steam rooms, good or bad?

[iri]

So I was wondering if anyone here knew if steam rooms or saunas were bad for one's health or not?
Ive heard that some people only take cold showers for a long life but I wasn't sure if it would also include the mentioned since it is only a once in a while thing.

Also if anyone here knows what northern Kentucky winters are like, could you please let me know how bad they get. I am joining the Army and will be at Fort Knox all winter.

Peace,0ptikal :cool:

[ElPietro]

Health-wise steam rooms and sauna's have no benefit to you whatsoever. Sure they are nice to relax in...but you aren't gaining any benefits. If you stay too long you become dehydrated so that is a bad thing but used in moderation it's fine I guess.

[Ford Prefect]

Recovery-wise, steam rooms and saunas are an incredable benefit. Spend 3 minutes in a Sauna followed by 2 minutes under cold (60 degrees F) water. Do this about 3 or 4 times and you will recover MUCH quicker. If it's a steam room, you can spend a little bit longer before hitting the cold shower.

What this does is the heat brings your blood to the surface, and then the cold will push the blood back to the core of your muscles, etc etc. This action will actually help "pump" the lactic acid out of system. Most serious weight lifting athletes (olympic lifters/power lifters and smart coaches) prescribe to some form of this.

[Scarletmantis]

Plus, it's a great place to meet naked chicks! (provided your Sauna is co-ed) :D

"Master, here is a stick. Please beat me for my insolence." - KC Elbows

[phantom]

I have heard that, for some reason, using a steam room can be dangerous for a person who has heart problems.

[soy]

good for your pores.

[ElPietro]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>good for your pores. [/quote]

Soap and water are even better. ;)

[Repulsive Monkey]

Some good and some not so good advice here. I think its best not to frequent them that often to be honest. Its true people with heart or lung problems may get aggravation and development of an already worse condition.

Plus repeatedly using them can push Damp-Heat into the body and cause core-level penetration of Pathogenic factors to unsettle the Yin Qi of the body. Im not too sure but I don't think it will do any favours to the outer level Wei Qi either.

Forcing blood to surface and then plunge back to the core again, is a bad practise, as you are forcing the blood pressures internally to do something which they wouldn't normally do. People with blood pressure problames could have their health affected negatively.

[Ford Prefect]

Rep Monkey,

I think we're talking about the norm and not the exception. Obviously health problems can cause side effects to just about anything. For the average, healthy person the hot/cold recuperative practice is recommended.

[Repulsive Monkey]

I would have to say for the norm I wouldn't recommend it either. For people without blood pressure problems forcing blood to pressurise and depressurise will definitely have an effect upon blood viscocity and from the Chinese perspective internal heat conditions. It will temorarily affect heat in the blood and Blood Qi levels aswell. For people with strong constitutions over a time it might seem like all it is doing is conditioning the body but for quite a few people it could be detrimental to their internal health.

[Ford Prefect]

I guess what I was saying that I'm talking about things that can proven in laboratory environment. If we are talking about science, it aids recovery greatly without side effects.

[Repulsive Monkey]

And what about the results accepted/ratified through the science of Chinese Medicine? Science is like any other field, its merely a perspective that people feel happy with. Nothing more.