Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy
Protocols, Safety, and Research Information

Knowledge is power: But only as powerful as the mind which grasps it,
the heart which believes in it, and the hands which wield it.

This document explores ozone steam sauna therapy, including protocols, general information, and safety. This article should be viewed as a living document, and not as a comprehensive guide.

Managing Oxidative Stress & Eliminatory Functions
While Doing Ozone Sauna Therapy

Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy

Proponents of ozone sauna therapy widely espouse the benefits of ozone therapy as a detoxification protocol for the human body. However, this perspective is only half true. Ozone sauna therapy acts directly and as a catalyst that causes the body to begin to dump toxic waste accumulated in the body. It does not, however, assist the body in its actual process of elimination, once a treatment session is over. With regular, daily therapy, a great deal of stress is placed upon the body's lymphatic system and elimination system, including the liver, the colon and the skin.

While activated oxygen does directly break down toxic chemicals, bacteria, virii, etc., it is still true that successful therapy is completely dependent upon the body's ability to continuously eliminate the toxic burden, while at the same time preventing oxidative stress in the body.

Antioxidants - Good or Bad?

Medical science, both allopathic and alternative, often completely switch perspectives concerning the use of antioxidants for human health. One may find major double-blind studies that both support and refute the use of antioxidants as health-promoting agents.

The truth is, scientists are still very confused about the role of oxygen and oxidative cycles in the body. Part of the confusion spawns from the use of unnatural, inorganic supplements used in an attempt to promote good health, many of which do the exact opposite. Medical scientists are often too slow to realize that every aspect of a supplement must be documented and scrutinized very carefully, including the molecular formulation of the compounds used, their source (organic or inorganic), the ratio of key minerals to each other, and even the delivery system.

Also, antioxidant action in the body cannot be observed independently. Careful observation and regulation of the oxidation cycles in the body is also required, including immune system, gene-regulated oxidation cycles that are only now being explored by genetic scientists.

For our purposes, consider that the oxygen cycles of the body are the "yin", and the antioxidation action in the body is the "yang" (the pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant systems ). Obviously, if either critical metabolic function is not functioning optimally, disharmony will be the result.

Oxidative stress, unchecked, is extremely dangerous to the body.

There is obvious concern by those not familiar with ozone who may erroneously view ozone as a free radical. O3, H202, and O-, while very reactive, are not free radicals. However, while oxidation reactions are performed at the cellular level throughout the body, the resulting compounds, expecially those initiated by the immune system, must be effectively nuetralized.

Dr. Stanley Bayerle:

"Most microbes are anaerobic; they thrive without oxygen, and cannot live in the presence of added oxygen in the bloodstream. The ozone and the fatty acid cell membrane then do a reaction that occurs at that membrane which creates peroxide. A lot of destructive processes that go on are due to an accumulation of peroxide. That's why antioxidants are so important, in not only ozone treatment but in day-to-day living, because of all the environmental pollution that occurs. When that happens, it creates an increase in peroxides that go unchecked. What happens is that when these peroxides accumulate within the cell, there's an increased production of a specific biochemical called 23DPG diphosphoglycerate, which enables oxygen to be released from the hemoglobin molecule."

Therefore, the more effective we are at re-introducing activated oxygen into the body, the more effective we need to be at cleaning up the effects. In a properly functioning metabolism, this job is successfully auto-regulated. However, many people who seek ozone therapy do so because of chronic and degenerative conditions.

We consider antioxidants a necessary counterbalancing agent for all ozone therapy. Luckily, the art of natural medicine can be used to safely and effectively compliment "heavy-hitting" alternative medicine protocols. We will deal with this topic in the our ozone sauna therapy rashes section ( not yet available ).

Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy - Safe & Effective?

We see a few different perspectives being shared concerning ozone steam sauna therapy, and ozone used externally for health purposes.

Alternative Medical Ozone Doctors, Research Scientists

The first perspective comes from alternative medical doctors, medical ozone experts, and research scientists. The consensus is that there is much doubt as to the effectiveness of ozone sauna therapy. Most of the doctors who are used to using ozone intravenously and via speciallized forms of blood purification and oxygenation greatly doubt the effect of ozone used externally.

However, upon scrutiny, these experts have not correctly studied ozone sauna therapy. The effects of ozone sauna therapy are cumulative, and the benefits associated with use reveal themselves over long term use. Because of the complexity of the potential effects, there is no single definative guide; ozone sauna therapy is a completely individualized experience. It is not enough to place an individual in a steam sauna cabinet or tent for a few weeks or a few days a week and then try to conclusively document the effects.

Therefore, we don't place very much credence in this perspective which appears to us to be fueled by arrogance rather than clear scientific observation and careful analsysis. We point out that qualified balneotherapists are best equipped to study the effects of external ozone, as their understanding of the lymphatic system, body elimination systems, and potential gas-through-skin to metabolism reactions is far superior than other therapuetic disciplines.

We have consulted with some very qualified scientific researchers ( with degrees in disciplines such as genetic science, MD's, etc. ) who have documented extremely significant and beneficial effects of ozone sauna therapy. Even so, these individuals acknowledge that ozone sauna therapy can be so powerful, that much more research needs to be conducted in order to better understand external ozone's effect on the immune system and the metabolism.

Ozone Steam Sauna Proponents

Those with extensive experience with ozone sauna therapy are always strong supporters. Their perspective, formed by direct experience with ozone sauna therapy and by observations derived from working with individuals in clinics, is that ozone sauna therapy is a powerful tool for wellness, with no risk of harming the body through correct use. They consider ozone steam sauna therapy as non-invasive, and nearly universally share an opinion that individuals should simply bulldose through what they term the "detox" effects of therapy.

This perspective has merit, and has been formed by observing individuals making strong recoveries from a very wide variety of severe chronic illness, through months to years of dedicated therapy.

All of the researchers with extensive ozone sauna experience that we've consulted with share a similiar "hold onto your seat" attitude. They universally agree that ozone sauna therapy, for those with serious health issues, is not a "pop-a-vitamin and get well" type of therapy. In fact, it's when the pop-a-pill and get well theory falls apart that individuals are often drawn to therapies such as ozone.

Our Perspective

We disagree, to a certain extent, with both camps. Ozone sauna therapy is relatively new and its potential effects are not well known.

It is obvious that ozone itself, in reasonable concentrations, is not dangerous to the body; however, we ask that researchers consider that the body can be dangerous to itself in the presence of therapuetic ozone.

Our initial perspective has been formed from carefully studying the direct effects of therapy with six individuals that span an interesting spectrum of health concerns, over a seven month period of time, and correlating observations with the experience of other researchers, and with consideration to the action of ozone, "activated oxygen", and organic peroxides with the body.

Above all, it is wise to remember that when dealing with oxygen, we're dealing with a very powerful oxidizing substance that is used to regulate many metabolic functions in the body. We believe that ozone sauna therapy can be employed safely and effectively for chronic illness, but not as a stand alone treatment modality.

Ozone sauna therapy is a serious commitment to wellness that requires a great deal of personal responsibility, and sometimes even a great deal of endurance. We strongly believe that the dedicated individual will be well pleased with the results.

We would like to offer the following information freely to help individuals confidently enjoy the ozone sauna experience.

Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy: What happens?

At a minimum concentration of 3% and a maximum therapuetic concentration of 5%, ozone is created by an ozone generator and pumped into the sauna or tent chamber. The sauna or tent is designed to encapsulate the body while leaving the head open in ambient air. This prevents individuals from breathing ozone at a high concentration, which should be avoided.

Ozone degrades rapidly, and the tent or sauna serves both to allow the concentration in the sauna to build up quickly to a therapuetic level, while at the same time preventing the ozone from building up in the ambient breathing air. With sauna units, the flow rate of the ozone is not very important, as it is easy to saturate the small space of a sauna chamber with therapuetic levels of ozone.

As long as suitable ventilation is provided in the room, then there is no safety concern. Suitable ventilation means proper air flow circulation. Ambient air in the room should both circulate in the room, and also exit the room/building. Any central air system in a building is suitable, provided that there is also sufficient air flow in the treatment room. Sufficient air flow may be added by using a large circulation fan.

Alternately, an ozone destructor made of carbon may be used, and attached to an ozone sauna at the opposite high end of the sauna. One simply cuts ( if a venting port is not provided for ) the same size hole as the ozone input line, attaching an FDA/USP grade silicon hose to the hole, and then attaching an ozone destructor. Suitable ventilation, however, should always be used. We do not view the ozone destructor as necessary, but perhaps very advisable in situations where there may be multiple ozone machines in use.

Ozone generators that do no produce nitrous oxide must be used. With most generators, pure oxygen or an oxygen concentrator must be used to avoid the production of nitrous oxide, which should be avoided to protect the health of individuals, as nitrous oxide is easily converted to nitric acid in the body, which is exceedingly toxic. There are individuals who have acquired "the bends" ( decompression sickness ) by using ozone chamber therapy with the wrong generator without using pure oxygen.

Sauna chambers made from ozone resistant materials are recommended. While these units are often expensive, they are worth the cost. Individuals who feel they need the therapy, and who cannot afford an ozone steam cabinet, may elect to utilize an ozone steam sauna tent. While these tents are acceptable, they should be kept clean, and consideration should be given to the fact that the PVC material used for the frame, as well as the nylon used for the tent itself, will slowly degrade.

Researching therapists have experimented with ozone chamber therapy without the added heat and moisture with a measure of success. However, there are many benefits of utilizing both heat and moisture with ozone therapy.

With the ozone pumping into the sauna chamber, a steam generator is used to feed hot steam into the sauna chamber. This produces several effects:

• The body's pores, due to both the heat and the steam, begin to open, which changes the exchange potential between the ambient gasses and the body.
  • The combination between the open pores, the heat, and the ozone begins a detoxification process. Activated oxygen begins to react with substances with the highest oxidation potential, breaking these substances down.
    • As the body begins to sweat, the exchange potential is further increased, resulting in increased adsorption of gasses/fluids, and increased excretion of toxic substances from the body ( via the immune system regulated lymphatic response ).
• The ozone begins to breakdown rapidly: O3 ----> O2 + O-. There is little, IF ANY, ozone reaction deeper than the skin. Toxic substances are quickly broken down by ozone, and those which do not react with the ozone can react with the singlet, negatively charged oxygen ion ( O- ). There is no evidence, or reason to expect, that something as instable as ozone actually penetrates through the skin and into the active metabolism of the body.
• As the body sweats, and as ozone breaks down, organic peroxides are created in the oils of the body being excreted from and existing in the skin. A small amount of ozone becomes trapped within these natural oils and newly created peroxides, which provides a sustained/prolonged effect of activated oxygen. This reaction is very similiar to creating ozinated oils.
  • Even so, there is still no evidence to suggest that the ozone trapped within the oils actually reaches the bloodstream, or beyond the skin/lymphatic system. More likely, the ozone instantly reacts as it is freed from the oils, creating more organic peroxides and potentially releasing a single negatively charged atom of oxygen. It is these forms of oxygen doing all of the work inside the body.
  • Evidence suggests that the body is very capable of utilizing these organic peroxides, as researchers have demonstrated that a byproduct of ozone sauna therapy is increased "fixed" free oxygen in the blood stream. The benefits of a single ozone sauna session have been documented to last as long as three weeks. Therefore, the highly reactive O3 molecule is eventually formed into stabilized oxygen molecules by the natural processes of the body.
• The entire lymphatic system is stimulated during therapy
• The skin is deeply cleansed
• If enough heat is used for a long enough time, a hypothermic response occurs in the body, and the body's internal temperature begins to rise. For the average individual, it takes between 12 and 15 minutes for the body's internal temperature to begin to rise in the presence of steam.
  • For high heat therapy, the internal temperature should be monitored.

Once the therapy session has ended, the pores begin to close, and the body temperature returns to normal very rapidly. The oxygen introduced by the therapy is still very much active, both on the surface of the skin, and in the body. If possible, an individual should wait for 2-3 hours before showering, or until the smell of ozone is no longer present on the skin ( this is the ozone being released from the natural body oils ).

However, when therapy has ended, a great deal of toxic waste remains trapped in the body. Many of these toxic substances previously existed in isolated and nuetral forms, many of which the body was previously not able to eliminate. As an example, bacteria cell walls are compromised, leaving endotoxin, and petrochemicals and pesticides are broken down. All of these substances still need to be removed from the body.

Ozone sauna therapy in no way helps in the actual elimination processes of the body, once the sauna session has ended. Those with chronic illness, immune system conditions, sluggish metabolisms, and other issues associated severe toxicity must learn how to assist the body's elimination functions in order to avoid oxidative stress, severe rashes and lesions, and other potential toxic shock responses. Ozone sauna therapy can break down substances, but it is up to the body to heal itself, as well as cleanse itself from within.

Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy: Protocols

Using Ozone Steam Sauna Therapy

It is important to understand that the effect of ozone sauna therapy is cumulative. Occassional use will provide some residual "maintenance" benefit, but will not address chronic illness. The duration of each treatment session is of equal importance.

The First Treatment

We have experiential evidence that indicates that 30 minutes in an ozone steam sauna actually resets the immune system. If you are lucky enough to be reading this article before your first session, we recommend the following:

If steam is well tolerated, bring the sauna temperature up to between 103 and 112 degrees F, while pumping ozone in the chamber. Consider that one will need to spend 30 minutes in the chamber. If steam is not well tolerated, heat the sauna up to between 103-104 degrees F, and have someone turn off the steam generator if one experiences discomfort. The moisture levels in the chamber will remain at a high enough level for effectiveness, combined with the insulated heat.

Once the chamber is heated, enter the sauna. If high heat is being used ( the author uses 112 degrees F ), use a digital thermometer to monitor the body's internal temperature. Never exceed 103 degrees F internally unless one truly knows what one is doing.

A hypothermic "induced fever" in the body can be beneficial, but only for short periods of time and under normal health states. Consult a medical balneologist or medical doctor to ensure any existing health condition, such as hypertension, is not contra-indicated for high heat therapy.

Use a timer and remain in the ozone chamber for no less than 20 minutes, but preferably for 30 minutes.

Immediately upon exiting, find a mirror and carefully examine the body. Problem areas in the body that are reaching surface expression ( in natural medicine, this is termed as "exteriorization" ) will be evident. One may notice large or small patches of reddened skin, with interesting formations. Common locations for this phenomenon include the chest, neck, upper forearms, and the base of the spine.

Welcome to ozone sauna therapy. If have chronic illness, you should now have no doubt that the power of activated oxygen is working in the body, and that your immune system has just been given a wake-up call.

It is up to you to answer it.

Therapeutic Ozone

As one learns to manage the body's metabolic functions, the target treatment schedule for ozone chamber therapy is once daily for between 20 and 30 minutes, seven days a week.

Please refer to our upcoming section on "Ozone Sauna Therapy: Potential Side Effects". As daily therapy progresses, the effect of the ozone treatment is cumulative. With those with chronic illness conditions, exteriorizations will likely begin to occur within one to three weeks. These are to be expected, and for the best, most comfortable results, they also need to be managed.

• Avoid taking antioxidants one hour prior to, and about two hours after ozone therapy, when possible.
• Do not use alcohol during ozone sauna therapy. Allow four hours after the alcohol has been metabolized before doing ozone ( this means, that if you have reached a state of full intoxication, you may have to wait 24 hours+, but if you've had a few glasses of wine in the evening, the following mid-morning ozone would be fine ).
• Do not do ozone therapy while doing recreational drugs.
• Do not do ozone therapy if you have an organ transplant.

  Less than four times a week should not be considered enough for true therapeutic treatment.

Maintenance Ozone

As a maintenance program for healthy skin, stimulation of the body's immune system function, and to maintain higher levels of fixed oxygen in the bloodstream, ozone sauna therapy should be done one to three times weekly for between 15 and 30 minutes per session.

Managing Oxidative Stress, Toxicity, and Body Cleansing

After five years of research, we have finally presented our anti-ozone rash protocol: Beating the ozone rash: A cure .

Purchase a therapuetic grade ozone generator for sauna use.

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