My nutritionist recommended saunas to me. I twice tried using the sauna at my local leisure centre, but this left me wiped out for the rest of the day.
This could have been due to one or a combination of:
- driving to the centre,
- walking through the sports centre,
- showering and getting changed,
- the effects of the sauna.
Whatever the reason, I knew this was not for me.
My nutritionist then mentioned Far Infra-Red Saunas which you can use in your own home. I tried to hire one, but unfortunately couldn’t, and the buy new price seemed very expensive for something I was unsure would work.
Fast forward a few months and I came across an advert for one for sale second hand. This was by another ME patient who had tried it and not been able to tolerate it – not a great advert! Still, my nutritionist has given me good advice in the past, so I decided to part with some cash and try it.
I got the Sauna in June 2013. I started using it for 5 minutes a day with no ill effects, but also no noticeable benefits. After a few days I upped my time to 10 minutes. This left me feeling woozy, so I went back to 5 minutes per day. After a week or so we had a heat wave and I decided I would much rather lie in the sun instead of in a warm bag, so the Sauna was abandoned.
We had a great summer, and I caught a lot of rays. I felt better at the end of the summer than at the beginning. The sun emits far infra red rays, so I was probably giving myself a gentle sauna every time I lay in the sun.
In September 2013 I started using the Sauna again. I started with 5 minutes again, but this time I have been able to gradually build up to 25 minutes in the sauna with no ill effects afterwards. I felt a definite improvement in my physical stamina during this period, so I really think the Sauna is helping.
My Sauna is from a company called Get Fitt. It’s looks like a sleeping bag. I simply lie the bag on top of my bed to use it, and store it under my bed when I’m not using it.
The sauna is apparently good at helping our bodies to detoxify according to the Get Fitt Website
Far Infrared Thermal Therapy is unique in that it can stimulate the elimination of toxins through the major organs such as the liver and kidneys without the need to sweat. It is common to find that in many people the toxic load is so great that the skin does not function properly and the sweating mechanism does not work. You will be amazed at just how common this is.
Toxicity often impairs the functioning of the body’s systems.The early stages of our Far Infrared programme involve restoring healthy function of the body’s systems and organs as well as detoxifying.
When I first started using the sauna I did not sweat, then I went through a couple of weeks of sweating lots, despite not raising the temperature settings. Recently I had a dip due to over doing my activity. I noticed all the usual symptoms: disturbed sleep, digestive discomfort, increased fatigue; but I also noticed that I did not sweat in my sauna. Now I have recovered from my dip and I am sweating again.
I presume that during my dip my organs were not functioning as well as usual and this included the sweating mechanism of my skin.
Based on my sauna experience I suggest if you have ME you could
- try a sauna at a local leisure centre if you are physically capable – some people can tolerate these.
- Lie in the sun whenever possible – although obviously take the usual precautions to avoid burning e.g. sunscreen, limit your time, avoid the mid-day hottest period.
- If you can’t do either of the above, consider investing in a Far Infra Red Sauna, if your finances allow.
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