Heat to Heal™

New heattoheal.com Website

2011-11-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Heat to Heal followers. As you know, we are in the early stages of developing Heat to Heal Therapy & Heat to Heal Sanctuary. Our new website, www.heattoheal.com, is now live. You will see changes every week and updated schedules, fees, and amazing upcoming events!

Watch for more details. Check out the site, call or email for more information.

info@heattoheal.com

Exciting Changes in the Works for Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary

2011-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Heat to Heal™!

Thank you for being a faithful follower of these blogs and posts. It is exciting to share my progress on Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary with you. Construction is in full swing with painters trying to finish before the weather takes it's wonderful fall wet turn. Phase 1 is lovingly completed on the inside with three therapy rooms (that double as lodging for longer trainings), one permanent room for lodging, and a cozy infrared heated yoga studio. Our yoga equipment was tested last weekend at a lovely yoga retreat held in Tofino by Holly Yates and Safah Roberts. Website development and artwork is coming along beautifully and is set to be live within the next few weeks. Phase II of the larger studio is set to be completed in November. Trainings and workshops for 2012 are beginning to take shape, also.

Blackstone Saunas is officially launching Heat to Heal™ at the next Morningstar Golf Course Ladies night on 28 September 2011. Phone the golf course to put your team in and join us for this fun night on the golf course. Prizes of yoga mats, yoga classes, infrared sauna sessions, and therapy sessions are up for grab. I’m especially looking forward to sharing Heat to Heal™ with our local community.

Class schedules are set, therapy sessions booking up, so please contact us today for your spot in one of my classes. Classes are not drop-in, but by appointment, so that I am able to fully know my student's needs prior to their attending a yoga class.

Heat to Heal™ is looking forward to presenting workshops with Karen Heaven Claffey, Certified Anusara Instructor, E-RYT, and CYT; Dr. John Yim, N.D.; Arlene Martin-Kerr, CYT, RYT500; and, Clive Scarff, Golf Professional. In partnership with Blackstone Saunas, Heat to Heal™ is also bringing in several other outstanding yoga teachers and therapists to serve you as well. Personally, I am eager to share my experiences and therapy with others.

Please feel free to browse our other pages for schedules, fees, upcoming events and more. The weather is turning today – it’s a good time to try out that infrared sauna after a restorative yoga practice. Heat to Heal™ is here to help you heal through the soft gentle heat of infrared, movement of your body through yoga, gentle guided meditation, and other healing therapies to connect your mind, body, and spirit. KMB

21 Days of Yoga Therapy at Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary

2011-08-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Heat to Heal™ followers!
I am gearing up to running a special "21 Days of Yoga Therapy Series" at the Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary starting 29 August and running through the third week of September. My goal is to offer at least one session every day during the 21 day period. Special discounts on all Heat to Heal™ fees for Yoga Therapy, Yoga Classes, Reiki Treatments, and Half Moon Yoga Products apply during this time as a special kick off to the Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary.

Please contact me via email to set up an appointment (heattoheal@gmail.com). All therapy appointments are 30-60 minutes in length depending on your particular scheduling needs. I look forward to meeting you & sharing our wonderful Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary with you.

Just for today:

I will be grateful
I will not worry
I will not anger
I will do my work honestly
I will show love and respect for all.

Just for today - just this; is enough.
KMB

Welcome to Heat to Heal™ Therapy & Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary

2011-07-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Heat to Heal™ Followers:

Please notice our new design and added pages. Thank you for stopping by today. Great things are in the making & wonderful healing headed your way. Please see our new pages for updated information on Heat to Heal™ Therapy & Heat to Heal™ Sanctuary. KMB

Chronic Pain Resonance

2011-03-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Saturday - Day 3 of Yoga Therapy Teacher Training
It was a good day. Again. I had a good sleep last night - I slept from about 12 until 6. Pretty crazy for me, and I had a good day. I woke up with the alarm. That was strange. I think I was really tired and wanted to stay sleeping, so morning meditation and restorative then calm practice with Neil was just right. I appreciate that style at this training. Then the entire day was spent talking about Chronic Pain. I think I was more present today than I've been in anything for a long long time. I didn't think about later in the day, last night, or tomorrow. I was in every moment and it was awesome. I think the parts I liked the most was learning about the nervous system and response to pain. Neil told stories of his clients over the years and various topics, but I think everything resounded with me especially because Chronic Pain has been my constant companion for so many years. Even just typing this has made me tired and ready to just stop for the day - which I think I will. Thanks being on the page today - tomorrow is more chronic pain and applications of yoga therapy Chao. KMB

PS I'm on my way to a hand stand!!

Yoga Therapist Training - Making the Right Decision

2011-03-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

Hello Heat to Heal Followers and Friends:

Today was my first day of Yoga Therapist Training with Karen Claffey in Hamilton-Stoney Creek, Ontario. Have you ever had an experience where you know right away that you've totally made the right decision? Serendipity? Guidance from a greater source? Following the promptings and not being afraid to follow through with that guidance?

I've known for quite some time that I wanted to practice Infrared & Yoga Therapy. My 200 hour yoga teacher training took place in Mexico with Caroline Klebl from Source of Yoga. While I would never wish to change that experience, it was interesting to say the least. The entire month felt like I was on Survivor - but with an amazing group of people. I certainly learned the Ashtanga Primary Series as well as a good foundation in Ayurveda & Sanskrit; however, there was always just a little bit of something I felt I didn't learn. I realized upon returning home that I needed more, and while I thought I'd return to Caroline for my 500 hour training, I knew I needed something more in-depth with Yoga Therapy. I'd even drafted an email to Caroline outlining my future plans, but never sent it. One day while flipping through Yoga International Magazine, I found an add for Yoga Therapist Training & the website was a dot.ca site - Canada? I couldn't believe what I was seeing, so I went to the site and found the most amazing program offered by Karen Heaven Claffey in Hamilton-Stoney Creek, Ontario. Not only was the training a 300 hour Yoga Therapist training and qualified for the 500 Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher Training program, it was offered in three modules instead of a total 30 day immersion program. AND it was in Canada AND it fit my time frame and my budget. I sent an inquiry email to Karen outlining my history and what I was looking for and she phoned me the very next morning. After an hour long phone call and and explanation that I could apply for the March, April, and complete in July module, I sent in my application and was accepted.

I am now here in Karen's lovely acreage in Ontario. My first trip to Ontario - yes, it's cold, but it's home. It's in Canada! I didn't have to go through customs, I didn't have to change languages, I have hot running water, lovely food, and 12 other wonderful companions in the program. Neil Pearson, a physiotherapist and amazing yoga teacher taught the first 8 hours of anatomy today. It was a wonderful walk back into something I know so much about - a great review and update on current research studies and applications in yoga therapy. Neil is a great teacher - if he doesn't know something, he says so, and what he does know is extensive and current. It was absolutely lovely. Karen started the day with meditation and restorative yoga - perfect after the plane flight and time change, then Neil led us in a Hatha Yoga practice. Very different from the Ashtanga Primary Series that I'm used to, but quite welcome with the bit of jet lag that I had. The studio is warm - lovely - heated floors, clean, nice size, everyone fits with lots of room. My breakfast and lunch are cooked by Karen's mum & the rest of the girls get together and have a communal dinner at night where we cook and eat together. We share chores and laughs. I know it's only the first day into the first 9 day module, but I know I've totally made the right decision on this one. Not only for my own yoga teaching, but in teaching me how to be a therapist - how to make the right decisions for others, how to safely guide them into what can help them in their own lives.

I know that I've come to this path because of my own personal experiences of healing from chronic illness and injuries. It is only logical that I pass this on to others. I get to - haha - get to write a research paper for the course. Take an exam, give a presentation, and spend more time with these wonderful people. Yes, I made the right decision. I'm very excited to be on this path and following this journey. Thanks for being on the page with me today. I'm sure each day will present me with more to write about - but for now, this is what it is. I've made the right decision. What a peaceful feeling. KMB

Heat to Heal: Infrared & Yoga Therapy

2011-02-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

Heat to Heal: Infrared & Yoga Therapy is officially open under the Blackstone Health & Motion, Inc. banner linked to all the Blackstone Saunas Stores. Heat to Heal is a registered BC & Canadian Business and also registered with the Canadian Yoga Alliance. Blackstone Saunas is proudly hosting Heat to Heal in both store locations and soon launching a page on Blackstone Saunas websites (www.blackstonesaunas.com & www.customsaunas.ca). We are offering infrared and yoga therapy to clients on a private, semi-private, and small group basis. We also offer an in-home private/semi-private option for customers who have purchased infrared saunas on Vancouver Island or the Greater Vancouver area. Our Qualicum location is equipped with infrared heat in the studio space as well as offering private infrared sauna sessions. Our new Blackstone Saunas Vancouver will soon offer private infrared & yoga therapy in a private setting in our new location in Coquitlam. All sessions are by appointment only and last from 30-90 minutes depending on your choice of session. Our price list & appointment times will be on our website in mid-March.

What can infrared & yoga therapy do for you? Great question!
Here's just a short listing:
Manage your Chronic Pain
Healing from Cancer, Grief, Chronic Illness
Easing your Arthritis, CFS/FMS
Managing your Weight Gain/loss
Stress Reduction
Dealing with your Addictions
Healing from your injuries
Clearing your Skin conditions
Relieving your Back Pain
and more.

Heating & Healing through infrared & yoga therapy comes from my personal background of managing chronic illness & healing from injuries. Coupled with a strong science background & academic research, I understand what it's like to struggle with your health and look for positive changes in your life. If you are interested in booking an appointment or having more information regarding infrared & yoga therapy, please contact me through Blackstone Saunas at blackstonesaunas@shaw.ca or send a reply to this blog and I will get back to you. Please write: infrared & yoga therapy or Heat to Heal in your subject line. let me help you start your journey on healing with infrared & yoga therapy. KMB

Welcome to 2011

2011-01-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Heat to Heal Blog Followers:

It's been awhile since I've posted on this blog. I changed the background setting this morning to match the usual winter weather in BC - especially after a large snowstorm and consequent melting with the following rain. As I gaze out my office windows (yes, through the rain drops and water dripping down the windows), I feel wrapped up in the fog settling around the tree tops and quieted by the blanket of snow on the farm fields below the house. My fire is crackling away and my fountain continues it's soft bubble. To brighten the gray day, my SAD (seasonal affective disorder) light shines brightly in the corner of the office and my warm fleece jacket helps keep in the warmth I need to keep going tightly around my body. My dogs sleep peacefully in the other room and the rest of the house is blissfully quiet.

This morning I've contemplated my inner "prana" or "chi" - the energy that I need to keep going each day. I've taken a bit of time to meditate on rhythmic ocean waves and on my own breath, scanning my system to see if something is blocking me from having more motivation to get to and complete projects (like organizing my office, answering emails, cleaning out that closet...). Finding rest and fighting the urge to curl up on the sofa with a good book I'm reading (The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley), I'm now on the computer starting to make a dent in those projects. Catching up on my blogs has become my first order of business.

I need to take a few moments and give thanks for where I am today compared to this time last year. A year ago today, I could barely move my arms (or really most of my body), I had just stopped taking prednisone for PMR, and decided to fight my chronic illnesses (CFS/FMS) on my own with the help of routine massages, naturopathic medicine, meditation, personal counseling, daily yoga, and infrared therapy. In 2010, not only did I successfully manage to pull out of the extreme pain and dependence on medications, I finished my third book (The Need for Heat: A Complete Guide to Far-Infared Saunas); attended two writing conferences, opened a new publishing company (Ravenrock Publishing Inc.), lost 30 lbs, played in several golf tournaments, began skipping my own curling team (we are totally newbies and not very good - but hey, we're on the ice), and completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training in Ashtanga Hatha Yoga. I said goodbye to my lovely mother-in-law, Sherry, last January; said hello to my new grand daughter, Rylee, last 25 March, and to my new grand son, Cooper, on 30 July. 2010 was a very good year - but mostly because I worked very hard to make it happen.

Getting healthy, staying healthy, managing chronic illness is work - it's very hard work. The trick to this work is balance - balance in all that you do. Balance a push with rest, balance cold with heat, balance inactivity with activity, balance poor food choices with good food choices, balance holding and tightness with softening; basically, take care of yourself.

During this wet, cold, foggy, dark time of year - take those extra measures to keep yourself warm. Light that fire (if you have one), layer your clothing, be sure to eat whole natural foods, drink lots of water, exercise every day, meditate, and visit your infrared sauna for at least 20-30 minutes each day - get your body to sweat out the cold. You'll find as you routinely do these simple things, your own prana life force, or chi, or energy will be more than sufficient to help you tackle those daily tasks of every day living, whether it be organizing that office or closet, cuddling those babies in your life, or simply enjoying that excellent novel you're reading. KMB

Update on Infrared in the Summer and Practicing Yoga in a Hot Room

2010-08-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Heat to Heal Followers. It's been a crazy wonderful six weeks of summer. After my last posting regarding a negative hot yoga experience, I faithfully returned to the yoga studio the next day, and the day after, and most days since then. When not practicing yoga at the studio, HotNCool Yoga Club in Parksville, BC, I've been quietly and contemplatively practicing at home. On days when I'm not in the "heat" of the hot yoga studio, I've routinely used my home infrared sauna.

I can honestly say the two practices of hot yoga and infrared heat - even during the hottest days of our BC summer - have helped me get through a busy packed six weeks as well as increased my personal creativity and productiveness. I've "let go" of things that bother me, I'm less anxious, I have incredibly less pain, and am even bouncing back quickly from the dreaded summer cold. With the start of more rainy days, I'll definitely be blogging more and spending fewer days on the golf course. I'm pleased with my golf season - I played in three RCGA Zone 6 events, interclub and Solheim match play from my own club, volunteered as a walking scorer for three days at the Golf Canada Senior Women's Canadian Golf Championships, and even had a hole in one while playing one evening.

Perhaps the best part of the summer was welcoming a new grandson, Cooper Quinn, on 30 July.

Having good health to celebrate all the things happening in my life is possible through using heat on a daily basis to heal. Heat, yoga, real food, laughter, and letting go. I'm even making good progress and inroads into my own writing and future business plans. I'm looking forward to blogging more often on the benefits of infrared heat in daily yoga practice, improving skin tone and skin problems, as an aid to ease arthritis and PMR relief, and more. The weather is turning - rain is on it's way. Be sure to have your heat source prepared for the winter and check out Blackstone Saunas fall specials. For those of you in the Vancouver area, look for the Blackstone Saunas booth at the upcoming Home Show at BC Place.

Thanks for being on the page with me today. I'm looking forward to a fall of new adventures, experiences, creativity, and healing. I welcome any questions or comments - if you have something you'd like me to research and answer regarding heating to heal, please let me know. For now - put some heat into your healing. KMB

PS For those writers out there - just a heads up for an up and coming new writer: check out http://twitter.com/Queryaddict and http://shannonmayer.blogspot.com/

Uncomfortable yoga class? Here's one of my experiences.

2010-07-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Bikram Hot Yoga Class
Let’s see if you can get the story of my difficult yoga class from my tweets…

• #hotyoga class from he.. tonight. Instructor had NO heart. Tons of ego. Everything a yoga teacher shouldn't be. Made me very angry. 2 tweets 10:17 PM Jul 12th via web
• I lasted until the end of class only because my favourite instructor was practicing also. 10:18 PM Jul 12th via web
• Going to multiple teachers shows me who NOT to go to. Also, makes me angry as a professional educator. Yep, I'm angry, but I practiced. 10:19 PM Jul 12th via web
• Pushing is good, pushing too hard is NOT good for healing. I'm sure I'll get over this. Thanks for listening to the vent. 10:19 PM Jul 12th via web
• Lots of fallout from last night's brutal #hotyoga class. No sleep; total exhaustion. Key here - be wise when you heat to heal. Don't overdo. 2:52 PM Jul 13th via web
• @FuroreScribindi thanks for watching out for me - perhaps I'm just trying to push that "just around the corner" greatness thing?? 7:37 PM Jul 13th via web in reply to FuroreScribindi
• # Thank you Safah for healing my heart and body with #hotyoga today. Just what I needed after the other night. 1:45 PM Jul 14th via web
So, is it too cryptic? Maybe if you aren’t into twitter. For the rest of you, let me give you an explanation of my very difficult yoga moment.

As you know, I’ve recently begun practicing yoga in a studio with other people in the room and taught by various instructors. I’m looking at my summer as the “summer of new experiences” and have signed on to an unlimited use plan at a local hot yoga studio. I also work diligently on my golf game, so my “training” theme for this year seems to be golf & Pilates and/or yoga for golf. I’ve invested in several at home DVDs and worked through most of them before reaching out to be with “other” people. I attended a Pilates for golf workshop offered as a special for five members at my home golf course. This was done by Hole in One Golf/Pilates as a training session for golf instructors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and pilates instructors to help golfers improve their core strength, flexibility, and ultimately their golf game. As I’ve practiced Pilates for several years, both at home and in classes with others, I found the workshop too simplistic and beginning for my needs; however, I thoroughly enjoyed the one on one instruction with a physiotherapist and trained pilates instructor. Due to the set up of one on one instruction with only five participants in the workshop and about double the amount of instructors, it was easy to tweak the experience to fit my personal goals and abilities. I took away from that afternoon workshop simply a further confirmation that pilates and core strengthening does help my golf game and significantly helps in my everyday healing and health maintenance.

My second summer experience combining yoga and golf took place at a Balance to Birdies full day workshop conducted by Leila Chartrand a CPGA golf professional (Leila was my very first golf instructor) and her professional certified yoga instructor partner Allison Warnyca. Both are TPI Certified. “The Titliest Performance Institute is a community of Golf Pros, Fitness Pros and Medical Pros all working together to determine what your physical limitations and strengths are and how they apply to your golf swing” (Chartrand & Warnyca, 2010). This was another inaugural workshop given to limited participants to establish a firm connection between yoga, fitness, and improvement of our golf game. The day was fabulous. I don’t use that word often as a descriptor, but it is the best fit in this case. We started with an incredible warm up followed by three stations: golf swing analysis with a Kevlar 3D vest, golf swing analysis and video by Leila, and an hour of yoga practice. After the morning workshops came lunch, TPI testing, some more yoga, and a short game lesson by Leila. I left the day feeling rejuvenated and confident that the efforts I’m going through with my yoga and golf training go hand in hand.

My own personal search into yoga and Pilates has evolved over the years, as you know through some of my previous writing, I live with chronic illness and have for over 14 years. During this time I’ve searched for just about anything that will help me heal and experience a better quality of life. Through beginning using an infrared sauna well over six years ago as a regular routine, I’ve been able to see astonishing improvements in my skin and overall health. Practicing yoga has kept me flexible and moving – a key ingredient to having any quality of life for me; and Pilates has given me more core strength, not only my golfing, but also in my daily life as well. I’ve been an athlete my entire life, a professional dancer in my thirties, trained in ballet, modern, flamenco, tap, Laban notation and movement as well as choreography, I understand correct body alignment and movement. My deep science background in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics helps me understand the body system from a solid medical and kinesthetic view. Practicing yoga, in all its forms, brings the body and mind system into beautiful balance and enhances my daily life both mentally and physically.

So why would a yoga class upset me so much, you may be asking. I think it became one of those experiences in yoga that transforms you. At least it was for me anyway. It ended up being a class unlike any I have ever experienced. I am familiar with all styles of yoga, know (but not necessarily able to completely perform) most of the various poses, and have experienced a large number of instructors throughout my practice – home practice with DVDs – Gaiam, mostly, but many others) and recently with instructors in various workshops and in the yoga studio I’ve been attending. A friend suggested I combine yoga and heat to further my healing – brilliant suggestion, I might add (see previous blog post). I understand that “Bikram” yoga consists of 26 poses completed in sequence in a hot room. I also know that many other yoga styles are moving toward practice in a hot studio that incorporate a combination of Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga (or Power) yoga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Anusara, and others. Many yoga teachers will teach a combination of styles based on their own preference and the needs of their students. This is the type of yoga I’ve experienced. A wide range – no two classes are ever the same – even when practicing with DVDs that seem repetitive. Every day my own personal yoga practice is different. Every day my body is different. I may have not eaten well and am sluggish, or conversely have eaten quite well and have lots of energy. I may have had a great night’s sleep, or a poor one. I may have a lot on my mind from business, home, or personal, or I may be anxious about an upcoming golf tournament or relieved at having just completed one. I do know that I seem to have better times of day for my practice – early evening always seems the best for my circadian rhythms, but I’ve practiced early or mid morning, early or late afternoon, and even late evening. Hands down, the days I practice yoga, I have a better sleep the next night. I personally try to practice some kind of yoga every day, but realistically, I end up practicing about 5 days a week. Yoga balances me – something my type A personality desperately needs. Heat heals me. Yoga and heat together are amazing. Yoga and heat are simply good for my heart – emotionally and physically.

So, the yoga class that hurt my heart was taught in a way that I was completely and totally not prepared for. It was taught in a strict Bikram style from an instructor that I felt had no heart. She was a last minute instructor change and did not interact with the class members before beginning her instruction. She did not know that I have very little cartilage left in both of my knees and cannot do certain deep knee poses without considerable pain nor that I’d had a cervical neck disk injury as a youth. She did not take the time to ask the young man who’d never attended a yoga class before what his physical limitations were, nor did she address the issue for the class as a whole at the beginning. In all my experience with practicing yoga, instructors explicitly explain to students to know their limits, push them if they can, but never to the point of injury or extreme pain. This instructor gave no such warning. She proceeded to teach a Bikram class word for word and motion for motion. Her corrections were rough, her voice unpleasant, her manner militaristic. The effect on me? I got mad. I was just plain irate. I don’t get angry, at least not very often, and when I do, it’s usually a flash of anger, I recognize it, deal with it, and it’s gone. But that night, my anger kept building. The further we got into the class, the angrier I became. I had to step out of many of the poses, I couldn’t hold a ‘tree’ pose to save my life and I’m usually fairly steady and concentrated with balancing poses. Twice I had to go down on my mat to child’s pose and wait out the pose; twice I almost vomited; more than twenty times I wanted to leave, but I’d been instructed to never leave a hot yoga class. Lie down on your mat, breathe it out, stick it out. I felt trapped. My keys were in the back change room, I was by the front door of the studio, I didn’t want to have poor yoga etiquette by getting up, going back and getting my keys, and leaving. One of my favourite instructors was practicing that night also. I could see her two people down from me, winking every now and again when we met gazes during a pose, and I knew I had to stay. Man, this made me angry. I wanted to leave. I wanted to shout. I wanted to yell back at the teacher. At one point after she tried to give me yet another harsh correction I actually spoke up and told her “No. I want to leave.” She backed off. I completed the practice, but the second she closed the class with the traditional “Namaste”, I stood up, flipped my mat closed; sweat drenched towel and all, walked to the back room, picked up my hoody, bag, and keys, walked back through the room, picked up my mat and water bottle, and walked out. The instructor was in the front at the juice bar and just called to me as I stomped off, “the door is locked”. I didn’t say a word, I unlocked the door, walked out, got in my car and drove off with all four windows down. Luckily the drive home is about 15-20 minutes on a highway where I could drive over 110 kmh with wind blowing around me. I breathed in and out – I did several loud “ohms”, I was so angry. I didn’t want to take it home with me, but it went home with me. I sat with the anger for about a day. I realized that I had a choice – I could choose to stay away from the experiences that are offering me such great benefits and go back to practicing yoga on my own alone, or I could return and just never attend that person’s class again if she was teaching. I debriefed the class with my favourite instructor the next day and she actually explained that she felt my telling the instructor the night before “no” was brilliant and the right thing to do because it set an example to the rest of the class that you can stand up for YOURSELF in yoga class. The teacher is there to guide you, but YOU are the one practicing yoga. It is YOUR practice. You, ultimately, are the instructor.

Interestingly, for my next two yoga experiences the instructor from that night was in the class. We practiced side by side. She is an amazing practitioner – a great example of how to do the poses. I’m not sure about her heart, though, I still haven’t felt it. I did thank her for practicing near me one day – I try to always thank those who practice near or around me for sharing the experience on any given day – I think she was surprised I spoke to her. She said a quiet thanks and quickly walked out of the room. Perhaps we’re even? We’ve both walked out on each other. As yoga goes, I’ve moved forward and realized that this experience of anger was a good thing for me to realize. I understand that I am the one who calls the shots for my body in yoga class. I will benefit from proper instruction and gentle persuasion to go further, go deeper, but I will also hurt myself if I try to bend to the will of another person who does not know me or love me. Will I attend another of her classes? Probably. But next time I’ll know that I can stop when I need to and what to expect. What if this happens again with another unknown teacher to me? Very good question. I will continue to meet with an instructor for even a few brief moments at the beginning of every class to touch base, but if this happens again, you can bet I’ll either be going back to get my keys or simply going down to my mat for quiet contemplation in the heated room.

The lesson in this for all of us? I hope I’ve been explicit enough in my dialogue to help you understand that your body, your health, your healing is in YOUR hands. There is a plethora of things you can try to heal yourself. You can read things like Heal Thy Self by Samtorelli (1999) or any other number of books on Mindfulness in Medicine. You can take medications that can help or harm you (like I’ve done in the past). You can use heat to heal with an infrared sauna, exercise to strengthen and motivate, practice yoga to balance yourself, have massage or work with a physiotherapist on mobility, but ultimately YOU are the one in control of your health. Consider everything you do. Be mindful. Take that deep slow breath in through and out of the nose. Think for even a split second before you push that little bit more. Will this help or heal you? Will it hurt? Hopefully, you will practice in a situation where your instructor has your best interest at heart and can tell that you can go just a little bit more or that you may need to hold back.

Today, almost two weeks after the fact, I am telling you this story. I have had many excellent yoga classes since as well as some personal and private infrared sauna sessions in my own home. My teeth are still a bit clenched just remembering the anger, but I’m working at just letting it go and float away knowing that I’ve learned a valuable lesson for myself. I hope this helps someone else along their journey to healing. I welcome your comments. Practice what you need for your body and remember heat to heal. KMB

Hot Yoga

2010-07-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Heat to Heal followers.

This is my first post discussing hot yoga. As you know, I'm an infrared sauna enthusiast having used my own personal infrared sauna for going on six years now. I also practice yoga and Pilates, but until recently, I have kept my practice private and in my own home or by myself where ever I may be. About a year ago, I started attending Pilates classes twice a week and began feeling comfortable practicing around three or four other people. After about a year of watching and observing several friends who attended yoga classes, I ventured completely out of my comfort zone and started trying out yoga classes with instructors and class mates. Through this journey I discovered the miracle (yes, that is a dramatic word) of hot yoga. I felt like I was accomplishing two very important tasks at once - practicing yoga and experiencing infrared heat. Combining the two powerful healing techniques of yoga and infrared, I began to notice some interesting changes in my life and body. I consider myself a beginning yoga practitioner even though I've practiced for six or seven years. There is a difference attending a class. One instructor encouraged me to attend more often and as much as I could tolerate explaining that we work harder and develop greater strength in our yoga practice if we are with other people. The recluse in me wanted to negate that thought and continue working on my own; however, I have to admit, she is right. I do work harder, not over my limit, but harder than I would if I were alone. This is not to say that I haven't continued to practice on my own, because I have. There are days when I just want to be alone with myself, my thoughts, my own peaceful setting; but, I've found some nugget in this almost daily practice of hot yoga with others that is allowing me to see much further into possibilities of my own personal growth, physically and mentally, than I've been able to see for a very long time.

Hot yoga provides an incredible full body workout which includes warm-up, cardio, deep stretching, and final relaxation. Each instructor brings something different to their class every time they teach; amazingly, each day they've offered me something that fit perfectly into what I needed for my mind and my body that day. I've noticed this is the first time in my life that I've done a workout where every single part of me is completely drenched with sweat - so much so that I have to wipe my face often to keep the sweat from running in my eyes. Interestingly, I have not had any injuries nor have I felt tired or sore after any of the hot yoga or hot stretch classes I've attended. To me, that's pretty amazing.

On my off days while practicing yoga on my own at home, I've used my personal infrared sauna to get my daily sweat. I personally think my daily practice of using an infrared sauna for so many years has helped me to realize such great advantages so early on with hot yoga. I'm certain this will not be the first and only blog about hot yoga done in a room with infrared heat. I have also established a twitter account called: heattoheal@twitter.com. Please feel free to follow my tweets regarding my hot yoga and infrared sauna experiences in healing. Thank you for being on the page with me today. I would love to hear from you regarding your own hot yoga experiences. I'm looking forward to this adventure and where it will lead me in my own efforts to heat to heal. KMB

Rainy Days Got You Down - Use Your Infrared Sauna!

2010-06-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

So, if you live in BC you'll be in tune with this blog today. This winter was dark and wet, this spring is dark and wet, and it doesn't seem to be letting up much. We had a week of wonderful sunshine about three weeks ago and ever since the sun rarely shows its face through the clouds. Today we had peaks of sun through the clouds, but raindrops kept falling and wind kept blowing - at my house anyway. For fear (or no fear actually) of dating myself, do you remember that old song "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down"? Well, in our area every day seems like a Monday because it always seems like it's raining. Yes, after days, weeks, and months of chilly, wet, dark weather, I tend to get a little down. Some might call this seasonal affective disorder, but I just call it down right - it is dark and wet. Many people I know combat this weather and the resulting 'blues' with their own personal tricks. Some double up on the vitamin D (yep, doing that), some revert to a tanning booth (health warnings abound, but yes, I've done that judiciously, too), SAD lights (yes, I have one in my office), and some go to a far away sunny destination (no, I didn't do that). What helps for me is the infrared sauna. It's warm, cozy, and it helps get rid of toxins and garbage that build up in my system from simply everything I do. Eating bread last week, beef this week, stress from running a business, technological glitches, to you name it, it builds in my system. Sweating it away along with some good yoga practice, good food, and laughter is about all I can do to cheer up on the dark and wet days. What really helps, though, is a combination of the SAD light and the infrared. It's a healthy safe way to combat the dark and wet, lift my mood, and warm my body. Even if I don't want a full on 'sweat session', I can turn on the full spectrum LED lights in my sauna and step in for five to ten minutes and feel rejuvenated enough to get on with my day. Of course, on days like today - a good book and a laptop are about all I really want. Thanks for checking in on this rainy day. Go heat up that infrared sauna, boost up those full spectrum lights (if you don't have one installed in your sauna, you can purchase some from Blackstone or a local health product store, plug it in, and place it on a bench - the idea is just get the light in there!), and fight off the rainy day syndrome. That's what I'm going to do right now! KMB

Infrared Sauna Use During Busy Times

2010-04-17T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone - as you can see, I have not kept up with my goal of posting often. We have had a very busy month with the birth of a new grandchild. Congratulations to our family! This new birth has brought with it the usual crazy schedules that all families go through when welcoming a new family member - or saying good-bye to one. We all have multiple weeks where we are dealing with out of the ordinary experiences. Our bodies, amazingly, keep going, but we may notice when we get out of the time - stressful though sad or happy - we tend to come down with a cold or a flu. Using your infrared sauna for even ten minutes a day during these times can help you fight off those nasty bugs and give you just enough detoxification that you can keep going. During the past three weeks almost everyone in my family came down with a nasty flu virus - I didn't (knock on wood), and I fully believe it was because I continued to take Oregano Oil, Echinacea, vitamin C, exercised, and sat in my sauna at least 10-15 minutes every day before I showered and went to bed.

Let's talk about these sauna sessions. While I strive to use the infrared sauna 5-6 days a week for 30 minutes each time, even the short ten-minute stays help tremendously in combating stressful times. Start your sauna heating while you fold that load of laundry or finish the dishes after dinner, check your email, or walk the dogs; go in long enough to do some deep breathing and relaxation exercises, watch a short sitcom on television, read a chapter from your favourite book, or just sit back and 'be'. You may find a variance in your regular 'sweat routine' - you may sweat very little or even more than usual. Towel off; shower off. If your time is short - you can still fit in a few minutes before your shower or bath even if you are on the run. If you are concerned about catching a cold or the flu (especially if you've been around ill people), blow your nose several times a day, gargle with salt water, wash your hands often, and get into that sauna to sweat! You'll find these few minutes in your infrared sauna during out of the ordinary stressful times an essential component in helping you maintain your health. If you don't have an infrared sauna - check out Blackstone Saunas or look in your area for a massage therapist, Physiotherapist, spa, or recreation centre that has one. Embrace these crazy moments - they are the times that put the texture into our lives. Thanks for visiting me today on Heat to Heal. KMB

A Personal Welcome to Heat to Heal

2010-03-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my Heat to Heal Blog. My first posting was a reprint of an article I published last year on some of the research I've conducted on cancer and infrared saunas. My intent of re-posting a published work was to get this blog up and running. Yes, I do reference my own previous published works in my articles, as this is common practice in academic writing; however, not all of my posts are going to be academic articles. My main intent of this blog was to give you, the reader, some insight into using and benefiting from an infrared sauna. I will strive to write several blogs a week using research I've conducted, answering common questions, or simply telling you of my own personal experiences with using an infrared sauna. I welcome your stories and experiences of Heating to Heal with an infrared sauna as well as any questions you may have. Please feel free to comment. I will tell you, however, that ALL comments are moderated. If I feel the comment inappropriate or not relevant to the topic of the blog posting, I will reject the comment. It is helpful to me if you include an email address for replies, especially in the event I reject your comment. I believe that there are many of you looking for ways to improve your health, searching for ideas on how to help diminish pain you experience from injuries, arthritis, fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, heart issues, cancer rehabilitation, and more. While in most cases, any one thing will not give you relief, but a combination of rest, exercise, eating well, and of course, using an infrared sauna may be the answer. I hope to discuss other modalities as well - such as, massage, osteopathy, acupuncture, natural healing, and traditional healing. I do not know all the answers, but I can tell you that I'm searching each day for what can make the day more joyful and functional. Thank you for visiting my Heat to Heal blog. I hope you find it useful. KMB

Cancer and Infrared Heat

2010-03-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Cancer and Infrared Heat
Kathie M. Black, PhD
Published on Affsphere

An ancient Greek doctor named Parmenides stated, “Give me a chance to create fever and I will cure any disease” (Hancock, 2003). Cancer continues to be one of the top killers in modern society. Cures for cancer are rare, intrusive, and painful. Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can put any family into a tailspin of fear and apprehension for the future. Cancer foundations abundantly dot the number of organizations striving to find cures for virtually any diagnosed type of cancer. Multiple therapies emerge seemingly daily. The three common major forms of therapy include chemotherapy (invasive, debilitating, frightening), radiation (the same), and surgery along with a multitude of alternative therapies from shock therapy to photo therapy to nutritional supplements and herbal supplements to help the body rid itself of malignant cells and tumors. Holistic cancer treatments work on strengthening the entire immune system and killing off toxic cancer cells through such interventions as diet modifications, anti-cancer herbs, and nutritional supplements. Even positive mental imagery helps the cancer patient work toward eliminating the enemy within. One thing all modalities agree upon is that cancer cells cannot survive heat. Infrared heat becomes a “hyperthermic” treatment that artificially raises the body temperature allowing the body to literally burn out cancer cells. Malignant cancer cells are more sensitive to heat than healthy cells. Hyperthermic treatment consists of heating the body either in the local area of the cancer cells or tumor, regional sections, or by treating the entire body. Short & Turner (1980) found that hyperthermic treatments were especially successful in killing cells that radiation or chemotherapy previously were unable to kill, thus making a combination therapy of chemo, radiation, and hyperthermia desirable.

Infrared waves penetrate the skin past the epidermis into the dermis (outer skin layer to inner skin layer) of depths of approximately 3/4 to 1/5” (inches) (6-8cm or 1.0-2.5mm). This deeper penetration of heat into the skin results in increased action of the cell structure releasing water and toxins. With the build up of chemo chemicals in the system, this rapid warming and releasing of water molecules and toxins, aids in a quicker reduction of chemicals in the body system. Far-infrared therapy has the ability to break the protective rings around harmful molecules so the cancer cell can no longer survive. It also weakens the bonds between toxins and human tissues allowing the flushing of stored toxins out of the system faster and in greater quantities through sweating and excretion. Cancer patients, on average, have a higher load of toxins than healthy individuals, making the importance of flushing toxins from the system doubly important (ICNIRP, 2006)..

Combining cancer treatment modalities appears to be the most effective means of treatment. There are a number of various natural methods to aid in helping individuals attack cancer in their lives; however, all patients should seek qualified, licensed medical professionals at the first sign or onset of any type of cancer and not try to self-diagnose or treat cancer without those qualified sources. The Phi Natural Health International Group (2004) present a variety of natural treatments to supplement the treatments already prescribed or administered to patients to maximize the healing potential of specific treatment regiments. This group agrees that there is substantial benefits to overheating cancer cells. They concur that cancer cells are damaged or weekend by temperatures of 42-43 degrees C, and that this overheating is harmless to active healthy cells. They recommend gradual overheating from temperatures of 42 to 47 degrees C over a period of weeks or months. Before embarking on such a treatment, the Chi group makes several cautions. They recommend that blood sugar levels be monitored closely to control tumor growth in the event the temperatures of treatment are not quite high enough. They also state, “Hyperthermia is said to be one of the safest, most efficacious and economical way of removing heavy metals and toxic chemicals from the body”. The group quotes from Dr. Paavo Airola’s 1984 book How to Get Well that hyperthermia gives cancer a “triple whammy” by:
1. Removing accumulations of stored toxic chemicals that cause cancer;
2. Improving circulation so that the tissues are both nourished with oxygen and flushed of acidic metabolic wastes; and,
3. Weakening or even killing cancer cells that have a lower tolerance for heat than healthy cells.

Finally, this group recommends hyperthermia as a way of preventing cancer through having a healthy lifestyle and using an infrared sauna to remove toxins on an ongoing basis.
Kaltsas (2007) describes a form of hyperthermia treatments practiced at Klink St. Georg, a fully licensed hospital in Bad Aibling, Germany, outside of Munich. The clinic is set in the foothills of the Alps and treats about 5,000 cancer patients a year – half from Germany and the other half from all around the world. The clinic starts patients with a standard cancer protocol of a week of detoxification and strengthening of the immune system through diet and herbal supplements. They follow this by two to three weeks of hyperthermia treatment and low-dose chemotherapy. A typical treatment would involve heating the body in temperatures above 37 degrees C (10.6 degrees F) for approximately two to two and a half hours followed by a cool down of about an hour and a half or until the body temperature returns to normal. This regimen continues two or three times a week for up to three weeks depending on the type of cancer. The clinic watches vital signs and organ functions with specific concern given to heart, lung, kidney, and liver functions throughout all their treatments.

Doctors and researchers at Klink St. Georg have found that there are three major ways that high temperatures kill cancer cells while at the same time increasing the potential of alternative diet and supplemental cancer therapies. The first is that heat increases the cellular metabolic rate by breaking down glucose to lactic acid to decrease pH to low levels putting the body into an acidic state called acidosis. Acidosis leads to hypoxemia, or low oxygen supply, which eventually deprives cancer cells of oxygen. The second benefit from heat is that with added glucose induces a temporary state of hyperglycemia (high blood sugars), which chokes cancer cells from a fresh blood supply. The third way heat works, in addition to increasing cell permeability, is by damaging the membranes surrounding cancer cells making them more vulnerable to anti-cancer agents such as chemotherapy and radiation. Studies have shown that when exposed to high levels of heat, cancer cells die faster at a fraction of the usual doses of chemotherapy and radiation. The Klinik St Georg uses hyperthermia treatments with the following cancers:
Breast
Uterine
Pulmonary and hepatic tumors
Pancreatic
Neuro-endocrine
Stomach
Bowel and bladder
Ear, nose, and throat
Brain
Lymph node
Local lymphomas
Skin cancers.

In addition to finding improved reaction to traditional therapies of chemotherapy and radiation, patients exposed to hyperthermic treatments have also noticed a marked lowering of pain resulting in a decrease of pain medications. The clinic recognizes that the killing of millions or billions of cancer cells leaves multiple toxins in the body that can be detrimental to the overall health of the patient, so they recommend efficient elimination of toxins from the body through a variety of methods – sweat being the optimal form of detoxification (Kaltsas, 2007).
The ICNIRP (2006), stated in their official statement said, “The medical use of infrared radiation has a long history. It has been widely used in physical medicine for treatment of sports injuries, muscle aches, pain, and some chronic diseases... In recent years there has been an interest in the use of IR-A sources for hyperthermic treatment of cancers” (633). Hancock, 2003, discusses the inability of cancer cells to survive in extreme heat. There are several naturopaths, medical doctors, physiotherapists, and other health professionals using infrared saunas in helping their patients in cancer recovery. One naturopath working in Nanaimo, BC, Canada has several patients who have experienced drastic results and healing of their cancer-ridden sites after chemo and radiation by using an infrared sauna on a daily basis. Additional benefits of using infrared heat for cancer patients result in better pain relief, more restful sleep, improved circulation, and a boost to the body’s regenerative abilities.

References

Black, K.M. (2007). Cancer dialog for Blackstone Saunas. www.blackstonesaunas.com

Flickstein, A.M. (2007). Infrared Radiant Energy. www.doctordetox.co.uk/dr-flickstein.php .

Hancock, M. (2003). Complementary Cancer Care. Alive Magazine. Issue #248, June 2003.

Hasan, T., Ortel, B., Moor, A.C.E., Pogue, B.W. (1997). Photodynamic therapy of cancer. In Radiation Oncology, pages 605-622, Section 9. Retrieved from www.dartmouth.edu/~bilaser/papers/reviews/ch40_color.pdf

Hirsch, L.R., Stafford, R.J., Bankson, J.A., Sershen, S.R., Rivera, B., Price, R.E., Hazle, J.D., Halas, N.J., and West, J.L. (2003). Nanoshell-mediated near-infrared therapy of tumors under magnetic resonance guidance. The National Academy of Sciences. PNAS, November 11, 2003, Vol. 100, No. 23, 13549-13554. Retrieved from www.panas.org/content/100/23/13549.full .

International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). (2006). Official statement in Health Physics. Dec. 2006, Vol. 91, No. 6.

Kaltsas, H. (2000). Hyperthermia (InfraRed) and Electrotherapy: too hot for cancer. Alternative Medicine, 37, September 2000.

Phi Natural Health International LTD. (2004). Natural Cancer Treatments. Retrieved from www.howtohealwithherbs.com/index.php .

Short, J.G., and Turner, P.F. (1980). Physical hyperthermia and cancer therapy. Proceedings of the IEEE., Jan 1980., Vol. 68, Issue 1, Pages 133-142. Date published in issue: 2005-06-28 14:49:43.0.