________________
method of removing both difficult chemicals and heavy metals toxins from the body. Sweating is such an effective de-toxifier that flushes out toxic metals such as copper, lead, zinc and mercury which the body absorbs in polluted environments. A fifteen minute sweating can perform the heavy metal excretion that normally takes healthy kidney 24 hours to accomplish. Besides, the skin gives off other gases, water and solid matter, amounting to from one to two pounds during the day, which contains spit, minerals, lactate and urea, a metabolic by-product, if not disposed of regularly, can cause headaches, nausea and, in extreme cases, vomiting, coma and even death. Sweat may also draw out lactic acid responsible for stiff muscles and a contributor to general fatigue. Sweating can also remove excessive salts.
This is generally believed that sweating is beneficial for cases of mild hypertension. Studies indicate that sweating help persons with high blood pressure and heart problems. Heat dilates capillaries and increases blood flow to the skin in an attempt to draw heat from the surface and disperse it inside the body. The heart is pressed into a faster pace to keep up with the additional demands for blood. Impurities in the liver, kidney, stomach, muscles, brain, and most other organs are flushed out by the faster flow of juices. The inner temperature rise also affects the function of important endocrine glands, the pituitary in particular. The oxygen needs of the body increase by about 20 percent so the lungs, another important eliminator of body wastes.
The monks initiated in the discipline of Mahavira do not take to fanning (cold or hot) because they need
93