by Alina Marks

Created on: April 13, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

It's Monday morning. You've just hit the snooze button for the fifth time and your eyes still refuse to open. Your body aches. You're thirsty, irritable, and bloated. Your skin feels like it spent the night in a hot dryer. The only thing that is going to get you out of bed is a cup of coffee, but even just the sound of another toxic beverage makes you cringe. You just spent the long holiday weekend going from party to party. The alcohol was flowing. The cakes, cookies, and fatty foods were abundant. There is nothing left to do but rid your body of the toxins, but how?

First, get up and drink a glass of water, or three. Then find a way to sweat. Whether that means hitting the gym, a hot yoga class, or a nice long sauna, the benefits of a little perspiration are immense. Sweating is a proven way to flush out harm inducing toxins from the body, allowing for optimal health and an overall sense of well being.

Did you know that the skin, sometimes referred to as the third kidney, is the largest eliminative organ in the body? Its pores play a key role in the detoxifying process by breaking those dangerous, unwanted elements into a more water-soluble form where they can then be released from the body, through the pores. A healthy body should eliminate 30% of its waste through perspiration. So, while sweating alone won't rid you of all contaminants, it will play an important role alongside a healthy diet, regular exercise, and plenty of water, all variants that contribute to a less toxic lifestyle.

Perspiration is also associated with improved circulation and a healthy immune system. Good circulation is important to the body's health because it helps the heart, liver and kidneys function properly. It also aids in the transport of necessary nutrients throughout the body. And it's no mystery that a healthy immune system is important, but how can sweating improve these immunities to illness and disease? To begin, a high body temperature helps to kill of unwanted viruses or bacteria. In some ways, this elevated body temperature is like an artificial fever, and a fever is the body's natural reaction when it comes to fighting off sickness and infection. This means that there is an increase in the production of white blood cells, which are responsible for counteracting harmful substances and disease.

So, it's no wonder that humans have been using various forms of sweat baths and saunas since the Stone Age. If nothing else, a relaxing sauna will help you unwind and release some of those accumulated tensions from another busy workweek or family vacation. So, next time the smoke breaks, coffee lunches and fast food dinners begin to catch up with you, take some time to yourself and sweat. You'll be feeling less toxic in no time.

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