Those who sweat get more out of life: Regular visits to the sauna are healthy. It ensures clean skin, has a relaxing effect on our muscles and balances the psyche. Above all, visits to the sauna increase the body's own defenses.
Sauna: healthy turbo training for the immune system
The alternation between heat and cold stimuli activates the immune system and also trains the cardiovascular system at the same time.
Sauna makes healthy, because sweat baths increase the ability of the body to regulate its temperature effortlessly at different and also extreme outside temperatures.
That's why we not only cope well with sub-zero temperatures in the cold season, but also cope far better even with great heat in the summer if we regularly visit the sauna. There is no better training for the immune system! But be careful: If you are already sneezing and sniffling, it is better to wait until you are fit again before going to the sauna, otherwise your symptoms could get worse instead of better.
The infamous jump into cold water at the end of the sauna session is the most effective way of toughening up. Nevertheless, it is not necessarily necessary, explains Dr. Antje Materna, specialist for physical medicine in Hamburg: "A jump into the cold water pool is anyway only advisable if one has an absolutely healthy heart and a stable cycle. If you don't dare, you can also get the desired effect with cold showers, washes or a lukewarm to cool shower!"
Sauna: advantages for figure and health
By the way, saunas do not help you lose weight, even though this is often claimed. If you lose weight, it is only due to sweating out body fluids, which are quickly replaced by drinking.
The Hamburg physician explains the reason why the sauna is healthy: "At a temperature of 85 to 100 degrees and high humidity, the body can not help but sweat. Here's what happens: The blood becomes thicker, which the body tries to compensate for by releasing water from the body ties into the blood. In this way, acids also get in and are partially sweated out."
Sauna: Eat and drink right
In order to achieve the optimal deacidification effect, one should drink in principle only after the Saunagang, guesses the physician: If one drinks in the Sauna, neither the blood thickening nor the acid dismantling functions over the kidneys."The EAT SMARTER slimming and power drinks are especially good after the sauna and as additional support for the wellness effect, in addition to water. By the way: A full belly does not like to sauna. Strains the circulation too much. Eat before the Sauna rather moderately and particularly easily. Great for sauna-goers are, for example, the recipes from the EAT SMARTER section "Under 100 calories".
Sauna: The best tips for beginners
Take it slow and gradually get your body used to the alternating heat and cold stimuli from the sauna. Newcomers are best off starting with three sauna sessions of no more than five minutes each; as they get used to it, the time can then be increased. Take at first only the lowest sauna bench, because the further up one sits or lies, the hotter it becomes. Important: Those who are acutely or chronically ill better ask their doctor first if sauna is healthy for them!