Sauna - this is a Finnish bath, which today is gaining increasing popularity. It is declared a national symbol of Finland for a reason: besides this is a very useful procedure, a sauna for Finns is a special place where a person can cleanse the body. Previously, due to lack of conditions, the sauna was the only place where practically sterile conditions were maintained due to the high temperature, and from here, apparently, the high esteem of the sauna takes its roots.
Of course, for a long time nothing has changed, and today the sauna remains no less useful than several hundred years ago.
Features of the Finnish bath
The Finnish sauna maintains a sufficiently high temperature - at least 70 ° C. It can be located both in the apartment and in the house - for the Finns this is not only the norm, but also a necessity. The principle of the Finnish sauna is simple: the fire in the hearth warms the stones, and they, in turn, store heat. In the smoke type of the sauna, smoke comes out through the cracks - this is the so-called "black sauna", but the bath "in white" necessarily has a special chimney.
When the bath is warmed up, people sit down on the shelf in the steam room and pour water on the stove to steam. After sweating, people wash and finish the procedure.
This principle of the Finnish sauna says that the health of the body is possible without the use of modern chemicals: just a few glowing stones and water to create steam. The procedure is absolutely natural, and considering the prescription of its history, one can say without a doubt that this is not just a tribute to tradition or empty entertainment, but an effective way to bring your body in order.
The difference between the Finnish bath and the Russian
There are several important differences between a Finnish sauna and a Russian bath :
- In the sauna, steam is dry, and in a Russian bath - wet.
- The temperature in the sauna is much higher than in the Russian bath.
- A broom in a sauna is rarely used, but in a Russian bath - always.
The main contraindications to using the Finnish sauna are:
- increased body temperature;
- acute infections;
- atherosclerosis;
- tuberculosis;
- malignant formations;
- hyperthyroidism;
- glaucoma;
- psychosis, psychopathy;
- propensity to thrombosis or bleeding.
Benefits and harms from the Finnish sauna
The question of how useful the Finnish sauna is, is ambiguous, because the entire body heals. Experiencing any stress, our body learns to find a way out of a difficult situation, and the more such stresses the body overcomes, the stronger it becomes.
The benefits of the Finnish sauna extend to the vessels: under the influence of high temperature they expand, and this also becomes a kind of training and a breakdown on the ability to adapt. But considering that the vessels are very fragile, and some people have elevated cholesterol , then one should not try fate: with a tendency to increased pressure, without preliminary examination and the doctor's approval, it is not recommended to conduct such a procedure.
Also, the Finnish sauna is very useful for the skin: the pores at high temperature open and "breathe". With the sweat they are cleaned, so after completing the sauna it is very important to wash the body well.
Some believe that a Finnish sauna helps to lose weight. This is a rather controversial question: weight loss will most likely come from massage of problem areas after sauna, when the body is relaxed and excess fluid easily leaves the body. But this can be an unsafe way to lose weight, because massage is another stress for the body.
Of course, we can not forget about the beneficial effect of the sauna on the psyche and the nervous system of man:
Also, under the influence of heat, germs die, and therefore a periodic visit to the Finnish sauna is an excellent prevention of ENT diseases.
All effective methods that qualitatively change a person's condition, can change the situation for the better, and for the worse. Given this, before visiting the sauna should carefully read the contraindications to it.