Far-Infrared Heat (FIR) Touted as Treatment for Many Health Problems

When I was a little kid I would sometimes get to stay at my grandparents house. There were benefits. They had an incredible amount of food, for example. The refrigerator was always crammed full of fresh fruit and produce from the farmer’s market. Mt grandfather was a former butcher-turned-shoemaker, so he was in charge of the ample meat supply. My grandmother kept the pantry with all of the dried and canned goods. She knew exactly when the last can of peas was used and would order at the corner grocery store accordingly. She also knew how to put all of the food together into some pretty satisfying meals.

One of my favorite activities when I visited was to check out all of the stuff in the bathroom. The medicine cabinet was full of patent or over-the-counter remedies. There was iodine and Mercurochrome for cuts, Haley’s MO, castor oil, and paregoric for intestinal problems, turpentine and Ben Gay for muscle aches, and Carter’s Little Liver Pills and Doan’s for biliousness and backaches. There was also an assortment of equipment like hot water bottles and a weird looking rubber syringe that went you know where. There was also a large brown lamp with an adjustable knuckle that moved up and down. In the lamp was a large red bulb that looked like a floodlight. It was an infrared lamp. My grandmother used it to heat up her joints when she got a touch of the arthritis.

Now infrared radiation is back as the newest thing in the holistic health catalog. Make sure to differentiate that from the ultraviolet radiation at the other end of the spectrum that can be damaging and cause skin cancer.

It is a special kind of infrared that is called Far-Infrared Radiant heat, or FIR. FIR was developed by NASA to help astronauts stay healthy in space. The infrared light waves penetrate 6-8 inches into the body and are supposed to stimulate healing, oxygenate and increase blood flow, reduce swelling and inflammation, improve lymph flow, and help cleanse the body of toxic and acid waste. (In the world of natural health everything from chiropractic to colon cleansing seems to be designed to rid the body of toxic waste.) One-product even claims that FIR is the mysterious energy that flows, (and is emitted from) our bodies as Chi. Palm healers emit this energy through the palms of their hands at an output of 8-14 microns. Now you can get this from a machine.

There are many different ways that you can get your FIR energy. There is a pad called the BioMat that not only emits the infrared heat, but also spits out negative ions, which are the negatively charged particles popular in air purifiers and what gives air that fresh smell right after a discharge of lightening after a thunderstorm. To aid in the transmission of the FIR and sooth the nervous system, the mat also includes a layer of amethyst quartz. You can also get your rays in a sauna. This product claims to burn 900 calories an hour as well by raising your body temperature and metabolism. The infrared is also supposed to kill pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, and strengthen the immune system.

You can even keep that energy flowing when you are not in the sauna or on the mat. There is a line of FIR-producing clothing available. The ceramic that emits FIR (bio-ceramics) is made from many different kinds of ceramics mixed with mineral oxides. The mixture is then heated to 1600 degrees centigrade and ground into micro particles in nano scale and inserted into the material used to make the clothing.

Getting your daily dose of FIR is not cheap. The BioMat Pro will set you back some $1300.00 and the saunas run in the $1100.00 to $2100.00 range, depending on amenities. A good FIR infrared lamp will lighten your wallet by about $200.00 to $600.00.

I’m sure that infrared heat has some health benefits, and is less harmful than ultraviolet, but when a health device offers such a panacea; it might be wise to be a little bit cautious. There are some health spas out there that offer the service and it’s a good idea to see if the infrared helps your particular health problem before you buy. However, there is a lot of testimony that claims it has wonderful benefits, and whether or not it works for you is the important thing.