09/08/2022
Exercise is so important, for mental health, cardio, circulation and for DETOXING. Find a form of exercise that makes you sweat daily!
This study also showed that toxic heavy metals were detected in sweat and exceeded all other elimination routes (f***s and urine) with markedly higher levels of aluminum (3.75x), cadmium (25x), cobalt (7x), and lead (17x). This means that sweating is an effective means to clear out heavy metals from your body.
Anything that causes you to sweat is beneficial. For many people, endurance exercise is best because we tend to sweat more than resistance exercise, which serves its own benefits like building lean muscle mass and strengthening our bones. If cardio isn’t your thing, there are other ways to perspire, like saunas, hot baths, playing sports, or other activities that help to elevate your body temperature.
One of my favorite ways to sweat is the sauna. If you don’t have access to a sauna, check out your local gym, fitness club, wellness center, or YMCA. Many offer infrared, steam, or dry saunas with their membership (plus you get access to a gym, which makes it easier to throw in an exercise session too!).
If you’re new to the sauna, make sure you’re not staying in there too long. It’s best to start low and work your way up to get used to the heat. Beginners should check with their doctor before starting sauna use and should limit use to 5-10 minutes to begin with.
For more experienced sauna-goers, I recommend a maximum of 20 minutes with cooling breaks in between. You’ll find that you sweat more and faster in the sauna than traditional means of working out, so make sure to drink plenty of water with electrolytes.
There are other benefits of sauna use too. It's been shown to help lower inflammation, increase neuroplasticity, and improve cardiovascular and mental health.
Study: Genuis, S.J., Birkholz, D., Rodushkin, I. et al. Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) Study: Monitoring and Elimination of Bioaccumulated Toxic Elements. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 61, 344–357 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-010-9611-5
