Hawthorn Healing SpA

INFRARED SAUNA

IR saunas, like traditional saunas, are designed to enhance sweating and detoxification. Who doesn’t feel stronger after a good sweat (and maybe a shower)? There is no denying that healthy sweating practices are important for detoxification of both our bodies and our minds. Sweating is the primary means that our largest organ (the skin) remove toxins and waste.

In addition to making you sweat, Infrared light works at the cellular and tissue level. Infrared light is one of the sun’s natural but invisible lights. The IR light, gently vibrates the high water content in human cells, enhancing their metabolism and processing of toxins and gases. In doing so, they can be beneficial for a myriad of specific conditions, as well as a wellness and happiness tool.

Studies have shown that IR saunas can enhance detoxification and aid in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and autoimmune conditions. Clinically, these treatments are often used to support weight loss, detoxification, address chronic lyme disease, arthritis, autoimmune conditions, anxiety, depression, skin conditions, pain, high blood pressure, improve wound healing and general healthy aging.

It is also a way to practice mindfulness and ease cyclic thoughts and worrying. Increasing the body temperature brings our attention out of our busy heads and into our beautifully working bodies. We become suddenly aware of which body parts feel hot, where sweat is dripping to and from, our heart beat, growing hunger in the belly, our pulse and our health; instead of the impossible to complete to-do lists and other worries that far to often occupy our headspace.

IR Sauna is a wonderful tool to add to any self-care routine. Self care and self love takes conscious effort to prioritize in this day and age but the good news is, it is a practice that then feeds itself. Once you do one good thing for yourself (especially if it is how you start your day) you will feel proud, empowered and motivated to keep making good choices for yourself all day long. IR saunas are a nice way to start your morning, warm up for a workout, enhance sweating after a yoga class, provide space and time for mediation, wind down your day etc.

CONSTITUTIONAL HYDROTHERAPY

Hydrotherapy is at the core of classical naturopathic medicine. This therapy takes advantage of natural reflexes and reactions that the body will have in response to varying temperatures of water. Specifically using the contrast of hot and cold to stimulate blood flow. First, heat is used to draw the blood to the surface, then a drastic transition to cold drives the blood deeper to the organs and other tissues. As time passes the body reacts to this cold application by returning blood volume towards the surface again to warm the cold towel. This stimulation of blood and lymph flow increases nutrition and oxygenation to the cells and encourages detoxification on a cellular level.

Constitutionals and other forms of medical Hydrotherapy treatments date back to the early 20th century, but have roots in techniques that have been used for millennia. The purpose of this treatment is to remake the blood as the foundation of health, so that you can overcome chronic or acute illness. It has been used classically to reduce overall inflammation, improve organ function and balance the immune system.

During a constitutional hydrotherapy treatment alternating hot and cold towels are applied directly to indicated locations on your torso and back for specific lengths of time. In addition to these towels, gentle e-stim (electrical stimulation) is used to increase the effect of the therapy. A typical treatment takes between 45 and 60 minutes. Temperature, blood pressure and urinalysis are also monitored at set times through the series of treatments.

Constitutional Hydrotherapy is used to retrain the body on many levels and like any other true health regimen, needs to be repeated for maximum benefit and efficacy. Series consist of 4 or 8 treatments, preferably twice a week. After the completion of a series, a break week is typical to reevaluate health status and your individualized goals. Throughout the process, we will continue to track of a few biomarkers to measure progress. Bloodwork and other labs may be ordered before and after a series depending on the individual.

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the Envelope Wet Sheet Pack!

All the nature cure, traditional Hydrotherapy treatments have the potential to create dynamic changes within the body, balance energy, target inflammation, move circulation and improve the immune system. Envelope Wet Sheet packs specifically target mental health to support the treatment of anxiety, depression, insomnia, hyperactivity, focus issues, and panic attacks.

During this treatment, the patient rests in a therapeutic body wrap of a cool thin wet sheet quickly enveloped in a warm blanket. The treatment aims to reset the stress response and use physical hydrotherapy to train the whole system to adapt to stress, balance neurotransmitters, and tamper emotional highs and lows. It targets the balance between the sympathetic (running from the bear) and the parasympathetic system (rest and digest). It changes due to the variety of physiological adaptations that occur in response to the “threat” of the cool wet sheet. Additionally, the steady gentle wrapping pressure has a calming effect, like a baby being swaddled or a weighted blanket. Based on the patient’s response, vitality, symptom picture and unique presentation, the treatments will be 1-3 hours each and should be repeated weekly for 2-6 months.

PREPARATION BEFORE YOUR HYDROTHERAPY HEALING SPA TREATMENT:

Drink extra water throughout the day and the following day of your treatments. It is a good idea to replenish electrolytes as well.
Proper Clothing:
1. SAUNA: although we provide bath towels, based on your own comfortability level, we recommend bringing a thick beach towel to sit on, thin cotton shorts or cotton shirt or a bathing suit to wear during your treatment.
2. CONSTITUTIONAL HYDROTHERAPY: For maximum benefits, the towels should be applied directly to the skin. Based on your comfortability level, we recommend a bathing suit or thin cotton shorts/shirt. Although the wet towels will primarily be on the torso, pants etc will likely get wet if worn during a treatment.
Use a health journal to track how you feel throughout your treatments to best communicate with your doctor at your follow up visits.