16: Scientific Reasons to Use The Sauna

12/30/19 • 43 min

People have been sitting in hot tents and rooms since ancient times. This practice of sitting in hot rooms was often thought of as a spiritual purification and to be healing and cleansing on the body. In today’s podcast, we explore all the studied benefits of sauna usage and why this ancient technique has continued to be such a staple in many people’s lives including Finland culture in particular.

In this episode you’ll learn:

About the health benefits of regular sauna use
What hormesis is
About heat shock/stress proteins, why they’re important, and how sauna use can affect them
What it means when proteins are damaged and how sauna use can help repair them
About what a traditional sauna is compared to Infrared and steam saunas
The recommended temperatures to set the sauna to and for how long, depending on your tolerance
Why sweating is so good for you
About how heat exposure can activate NRF2 in our cells
About FOX03 proteins and how saunas can help activate it
That using the sauna regularly has been shown to have direct links with lower risk of cardiovascular related death
How long term sauna use can affect blood pressure, endothelial function, reduce inflammation, and more
Why sauna use may be linked to a lower risk of developing hypertension in men
How sauna use affects inflammation in the body
About the protein BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and how it’s affected by heat and exercise
How regular sauna use has been tied to lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
About the cognitive effects of sauna use and how they may even help combat depression
That some studies link regular sauna use to an increase in Norepinephrine and Prolactin levels in women
That depending on dosage, saunas have been linked to the promotion of growth hormone release
Why it’s important to safely work your way up to longer time/higher temperatures in the sauna
About how using the sauna can help you to maintain muscle mass
How sauna use can help facilitate the excretion of BPA’s and heavy metals
Why it’s important to excrete phthalates and how the sauna can help with the process
About Bikram hot yoga and it’s possible benefits

Studies Referenced:

1) Heat shock proteins in neurodegenerative disorders and aging
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12079-014-0243-9
2) Heat stress activates heat shock response
3) Nrf2 protection
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1726490109700358?via%3Dihub
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0076687902530469?via%3Dihub
4) FOX03 activation
- https://science.sciencemag.org/content/303/5666/2011
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724
5) Congestive Heart Failure studies
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/80/4/80_CJ-16-0051/_article
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/68/12/68_12_1146/_article
6) Coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and dyslipidemia studies

In this episode you’ll learn:

About the health benefits of regular sauna use
What hormesis is
About heat shock/stress proteins, why they’re important, and how sauna use can affect them
What it means when proteins are damaged and how sauna use can help repair them
About what a traditional sauna is compared to Infrared and steam saunas
The recommended temperatures to set the sauna to and for how long, depending on your tolerance
Why sweating is so good for you
About how heat exposure can activate NRF2 in our cells
About FOX03 proteins and how saunas can help activate it
That using the sauna regularly has been shown to have direct links with lower risk of cardiovascular related death
How long term sauna use can affect blood pressure, endothelial function, reduce inflammation, and more
Why sauna use may be linked to a lower risk of developing hypertension in men
How sauna use affects inflammation in the body
About the protein BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and how it’s affected by heat and exercise
How regular sauna use has been tied to lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
About the cognitive effects of sauna use and how they may even help combat depression
That some studies link regular sauna use to an increase in Norepinephrine and Prolactin levels in women
That depending on dosage, saunas have been linked to the promotion of growth hormone release
Why it’s important to safely work your way up to longer time/higher temperatures in the sauna
About how using the sauna can help you to maintain muscle mass
How sauna use can help facilitate the excretion of BPA’s and heavy metals
Why it’s important to excrete phthalates and how the sauna can help with the process
About Bikram hot yoga and it’s possible benefits

Studies Referenced:

1) Heat shock proteins in neurodegenerative disorders and aging
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12079-014-0243-9
2) Heat stress activates heat shock response
3) Nrf2 protection
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1726490109700358?via%3Dihub
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0076687902530469?via%3Dihub
4) FOX03 activation
- https://science.sciencemag.org/content/303/5666/2011
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724
5) Congestive Heart Failure studies
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/80/4/80_CJ-16-0051/_article
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/circj/68/12/68_12_1146/_article
6) Coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and dyslipidemia studies

Previous Episode

15: Understanding Detoxification & Natural Ways to Support the Process with Tyler Jean

Tyler is an aspiring Naturopathic Doctor, who attends the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, we break down all things detoxification and discuss why it’s so important to detox your body in a safe way. Tyler really brings nuance to the conversation around detoxification, dispels myths and informs you how to support your body with the detoxification process the natural way.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How Tyler got started in the health industry, more specifically naturopathy
What detoxification really means for the body
The 5 most important organs to keep in mind when it comes to detoxification
About the role the liver plays in regards to detoxing
Why detoxification should be an ongoing effort, not something a quick cleanse can do
Why some people accumulate more toxins than others
Basic activities that you can do to support detoxification naturally
How bisphenols are excreted from the body
About how the liver stores toxins
Why it’s so important to detox the safe way
About the three phases of biotransformation/detoxification
How diet impacts the detoxification process
What metabolites are and about the role they play in detoxification
How fasting can help with the detoxification process
Why obesity can be a risk factor for holding on to toxins
What dictates weather visceral or adipose fat are formed
Why sleep is such an important factor in detoxification
About more aggressive ways to support detoxification
About the gene mutation MTHFR and how you can improve methylation
How dioxins, arsenic, and heavy metals affect the body
About why FitTea isn’t the best choice for detoxification and what some better choices may be

References from the episode:

BUS study: Blood Urine and Sweat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21057782

Connect with Tyler: Instagram @functional.foods | eatfunctionalfoods.org | Facebook |

Next Episode

17: Set Yourself Up for Success With a Morning Routine

Having a morning routine is a great way to start the day and set yourself up for success. In this episode, we discuss some of the many benefits of having a productive morning routine. We also dive into what our morning routines look like almost every day and share some other successful people’s morning routine

In this episode you’ll learn:

How having a morning routine can influence the rest of your day
Some tips for setting up your morning routine
Why it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday
How writing out lists at the beginning of the day can help you get closer to reaching your goals
Why it’s better to start the day with more intentional tasks before watching the news, sending emails, or going on social media
Why it’s important to prioritize your goals, tackle one at a time, and hold yourself accountable to them
About ideas that you can incorporate into your morning routine
How moving your body first thing in the morning can set you up for a great day
Why setting up your mindset for the day with things like mediation, positive affirmations, reading books, etc. is just as important as moving your body
How you can use affirmations to set yourself up for the day
About gratitude journaling and how you can use it to start your day on a positive note
That making your bed in the morning can help set you up for success later in the day
Why it’s important to start your day with a healthy breakfast
About the benefits of beginning the day with a sauna session
How self care like dry brushing can help set you up for a successful day
What Amanda’s morning routine consists of
About the benefits of oil pulling
What Chris incorporates into his morning routine
About Tyler Jean’s (aka @functional.foods) morning routine
What Tim Ferriss does to start his day