The skin acts as your body’s border exchange for toxic substances. When you contact things your body absorbs substances through your skin. Often what we grab, hold or touch can be toxic to our bodies. Metals are easily absorbed into the body when we touch cans and other metallic surfaces.
Obviously, as we emerge from the throes of a pandemic, we all have a heightened awareness that washing of the skin can prevent the intrusion of unwanted germs and other toxic agents. But as we are bombarded daily by the environmental pollutants, some do inevitably cross the skin border. There needs to be a conscious effort to rid the body of them through detoxification and send them back across the skin border.
Sweating helps. When we sweat, toxic substances are released through our skin back to the environment as a supplemental detox pathway.
Consider these excerpts from my book, HOT EXERCISE:
The skin accounts for approximately 7 percent of body weight and acts as a border exchange between elements outside and within the body. If manipulated properly, the workout environment can greatly enhance the body’s ability to enable the exit of toxic substances through the skin using sweat as the transportation medium. Toxins and toxicants that exit through the skin are more easily controlled than that of the internal organs. Twisting postures that accelerate circulation combined with deep penetrating infrared energy and heat can greatly enhance this process during workouts.
What is more, far-infrared sweating is superior to traditional sauna sweating because FIR saunas generate more sweat at lower temperatures (for HOTWORX®, the ideal workout temperature is 125°F). In contrast, conventional saunas require 180°F to more than 200°F to get similar sweating volume results. It is worth mentioning again that sweat from an infrared sauna has been proven to contain five to seven times more toxic waste than that of a traditional sauna. (1)
Did you know that when you supplement your internal detoxification process with sweating from exercise and sauna usage, you can take stress off of your internal organs as well as rid your body of additional amounts of toxic waste? Also, note that exposure to an infrared sauna accelerates vital organ metabolism including the kidneys and large intestines for increased elimination of toxic substances.
The primary method of detox is through the liver and kidneys but leftover waste particles are stored in fat, and sweating through the skin is the secondary system used by the body to rid itself of these toxins and toxicants.
Why is detox so important?
Toxicity buildup causes: increased free radical damage, calcium displacement reducing bone strength, damage to all internal organs inhibiting natural detoxification process, DNA damage, erratic gene expression, cell membrane damage inhibiting signaling, and hormone imbalance. (2)
Through his website, morrisonhealth.com, Jeffrey Morrison, MD, informs us that “Every time we sweat, our skin functions as one of the most effective ways to eliminate almost any toxins, even heavy metals and chemicals. When done correctly, saunas are a very safe and effective way to enhance the sweating process.” (3)
When you sweat the waste remains on the surface of your skin. Be sure to wipe the sweat from your skin during and after your infrared sauna workout session to keep the toxic substances from re-entering. Hint…carry a good rally towel with you during workouts.
Common sense lets us know that sweating is good for us. So, SWEAT IT OUT and pay attention to your detox border exchange!
