Health Benifits of Steam Baths

Steam Shower enclosures are not only effective in keeping water in the shower and increasing the value and beauty of your home, they also create a “healthier home.”

- Doctors often recommend steam as a home remedy to ease congestion, sore throats and coughing brought on by colds, allergies, asthma, sinusitis, bronchitis, influenza and pneumonia.

-Harvard Medical School assistant professor and asthma sufferer, Dr. Michael Segal, suggests using steam showers to clear allergens and mucus out of the lungs. The Segal Guide to Asthma notes that people with asthma can create steam showers at home by using a steam generator in conjunction with a bath enclosure. According to Dr. Segal, an enclosed bath or shower stall is the best way to retain the steam.

-Doctors recommend that pregnant women who have colds or allergies take showers and inhale steam in order to relieve their symptoms rather than taking medications, even those available over-the-counter.

-In the December '98 edition of AMA's Health Management Bulletin, doctors suggest that inhalation of heated, humidified air, or steam, may serve as an effective home remedy for:
 

• Soothing irritated airways
   

• Improving airway hydration
   

• Inhibiting the replication of rhinovirus, the cause of 1/3 of colds in adults
   

• Helping to relieve respiratory ailments
   

• Preventing the drying of nasal passages
   

-Dermatologists also recommend steam treatments as part of their clients’ beauty regimens since steam opens pores, releases toxins and enhances circulation of blood to the skin, creating a healthy glow.

-Water leaking from gaps between the shower curtain and the shower wall can result in significant water damage over time, especially for bathrooms located on a second story. Water damage is the most common trigger for growth of stachybotrys, a toxic mold that can cause allergies, asthma and skin rashes. In some strains, stachybotrys can even cause damage to the lungs and central nervous system—and even death.

-Exposure to mold is a risk factor for asthma, a health issue that affects the lives of more than 14 million Americans.

PAIN RELIEF:
Heat relieves pain by expanding blood vessels and increasing circulation. Better circulation allows more oxygen to reach injured areas of the body and helps reduce pain and speed up the healing process.

WEIGHT CONTROL:
Perspiring is part of the complex thermoregulatory process of the body that increases the heart rate, cardiac output, and metabolic rate. The process requires a large amount of energy and reduces excess moisture, salt and subcutaneous fat. Fat becomes water-soluble and the body sweats out fats and toxins.

EXERCISE:
During a 10-20 minute steam session, your heart rate increases by 50-75%. This provides the same metabolic result as physical exercise. The increased cardiac load is the equivalent to a brisk walk. There is a nominal effect on blood pressure because the heat also causes blood vessels in skin to expand to accommodate increased blood flow.

DETOXIFICATION:
Toxins such as sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and carcinogenic heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc, nickel) accumulate in the body during modern daily life. The body eliminates most toxins naturally by sweating. Heat therapy stimulates the sweat glands that cleanse and detoxify the skin. The heat simply speeds up the body's natural process.

INDUCED FEVER:
Most illnesses are accompanied by a fever. During a fever, the body heats up to eliminate viruses and attack foreign agents. Often misunderstood, this rise in temperature is a natural stage of the immune system's healing process and is one of the best ways to rid the body of chemicals and unwelcome visitors. The immune system weakens the hold of viruses and bacterial growth. Saunas induce an "artificial fever" by heating up the body but without the pains of an illness. Subsequently, the body wards off invading organisms much more easily because the immune system is activated consistently by the "artificial fever".

REDUCE STRESS:
Heat therapy loosens the muscles and relaxes the body. Many massage therapists use heat to provide more thorough and effective treatment.

BENEFIT TO SKIN:
Heat improves circulation, expels dirt & chemicals and removes dead cells on the surface of the skin. This leads to a more soft and clear complexion.

Colleen Horner Kitchen Bath Tile Stone makes no medical recommendations for Steam Baths.  We strongly suggest you consult your physician before considering steam options.