Top Five Benefits of Having a Sauna Bath

Benefits of Sauna Bath

Sauna is commonly used for relaxation or a recreational activity during winter. Ever since then many health benefits of sauna bathing emerged. It uses the concept of gentle and persistent heat to promote overall wellbeing. People use sauna for different reasons, and most probably those reasons are for a good cause. Learn the different benefits of sauna and have more reasons why you should have a sauna bath.

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Why you should have a sauna bath once in a while

1. Relieves stress

Stressors in life harm both mental and physical health resulting to anxiety, depression, or disease. This is why most people use sauna as a relaxation technique to relieve stress. It is the most common and immediate benefit of using sauna. The quiet and warm space clears the mind from any distraction and gives you more time to focus on yourself. It promotes mental health effectively that it even promotes quality of sleep.

2. Detoxification

Detoxification is one of the benefits of sauna because it produces sweat by opening the pores and promoting vasodilation. Sweating is a natural process where the body releases heat and accumulated toxins. You actually sweat out what you don’t need like fat and harmful chemicals.

3. Relaxes the muscles

This is one popular reason why people use sauna after a workout. Heat promotes vasodilation and blood circulation. As the body temperature increase, blood circulation gets even better. More oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the muscles causing relaxation. Heat also stimulates the release of endorphins which produces a natural tranquilizing effect to the muscles.

4. Relieves almost all body pain

Heat is a natural remedy to diffuse any kind of pain because of vasodilation. When blood vessels are dilated the body becomes less sensitive to painful stimuli. Heat also enhances the healing process of the body. This is the reason why health professionals recommend hot compress for wounds.

5. Promotes weight loss

Weight loss is another benefit of sauna. The persistent heat generated from sauna increases the body’s core temperature. The principle of metabolism is based on thermogenesis. Increased body temperature also increases metabolic processes in the body.

Some would not believe that sauna promotes weight loss, but they cannot explain why the heart rate increases. Perspiration and increased heart rate are actually signs of increased metabolic processes. The effect of sauna is like a mild exercise where you burn 350-500 calories in one session.

Tips to maximize the benefits of your sauna bath:

• During a sauna bath, brush the skin on your belly, thigh, and arms using upward strokes. This stimulates the pores to open more and further improves blood circulation.
• Drink plenty of water before and after your sauna bath. Also, don’t go into the sauna after a heavy meal.
• The best time for sauna is late in the evening. It is also better to use sauna after exercise or playing sports.
• Clothes decrease the effectiveness of the sauna bath, so don’t hesitate to go with less – it’s more effective.
• Shower after 10-15 minutes or as necessary to help you cool down. Have a cool shower after to close your pores. Don’t use soap initially because it may clog the pores.
• Rest after your sauna session and let your body adjust with the change in temperature.

Safety Precautions:

There are benefits of a sauna bath but there are also precautions needed. Spend less time in the sauna if you have a medical condition. People with hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic health problems are allowed to use the sauna for a maximum of 15 minutes only. It is safe to use sauna for 15-20 minutes but don’t go more than 30 minutes because it will make you lose more water and electrolytes. People are also advised to avoid drinking alcohol before entering the sauna. Most sauna adverse events are associated with alcohol consumption.

Starbucks Features Their 2016 Planner

Starbucks Presents the Moleskine 2016 Planner

Photo by Keven Calugan

Every year Starbucks company produces a lovely and creative planner for the upcoming year. This November, Starbucks started to launch their limited edition Starbucks 2016 planners. The planner is a free gift for customers who are able to purchase 18 beverages from their cafe. As previous customers would know, 18 stickers in exchange for one planner. 

Lots of customers love the Starbucks planner because of its creative design that is not like any other in the market - thanks to their marketing staff who try to be innovative and creative every year. Plus, there's a lot of fun freebies included in the planner.

Basically, there are two kinds of customers who go to Starbucks. First type of customers are those who go to the coffee shop to socialize, hang out, relax, and be entertained. The other type of customers are those who just want to have a cup of joe or simply because they love the drinks. But this Christmas season, there's another type of customer who would go to Starbucks just to avail of the limited edition planner. It's a brilliant marketing strategy to keep their clients coming back for more.

What's new in the Starbucks 2016 planner:

Every year, Starbucks tries to be creative and fun when it comes to the design of their planner. Here are the modifications for the Starbucks 2016 planner.

• The Mini Planner Edition. As you can see in the photo above, the new planner comes with a mini version to suite the varying lifestyles of their customers. It is handy and ideal for people who love to carry light. Typically it has the same design and print as the original one. Sad to say that the customers still need to purchase 18 beverages to avail of the mini planner, same with the original version.
• Lighter and Thinner. The new planner is thinner and lighter compared with the previous ones with the thick covering. This time the cover of the Starbucks 2016 planner is made with a simple and humble touch. Because of this, the planner is now more convenient to bring anywhere you go! I guess they took suggestions from the old planners they launched.
• New Print Style. Of course, the print style changes every year. The inside of the planner looks like a notebook with more space to write on. Not to worry, it still comes with lots of fun freebies. 

Those are the new things you could find in the Starbucks 2016 planner. Thank you for reading through the article. Have a happy holidays!

How to Choose Between Sunscreen versus Sunblock

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Sunblock

Summer is not yet over, recent weather forecast show that the summer heat is still on. Aside from beating the high temperature and staying hydrated, it is also important to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun especially when you're going out or planning for a summer vacation.

Those who will be staying under the sun for longer periods will need a stronger sun protection cream like sunblock or sunscreen. Both can shield you from UV rays but they work in different ways. Read through the article to know the difference of sunblock from sunscreen and other important factors to keep your skin healthy.

Image Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Types of ultraviolet radiation

UVA and UVB are the two types of ultraviolet radiation that can harm the skin. With prolonged exposure, these ultraviolet radiation promotes premature skin ageing and increases one's risk of having skin cancer.

UVA penetrates deep into the skin and is responsible for wrinkling and skin sagging. It causes premature skin ageing and supports the effect of UVB towards cancer formation. UVB on the other hand is more intense on the superficial layer of the skin. This is the one which causes redness or sunburn.

2. The right sun protection

Sunscreens are usually interchanged with sunblock but they are different terms. Sunscreen absorbs UV rays and diffuses it to the skin. It contains chemical ingredients that creates a thin film on the skin to reduce the harmful effect of UVB rays. Others say that it converts the UV rays into less damaging radiation.

Sunblock works by making a physical barrier rather than a chemical one mentioned previously. Sunblock creates a thick film which acts as a barrier which can actively block both UVA and UVB rays. They offer a higher degree of sun protection compared to sunscreens. According to the American Melanoma Foundation, sunblock is a better option because of its broader action.

• If the product label do not include the type of sun protection, you can look at the ingredients to distinguish sunblock from sunscreens. Sunblock contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide while sunscreens do not.  
• Creams, lotions, and sprays are equally effective so you don't have to worry about those.
• If you're going to stay under the sun for longer duration, sunblock is a better option. Sunblock is also best for those who have sensitive skin since it physically blocks the entry of ultraviolet radiation.

3. Application & exposure time

Sunblock are immediately effective right after application because of the physical barrier made by the ingredients. If you opt for sunscreens, you need to wait for at least 20 minutes before it could take effect. That's why it is usually advised to apply sunscreen in the morning or before going outdoors.

Water resistant sunscreens lose effectiveness after 40 minutes of exposure, while waterproof sunblock start to lose effectiveness after 80 minutes of exposure. Reapply often especially after swimming or heavy perspiration. Also, be sure follow the product's directions for reapplication.

4. SPF - Sun Protection Factor

The sun protection factor (SPF) denotes the product's ability to block UV rays.  Most Dermatologists recommend an SPF of at least 30 to ensure adequate sun protection. Choosing a product with an SPF of 30-50 is ideal since an SPF of more than 50 is actually no longer beneficial. Keep in mind that the SPF do not equate with the protection time, for example:

• SPF 15: 94% protection
• SPF 30: 97% protection
• SPF 45: 98% protection

Reference:

• AMF. Facts About Sunscreen. American Melanoma Foundation. Retrieved 26 May 2015 from http://www.melanomafoundation.org/prevention/facts.htm 
• No Author. Sunscreens Explained. Skin Cancer Foundation. Retrieved 26 May 2015 from http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained.