Sweat It Out!

Learn the Benefits of Sweating and How a Good Sweat Can Improve Your Health

Did you know that sweating has multiple health and beauty related benefits? The skin is the body’s largest organ, and through perspiration, it plays a big part in helping the body detox and renew itself. The next time you’re suffering while sweating it out at the gym or in the sauna, remember that you’re doing a great deed for your overall health. Here are some benefits of sweating, and some tips on how to keep your cool:

Health Benefits of Sweating
Sweating is the way our bodies keep themselves from overheating, and when we perspire, we expel toxins and even disease from our system. Many viruses and bacteria can’t live in temperatures above 98.6, so in many cases, sweating literally burns away illness. There are two types of sweat glands: eccrine sweat glands and apocrine sweat glands. Eccrine glands are distributed over the entire body. They are particularly concentrated on the palms, soles of feet, and on the forehead. Apocrine sweat glands are located on the scalp, armpits and the genital area, and produce sweat containing fatty materials.

Ways to “Sweat It Out”

Sweat It Out: Hit the Sauna
Saunas are a great way to “sweat it out,” and have been popular for centuries. Many years ago, healers relied on saunas to treat illnesses, and priests used the heat of the sauna to chase away evil spirits. The newer infrared saunas stimulate the body at a cellular level so toxins deep in tissues can be eliminated. These saunas are able to heat the body while the air stays cool, resulting in a more pleasant experience.

Sweat It Out: Exercise
Naturally, we equate exercise with sweating. In addition to benefits like improving sleep, relieving symptoms of depression, immune function, and stress level, in most situations exercise also promotes perspiration, which softens skin and helps keep pores clear.