|
Wrap It Up!
Bodywraps turn up the heat on fat
by: Debra Clydesdale LAc DNBAO
 Did you know you could lie down, breathe deep & burn 900 or more calories?
Neither did I!
And it sounded too good to be true so I did some research on my own to find out about this seemingly wonderful "bodywrap" treatment.
First I had to try it. Let’s face it, if it doesn’t feel great and get results it isn’t worth doing. So I dressed up in my cotton sweats and drove up to Ventura, California to try it out.
Before the bodywrap, I measured the circumference of my upper arms, ribcage, waist, hips and upper thighs before the first treatment and kept it as a reference. I was really skeptical, but you never know unless you try it. I didn’t expect to have any change.
Once there, I laid down on a table and 6 large warm pads were wrapped around my upper arms, waist, hips and thighs. Then I was covered with a blanket and padded with towels where it was appropriate and it was that easy. I could hear relaxing music and actually it was wonderful to do a breathing meditation and actually take an hour for myself away from the world.
Now I’m sort of a lizard – I love the heat – so the pads got warmer and warmer and I broke put is a good sweat. I continued to sweat, a lot. I hadn’t sweat that much since the dance classes I had loved back at Broadway Dance center a few summers ago in New York City. I had been busy building a business and going back to school so I had not been keeping myself in shape like I did before. I had a thought that this bodywrap thing might be a good way to start to get myself back on track.
After an hour, I was drenched – and very happy. I re-measured myself and lost 3 inches total. Not much, but the treatment felt so good it didn’t matter too much and I drove home drinking another huge bottle of water. The gentleman who helped me with the treatment said that the process would continue overnight after the bodywrap had finished and the more fluids the better so I took his advice and planned to measure myself again in the morning.
To my surprise, after measuring myself the next morning I had lost 13 inches total! Wow! I called them up and they said that this was more than average – maybe because I have a good diet and stayed hydrated – but regardless, I was excited. I had to learn more.
So how does this the BodyWrap Work?
Infrared light, which we feel in our bodies as heat is an abundant form of energy we receive from sunlight. We as humans radiate infrared heat every second of every day (The army uses infrared binoculars for night vision – to see lifeforms in the darkness). It is part of our human biology. I would discover that FAR Infrared treatments are used worldwide by medical practitioners as they are one of the most resonant (closely matched) forms of heat for the human body.
Radiant Heat or Infrared energy is a form of energy that is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum happens just below red light waves and is not visible to human eyes but can be felt as heat.
Our bodies, on average, radiate infrared energy at waves of about 9.4 microns. The internal production of infrared energy that normally occurs within us is associated with a number of healing responses and may require a boost to assist the fullest healing response to assist homeostasis, metabolism and tissue under repair.
As related to Oriental / Chinese Medicine, when our circulation is impeded (described as "blocked Qi flow" in Chinese Medicine) our body’s healing capacity, metabolism, and daily functioning are diminished. By enhancing circulation, the infrared therapeutic treatment is helping to unblock the Qi and increase energy and improve body function. Moxa, cupping, Infrared lamps and gua sha are related but different methods of achieving the same result in an Oriental Medicine Treatment.
Because of this special nature of the wavelength, when applied as a treatment, FAR Infrared heat therapy (i.e. bodywrap) activates a more thorough and extensive stimulation of local circulation which positively impacts enzymes, metabolism & immune function. The IR therapy helps the body get at toxins & cellulite trapped in the tissue through this increase in circulation and metabolism. The bodywrap treatment I had received had “super charged” this process.
So how does all this calorie burning happen?
The amount of sweat an infrared treatment can induce is 2-3 times that of a conventional sauna without creating that claustrophobic feeling, without drying out the sauna or causing undue stress on the cardiovascular system. I know I can barely stay in a regular sauna for 10 minutes – I lasted easily 1 hour in this bodywrap treatment.
The best research on this type of infrared treatment stated “its regular use may be as effective as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories as regular exercise.” (The Journal of the American Medical Association 8/7/81) In fact, NASA in the early 1980’s concluded that infrared therapy would be an ideal way to stimulate cardiovascular function during long space missions.
During a bodywrap treatment, one can easily sweat 500 grams and burn 300 kilocalories - the equivalent of jogging for 30 minutes. The bodywrap is a great way to ease stiffness in-between workouts. But remember – Hydration is very important you need to constantly replenish the fluids to see results.
The benefits of this Infrared Therapy are impressive. Research from Sweden, Japan, Finland, China and Germany cite an impressive list of conditions that can be treated, including:
Arthritis & Joint Stiffness
Acne
Soft Tissue Injuries
Menstrual Pain
Eczema
Wound Healing
Neurodermatitis
GI Problems
Cardiovascular Circulation
Pain & Stiffness
Weight Loss
Endocrine, Immune and Autonomic Function
The FDA has already approved the use of FAR infrared treatment for pain relief, and more is learned each day. I have more research to do but this was good enough for me. I decided that I wanted to try it again and learn more.
So now I offer it in my own practice and medspa. To learn more, you can check out www.orientalmedspa.com. Or experience it for yourself if you’re in the Los Angeles Area. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
|
