The Ultimate Sauna Protocol for Detoxifying Mycotoxins: Heat Shock Protein Insights
In 2012, I was enjoying a sauna session at the CU Anschutz Health and Wellness Center when a physician researcher struck up a conversation. He asked why I sauna regularly. I explained that I use saunas to help eliminate mycotoxins, as my work exposes me to them daily during inspections.
Interestingly, this doctor specialized in Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) and explained how they function in the body. While I had been using saunas since the early ’90s, his insights completely changed my approach. He shared what he considered the most effective sauna protocol for detoxifying mycotoxins, which works by activating your body’s stress response and sending Heat Shock Proteins into action to flush toxins from the fatty tissues where they tend to accumulate.
Here’s the protocol he recommended:
- Preheat the Sauna: The temperature should be around 136–145°F before entering. Depends on your response to heat.
- Have a Cooling Method Ready: Keep an ice pack handy, unless a cold shower is nearby.
- First Sauna Session: Stay in the sauna for 15–20 minutes.
- Brain Stem Cooling: Exit the sauna and cool the back of your neck (brain stem area) for 2 minutes using an ice pack or cold shower.
- Second Sauna Session: Return to the sauna for another 15–20 minutes, then repeat the brain stem cooling.
- Third Sauna Session: Go back into the sauna for a final 20-minute session.
Following this sequence helps maximize Heat Shock Protein activation and supports the body in eliminating mycotoxins efficiently from fat stores.
