In the name of research and development, national security, war-fighting, and even conventional safety standards, the military has exposed many service members to harmful toxins with repercussions we have only recently begun to understand. Though the full breadth and impact of dangerous toxins on our Veterans is still a developing area of research and discovery, compiled research and informational resources that address four of the most common toxins Veterans may have encountered on military bases and in burning buildings.. 

These toxins include PFAS (commonly known as forever chemicals), heavy metals, radiation, asbestos, and chemical exposures related to contaminated drinking water. Some of these toxins were only recently discovered to be present in military bases or to be toxic at all. 

What Is PFAS?

PFAS is a blanket term referring to several harmful chemicals which can build up in the body and have been linked to many dangerous and even deadly health conditions. Once these chemicals enter the body, no evidence suggests they ever leave, leading to PFAS designation as “forever chemicals.”

What Are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals like lead and cadmium are naturally occurring elements that contribute to many parts of the body’s natural functions in small quantities. However, long-term exposure to these metals can lead to many serious health issues. 

Radiation Exposure

Radiation Exposure is generally categorized as Ionizing or non-ionizing radiation. While non-ionizing radiation is a relatively harmless form of radiation to which we are constantly exposed through radio frequencies and even the use of household appliances, ionizing radiation is a high-intensity form of radiation to which many veterans were exposed. 

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos exposure is often overlooked as a toxin to which Veterans were exposed during their service. Everyone has likely heard the phrase associated with Mesothelioma victims and their loved ones. Still, this topic is normally discussed only in the context of the construction industry and civilian life. However, Veterans account for almost 30% of asbestos-related deaths.

What Does Asbestos Exposure Cause?

Asbestos is a cancer-causing carcinogen associated with lung and throat cancer. Asbestos exposure also commonly causes a condition known as Mesothelioma, where tiny shards of the asbestos material make their way into the victim’s lungs. 

Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Three committee reports from 1999, 2008 and 2013 noted urgent need for effective therapies and listed detoxification as being sought by veterans and/or needing investigation, the 1999 conference report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting a need to “examine the efficacy of a detoxification routine consisting of saunas, stringent exercise, and vitamin therapies”.

How niacin vitamin B3 works for sauna detoxification is very similar to how far-infrared wavelengths work. Just like the infrared, niacin targets the fat cells and causes them to disperse, releasing heavy metals and toxins that have been stored, back into the bloodstream, allowing the detox method of the body to occur. Before we talk about the niacin protocol, it's important to know what exactly niacin is.

Approximately 30% of the 700,000 US veterans of the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War developed multiple persistent symptoms called Gulf War illness. While the etiology is uncertain, several toxic exposures including pesticides and chemical warfare agents have shown associations. An intervention to enhance detoxification developed by Hubbard has improved quality of life and/or reduced body burdens in other cohorts. They evaluated its feasibility and efficacy in ill Gulf War (GW) veterans in a randomized, waitlist-controlled, pilot study at a community-based rehabilitation facility in the United States. Most improvements were retained after 3 months. The Hubbard regimen was feasible, safe and might offer relief for symptoms of GW illness.

Three committee reports from 1999, 2008 and 2013 noted urgent need for effective therapies and listed detoxification as being sought by veterans and/or needing investigation, the 1999 conference report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting a need to “examine the efficacy of a detoxification routine consisting of saunas, stringent exercise, and vitamin therapies”

In our society, the true heroes are the first responders who swiftly act in times of emergency, saving lives by putting their own on the line. Witnessing harrowing events and being just a phone call away day or night, these heroes make countless sacrifices to be there for those in need, sometimes at the cost of their own well-being.

Beyond the inherent dangers they face on the job - from accidents to hazardous encounters - first responders also battle a higher risk of internal diseases and illnesses compared to the general population. While saunas cannot eliminate the risks of their demanding profession, evidence suggests that regular sauna use may play a role in enhancing the overall health of these dedicated individuals.

Quoted from an article titled 'Understanding cardiovascular disease risks for first responders: Police Face a Tremendous Risk- What Goes Into It and What Can They Do About It' on Police, it is noted that first responders undergo extreme strain on their endocrine systems. The intense situations they face trigger significant releases of stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, and dopamine, potentially increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular events, including cardiac arrest. Without sufficient rest, relaxation, exercise, and a healthy diet, the glands responsible for producing these stress hormones are left overworked and depleted.

Many people aren't aware that cancer due to toxicity is a growing concern for first responders. According to the International Association of Firefighters, 60 percent of career firefighters die from cancer and heart attacks, (due to stressful conditions). We KNOW firefighters and other first responders NEED a sauna. Fire departments around the country are installing infrared saunas and consider them as essential gear, just like masks and helmets.

Why an Hybrid Infrared Sauna Cabins? 

After the tragic events of 9/11, more than 500 first responders and rescue workers, primarily firefighters, underwent a sauna detox program for three years. Prior to starting the regimen, the participants were typically absent from work for an average of two days and experienced limited activity for four days per month. A majority of the participants were taking medication for respiratory conditions, with over 80% requiring other medications for skin issues, emotional well-being, cognitive function, and musculoskeletal complaints.

Following the 30-day sauna therapy, the participants' average work absences decreased to just 0.2 days. By the end of the study, a remarkable 85% of participants had stopped taking their medications, and 73% were able to discontinue their pulmonary drugs entirely. The participants also displayed noticeable enhancements in thyroid performance, balance, reaction time, and cognitive function.

The individuals in the study underwent traditional sauna sessions lasting 2-5 hours each. However, infrared saunas have proven to be more effective and efficient in eliminating toxins, allowing for shorter sessions. The benefits include feeling healthier, fewer missed work days, and potentially reducing the lingering fire odors from the body, as suggested by anecdotal reports

Hybrid Infrared sauna therapy has been proven to assist in detoxification, reduce cardiovascular conditions, improve heat tolerance, and increase longevity. Since hybrid infrared sauna therapy was successfully used after 9/11 to assist first responders, several studies have shown the benefits of this modern twist on centuries-old health rituals. Several fire departments around the US have purchased infrared saunas, where Uforia is spreading the much more needed use of Hybrid Infrared Sauna Cabins, for their firehouses.

PAH stands for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), PAH-OHs includes a group of carcinogens that can be detected in the urine of those who have been exposed to the following burning substances: Coal, crude oil, gasoline, wood, garbage, and tobacco.(3) Because of their prevalence in burned substances, all firefighters are exposed to PAH-OHs en masse during a fire-call. Therefore, measuring the levels of PAH-OHs before and after a fire-call will determine how much of the body has been exposed to these substances while on an emergency call, as well as the effectiveness of certain detoxification or decontamination protocol.

If an individual working as a first responder can find a way to get into a sauna for 20 minutes, 3-7 times a week, it may be possible to greatly reduce the risk of heart illness both in present time as well as in the future.

Habitually, the thought of any heat therapy, from hot tubs to saunas seems almost synonymous with a contraindication for individuals living with heart conditions, yet the advent of extensive research into the fields of near, mid, and far infrared light in relationship to heart health, suggests quite the opposite.

Saunas are known to reduce the risk of all cause-mortality among civilians by helping to prevent the occurrence of heart disease. While it is true that the rates of heart failure are significantly higher among first responders, the benefits of sauna use to heart health remain pertinent and valuable. 

Why?

Materials used in modern construction are based on chemicals instead of natural materials, and these materials burn off over 800 toxins and carcinogens. Research has found that body absorption increases 400% for each 5-degree increase in temperature. You’rerepeatedly exposed to more dangerous toxins at a time when your body is most prone to deep absorption;over time, this toxic build-up takes a toll. Yes, the body does rid itself of some toxins; however, sweating is by far better at ridding the body of heavy metals and other toxins. In addition to symptoms of toxicity and cancer, firefighters have more incidences of sarcoidosis (a disease of the lymph nodes) and respiratory issues.

Regular sauna bathing has some beneficial effects on blood pressure, cardiometabolic biomarkers, arterial compliance, and cardiovascular function. Studies have shown that higher frequency and duration of sauna bathing are related to a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, sudden cardiac death, stroke, hypertension, pulmonary diseases, and dementia. The feelings of relaxation and promotion of mental health and wellbeing associated with sauna sessions might be linked to the increased production of circulating levels of hormones such as endorphins. We have also reported an inverse association of frequency of sauna with several inflammatory markers, suggesting that the beneficial effect of sauna bathing on disease outcomes may in part be mediated via reduced inflammation.4 The inverse associations between sauna bathing and adverse outcomes have persisted despite adjustments for socioeconomic status and phyical activity, which are potential surrogate markers of healthy lifestyles.

In their review on Cardiovascular and Other Benefits of Sauna Bathing, Laukkanen et al1 observed that, in a previous population cohort study, they detected that frequent use of sauna bathing (4 to 7 times a week), showed a 66% reduction in dementia in Finnish men compared with those who had 1 session per week. Regarding a possible mechanism for such a dramatic effect, toxicologists have shown that sweating is a major means of excreting both organochlorine pesticides2 and a variety of toxic metals including cadmium, lead, and aluminum. Surprisingly, substantially more of these toxic substances can be excreted via sweat than by urine, so increasing sweating became an effective means of enhancing excretion of toxic substances. Reported that the use of sauna therapy improved the condition of patients with confirmed exposure to mold (including stachybortrys), those who had mycotoxins (including ochratoxin) in their urine, and patients who had impaired neurocognitive testing or autonomic nervous system testing results and whose conditions were refractory to other treatments.4 In a review of the high prevalence of fatal dementia in Finland.

Consistent regular sauna bathing has some beneficial effects on blood pressure, cardiometabolic biomarkers, arterial compliance, and cardiovascular function. Prospective studies have shown that higher frequency and duration of sauna bathing are related to a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, sudden cardiac death, stroke, hypertension, pulmonary diseases, and dementia. The feelings of relaxation and promotion of mental health and well-being associated with sauna sessions might be linked to the increased production of circulating levels of hormones such as endorphins.1 We have also reported an inverse association of frequency of sauna with several inflammatory markers, suggesting that the beneficial effect of sauna bathing on disease outcomes may in part be mediated via reduced inflammation. The inverse associations between sauna bathing and adverse outcomes have persisted despite adjustments for socioeconomic status and physical activity, which are potential surrogate markers of healthy lifestyles. In the typical warm and relatively dry Finnish sauna, skin blood flow usually increases from 5% to 10%,