can only open the study summary, but you could take down the details to quote in your insurance application for a FIR sauna:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/l811255n25841811/

“Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
A pilot study showing good tolerance, short-term improvement of pain and stiffness, and a trend towards long-term beneficial effects.”
 
As the following website mentions health insurance coverage, you could contact them for info on how to go about collecting info to help in your application to your carrier. They have an interest in selling saunas and have probably had this question put to them before, so if they are making these statements, they may have compiled info to such ends:

http://www.nutrition2000.com/infrared-rays.asp

“Infrared Saunas
Heaters in the Infrared saunas radiate at 2-25 micron, making it completely compatible to the body. Infra Red saunas are very economical; the cost of running a sauna for 30 minutes a day, every day for one month is between $2 to $3, compared to $20-$30 for a conventional sauna. Infra Red saunas have a warm up time of ten minutes compared to 20 to 30 minute warm up for a conventional sauna. Since far infrared penetrates the body, you are receiving the far infrared benefits even before the sauna warms up. You receive complete detoxification with the sauna set between 110 degrees to 130 degrees, making it comfortable to fully detoxify. Far infrared saunas work even with the window and door open, so it can be used with clothing on for a pre-warm up for exercise. They are portable and can be set up in 30 minutes or less, with six panels that are manufactured to fit exactly and held together with steamer trunk type clip hinges. This makes them portable for use indoors or outdoors. Many doctors are using the Infra Red saunas in their practices for pain relief treatments. These treatments cost from $30 – $50 for a 30-minute treatment session. Infra Red is approved by the FDA for treatment of pain relief and some insurance does co-payment for in-home saunas.”

 

Here is another link which has a petition to the Canadia Govt by Dr. Sherry Rogers (author: Detoxify of Die) to have FIR saunas covered by NHS. I don't know if this action came to anything, but she lists some strong arguments that may help in your application. Her petition says:

http://www.petitiononline.com/FIRSAUNA/petition.html

“I hope that with this summary (and extra documentation and references) you can appreciate the logical, scientific, cost-effective and moral reasons to cover the far infrared sauna.”

Here is a Mayo clinic study that showed the benefits of dry sauna for heart patients. As cardio-vascular disease can be a by-product of rheumatic disease and inflammation, this study is nice back-up :

http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/full/39/5/754

I think if you talk with your doctor, you may be able to get a script that would help in your effort to get a sauna covered. People with all sorts of rheumatic diseases have been able to get special beds covered, if their physician thinks it may benefit them. I'm guessing different carriers will have different guidelines and also different types of policies, so it may also depend on the extent of your coverage. Some ins. companies are more flexible than others.  

Sorry not to be of of more help…you may find more online by googling, “infrared saunas approved by health insurance,” or something along those lines.

Peace, Maz

PS Just adding a couple other studies that may help:

http://www.infraredsauna.com/health/chronicfatigue/

http://jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/3/985

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