Can Heat Kill Viruses? Separating Truth from Fiction.
There’s a popular video going around that is instructing people to use a sauna for 20 minutes up to 5 times a day or breathe in heated air from a hair dryer for 5 minutes several times a day to kill viruses. The idea is, since the virus is actually quite fragile, that it will prevent it from taking hold in the lungs, and/or will help to heal someone faster if already sick. But, is this information accurate?
Please be aware: as is the case with any crisis, there are those who use the opportunity to prey on the uninformed or desperate. They use fear and alarm to further satisfy their greed by offering easy solutions to complex problems. Part of my calling is to sift through the lies and half-truths and do my best to present you with real and viable information.
HEAT
So, let’s talk about heat. It must first be understood that just about any bacteria or virus is vulnerable to heat and will die when exposed long enough to high enough heat – in vitro. In vitro means, in isolation, outside the body, as in a petri dish, test tube, or simply unattached to a living host (such as ourselves).
In real life however, viruses don’t simply hang around in a dish or float around in the air doing nothing. They are looking for a host to activate when entering via the different avenues of the body. In the case of most viruses, it’s typically the face: eyes, ears, nose and/or mouth where it can enter the sinuses or lung passages and attach to the mucus linings. From there, it’s absorbed into the cells, lymphatic fluids and blood where it can not only affect the lungs, but also other organs of the body.
This is not to say that the recommendations in the video are not valid. On the contrary, they can be of a significant help depending on several factors. But, they certainly cannot be considered a 100% full proof cure or prevention.
AS A TREATMENT
It has long been demonstrated that heat is very beneficial when it comes to combating many illnesses and viruses. Studies have shown that raising the body’s internal temperature naturally (via fever) and/or artificially (using a method such as hot baths or saunas) can be very effective in creating an environment where viruses may not be able to replicate or even survive.
One of the very best and highly recommended methods to increase the body’s temperature in order to combat many illnesses is through the use of an infrared sauna specifically a far-infrared sauna. Far infrared is a region in the infrared spectrum of electromagnetic waves that appears to be most effective in penetrating deep into tissues and boosting immunity by increasing white blood cells and killer t-cells in addition to many other benefits (see below).
Now, before you run out and buy a sauna, you must understand there are major differences among them as well as some important precautions to be aware of. I spent weeks researching saunas initially to find the very best since many are made of inferior woods that comes from foreign countries, and can release toxic chemicals as they heat up.
After weeks of research, I settled on what I thought and still believe is the very best – TheraSauna by QCA Spas for the following reasons:
1. They use Non-Toxic Aspen Wood
Safety is a huge concern for them. They make sure their saunas are made of the safest components to enhance the benefits of infrared, rather than hinder them. They are hand-crafted in the USA paying attention to the detail that cannot be achieved by cookie-cutter production.
Infrared energy heats objects directly and penetrates up to 2 inches below the surface. This means the infrared heat also penetrates the sauna wood in addition to your skin, so the wood that a sauna is made of is very important.
Cedar and redwood contain a natural insecticide within these wood called terpenes. When a sauna made of cedar or redwood is turned on, these naturally occurring oils within the wood become heated and gas off a substance called cedrine. Cedrine attacks the central nervous system of insects and kills them. In some cases, it can also cause vomiting and convulsions in humans.
TheraSauna® is made of aspen hardwood, which is a clear wood grown at elevations where the trees do not produce an insecticide. Other saunas have thinner wood and are much less durable, where Therasauna® uses only the thickest and most durable wood, 2-3 times thicker than their competitors.
2. They are a Leading Innovator In Far-Infrared Therapy
TheraSauna® was pioneered by QCA Spas, which has been recognized as one of the oldest spa companies in America. QCA Spas has been an innovator of patented spa therapy to relieve pain and stiffness and promote healthier lifestyles. In 1995, TheraSauna® received its first patent for the Stable Heat™ System. Today, TheraSauna® holds several patents and patents-pending on their MPS Infrared Control System™. TheraSauna® has been tested and approved by ETL in the US and Canada. They also have applied for registration with the FDA under Infrared Health devices.
All their saunas are handcrafted in the USA (Iowa), and are the only U.S. manufacturer that does not import their saunas from international suppliers.
3. They Use the Latest Cutting Edge Technology in their Saunas such as the NEW MPS Touchview 3.0 Control
The Patented MPS Touchview™ 3.0 Control is the latest in sauna technology! The innovative Android touchscreen control allows customization of sauna sessions. The touchscreen is used to adjust the temperature, time, MPS levels, preheat the sauna, and even save presets.
4. TheraSauna® uses Superior Ceramic TheraMitters™
The proprietary, high-glass content, solid-ceramic TheraMitters™ are very different from the traditional ceramic heaters in the industry. A TheraMitter™ is a unique, patented heating unit that is made of solid ceramic, and is distinct from tubular ceramic heaters that consist of wire and metal thinly coated with ceramic. TheraSauna® is the only major manufacturer in the United States offering true solid ceramic TheraMitters™, with no metal rods. They have the only high-glass content, solid ceramic TheraMitter™ in the industry with a 96% efficiency and a life-time warranty. Carbon fiber heaters, by contrast, are only 55% efficient and made of plastic sheets with microscopic fibers held together with resins and epoxy glues. Carbon fiber heaters also diminish in efficiency over time, while TheraMitters™ remain at ceramic’s emissivity level of .96 on a black body scale scale of 0-1. Read more about the TheraSauna® Ceramic TheraMitters™
5. TheraSauna® consistently achieves infrared output with the help of its patented Stable Heat System™ which allows the sauna to continuously produce infrared during the entire sauna session.
TheraSaunas® farinfrared is produced during the entire sauna session. When the sauna reaches temperature, the patented MPS Therasauna® Touchview™ 3.0 idles the TheraMitters™ down to surface temperature of under 230°F and will increase the temperature when necessary, keeping a steady temperature and micron range.
The far-infrared produced is still consistently reaching the optimal 9.4 micron range for human absorption due to the unique physical design of solid ceramic TheraMitters™, penetrating up to 2” below the skin. This creates an environment where the user receives more infrared in 20 minutes than they would during a 40 minute session in other brand saunas.
Healing & Medical Uses – Far Infrared Has The Power To Heal The Human Body
Far infrared is part of the sun’s invisible light spectrum that is essential to plants, animals and humans. Infrared heat is a form of energy that penetrates the body by warming muscles and tissue directly without heating the intervening air. The body produces infrared energy to keep us warm and repair body tissue. Far infrared energy is radiated through the skin at 3 to 50 microns with the greatest output at 9.4 microns. Occasionally the infrared energy in our body tissue needs a boost to insure healing and tissue repair. The body will selectively absorb infrared to boost a tissue’s infrared energy. This process is called resonant absorption. Far infrared rays are completely safe and are even used in hospitals on newborns!
Far infrared waves between 6 to 14 microns have proven to have special regenerative effects on the body, with an optimum absorption at the 9.4 micron frequency. TheraSauna® emits the greatest amount of infrared in the 9.4 micron range. When any cell or tissue in the body is exposed to these levels of far infrared heat, response mechanisms stimulate the healing process in the body.
Far Infrared Heat Waves have been used in the treatment of many different ailments and shown to be beneficial in numerous ways:
- Cancer
- Chronic Fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- Detoxing chemicals
- Improved cellular function
- Lyme and autoimmune disease
- Bacterial and viral diseases
- Dilating blood vessels and capillaries, providing increased flow of rich oxygenated blood to muscles and joints
- Reducing muscle spasms and promoting healing of injured and sore muscle fibers
- Improving flow within the lymphatic system to reduce swelling and inflammation
- Stimulating cellular and enzyme activity
Numerous toxins are absorbed and stored in our bodies. Toxic gases like sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and substances like lead, mercury, and chlorine are encapsulated by large water molecules. When toxins are present in the body, blood circulation is blocked and cellular energy is impaired. The body’s immune system is inhibited, which makes it difficult for the body to fight disease.
However, when 9.4 microns of far infrared are applied, the large water molecules vibrate and breakdown the ion bond to release the encapsulated gases and toxic materials. Far infrared heat has been used in the treatment of clogged capillary vessels this heat expands the apillaries and skin pores to expel toxins from the body.
As you can see, using a far-infrared sauna, and especially a TheraSauna® is obviously one of the best steps you can take in combating the current health crisis and keeping your health functioning at its optimal level!
If you are interested and would like more information, here is how to contact them:
elammers@qcaspas.com
SPECIAL BONUS! If you call and do decide to purchase, let them you that you were referred by SomaHealth and you will receive a FREE Aspen Accessory kit, a $169.00 value, that includes a backrest, magazine rest, magazine rack, towel hook and cup holder (all made of domestic Aspen)!
Disclaimer: QCA Spas, Inc. is a wellness company committed to helping improve the health and wellbeing of their customers. As always, please consult with a medical professional to determine whether or not far infrared therapy may be right for you and your medical condition.