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Industry: Email Alert RSS FeedSaunas and cancer
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, June, 2004 by Lawrence Wilson
Saunas and the Mental State
Maintaining a positive mental attitude is very important for cancer patients. Many patients report that sauna therapy feels good, is relaxing and leaves them refreshed and happier. Some report that the quiet and privacy of the sauna is like a gift to oneself that they cherish. In the sauna, one can shut out the cares of the day. It can also be a spiritual and meditative time one sets aside each day to reaffirm one's bond with the Creator.
Tumor Necrosis and Saunas
In addition to metal and chemical toxicity, cancer patients must deal with toxicity due to necrosis and disintegration of tumors.
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One needs to be aware of this and monitor therapy carefully, especially at the beginning of sauna therapy. Extra coffee enemas are extremely helpful and at times life-saving if symptoms of detoxification become severe.
Other Considerations
The choice of saunas. While any sauna is helpful, for cancer I strongly recommend using an electric light sauna. This is the most powerful type with the deepest tissue penetration. It also offers color therapy and much wider spectrum infrared therapy.
In many cases, one can easily convert a hot air sauna or far infrared sauna to the electric light type. One does this by adding infrared lamps to the sauna. If the space is too large to heat up using the lamps alone, one may need to turn on the original heaters at a low setting to help heat the space. Plans are available free of charge for the electric light sauna at www.drlwilson.com.
The main impediment to conversion is often the seating arrangement. With an electric light sauna, one must rotate the body. Other types of saunas have benches on one side that do not lend themselves to rotating the body. Large saunas often have room to place a small seat or bench in the middle of the sauna. In smaller saunas, the benches are often removable and can be replaced by a small chair or bench placed in the center of the sauna.
Preheating the sauna. To produce the maximum heat shock proteins for immune stimulation, I suggest preheating far infrared and electric light saunas for 20 minutes so the sauna will be hotter during the session. Allow a hot air sauna to reach 200[degrees] and a far infrared sauna to reach 130[degrees]F. Allow an electric light infrared sauna to reach 120[degrees]F. Hotter is not necessary or helpful.
Sauna protocol. It is important to be relaxed during sauna sessions to obtain the maximum benefit. For this reason, the best times for saunas are first thing in the morning and last thing at night. A third sauna session may be in late morning. Do coffee enemas after sauna sessions.
Rest 15-20 minutes after a sauna session to achieve the maximum benefit. Adding kelp granules or tablets to one's nutritional regimen is usually all that is required to replace electrolytes lost during sweating. Fancy electrolyte drinks and high-dose vitamin C will interfere with sauna effects. They are yin or cold in Chinese medical terminology and sauna therapy is a yang therapy.
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