Although February is traditionally one of the coldest, snowiest months of the year here in the Midwest, it’s one of our favorites months here at Sunlighten! That’s because February is Heart Month. Sunlighten is a longtime supporter of the American Heart Association. We donate a portion of our sales each February to the AHA, we participate in a number of local AHA – Kansas City fundraisers each year and our owners Aaron and Connie Zack have served on the board of directors for our local AHA chapter.

Why are we at Sunlighten such big supporters of the American Heart Association? Because cardiovascular disease is our nation’s number one killer. In the U.S. alone, one in three adults suffers from heart disease, stroke or some other form of cardiovascular disease in their lifetime. And clinical studies show that our infrared saunas help in keeping your heart healthy.

High blood pressure increases your risk of getting heart disease, kidney disease or serious stroke. Only Sunlighten saunas are backed by clinical research that shows a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

In a 2005 clinical study by the University of Missouri Kansas City, Sunlighten’s Solocarbon heaters were shown to lower blood pressure through a program of 30 minute infrared sauna session 3 times per week. The study concluded that Sunlighten infrared sauna therapy dilated blood vessels and reduced the volume of their inner lining, thus increasing circulation to promote healthy blood pressure.

Additional studies have regularly shown the positive impact that regular infrared sauna use has on hearth health. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2001 showed that infrared saunas help improve the function of impaired vascular endothelial cells in patients who are at risk for coronary artery disease. The infrared heat of the sauna opens capillaries to improve blood flow. 15 minutes in an infrared sauna each day for 14 days improved the function of the endothelial cells lining the arteries by 40%.¹ The results of this study suggest a preventive role for infrared sauna use for arteriosclerosis.

As they say on TV “but wait, there’s more!” The elevation in body temperature from regular Sunlighten infrared sauna use also produces an increase in blood flow that mirrors the benefits of a passive cardiovascular workout. Regular infrared sauna use – especially in the mid-infrared range available in Sunlighten’s mPulse custom spectrum sauna – has been shown to significantly stimulate blood flow, even after your sauna session is completed.

For more information on infrared sauna use and heart health, contact a Sunlighten representative.

¹Imamura, M, et al. Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2001, 38 (4): 1983-88.

We recently receive these terrific photos from customer Edward Pal, who built his new mPulse custom spectrum infrared sauna from Sunlighten into a fitness room in his home. Doesn’t it look gorgeous?

Here’s what Edward had to say about his new sauna and his experience with Sunlighten:

When I made the decision to purchase a sauna for my year-round cottage, my research quickly led me to the conclusion that from a health and overall enjoyment perspective, an Infrared Sauna was the way to go. My Naturopath had previously done extensive research on the subject – the result of which was her purchase of an Infrared sauna from Sunlighten.

Sadly, and as difficult it is to believe, the shipment to me was lost twice! First in USA and then secondly in Canada. However for both losses, Sunlighten, through its representatives, did its best to try to rectify a difficult situation that was out of their control. Throughout the full time period, representatives from logistics, customer support and sales kept regularly in touch me.

The great news is the sauna arrived just prior to New Years and was easily assembled. And what a great way to bring in the New Year! It performs better than promised and I look forward to many years of healthy enjoyable use of my sauna. Thank you Amber, Gerry and Ingrid for your help.

Thanks so much to Edward for his patience and for sharing his story and photos with us!

About ten years ago, researchers and physicians from NASA and the Medical College of Wisconsin conducted research on the effects of near infrared (NIR) LED light on wound healing. The research team concluded that NIR LED light significantly promotes faster cell regeneration, wound healing and human tissue growth. Human cell growth increased by 155%-171% in some cases and wound size decreased by 36%. (fn. 1)

Introduced in 2010, Sunlighten’s advanced Solocarbon Custom Spectrum heater is the only heater on the market capable of producing near infrared (NIR) light using LED technology. This is the same technology used in the NASA/Medical College of Wisconsin research that concluded NIR therapy greatly enhances the wound healing process.

Our mPulse full custom spectrum infrared saunas employ the Solocarbon Custom Spectrum heaters, make them the only saunas available with the unique ability to heal wounds faster and minimize scarring through the use of near infrared LEDs.

While it wasn’t a scientific research project, one of our own associates tracked the healing process of two separate surgical wounds in an mPulse sauna about a year ago. The healing results of the mPulse’s NIR light were tangible. Check out photos of the process here: http://blog.sunlighten.com/2010/11/infrared-heat-wound-healing

(1) Whelan et al; Effect of NASA Light Emitting Diode Irradiation and Wound Healing. Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine & Surgery, Volume 19, Number 6, 2001, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, pp. 305-314.

Sunlighten has many friends and clients in the health care field – physicians, chiropractors, nurses and more. We can’t think of any who are more passionate about anti-aging and alternative medicine than Dr. Al Sears in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. We are honored that Dr. Sears recommends Sunlighten infrared saunas to his patients.

Al Sears, M.D., is a practicing physician with extensive experience in the fields of complementary and natural healthcare. He currently owns and operates a successful integrative medicine and anti-aging clinic in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, with over 20,000 patients. His cutting-edge therapies and reputation for solving some of the most difficult-to-diagnose cases attract patients from around the world.

Dr. Sears was one of the first physicians to be board-certified in anti-aging medicine. He is the first doctor licensed in the U.S. to administer TA-65, a breakthrough in anti-aging medicine. Dr. Sears is board-certified as a clinical nutrition specialist and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), the American Medical Association (AMA), the Southern Medical Association (SMA), the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), and the Herb Research Foundation, (HRF). Dr. Sears is also an ACE-certified fitness trainer.

As the founder and director of Wellness Research Foundation, a non-profit research organization, Dr. Sears travels the globe to bring back to his patients the latest breakthroughs in natural therapies. Recent trips to Peru, Brazil, India, and Jamaica have yielded important new discoveries in anti-aging and alternative medicine.

One of the natural, alternative therapies recommended by Dr. Sears is full spectrum infrared heat therapy – available only through Sunlighten’s Solocarbon Custom Spectrum infrared heaters (available in our mPulse sauna models) . If you take a look at Dr. Sears’ website, you’ll see that health topics like detoxification, heart health, weight loss and anti-aging are some of the major focuses of his practice and his writings. Because he finds those issues vital to healthy living, infrared sauna therapy makes a lot of sense.

According to Dr. Sears, “Full spectrum infrared therapy is a great way to take control of your health. I recommend Sunlighten infrared saunas because their heaters emit near, mid and far infrared heat providing a safe and natural aid for detoxification, weight loss, heart health and anti-aging.”

Dr. Sears currently writes and publishes the monthly e-Newsletter, Health Confidential, and daily email broadcast, Doctor’s House Call, and contributes to a host of other publications in the field. He has appeared on over 50 national radio programs, ABC News, CNN, and ESPN. Since 1999, Dr. Sears has published 14 books on health and wellness including The 21st Century Men’s Guide to Prostate Health, The T-Factor, King of Hormones, The Doctor’s Heart Cure, 12 Secrets to Virility, Your Best Health Under the Sun and High Speed Fat Loss in 7 Easy Steps.

His P.A.C.E. fitness program is a popular, effective alternative to traditional cardio – using calisthenics and body-weight exercises. His latest fitness book, P.A.C.E.: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution, addresses all the myths and misconceptions about health, aging, and fitness. The program is designed to boost lung power, burn fat faster, build heart strength, pump up your immune system, build new muscle and add years of healthy living to your life! (There’s even a PACE Express, designed to give you maximum fat-loss results in only 12 minutes a day.)

We’re big fans of Dr. Sears (and appreciate his support of Sunlighten infrared saunas) and hope you will take a minute to check out his website to learn a bit more about his approach to health and wellness.

Our friends at Cancer Defeated are dedicated to researching, investigating and reporting on alternative cancer treatments. They have grown to become the world’s number one source of information about this important subject – and we are pleased that Sunlighten infrared saunas are featured regularly in their terrific e-newsletters.

In a recent article at Cancer Defeated, they noted that cancer clinics in Germany and Mexico routinely treat patients with hyperthermia, where the body is exposed to high temperatures. High temperatures can kill cancer cells, usually without damage to normal tissues. fn 1. Often, these clinics are using infrared hyperthermia and infrared saunas for their patients.

In an article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Lawrence Wilson, MD wrote, “If I were to single out one method to combat cancer, it is the sauna. It assists removal of chemical toxins and heavy metals, increases oxygenation, enhances the immune system, and reduces the radiation burden in the body.” fn 2.

Dr. Wilson notes the following benefits of infrared sauna therapy in supporting a patient’s fight against cancer:

• Hyperthermia: Heating the body is a well-known and underused method of killing cancer cells, says Dr. Wilson.

• Eliminate Toxins: Saunas also help purge the body of toxins, such as heavy metals and chemicals.

• Improving circulation. Cancer often grows in tissues with poor circulation and thus poor nutrition and oxygenation. Infrared saunas boost overall circulation. This brings nutrients, hormones, oxygen and other substances to all body tissues.

Cancer Defeated reports that several clinical studies support Dr. Wilson’s position on the use of infrared heat as part of a cancer patient’s wellness regiment. They cite a clinical study published in the Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy in which scientists studied far infrared’s effects on human cancer cells in vitro and on cancer cells in mice. Far infrared therapy reduced tumor volumes 86% in 30 days. The tumor-suppressing effects were even seen without high temperatures, even as low as 77 degrees Fahrenheit. fn 3.

In another study cited by Cancer Defeated, researchers in Japan discovered that whole-body hyperthermia with far infrared strongly inhibited the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice without deleterious side effects. Researchers believe this therapy is promising for long-term studies of a noninvasive treatment of breast cancer. fn 4.

Also interesting to note is this Sunlighten review, received from one of our customers recently:

I LOVE my Solo Spa!!! The Solo Spa I purchased from you has been a very powerful treatment protocol for me in treating my cancer. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Lipo Sarcoma. This cancer is medically treatable only with surgery. There are no other medical treatments recommended. . .I ordered it and for the first 50 days I used it every day and thereafter, even continuing now, I use it almost every other day. I am very happy to report that my cancer is under control with the doctor allowing me to use the word “REMISSION”!

Read the full text of Neil’s letter to us by clicking here.

References
1 van der Zee J. Heating the patient: A promising approach? Annals of Oncology 2002; 13:1173-1184.
2 Wilson, L. Saunas and Cancer, Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, June 2004
3 Tatsuo I, Ishibashi, J. et al Non-Thermal Effects of Far-Infrared Ray (FIR) on Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells HepG2 and their Tumors, J Cancer Sci Ther Volume 1(2) : 078-082 (2009) – 078 (http://www.omicsonline.org/ArchiveJCST/2009/December/01/JCST1.78.pdf)
4 Udagawa Y, Nagasawa H, Kiyokawa S, Inhibition by Whole-Body Hyperthermia (WBH) with Far-infrared rays of the Growth of Spontaneous Mammary Tumours in mice. Anticancer Res. 1999 Sep-Oct;19(5B):4125-30