YYoga

Of all the ways you may have pondered spending Valentine’s Day this year I’m guessing that a visit to the infrared sauna (IRS) didn’t necessarily jump to mind.  

However a solo meditation or conversation with a good friend in the IRS might just be the best way to show yourself, and your heart, some love.

There is something supremely soothing about having a good sweat and a sit, catching up and cleansing all at the same time. Both our minds and our muscles can relax, while paradoxically our hearts speed up and start to pump more spiritedly.

The benefits of the IRS extend well beyond the release of toxins from the skin. Some of the most solid research on its healthful effects show the ability of repeated treatments in protecting the heart & circulatory system against damage from oxidative stress, and can likewise reduce the risk of heart diseases like hypertension, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure.

Wholehearted

When our circulatory system is viewed as a whole with our hearts at the center, it’s easy to recognize the importance of maintaining its flow. Stiffening tension in the heart and its branches limits the swirling circulatory course of our bloodstream. We want our hearts to be able to pump smoothly and effortlessly, while remaining flexible to the qualities of movement that reflect our emotional and spiritual patterns as well. 

When working with my patients, it’s important to me to help the things that happen inside of the body feel more real. Possibly my favourite moment in practice was teaching an 8-year-old boy where he could find his pulse, and that it was a fun and easy way to listen to his heart beat. Placing his small sticky fingers, covered in magic marker on his wrist and holding it there with him I witnessed one of the most meaningful moments in my professional life thus far. His eyes lit up, his pulse drummed a little louder, and he thrillingly proclaimed that this was something he felt get faster in gym class! My own heart nearly exploded. 

A 15-30 minute sit in the IRS can increase your heart rate (up to 100-160bpm), dilate your blood vessels, increase peripheral circulation, and increase cardiac workload as much as moderate to vigorous exercise. This ability to increase the ebbs & flows of the intricate organ system of our hearts, both reaps and bestows the benefits for our physical and emotional well being. 

Some other healthful IRS benefits:

• Increases the body’s metabolic rate
• Relaxes muscle tension
• Lowers lactic acid levels.
• Stimulates endorphin release

Tips to maximize your IRS treatment:

• Be sure to hydrate with spring water and an electrolyte replacement before and after.
• Promote the clearing of other elimination organs by optimizing liver metabolism, bowel clearance and lymph and circulatory activity through lifestyle, diet & exercise.
• While in the sauna find your radial, carotid or abdominal pulse and observe the whole body phenomenon that is your heart-beat. Notice the variety of sensations that accompany its movement, bringing you into a pleasant connection with yourself throughout the treatment.

Expand your wellness experience with each Yoga class or Wellness appointment by coming early or staying late for sit in the IRS. 

This Valentine’s Day listen to your heart, find flexibility with your flow, and think of each IRS session as an opportunity to show your insides some love.

Dr. Marciano is a Naturopathic Physician with Flow Wellness. To book an appointment with her, please call 604.682.FLOW (3569). Click here for her schedules & services offered.