A steamy way to IGNITE heart health

When it comes to improving heart health, it’s usually the same song and dance…

I stand behind regular exercise and a healthy diet—while conventional docs often push statins and antihypertensive drugs.

Well, kicking back and relaxing in a very specific way might ALSO be beneficial.

In fact, research shows this hot, steamy approach might confer the same heart-healthy benefits of aerobic exercise…

Sit, sweat, and soar

In the world of complementary medicine, it’s not unusual to recommend things like far infrared saunas and heat therapies. (Even if the mainstream ridicules these natural approaches to health and healing.)

That’s why I was thrilled to come across an article posing this question…

Is it time to start recommending regular sauna bathing to improve heart health?

This stems from a study published in 2015 in JAMA Internal Medicine. It looks at over 20 years of data on more than 2,300 Finnish men who regularly sauna-bathed.

Ultimately, researchers found that participants who sat in saunas more frequently SLASHED their death rates from heart disease and stroke.

Not only that, but the more someone sauna-bathed, the greater the reduction in cardiovascular events like heart attack.

Why? Well, studies show sauna bathing improves blood circulation throughout the body and supports vascular endothelial function.

In fact, heart rate and blood pressure increase temporarily—and the quantity of blood pumped can increase up to 70 percent. All three factors help to build a healthier heart over the long-term.

Similar to aerobic exercise

When I make recommendations, I do so using science-backed evidence from literature. (Evidence that, oftentimes, my conventional colleagues overlook.)

And the evidence suggesting that saunas can produce some of the same cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercise is quite high.

In fact, the body experiences several physiological changes during heat therapy exposure—like saunas, hot water submerging, heat wrapping, and more.

While the exact mechanism of action behind why heat works isn’t clear, it may have to do with those smaller blood vessels in our extremities.

To cool the body when exposed to extreme heat, blood vessels dilate and push blood to the skin. This lowers body temperature, increases heart rate, and delivers oxygen to muscles… which is similar to what happens inside the body after exercise.

That said, there does seem to be too much of a good thing…

Most studies show 20- to 30-minutes in a sauna confers the most benefit. And I have to say… sounds like a simple way to improve heart health… even without exercise!

(Admittedly, that sounds like a long time in a sauna. I usually only last 10 minutes or so. If that sounds like you, safely work your way up, which is what I plan to do, too. But always check with your primary physician to ensure you can safely sauna-bathe.)

P.S. To learn about an all-natural plan to prevent and reverse America’s biggest killers—high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke—check out my Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol. Click here now to gain access to this comprehensive, online learning tool!

Source:

“Time to Prescribe Sauna Bathing for Cardiovascular Health?” Medscape, 06/20/23. (medscape.com/viewarticle/993434)