Shower - Sauna - Shower Protocol

How can Sunlighten Infrared Saunas Help Firefighters with Detoxification?

Listen to What Other Departments are Saying

Sunlighten – Detoxification Protocol

Special Thanks
Sunlighten would like to thank Patrick Gordon of the Huntley, Illinois Fire Department for sharing their Cancer Reduction Procedures.

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for all fire fighters in reducing the risk of occupational cancers and related illnesses.

Based on the Cancer Reduction Procedures by Patrick Gordon at the Huntley Fire Department, Sunlighten recommends the Shower, Sauna, Shower protocol.

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Enhanced “GROSS Decontamination Shower” Protocol:

All members on the scene of a fire, smoke producing incident, exposed to smoke or the products of combustion shall shower thoroughly (gross decontaminate shower), sauna for a minimum of 15 minutes and shower again. Then change into clean clothes

Some things to remember when implementing Sunlighten’s Purifying Treatment:

Preheat the sauna.

  • Optimal temperature for purification is between 110-130 degrees.
  • Infrared technology is not about oppressive temperatures.
  • If the sauna is too hot you are not getting the benefits of infrared heat.
    (You are supposed to feel warm and comfortable through the treatment.)

Start slowly – Our technology is very effective, we recommend starting at 15 minutes and slowly work up to 40 minutes.

  • People with high toxicity may feel nauseous or dizzy after using the sauna. This is caused by detoxing too quickly. If you feel sick or dizzy, leave the sauna immediately and reduce the time of exposure. Slowly increase the time per session as your body becomes less toxic

It is safe to use the sauna daily once your body adjusts to the technology.

Hydrate + Hydrate + Hydrate – It is essential to replenish fluids during and after your Purifying Treatment.

  • If you feel overly tired or sluggish the day after your sauna session you may be dehydrated.

Standard protocol is to drink at least 24 ounces of fluids with electrolytes after your treatment

  • Bring a towel into the sauna to absorb sweat.

Your sweat may have a strange color based on the type of chemicals that burned in the fire.

  • RELAX – Some organizations claim that exercise in the sauna is needed for an effective detox. The patented Sunlighten heaters are extremely pure and simply require a person to rest in order to receive the benefits of a passive exercise experience. Firefighting is a strenuous activity, allow our technology to do the work, all you need to do is sit down, unwind and allow your parasympathetic system to take over.

Shower afterwards to remove toxins that your body expelled during the sauna session

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We do Accept Grant Funding for Sauna Purchases

Sweat out the Toxins

With an alarming number of firefighters getting sick while they are saving the lives of others, the statistics cannot be ignored. 

Not only are individual firefighters taking extra measures to eliminate toxins, but entire departments are implementing wellness programs and protocols to decontaminate and detoxify. That is why infrared saunas are becoming a staple in fire stations across the country. 

Find out how the Huntley Fire Protection District has incorporated Sunlighten far infrared saunas into their post-fire protocol.

Sunlighten Detoxification Treatment Do’s and Don’ts

Do

  • Wear loose clothing: t-shirts, shorts
  • Hydrate w/ water/electrolytes (before, during, after)
  • Bring a towel with you
  • Leave your footwear outside the sauna
  • Be patient when you start use (start at 15 minutes)
  • Clean with water (prevent any off gassing)
  • Preheat the sauna for at least 30 minutes
  • Make sure to relax and enjoy the session

Don't

  • Wear your uniform or turnout gear
  • Hydrate with energy drinks, soda or alcohol
  • Leave sweat puddles for others
  • Wear shoes or boots inside the sauna
  • Set a high temperature and stay for an hour
  • Use ANY chemicals to clean inside or outside
  • Leave the sauna on when unattended or overnight
  • Exercise or add stress to the session

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

It’s easier to prevent something from happening in the first place than it is to repair the damage after it has happened.

Sunlighten - Detox Leaders

Sunlighten has been in business for almost 20 years and continuously leads the industry with innovative products that improve lifestyles of firefighters, families and communities. Sunlighten saunas are medical-grade, clinically backed and proven 95-99% effective. Our products are used and recommended by the most reputable health and wellness experts and consumers in the world.

Our patented technology is clinically proved to:

 

Not all infrared is created equal. The most efficient and effective detox program requires high levels of far infrared at the correct frequency. Sunlighten’s technology has a proven emissivity rate of 95-99% at 9.4 microns – this is the highest rate in the industry. Sunlighten has a full range of infrared technology to fit every budget and home. Our saunas are used for detox, weight loss, pain relief, cardiovascular health, skin health, stress relief and aids in relief from Lyme Disease, cancer, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, muscle injury, autism, diabetes, hypertension and many other health conditions.

Contraindications

There are very few contra-indicators for infrared sauna use, however it’s important to know what they are.

  • Pregnant women should not use the sauna.
  • Pacemakers – Sunlighten utilizes magnets in the assembly process. Cabins can be manufactured without magnets upon request.
  • People affected by auto-immune conditions which prohibit sweating should use the sauna with care
  • Some transdermal medication patches. The adhesive could loosen due to sweating and affect the absorption rate of the medication.

Background Information

According to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network:

  • Cancer caused 61% of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from January 1, 2002 to March 31, 2017 (according to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters). Heart disease caused 18% of career LODD for the same period.
  • Cancer caused 70% of the LODD for career firefighters in 2016
  • Firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general US population (according to research by the CDC/National Institute for Occupational Health & Safety).

The cancers most responsible for this higher risk were:

– Respiratory (lung, mesothelioma)

  • Firefighters have a 100% increased risk of getting mesothelioma
  • Firefighters have a 129% increased risk of dying from mesothelioma

– GI (oral cavity, esophageal & large intestine)

– Kidney

– Testicular

  • 100% increased risk of getting testicular cancer

– Non-Hodkin’s lymphoma

  • 50% increased greater risk

– Brain cancer

Research that supports the link between firefighting and cancer

2017 Blais University of Ottawa study examined chemical exposure occurring during emergency, on-shift fire suppression. The researchers found firefighters absorb harmful chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through their skin. Firefighters had 3 to >5 times the amount of by-products of PAHs in their urine after a fire compared to before.

2013 Daniels NIOSH study is the largest study of US firefighters to date. It examined mortality patterns & cancer incidence for 30K firefighters. This study is significant because it spans geographical distance and included women and non-white firefighters.

The study found statistically significant mortality and incidence rates of all cancers and cancers of the:

  • Esophagus
  • Intestine
  • Lung
  • Kidney
  • Oral cavity
  • Increased rate of mesothelioma for firefighters compared with the general population.
  • An excess risk of bladder and prostate cancers at a younger age

2014 Pukkala Nordic study of 16,422 firefighters from 4 Nordic countries found an increased risk for all cancers and significant increases in:

  • Melanoma
  • Non-melanoma skin cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Prostate cancer