Far infrared heat, or FIR radiant heat, is part of the natural light spectrum of sunlight and is a safe form of energy that heats objects through a process called direct light conversion.
Radiant heat warms objects within its radius, but does not raise the temperature of the surrounding air. All warm-blooded animals emit far infrared/radiant, a beneficial and essential form of energy that has the ability to penetrate, refract, radiate, and reflect.
Most of the energy produced by the Sun is in the infrared segment of the spectrum. Our atmosphere allows infrared radiation to reach the Earth's surface, heating it.
Far infrared between 4~16 microns is invisible to the naked eye and is used in many medical applications from incubators to physical and dermatological therapies, and is the only heat that can regulate blood pressure.
Far infrared rays offer numerous health benefits, not least because they are able to penetrate up to about 4-7 centimeters into the human body, gently raising its temperature from the inside to the surface, increasing blood circulation, nourishing damaged tissues and activating important bodily functions.
When infrared penetrates through the skin reaching the subcutaneous tissues, it transforms from light to heat energy, dilating the blood capillaries through FIR stress which promotes the production of NO, Nitric Oxide in Italian nitrogen monoxide.
FIR is frequently used by physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists and acupuncturists in the treatment of arthritis, joint pain, muscle stiffness, tendon and ligament injuries and to promote faster healing of the body.
Infrared is advantageous and beneficial to people and animals in many ways:
1. FIR heat expands the capillaries, stimulates increased blood flow and promotes regeneration, improved circulation and OXYGENATION. This energy, which we perceive in the form of heat, is useful in DETOX programs, because it promotes the elimination of fats, chemicals, poisons, many carcinogens, heavy metals and the vast majority of toxins from the blood. It also helps in the elimination of lactic acid, free fatty acids, subcutaneous fat, excess sodium associated with hypertension and uric acid. The activation of the sebaceous and sweat glands is a consequent and further aid in freeing the body from accumulated cosmetic products by eliminating them through the skin, as well as through the kidneys.
2. Far Infrared increases cellular metabolic activity by stimulating the activity of MITOCHONDRIA, triggering enzymatic activity and thus promoting the killing of many pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. FIR energy strengthens the immune system , stimulating increased production of white blood cells by the bone marrow and killer T cells by the thymus gland. It is proving to be a factor capable of strengthening the body's resistance to infectious diseases, increasing the production of lymphocytes and neutrophils, and reducing the frequency of colds and respiratory infections.
3. Far infrared heat promotes the reconstruction of damaged tissue by having a positive effect on fibroblasts, the cells needed for connective tissue repair. It increases cell growth, DNA activity, protein synthesis needed during tissue repair and regeneration. It has been shown to be a great aid in healing burns, proper scar tissue formation, and various skin conditions. Far infrared also promotes bone growth and is useful in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.
4. FIR energy relieves nervous tension and relaxes muscles , thereby reducing soreness felt at nerve endings, and muscle spasms by warming muscle fibers. It improves blood pressure balance , blood sugar levels , and promotes the absorption of nutrients into cells, resulting in increased muscle strength, vitality, and mental stability. Of all the natural wavelengths, infrared is the most important for our bodies, as it is also essential for regulating hormone levels such as melatonin, the serotonin-derived hormone that plays an important role in sleep, aging, and reproduction; cortisone, a natural steroid hormone that is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, adrenal insufficiency, certain allergies, and gout; and testosterone, the most powerful of the natural androgens.
5. Far infrared strengthens the cardiovascular system by improving heart rate and increasing heart rate, while decreasing diastolic blood pressure. Just as plants need light to perform photosynthesis, animals need radiant energy to send electrochemical impulses to the pineal and pituitary glands to produce healthy hormones that are sent through the central nervous system to every cell in the body. Far infrared, in the form of light and heat, is therefore essential to the functioning of our entire endocrine system and is not only safe, but also highly beneficial to optimal health.