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Health Benefits of Saunas

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Saunas are widely known for their incredible ability to aid relaxation and boost the health of the user, however there are also a range of benefits which the average user might not be aware of. Join us as we explore some of the amazing benefits of sauna use!

1. Relieves Stress

Medical studies clearly show stress in our daily lives affects our health. In fact, the vast majority of disease is stress related. The sauna provides stress relief in a number of ways: It’s a warm, quiet space without any distractions. As we say, “Step into a sauna, and close the door on the rest of the world.” The heat of the sauna relaxes the body, improves circulation and stimulates the release of endorphins ”the body’s natural feel good chemical” providing a wonderful after sauna glow.

2. Relaxes Muscles and Soothes Aches and Pains in Muscles and Joints

Under high heat, the body releases endorphins – the body’s naturally produced pain relieving chemical. Endorphins can have a mild and enjoyable tranquilizing effect and the ability to quell the pain of arthritis (and muscle soreness from an intense physical workout).

Body temperature rises from the heat of the sauna, causing blood vessels to dilate and circulation to increase. The increased blood flow accelerates the body’s natural healing proces, soothing aches and pains and speeding up of the healing of cuts and bruises. Following sporting activity, use the heat and steam of a sauna for muscle relaxation by helping to reduce muscle tension and eliminate lactic acid and other toxins.

3. Flushes Toxins

In today’s lifestyles, many of us don’t actively sweat on a daily basis. Deep sweating has multiple health benefits. Regular sauna bathing provides the benefits derived from a deep sweat: In the heat of a sauna, the core body temperature begins to rise and it produces sweat, in order to cool the body. In a sauna, deep sweating can help reduce levels of lead, copper, zinc, nickel, mercury and chemicals – all toxins commonly picked up from our environment.

4. Recreational and Social Benefits

While the social benefit is rarely touted, it should not be trivialized. The sauna can be a private personal retreat or a relaxing environment for socializing with family and friends. The sauna environment is ideal for openness, quiet conversation and intimacy.

5. Improves Cardiovascular Performances

In the heat of a sauna, skin heats up and core body temperature rises. In response to the heat, the blood vessels near the skin dilate and cardiac output increases. Medical research shows the heart rate can rise from 60-70/min. to 110-120/min. in the sauna (140-150 with more intensive bathing), and can often sink to below normal after the cooling off stage. With regular sauna use, we not only train our heart muscles and improve the heart rate/cardiac output, but we also positively influence the regulatory system.

Further cardiovascular conditioning occurs when the sauna is taken in multiple innings, with sessions in the sauna separated by a cool shower or a dip into a cool pool or lake. Every time you rapidly change temperature (from hot to cool or vice versa), your heart rate increases by as much as 60%–comparable to moderate exercise.

6. Feels Good

A sauna not only feels good, it’s good for you. Whether it’s the physiological changes that occur in the warmth of a sauna, or if it’s simply the time spent in the calm, still retreat of the sauna, all who sauna agree – it feels wonderful! As we go through our daily stressful lives, the sauna provides a pampering retreat where we can relax and restore body and soul. A sauna truly makes you feel better, look better and sleep better.

We can help you to choose the ideal spa for your lifestyle needs – contact a member of our team for more information today on 0208 300 4003.

Why buy a Swim Spa rather than a Pool ?

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Choosing a swim spa, exercise pool, fitness pool or swimming pool is a big decision, as it’s a choice you’ll be living with for a long time. Choose the wrong type of pool, and you will drastically reduce the use you get from your new investment, choose the right swimming pool, however, and you will be delighted with it for years to come.

Indeed, a swim spa offers a few added benefits that your traditional pool may not offer. Individuals who are considering the investment in this type of pool will find that the advantages are not just exercise related. In fact, this can be the perfect place to relax and unwind with friends or to let the kids splash around in the summer months. Unlike other pools, the swim spa is a complete system that is easy to use and maintain.

One of the key advantages of an exercise pool is that it provides you with one of the best types of exercise methods available. Swimming is good for several reasons.

  • It provides an effective workout plan that gets the heart going.
  • It works to provide exercise without impact. Unlike running or walking, there is no impact on the joints.
  • This system is fun. Unlike other types of exercise, like treadmills and workout gyms, people tend to enjoy swimming. When you enjoy doing something, you are more likely to do it.

For all of these reasons, an exercise pool is an ideal choice for those who need to get moving. Keep in mind that you will find a variety of other advantages to swim spas too. 

Swim spas provide other uses as well. Individuals will find a range of ways to use these that do not always have to provide for health improvement. For example, some split models offer a side that is perfect for relaxing with a few friends, in a hot tub style experience. This makes for one of the best overall experiences because the water’s warm and the current is just enough to be relaxing.

They are safe for children who will enjoy spending time in the swim spa. A very dynamic and easy to use product. The children will love playing with the jets and will learn swimming very fast. Moreover, a swim spa is easy to use. You can keep it heated 12 months a year at the cheapest price with covers and its great isolation. It only demands a few products to keep the water clean. 

Whereas in a swimming pool, you will only have space to make a couple breaststrokes and once you have done that, you will sit on the side of the pool and not enjoy it as you should.

Therefore, a swim spa is the way to make the most of your investment, by spending less time worrying about the money spent in maintenance, and spending more time enjoying your pool, the relaxation and comfort it offers.

Aiding Sports Recovery

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Hydrotherapy

Water is used in physiotherapy to:

  • speed recovery from injuries
  • relieve muscle soreness by facilitating the removal of lactic acid
  • open the blood vessels to improve circulation
  • relax the muscles around arthritic joints
  • promote the flow of endorphins

All of these benefits combined with the opportunity of a moment of rest from the distractions of daily life make hydrotherapy both physically and mentally therapeutic.

The healing benefits of hydrotherapy have been known to all of the world’s great cultures, with a history that dates back thousands of years. Jacuzzi® has popularized the ancient practice of water massage therapy for a new age. Relaxing heat, muscle stimulation, and lighter-than-air buoyancy relieve physical burdens and brighten the spirits. Researchers have observed the healing effects of hydrotherapy: decreased joint pain, improved circulation, and acceleration of the body’s natural healing processes.

Hot tubs are known for delivering soothing and stimulating hydrotherapy. The warm water and massage elements in a hot tub can help reduce stress, clear your mind, and soothe overworked muscles, which is particularly important to athletes! Whether you’re juggling work and family, recovering from a joint or muscle injury, or simply needing to unwind from the day’s stresses, hydrotherapy provides relaxation, healing effects, and nourishing rejuvenation.

Hydrotherapy can help bring about a good night’s sleep, may help keep joints moving, restore strength and flexibility and soothe arthritis pain. A hot tub hydrotherapy session is a great experience any time of the day or any season of the year.

Why hydrotherapy works

Water under pressure from jets can alleviate the muscle tightness produced by stress and anxiety through the application of direct massage and heat. From a targeted stream for deep-tissue massage to relaxing micro-bubbles, Jacuzzi jets give you a variety of hydrotherapeutic massage types.

How hydrotherapy heals

Water is used in physiotherapy to speed recovery from injuries, relieve muscle soreness by facilitating the removal of lactic acid, open the blood vessels to improve circulation, help the muscles around arthritic joints relax, and promote the flow of endorphins.

Eco Friendly Swimming Pools

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Your pool represents a real investment in your family’s health, leisure and lifestyle and, like all investments; it’s a good idea to make sure that you are getting the most out of it.

If your pool is even just a couple of years old, you might be surprised at how many new products there are available that can improve your experience of running and enjoying your swimming pool. There are innovations that can reduce running costs and make your pool more environmentally friendly, there are products to make maintenance easier and there are retrofit products that can add to the fun and improve your leisure time.

There is a host of ideas splashed over these pages. Which of them most appeals to you?

Pool Covers

A pool cover can keep your pool safe and secure as well as helping to cut running costs. If you have a cover already, perhaps you should upgrade? Solar covers simply retain heat in the pool and cut down water loss through evaporation. Heat retention covers go that bit further to reduce heat loss. Winter debris covers will keep debris out during the winter months. Safety covers are designed to keep your pool safe and secure. Automatic slatted covers are a “push- button” cover that will retain heat and make your pool safer, plus, they can be solar powered.

Heat Pumps

A heat pump is one of the most efficient options available for heating your pool water. Some of them actually multiply the amount of heat that can be produced from each kWh of electricity by drawing warmth from the air to put into your pool.

LED Lighting

LED lighting is the most energy efficient lighting option available. Spectravision lights can also be digitally controlled to produce an amazing range of mood-lighting effects that will transform the look and atmosphere of your pool at night.

Automatic Pool Cleaners

Would you believe that cleaning your pool could be easy? In fact, it can even be fun. Suction cleaners are easy and efficient to use, electric powered cleaners will almost do the job for you and we have a Zodiac 4 wheel drive model that will climb the pool wall to your feet when the work is done.

Solar Heating

Incredibly eco-friendly, once installed a Sunburst solar heating system for your pool has little or no running costs. The panels have a long life expectancy and a system should payback the installation costs in somewhere between 2 and 5 years. A solar heating system really comes into its own in the UK when it is used in conjunction with a traditional heating system, topping up your pool’s heat just at the time you are most likely to want to use your pool.

Automatic Chemical Dosing

Make testing and dosing your pool water easier with an Etatron automatic chemical dosing system. A complete package of equipment provides simple and reliable dosing and control for chlorine or pH.

Hot Tub and Swim Spa Showroom – UK 2013 Showroom of The Year!

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The Multiple UK & European Award Winners

We would like to warmly invite you to join us to celebrate our brand new award… The highly prestigious 2013 Pool, Spa hot tubs and Wellness Showroom of The Year Award!

Nominated by industry experts and customers, we fought off the fierce competition and were awarded the gong by theinternational panel of Judges from 8 Countries!
We are pleased to be the first company in the UK to have:

  • An indoor sunken working Swim Spa
  • Electric pool safety cover with invisible panel
  • Outdoor Cedar barrel sauna in concrete shell
  • Unique Hydraulic gazebo with insulating properties
  • Largest showroom in the South East.

New Showroom also consists of:

  • The World’s Only Self Cleaning hot tubs.
  • The full range of Hydropool hot tubs, indoor traditional sauna, indoor
  • Infra Red sauna, bespoke tiled steam room, outdoor
  • Self cleaning swim spa, slatted insulated swimming
  • Pool cover, large Salt Water outdoor pool, Eco heating
  • Cleaning systems, water treatment, pool cleaners,
  • Wellbeing and Wellness Suite.

Can a Hot Tub improve your health?

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It sounds crazy, but sitting in a hot tub might actually help you fight off serious diseases, like hypertension and diabetes.

Type II diabetes is now considered an American epidemic: One out of 10 people over the age of 20 have diabetes. Current trends suggest that one out of three children born after 2000 will develop diabetes during his or her life according to the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland. There is a pressing need, now more than ever, to find ways to combat type II diabetes.

Let’s hop in our hot tub time machine and travel back to 1999: Philip L. Hooper, M.D., published a study in the most impactful journal in medicine, The New England Journal of Medicine, about the effect of “hot tub therapy” on his diabetic patients. His medical approach: have them sit neck-deep in a hot tub for 30 minutes, six times a week.

Incredibly, after three weeks of hot tubbing, the average patient experienced a significant decrease in blood glucose levels. One man had to reduce his insulin medication by almost 18 percent to prevent his blood sugar from dropping too low.

Sitting in a hot tub either increased the effectiveness of the insulin or caused glucose uptake by a different insulin-independent mechanism, similar to the effects of exercise. But nobody actually knows the answer, because nobody followed through.

Instead, two scientists published replies essentially saying “Nice try, but hot tubs can be lethal.” There are bacteria (pseudomonas) that grow in hot tubs that can kill you, and patients with diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) can unknowingly burn themselves. Their bottom line: Putting diabetics in a hot tub is a bad idea.

Shortly after his publication, Hooper must have found out about the heat shock response and about heat shock proteins.To know what this is, we need to send our hot tub time machine further back to 1962.

Fifty years ago, in Pavia, Italy, it was a young artist by the name of Ferruccio Ritossa who accidentally discovered the heat shock response. While taking a course in molecular genetics, one of the other students changed the temperature of his drosophila (fruit fly) incubator to higher than it should have been.

When Ferruccio examined the drosophila chromatin, he noticed that it was changing in a way that makes DNA more accessible to be copied, or transcribed. He figured out it was being caused by the increase in temperature. Last year, Virginia Vega, Ph.D, and Laura Alexander, M.D., from UCSD demonstrated that the heat shock response improves the condition of non-obese diabetic mice.

This stress response can be activated by sitting in a hot tub, trauma, exposure to metals, free radicals, exercise and even alcohol. No, you shouldn’t go out and get drunk after reading this, just like you shouldn’t ingest harmful metals, but it’s definitely food for thought.

– Article supplied by Hydropool Hot Tubs