My sisters have been asking me about the benefits of the sauna ever since I made them sit in it with me after our polar bear plunge! Saunas have a long tradition, starting in Finland, where bathers expose themselves to temperatures from 175 to over 210 degrees F for the purpose of relaxation and pleasure. Studies have now been able to show the following health benefits linked to saunas (of course, if practiced safely):

• Improved cardiovascular health.  Traditional and infrared saunas warm up the core temperature of the body. As the temperature of blood vessels near the skin increase, they dilate, which increases circulation.​ Regular sauna usage has been shown to reduce the risk of fatal cardiac incidents, stroke, and hypertension, as well as vascular diseases such as high blood pressure. Improved cardiovascular function leads to improved reduced arterial stiffness, modulation of the autonomic nervous system, and beneficial changes in circulating lipid profiles.
• Recovery for sore muscles and joints. Increased circulation speeds the body’s natural healing process in muscles as well as improving conditions such as arthritis, 
• Detoxification. Sweating can help reduce levels of lead, copper, zinc, nickel, mercury and chemicals - which are all toxins commonly absorbed in our daily environments. As you know, your body sweats a lot in the heat of the sauna!
• Improves brain and memory health. Dr. Jari Laukkanen and his colleagues revealed regular sauna use (4-7 times per week) at 176 degrees F for 19 minutes lowered the risk for both Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
• Better health. In the heat of a sauna, the body produces white blood cells more rapidly, which in turn helps to fight illnesses and kill viruses. In addition, saunas can relieve the uncomfortable symptoms of sinus congestion from colds or allergies, headache, and flu.
• Improved sleep. Sauna bathers may enjoy more relaxed sleep or REM sleep. With the production of hormones such as endorphins earlier in the day, levels drop in evening, which facilitate sleep. 
• Skin health and antiaging benefits. Heat bathing is one of the oldest skin cleaners with the production of sweat glands and replacement of dead skin cells. This keeps your skin in good working condition while keeping bacteria out of the epidermal layer and sweat ducts.
• Increased metabolism and weight loss. The sweating process requires a notable amount of energy. That energy is derived from the conversion of fat and carbohydrates in a bodily process that burns up calories. According to U.S. Army medical research (Ward Dean, M.D.), “A moderately conditioned person can easily sweat off 500 grams in a sauna in a single session, consuming nearly 300 calories in the process.” The body consumes said calories due to the acceleration of heart activity. As heart activity increases and as these processes demand more oxygen, the body begins to convert more calories into usable energy.
• Reduced stress and physically makes you feel better. High-heat provided by a sauna, the body releases endorphins which can minimize pain and is often associated with a “runner’s high.” Increase the quality of your life! The physiological benefits of the heat calms and stills you, helping you feel better overall.
  
  

Getting into the sauna for 20 minutes once or twice a week can make a difference in your health and wellness. It can make a big difference in your attitude as well! Make sure to drink 16-24 oz of water afterwards. If you don't have one at your local gym, I also do a drop in at a larger chain gym, spa, or friend's house, or even nice neighbors!

References:
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30275-1/fulltext
https://www.finnleo.com/pages/health-and-wellness
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health

You can get serious results from the humble leg raise. With so many ways to do them, you can work different muscles and sculpt some strong and beautiful legs.

In this video, I demonstrate over 10 variations on leg raises. You can do this with me in real-time. It only takes 16 minutes, but that will be enough for one day! Take your favorites with you. You don't need any equipment, or even a lot of room. 

Join me in raising a leg - and then a glass - to your health! ;)

I recently went to the Bahamas to visit some friends my husband has known since college. They have been there for the past 2 years, living on their 45-foot, 4-bedroom catamaran. Before that, they were living out of a van in Latin America for over a year. After this trip, my second time visiting them, I came back a better human. Their life seems simple and complex at the same time. Simple because they have few possessions and live away from most of the commercialism, work schedules, and the "do! do! do!" American culture. Complex because they have to know how to sail and protect themselves from the storms, winds, and hurricanes that determine the flow of their lives.
​
I was surrounded by the beauty of nature from sunrise to sunset. I was shocked at how clear the full moon and canopy of stars were. I also have a healthy respect for the huge 5ft sting rays I saw from our hike and the sharks - a bit too close for comfort - cruising by in the beautiful clear blue water. It definitely inspired me to simplify my life here at home. Our friends compost as much as possible, hold on to their recycling until they get to port, and make their own water from the sea with their desalinator. Their electricity comes from the solar panels on their boat and they sail whenever possible to use less gas. They make many of their meals from scratch since provisions can be limited. We made homemade tortillas 2 nights in a row and didn't even go to any restaurants.

On this years' trip, I started paying attention to what materials come with the food and products I buy. Even the little tea bags I thought were 100% compostable were really only 90% compostable (meaning the other 10% was made from nylon and plastic). I was heart broken to see the beauty disrupted by all the garbage, plastic, and other abandoned items washed up on the shores of the smaller islands we visited along the way. It takes strength to acknowledge how we contribute to all of it. It gave me hope every time I picked up a piece of plastic, knowing that it would have otherwise disrupted the wildlife. Even small gestures like these add up, and I took what I learned home, knowing it will ripple forward to make a greater impact.  

Burnout is a constant feeling of exhaustion caused by overwhelm. Sound familiar?

If you are anything like me, you like staying busy. You work hard, play hard, exercise, take care of your kids, cook, do chores, and maybe even squeeze in some social time or volunteer work. No wonder you feel overwhelmed. On top of all that, your phone is probably pinging all the time, commanding your attention, and you may find yourself scrolling through social media, comparing your hectic life to the scenes of sunset drinks, walks on the beach, and other leisure activities you just don't have time for.

It's a recipe for FOMO, followed by disaster. Constant burnout can harm your mental, emotional, and physical health. You may feel irritable, depressed, or hopeless.  You may lose interest in things that you normally enjoy. You may feel cynical, frustrated, or even numb. Your performance at work may start to suffer. You don't feel like doing routine things such as laundry or cleaning, and as those things pile up, your feeling of overwhelm grows. You may feel incapable of keeping up with life's demands. 

This continues to build until you finally get sick or get hurt. If you don't take care of yourself and give yourself the time to rest and fill yourself up, you will eventually be forced to slow down by illness or injury.

Let that sink in- one way or another, you will eventually stop and regroup. You cannot go on and on in a state of burnout. You can choose to stop, or life will stop you.

Now, the question is- do you want to go do something fun, something that makes your heart happy, something that you enjoy? Or do you want to push yourself to the limit and then recover in bed, miserable?

Love and Light Healing is partnering with Fuerte Fitness to bring you the Rejuvenation Retreat. Take a few days to relax, reset, focus on your health and well-being, connect with wonderful people, and treat yourself to a time out.

Give yourself the gift of time and self-care. Join us at the Rejuvenation Retreat in Poulsbo in April.