Sauna For Your Health

Ah, the many claims about the health benefits of saunas. Lose weight, cleanse the body of toxins, relieve arthritis symptoms, improve respiratory problems, etc. Snake oil or scientific fact? You be the judge.

Lose Weight

When you are in a sauna your heart rate increases as your body works to cool itself. 300 to 500 calories are burned during a 30-minute sauna session.

True, but in a sauna the heart is the only muscle being exerted. Building and toning muscles from regular exercise gives the equivalent calorie burn with additional toning benefits. For optimal weight loss, do some exercise, then take a sauna afterwards.

Eliminate Toxins

"Saunas rid the body of toxins" is a claim made by many sauna sellers, and it is a commonly-held belief among sauna enthusiasts. However, there is no scientific evidence that heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) or other serious toxins are eliminated from the body by sauna use. There is also no evidence that sauna use is useless is this regard. Until more careful study is done, this is an unsubstantiated claim.

Lowering Cholesterol

This is another dubious claim put forward by many sauna retailers. Taking regular saunas is said to reduce cholesterol without any change in the diet. There is no scientific evidence for this.

Are There Any Real Benefits?

Because of exagerations, one might be tempted to write off all claims of therapeutic value. That would be a mistake -- there are real benefits to taking saunas, and their regular use can be an effective part of a health routine

During a sauna the heart rate increases and the blood vessels dilate. Blood flow to the skin increases and heavy sweating is induced. The nasal passages open allowing sinuses to drain.

The heat experienced in saunas can have real benefits. Arthritic and rheumatic patients, for example, will feel less pain and experience greater joint mobility. Athletes can benefit from a sauna before working out, to induce the joints and muscles to become more flexible, thereby reducing the risk of injury.

Relaxation, The Best Medicine

Perhaps the greatest health benefit of the sauna is the relaxation it creates. Stress is often at the root of many health problems. Saunas are inherently relaxing, and provide a great way to unwind at the end of a day. A sauna before bed promotes deep sleep, which is crucial to revitalize the body.

People with health problems should consult a doctor before using a sauna, but for the vast majority of people, the sauna is safe and beneficial when taken in moderation.

About The Author
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit http://www.sauna4u.com to learn more about this fascinating subject.

For Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Medicines and high quality Herbal Supplements visit www.ayurvediccure.com

Thyroid - What you need to Know about

Amongst the various medical problems on a rise, thyroid sure is amongst the top few. Thyroid problems are becoming more common in the present society with every passing day. Major causes of the problem are improper nutrition and lack of nutrients in the soil. To understand the effects of thyroid malfunctioning, it’s important to understand what exactly the gland des in the body.

Thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located directly below the Adam’s apple. This gland swells up accompanied by an inflammatory sensation, when not working properly. This can be seen as a small bulge in the area. Doctors might feel the size of the gland by keeping hand around your neck and making you swallow.

Thyroid is known as the hormone factory of the body, as it manufactures a number of hormones for the body. T3 and T4 are the major hormones amongst them. Among various other things these hormones control the body’s metabolism and energy levels. Body fails to function properly in case of excess or lack of these hormones. While lack of these hormones make the body sluggish and slow an excess of these make the person hyper active sending the body in an overdrive.

Thyroid has to be taken care of properly as it affects the entire body. Damage to thyroid ends up effecting entire body over a period of time. Brain might be effected in terms of memory loss and moodiness, reproductive health, heart, body weight etc are some matters that can occur with thyroid disorders.

Thyroid malfunctioning more often then not leads to heart problems and a number of other problems as well. Often a part of auto immune problems, thyroid can go simultaneously with cholesterol and other problems. Body may experience arthritis type pain which shall diminish as soon as the hormone levels are back to normal.

Thyroid problems affect irrespective of age and sex. According to the American Thyroid Association, half of the people with thyroid problems do not even know about it. It often goes unnoticed as the symptoms are mistaken as that of some other disease. For eg tiredness is a major symptom but is generally overlooked as a general feeling or is associated to other health problems.

However certain groups of people are more susceptible to the disease then others. For eg women are 8 times more likely then men to face the disorder. You are also more prone if you have a family history of the autoimmune diseases. In such a case regular checkup of the thyroid gland is highly recommended.

People with a high exposure to radiation also have higher chances of a thyroid disorder as the gland is sensitive to any radiation. Similarly elderly people amongst us also run a higher risk of disorder.

Being a victim of thyroid disorder can be a sad story and at times really discouraging. Symptoms can be painful and tend to pull you sown. However the facts remain that you can live with it, and live happily at that.

First step is getting the right treatment. Contacting the right doctor and taking the full course of treatment. Being proactive is also very important and if medications don’t prove effective, then tell your doctor immediately. Another important thing is eating healthy. Sugar rich and processed foods should be avoided. Most importantly, help someone else. It’s rarely prescribed by doctors, but is in fact an excellent antidote, for many ailments.

About The Author
Mansi Gupta writes about thyroid. Learn more at http://www.thyroidhealthcare.com.

For Alternative Health Care and high quality Herbal Products For Women visit http://www.ayurvediccure.com/women_herbal_products.htm

Acne Control the Natural Way

Want to get rid of those zits in your face but you are currently low on budget? How about looking for acne control to avoid the sudden appearance of acne in your skin? So how do we do this?

First, what is acne? Acne is a skin disorder caused by the hormones action on the oil glands of the skin which is called the sebaceous glands. The excretion of oils from this glands can lead to congested skin pores. This is when acne occurs. The face, neck, chest, back and shoulders is where the glands are most profuse, that is why most acne are found on this locations. People who are with this kind of disorder often tends to be depressed, and humiliated.

There are a lot of factors that can generate acne to transpire. First is our Genes. Genetics can't be changed but other factors like our daily routine and the way we take care of our skin can be improved to make acne control no problem at all. Don't feel so sad about your acne because there's lots of things you can do. This acne control tips will help you say bye-bye to those zits.

1. Include Fruits and Vegetables in your daily Diet. A healthy diet consists of at least four to five servings of fruits and vegetables. Acne control will be a lot easier if you start including this in your daily habit.

2. Rose water can be used as a facial cleanser. Dipped in a cotton, clean your face using this everyday for at least two to three times each day.

3. Don't wait for your pimples to form. If you see a bit of it in your face, do something. Acne control is best done early. Pat some ice on the affected area for this will make it less swollen.

4. Acne control is easier when accompanied with multivitamins. Start taking vitamins that contains zinc supplement. Zinc helps in making your skin stronger and acne resistant.

5. Cucumber can help in acne control. Blend it with some water to form a mask. Put it in your face and leave it for about half an hour before rinsing it off. This is a good and affordable acne control remedy that can also refresh your skin.

6. Use only mild soaps and avoid soaps that contains petroleum based products and animal based ingredient for this causes your skin to get dry and irritated.

7. Using alcohol free facial cleansers makes Acne control trouble-free. Alcohol tends to dry your skin more.

8. Makeup also prompt the occurrence of acne. Choose your makeup wisely. Most of the makeup available contains petroleum based ingredients that makes skin dry. An all natural makeup helps acne control become more effortless.

9. Lastly, Drinking loads of water is very important. It flushes out the dirt in our body, Making acne control more natural.

Now you have a list of some helpful tips in acne control. It is your choice if you are to do these methods. There are lots of ways in acne control, be it naturally or by technology. Skin products are always around for you to pick your choice. The thing is, these products are very costly. If you are the innovative type of person, better try this methods in acne control. It is all natural and wont do any harm in your body. No side effects of course! Plus, you can really save a bunch out of this. There's no harm in trying! Saying goodbye to those acne is just a step away!

About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a freelance writer specializing in skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. Visit http://www.acnesolution411.com/ for more information on acne and acne treatments.

For Alternative Health Care and high quality Herbal Products For Women visit www.ayurvediccure.com