What is sauna?
The word sauna is an ancient Finnish word etymology is not entirely clear, but could probably be ultimately linked to the meaning of home in winter. To get a feeling of more heat was produced steam by throwing water on heated stones made on the fire to become hot. This device made it possible to raise the temperature enough to allow people to take off your clothes.
In the first saunas were heated stones with a wood fire and smoke (in Finnish Savu) was taken out after being released into the room (the "savusauna" Finnish evokes precisely this practice).
Construction is used as a sauna house as they were still in Finland until the nineteenth century, albeit as exceptions due mainly to poverty or to their temporary use as early as the twelfth century one can find documents that describe the separation of the sauna houses.
From the perspective of the Finnish sauna hydrotherapy is linked to an ancient tradition of natural medicine that has been handed down in the West mainly through the teachings of Galen and Hippocrates of Kos (and later Sebastian Kneipp and Vincent Priessnitz) and has experienced its greatest spread with the steam bath (laconicum) tepidarium frigidarium and the Roman baths and the next turkish hamam (from the "heat"), but also track where you can find in other traditions from mushiboro Japanese, the Russian banja, the hut sweat Eskimo or American Indian, the Mexican temazcal.
Along with therapeutic properties, for many people, including the Sioux Indians, the sweat also represented a function of purification.
What is the Finnish sauna?
It is the sauna or the original itself in which the temperature can reach 80-100 ° C, causing copious perspiration from the skin, while the humidity does not exceed 10-20%, except when you throw water on the rocks . Essential oils are sometimes added to water to effect the balsamic vinegar, for example pine or eucalyptus.
The stoves can be used on wood or electrical.
Typically, the practice of sauna plans to switch to minutes in the sauna bath in cold water or cold showers.
What is the difference between a sauna and turkish bath?
The environment in which takes place on the turkish bath is saturated with water vapor (humidity 100%) is formed inside a mist at room temperature stratified (from 20/25 ° C at the feet of 40/50 ° C to 'height of the head) which, once deposited on the skin, waiting to breathe.
Perspiration, generally less intense than in the Finnish sauna is more than offset by generally longer residence times (so in the end you can lose more liquid).
What are the benefits of the sauna?
It's amply demonstrated that after a sauna, you feel psycho-physical relaxation, decreased anxiety, and feeling of energy.
The sauna detoxifies deep and then makes the skin bright and clear and tissues more elastic. In addition, promotes relaxation and helps you sleep at night.
It also benefits the blood and lymphatic circulation and increases the activity of the skin, tissues and glands.
The sauna is weight loss?
The profuse sweating caused by the sauna, remove about one liter of water and thoroughly cleans the skin, removing impurities and toxic substances. It is clear, however, that the loss of fluids should be replenished after drinking tea and water. The sauna, therefore, not lose weight, but it certainly helps to improve the turnover and metabolism.
Are there any contraindications?
It is good for people suffering from serious hypertension, chronic lung or serious heart and circulation problems avoid the sauna. However, for newbies, you should always seek advice from your doctor before starting treatment with heat baths.
