There’s a nice post on youtube which show the Extreme Makeover team putting together an infrared sauna. One of the familie’s children has cerebral palsy and the show talks about some of the benefits of an infrared sauna for cerebral palsy sufferers. I think this comes at about 1:10sec into the clip.
I knew those Finns were suckers for punishment but this is taking it a bit far. Apparently, in the past - not so much today, it was common for Finnish women to give birth in the sauna! Perhaps those hardy Finns felt that child birth just didn’t present enough of a challenge.
To gets things into perspective you must remember that theses guys consider sweating to near death over long periods as a sport and run competitions each year for who can last longest. So it only makes sense to start the child’s training early I guess!
They say you learn something new each day - we’ll I’d like to think I lean more than just one thing but that’s besides the point - I just learnt that there is such a thing as the Sauna Gnome!
Actually I should clarify - I just learnt about the sauna gnome of fairy-tales, the legend. This isn’t breaking news that the real sauna gnome has been discovered so don’t get your hopes up.
Saunatonttu is his name and this roughly translates as sauna elf. Apparently he’s the sauna police - if you behave badly in the sauna, he’s gonna come down hard on you. Bad things will happen. If you’re caught doing any of the following in the sauna then you should be affraid - sleeping, playing games, arguing, being noisy, anything else which might cause your mother to blush. Oh - and you should feed him too! Leaving it outside is ok apparently.
If anyone has any more on the origins of Saunatonttu, then please leave some comments as I’d love to learn more about the little guy.
Narconon of Georgia, a drug rehabilitation Center, uses saunas as part of the treatment of drug users.
According to their web site “The purpose of the New Life Detoxification Program is to purge the body of drug residues, thus greatly reducing or completely removing cravings.” They accomplish this with a number of methods, one of which involves periods in a low heat sauna to promote perspiration.
This is another example of saunas showing their use as an effective method of detox. Go saunas!!
M ore information about the program can be found here
Exposing your skin to warm, moist steam from recently boiled water is claimed to be a great way to help deep clean your skin. You cold use water from a recently boilded pot in your kitchen, a sauna at the Gym or by application of a hot compress (a warm damp flannel basically).
However there may be an easiler, safer more accessible way to do it by using an electric facial sauna system. It works by producing steam in the base of the facial sauna whilst you rest your head on a conical surround which keeps your face at a safe distance from the emitted steam jets. The warmth in the steam will improve the blood circulation to the skin, resulting in detoxification of the skin by removal of any toxins built up in the skin - so it’s claimed by the manufacturers.
They’re a fairly cheap solution with prices starting at around $25.
If you’re looking for that extra special sauna then there’s a guy in Canada who might be able to give it to you. Luc Beauparlant, of Création Sauna Inc., builds bespoke saunas using a variety of natural materials and styles. One was made in the form of a whales rib cage. He mainly uses cedar wood from the structure as this commonly has a natural curve which lends itself well to the style of his saunas. The Monteal Gazette has a feature and a couple of nice photos.
As for the cost - well his saunas range in price from $20,000 to $100,000 - not sure if that’s Canadian money or US. Either way - you need to start saving sooner rather than later.
If you have some spare change and are on business in Dubai - why not book yourself into the Monarch Dubai Hotel.
The Palace Suite, located on the 32nd and 33rd floors, features two Majlis, dining room, private movie theatre and library, three en-suite bedrooms and an extensive outdoor area with private terrace, pool, steam room and sauna.
Now that’s what I call sauna-ing in style! Apparently the view are spectacular too, overlooking the length of Sheik Zayed Road.
It won’t be the cheapest sauna you’ve experienced though - a one night stay will set you back the best part of $1000, and that’s forone of their excutive suites - heaven knows how much the Palace Suite will cost. A massage in the Mandara Spa will cost a further $260 roughly.
A recent article in the Salt Lake Tribunetalks about how a cop believes a causal link between the meth labs and police illnesses has been established. Al Acosta feels that pulling apart between 300 and 400 meth labs during his career with the Utah Bureau of Investigations narcotics unit has cost him his health. Apparently fellow cop, Kelly Call, has been living on ibuprofen to deal with the systoms of meths exposure for want of a better word. But since enroling on a course of saunas he’s not touched the stuff.
Call is one of eight retired and current Utah police officers undergoing an Orem clinic’s detoxification treatment, which is based on Scientology teachings where toxins are sweated out of the system.
Experts are skeptical of the prospect of saunas fixing the problems cause by meth exposure but the officers undergoing the detox programme are convinced it’s working.
The treatments invove the officers sitting in a sauna for hours at a time. They exercise and eat a diet high in anti-oxidants and other nutrients that boost the excretory system. Officers claim they can smell the chemicals leaving their body. The officers are being recommended that they continue with the diet and visit a sauna a few times a week but warned that the detox should not substitute conventional medical treatment.
For more information visit the tribune.
This years annual Sauna World Championship was held in Finland with 101 participants competing from 17 different countries. Temperatures reached a swealtering 110 C. The winner of the competition is the last person to leave the sauna without outside help.
Leila Kulin from Finland defended her championship victory for the second year running after Natalia Trifanava from Belarus was escorted from the sauna after 10 minutes and 31 seconds.
In the men’s final, six local Finnish men dominated the competition with Timo Kaukonen staying in the heat for a lengthy 12 minutes and 26 seconds to take victory.
Well done Tim and Leila.
We’ll you can if you really want as it appear the Playstion 3 can stand the heat. Apparently the guys at PS3 Vault were curious about just how tough the PS3 is. They ran a PS3 for 108 hours straight in three separate operating conditions: a typical family room, the back of a freezer van, and a sauna.
Well apart from a slight burning smell whilst in the sauna, the box came out unscathed. I’m sure they ran the tests in a responsible and safe way - so kids - don’t try this at home.