Detox - The 40 mins on the Black Silica Stone (排毒 - 在神黑石上的40分鐘)

I was reading about infrared sauna and was looking to buy one in Hong Kong, it turned out that not only buying one here is very expensive, and only a few materials that are proven safe with infrared rays, don't think I am able to find out if the sauna I'm going to buy is cancer proof...... and I am very happy that this Spa came across in my search results, it seems they offer an even better detox solution, I immediately made an appointment with them. Below I'd share with you my experience : 

25 May 2014

2pm

Infrared Stone sauna 

Qing Xin Stone Spa

http://stonespahealth.com/index.html (附中文介紹)

16/F, CNT Commercial Building, 302 Queen's Road Central 

• Greeting by 2 friendly staff and they gave me a simple introduction of the stone sauna, I am going to share my research with you below
• I was then given a timer and a locker key
• Guests are suggested to take a shower before the sauna, we need dirt and grease free skin to detox 
• I then changed into a bathrobe that nicely packed in the locker and enter into to the stone sauna

 Shower-rooms and bathrooms 

Lockers area

• First 20 mins upside down
• 5 mins water break & cool down 
• Last 20 mins laying on back

Since no mobile phone or camera is allowed in the sauna area, I found this picture on the internet.

It looks like this. The black tiles are the black silica stones.

Resting area between sections

My body has turned completely red under my soaked bathrobe 

My thoughts on this: 

The venue is very clean, quiet and comfortable

I did sweat a lot, I could feel my sweat dripping down every few seconds overall my body

It could be quite boring laying there if you are not ready for a nap, please be reminded that no mobile phone is allowed in the sauna area

And that since guests are resting in there, please walk quietly and don't drag your slippers!! 

So what is it ? 

Qing xin is a place that offer infrared sauna through black silica stone to boost your metabolism. 

The practice first started from the beginning of the Edo period in Japan,  it was popular for the residents near Akita Tamagawa Onsen to lie on the rocks near the hot springs, they found it healing and called it "rock bath". 

In recent years, Hokkaido began the Black stone healing again and it is still spreading all over Japan, now there are more than 2,500 stores rock bath facilities, and the number is still growing.

And how does it work? 

Natural mineral rock bath generated by far-infrared radiation effects, the temperature in there is about 40 ℃.  It is said that lying there for 20 minutes equivalent to running for 5,000 Ms (well who knows)

Typically sauna is generated by heat to achieve the purpose of perspiration, and rock bath uses far infrared rays to warm the body, sebum in the skin is excreted from the sebaceous glands, so not only that the sweat is not "dirty", it acts as a sebum film to moisturize and protect the skin, hence, shower is not recommended after a rock bath.


What is it good for?


Detoxification - it promotes blood circulation, awaken organs function, it is believed that heavy metals and other toxins would be released throughout the process.

Fat burning effect - metabolism boost enhance cell activities, it rejuvenates your internal system,  burns fat and makes it difficult to store fat.

Skin brightening - Sweating heavily simply discharge the impurity from my skin and body, natural sebum excretes moisturize the skin, leaving it brighter and cleaner.

Improve immunity - higher body heat enhance the white blood cell activity, this will thus strengthen the immune system. Body repair cells also produce heat shock proteins (HSP), it helps the system recover from fatigue easily.

Improve virtual cold constitution - Hypothermia is often caused by bad blood circulation, rock bath can promote blood circulation.


What is black silica stone? 

Black silica stone is found in the deep sea, it is formed after hundreds of years of algae accumulation, the stone is rich in minerals and its magic power was discovered only 15 years ago, not only the stone can purify water and improve soil quality, it produces negative ions when interact with far-infrared rays, it also kills bacteria.


40 mins on infrared black silica stone, soaked bathrobe and big towels and zero cleaning up - I am happy. :)