March 10, 2025 – What if a simple sweat could rewrite your health destiny? Jim Puplava dives into the world of infrared saunas with Sunlighten’s Vic Riffel. Imagine slashing heart attack and dementia risks or lowering your blood pressure. Infrared’s light energy helps detoxify the body and boost circulation, all while you relax. Vic and Jim discuss some of the various benefits they've encountered when it comes to pain to better sleep. Curious how this could potentially transform your health? The full interview spills all the details—trust us, you won’t want to miss a second!
Special discount link: Click here to save up to $1,400 on Sunlighten products
Please note, any information presented in this interview is not intended as medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for the guidance provided by a licensed healthcare professional.
Website: Infrared Saunas for Home | Detox & Relax with Sunlighten | Sunlighten
Harvard Health: Sauna use linked to longer life, fewer fatal heart problems
Red light benefits: What are the Health Benefits of Red Light Therapy | Sunlighten
Infrared sauna benefits: Infrared Sauna Benefits | Sunlighten
Sleep benefits: Top 6 ways infrared saunas may help improve sleep | Sunlighten
Heart benefits: Regular Sauna Use and Heart Health
Transcript
Jim Puplava:
Well, maybe you've heard of some of the studies on the benefits of taking a sauna. According to JAMA [the Journal of the American Medical Association], it reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia. And that's our topic on our program today. Joining me from Sunlighten is Vic Riffel. Vic, I want to start out. We all know about the benefits of taking a sauna. You know, it detoxes the body, it helps with blood pressure, heart, and dementia. But what is the difference between your company’s infrared sauna versus, let’s say, the traditional saunas that you go in, where they have the rocks, the steam room? Can you explain?
Vic Riffel:
Yeah. So the main difference between a traditional sauna and an infrared sauna is that traditional saunas rely on just hot, static air to heat you from the outside. So your skin is in touch with just really hot air. Most of the time, when you’re thinking traditional saunas, you’re getting up to 200-plus degrees, and that’s not necessarily a pleasant experience. With infrared, you’re in a similar situation, but not nearly as hot. The basis of the heaters is the infrared light. So it’s actually light that’s being absorbed into your body, and that’s what’s helping you. “Heat from within” is one of the ways that it’s put—you’re being heated from within because of that light energy. So you’re able to heat more efficiently because you don’t have to be in such a hot, stagnant environment. And it’s that light energy that is working at the cellular level to improve mitochondrial health, improve your immunity. I mean, the benefits go on and on. You listed a couple of great ones at the start of the show, but it’s not just that hot environment. So we kind of talk about it as you get to enjoy your session versus endure it. Some people, yes, they can do the hot, hot sessions and get hot all the time, but there’s a lot of people in this world that just—their bodies would panic, they would go into overload, and they’re not going to be able to handle that. So we want some stress, but at some points, it’s too much.
Jim Puplava:
I have one of your saunas. Just full disclosure, I usually set it at 140. I’ve worked up to 140, but I found about 140 is kind of like—that’s the level I want to stay at. Above that is a little bit too much.
Vic Riffel:
Yeah. And that’s what a lot of people find, and that’s where it’s important to find what’s the sweet spot for you. Some people may not even need to get that high. Some people are really worried about how much they’re sweating and that kind of thing. But it’s not just about the sweat that you’re getting. It is about that light energy. And that’s—again, not to harp on that—but that sets us apart. I mean, this light energy concept—we all know what light is, especially on the visible side of things, but infrared, it’s just past the spectrum of light that we can see. So many people—it’s definitely not new—but many people don’t know about infrared and the three different wavelengths and how they have different levels of energy and they’re absorbed differently into the body, and then they, in turn, have different effects on our health. So for us to be able to harness that, it’s just a beautiful tool to have in your home. And you are very fortunate to have one at home because all the studies—the JAMA studies that you referenced—the more you’re able to do it, the better off you were. So that’s why an at-home sauna is just fantastic. Because if it’s in your home and you’re able to do it and it feels good, it’s going to be one of those healthy habits that you’ll actually keep.
Jim Puplava:
Yeah, I think this study—the reduction of heart attack, stroke, and dementia by 67%—was 20 minutes a day, four times a week. I try to get mine in five to six. And let’s talk about the benefits of the sauna. What is it about a sauna that—for example, my blood pressure has dropped between 10 and 15 points just from taking a sauna. When I went in to see my doctor, they were blown away by what my blood pressure was, and they said, “What are you doing differently?” And I said, “Well, I’m still doing the cardio. I’ve added sauna sessions.” There you go. So what is it, when you’re in the sauna, that heat—what is it doing to your body that it reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia? What’s going on in your body?
Vic Riffel:
The heart benefits are obviously one of the top benefits. I mean, everyone has a heart, and it’s nonstop. So it’s a very important tool to keep us alive. And the stronger we can make it, the better off we’re going to be in the long term. So one of the things that I mentioned with light—it’s absorbed into the body, and what it’s doing is interacting with different molecules. We’re basically solar panels. We were designed to absorb light, and the photoreceptors that are taking in this light energy—water is one of those main photoreceptors, specifically for far infrared. So what’s happening is your energy is just changing. Your water molecules are getting excited, moving around. And think about our blood—I mean, it’s based on or composed of water. So with all of that change that’s happening, our circulation is improving. Just the lining of our cells in our arteries and in our blood vessels—those are improving. They’re able to stretch better. So with high blood pressure, a lot of it has to do with hardened arteries and just not optimal performance. So what a sauna and heat in general is able to do is just get everything moving a little bit better. I mean, that’s what working up a sweat is. We often refer to infrared sauna sessions as an exercise mimetic. It’s basically a mini passive workout because our blood pressure at the moment—it does raise because we’re getting excited, our heart rate is raising. But it’s after those sessions, and after you’ve gone through these sauna sessions, that that’s when the results are happening, right? So reduced cholesterol levels. Even just with the increased circulation, you’re delivering more nutrients and oxygen throughout your body so that you can attack the inflamed areas and just reduce all of the stress that might be going on. And that stress is a big piece of this too. I mean, with heart disease, stress is a major factor. Inflammation is a major factor. So for saunas to be able to attack both of those, it’s just kind of a trifecta. That’s where those heart benefits come from.
Jim Puplava:
You know, the other benefit too, of course—we all know about detoxification. So we’re all exposed to chemicals, the stuff we eat in food, you know, mercury from fish, and things like that. And being able to expel those toxins out of the body, I think, is a tremendous benefit. Let’s talk about that.
Vic Riffel:
Yeah, so the study that I always reference is the BUS study. It’s about blood, urine, and sweat. So we’re not saying that saunas are just the pathway for detoxification to happen. Our bodies do a dang good job of expelling toxins, but not every single type of toxin is expelled in the same way. So what this blood, urine, and sweat study showed—one of the top toxins that is very, very invasive and horrible for our health is mercury. So in this study, most of the participants did not have mercury in their blood, but when they tested everyone’s sweat, pretty much all of the participants had it in their sweat. Which just shows you, like, it’s in our body, and you may have it, but if you’re just doing blood tests, you’re not possibly going to see that you have mercury levels in your body that can affect you. So this just shows that, yes, we are built to be able to detoxify and get some of these harmful chemicals and pesticides and plastics out of our body, but we need to support it in all these different ways. So that’s where saunas come into play. And that’s where infrared is especially different in that, with that energy that’s in the body, it’s working with the fat molecules that have collected—these, like, some of these chemicals are essentially stored in shelves, if you think about it, within our body. And it’s kind of giving them the nudge to, like, “Okay, let’s get out of here.” And that’s where stacking your sauna sessions too—of course, with the recommendation of your doctor—but stuff like binders and other ways to even further improve your detoxification. But that’s just where it’s not just this one thing—it’s your holistic approach. You have to take a whole-body approach to this. Like, even your mental stress can affect how you’re letting go of these toxins. Because if you’re not in a good place, if you’re in that fight-or-flight all the time, your body is just grasping onto some of these harmful components that are inside your body, and you’re not able to get rid of them. So there’s many different ways that detoxification is improved through sauna use. And the studies show it.
Jim Puplava:
Yeah, it’s one of my favorite things to kind of unwind at night. I take my sauna about 8 o’clock and shower afterwards, and it just—it relaxes you. And I can tell the difference when I get out of a sauna, how I feel. And I want to stay on this idea about detoxification because people don’t realize—whether it’s the aluminum that you put in your body with deodorants, whether it’s mercury that you get from fish, and some of the elements out in the air—just the pollution that we breathe day-to-day. And it’s just one of the best ways of expelling it. And more people should be doing it.
Vic Riffel:
Don’t you think? Absolutely. And that’s the thing too—it’s like gyms, they have saunas, and they may not all be infrared, but again, it’s just being aware of the toxins that are in the environment, like you just said. I mean, it’s mind-blowing. Some of these studies that are coming out—the amount of microplastics that are just in our brain. I mean, babies are being born never having been exposed to actual plastics, but they have it in their systems. And that’s where just being mindful of what we’re putting in and on our bodies—but beyond that, we’re not going to be able to stop everything. So the more that you are able to think about your detoxification and support it through something like a sauna, especially if you get on a nice protocol where you’re really, really using it and getting that momentum—that’s when those big changes are happening. And I want to take a step back real quick too and talk about kind of even the history of Sunlighten. So, 25-plus years ago—that’s how long we’ve been in business—but our co-founder, Connie Zach, her brother had mercury toxicity. He didn’t know what it was at the time but had just all sorts of health problems. And it wasn’t until his forward-thinking dentist suggested, “I think the fillings that are in your teeth may be leaching mercury into your body and causing all of these problems,” because you get to a point where your body just cannot handle the stress that’s happening. So sure enough, they found a way for him to get his hands on a very rudimentary, basically infrared sauna. And slowly but surely, he improved, he got better—he just, I mean, life came back to him because he was just not in a good place. And they credit it to the infrared sauna use. And this was 25 years ago. So there wasn’t much out there on the market, there wasn’t much information. But by seeing this, Connie and Aaron Zach—they were at Procter & Gamble at the time, thinking that they were making a difference with these health products. But there were always side effects, right? So if you’re going to be getting healthier with a pill, you better hope that you’re not also hurting yourself in other ways. But that’s where the infrared is just so great. There’s not these side effects of what you might get from certain drugs, especially when you’re thinking about heart medications and that kind of thing. So it’s that natural process that we’re really, really harping on for these individuals trying to think about adding saunas to their detox protocol. So with that said, I mean, it just—it’s a no-brainer because if you can get in these sessions and use this as your wellness protocol, then the results will follow.
Jim Puplava:
Let’s talk about your particular product. I got the Impulse, and your saunas are considered one of the top in the industry. You guys do something a little different. What I like is it comes with kind of like an iPad inside the sauna, and you have various—if you don’t want to, just like I go in there and I set it for 140 degrees and I set it for about 25 minutes. But you also have protocols. You have them for, like, heart, blood pressure, pain, meditation, relaxation. You have various protocols. Let’s talk about that. Because that’s rather unique in the sense that if you have a particular ailment, you’ve got protocols that are programmed into the system that you can use.
Vic Riffel:
Yep, yep, you nailed it. I mean, those programs were designed with different studies and data points in mind with the varying levels of infrared. So it’s called the Impulse—that’s the one that has the touchscreen—and it’s called the Impulse because these frequencies, these wavelengths, are pulsing throughout. So certain sessions don’t have all three wavelengths. Some of them only have maybe the mid-infrared and far-infrared. And each session is designed with those specific benefits in mind. So with skin health, near-infrared is very, very big for skin health because it helps with fine lines, wrinkle reduction, collagen production, helping with elastin. These programs were designed not only for ease of use, but just so that—I mean, as I said before—this infrared is new to a lot of people. So you don’t want to just get in there and not know what to expect. And for me, the power of intention really goes a long way. If you get in and you’re done with the day, trying to relax, one of the best things you can do is just choose that relaxation program, and you don’t have to worry about it. You get to sit back, and then you’re able to vary your sessions too. That’s something else I always talk about—don’t just get stagnant with the way that you’re using your sauna. Like, if you’re a runner, it’s not often that you’re just going to go out and run the same exact path all the time at the same pace, thinking you’re going to get results. You’ve got to shake things up a little bit. Sauna in the morning, sauna at night, sauna after a workout, before a workout—everything can be varied. And that’s what’s nice about these programs—you can even create your own custom program too. You can make it go a little bit longer, maybe you just have a short one because we don’t want you to not sauna just because you don’t have that full 30, 40 minutes, or whatever time limit you normally do. Get in there for 10, 15 minutes if you can. Because with the infrared light, it’s not just the heat that is giving you these benefits. The light alone, as soon as you turn it on, it’s working with your body. So another thing to keep in mind as you’re considering adding this to your regimen is just the varied use of these saunas. And that’s, I think, where the Impulse shines—with those programs. And that’s something else that we’ve implemented as well in our red light panel. I’m not sure, Jim, if you were aware that we have just a regular red light panel that’s red light and near-infrared. And that too has an app with different programs that you can choose from. Because again, that power of intention—like, if you know, “I’m in here for pain relief,” that’s what you’re going to get, and then that’s what you can expect.
Jim Puplava:
And these protocols are based on what studies that you guys have found over time.
Vic Riffel:
Yep, exactly. So maybe this study points to this wavelength as ideal for that inflammation post-workout. Or maybe, again, as I spoke about with the near-infrared, that’s what you need—and even the timing and the temperature. Because if you’re in there trying to relax, maybe it’s not the best thing for you to be doing—getting it as hot. So being mindful of what the temperatures are as well—those were all included as they built out these programs. And that’s something that’s unique and different about Sunlighten too—we use the science to help those programs. But we even have studies using our actual products that show the reduction in blood pressure, that show the increase in core body temperature. We’ve taken the time to implement these studies, and the blood pressure study we did—it was robust. It was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that showed reduction in blood pressure with our actual product. So it’s compared to kind of a dummy sauna that looked alike but had different types of heaters. And so with that science—I mean, that’s what people need. They need the education of what’s actually happening, how it’s happening, and that’s where, with us and the time and effort that we’ve put in to make this information available, that just makes you able to trust it a little bit more. Because it’s not a small purchase. I mean, this is—it’s a significant purchase, but it’s for your life, it’s for your lifetime. Like, this is your own health. What better investment can you make in your own health than something that’s proven to work? And that just feels good.
Jim Puplava:
Yeah. One of the things—I had another sauna, and then I upgraded to your sauna. One of the things I liked was these different protocols that you have. I like having an iPad in there. In fact, I think you can even watch Netflix on it. So if you’re going to do a 45-minute program or a half an hour—well, you can watch the next Reacher or something in the sauna. Tell me a bit about when you’re taking a look at this—as you look at these various things that you’ve done—what do you think has been probably the number one benefit that your customers tell you that they find when they’re using a sauna? Like, for me, I’m living proof when you talked about blood pressure. My blood pressure is down about 15 points, and I’m working with my cardiologist now, and the goal is, in six months, I’m off. So after 20-something years, I’m done because my blood pressure is now getting to the level where they have to reduce the medication because it’s dropped so much.
Vic Riffel:
Yeah. So it’s varied. I gotta say, one of our—just our mission—it’s “do more, feel better, live fully.” So it’s allowing and enabling these people to get back to what maybe they couldn’t do anymore, right? I mean, if we are at a point where we’re just so inflamed and in so much pain that we can’t go out there and enjoy time with our families and really get in with the grandkids or our kids and actively play with them—that is a hurdle that is worth getting over through your wellness routine, right? So again, everybody’s a little bit different. One of the first things that I personally felt is—I got out of the Impulse before I got my job here at Sunlighten, and the skin benefits—like, I touched my face, and I was like, “Wow, that’s—I’ve never—” It was nice and smooth. I wasn’t really expecting that. But sleep—that’s something that a lot of people comment about—that was just one of those benefits that they didn’t even think about. And that’s such an underlying supporter for a lot of these benefits. I mean, if you’re stressed, you’re probably not sleeping well. If your recovery is poor after your workouts, it may have to do with your sleep. So by improving your sleep, the cascade of benefits from there is incredible. And that’s—again, now with the wearables that people have, whether it’s like an Oura ring or a Whoop band—you can actually see the data, right? It’s not one of those things where it’s like, “Oh, I think maybe the lining of my veins and blood vessels have improved.” No, this is data that you can see. “I slept better on the days that I saunaed.” And from there, it’s like, if you don’t get to sauna, then you’re just afraid maybe you’re not going to sleep well. So yeah, the benefits for the general public—it’s going to vary. But sleep is one that we hear about all the time.
Jim Puplava:
I can testify to that as well. I sleep better when I take a sauna. Let me—let’s talk about the product. One of the risks—sometimes you hear about some of these, and there’s a guy that does sauna testing out there—is EMF. Now, talk about—you guys have this independently tested on your product. So speak to that, if you would, for a moment.
Vic Riffel:
Of course. So EMFs—I mean, it’s similar to infrared—it’s just something that more and more people are becoming aware of and knowing about. And from the very start of us being knowledgeable of what it was and how it can affect you, we wanted to do everything we could to mitigate that. So, like you just said, third-party testing—we had an outside company come in, test our heaters, test our saunas to see what these EMF levels are. So what’s happening is electrical devices are putting out electrical pulses, and that can affect people in different, varying degrees. I mean, similar to ways that—like an allergy—like, some people are extremely sensitive to certain chemicals while others are not at all. But it’s not something that you can just say, “Oh, I don’t feel anything from it, so it’s not affecting me.” It’s one of those underlying things, similar to what you hear about with AirPods and these different other devices that people have stuck in their ears at all times, or cell phones in general. I mean, if we’re sitting there talking with the phone next to our head and in our ear at all times throughout the day, that’s affecting us in ways that we may not even know. So as we figured out what was happening, a lot of it has to do with proximity to the electrical components, but also what you’re doing with the wiring—whether it’s wrapping it so that it’s a little bit more protected, so that it’s not emitting quite as much of these harmful wavelengths. But it’s nothing that you can completely contain. These are electrical devices, so they will be emitting some EMFs. But we’ve just done a really nice job over time working on different ways to develop the sauna so that the results are lower and then creating the heaters so that they are efficient enough that you don’t need as much power—and potentially more EMFs—to make them as efficient and effective as they are. So again, if you’re kind of shopping for a sauna, just beware—make sure that these EMF levels are—ours are ultra-low, so it’s much lower than even some of the regular household devices that you’re around all the time. But just make sure that the numbers are there, and then be wary of claims of, like, “zero EMFs” and stuff like that, because these are electrical devices. So it’s one of those hot, buzzy words in the marketing world too. But the studies—they show exactly what to look for.
Jim Puplava:
Explain the difference between the Impulse and the other saunas that you have because it’s rather unique, and there’s—I don’t think there’s another one out there in the marketplace like the Impulse.
Vic Riffel:
Yeah, so the Impulse—it is very unique. And I’m not sure when you had purchased yours, but last year as well, we’ve even added red light to the—
Jim Puplava:
I have red light.
Vic Riffel:
Okay, perfect. So for a while, it was just near-infrared. So you’re getting all three wavelengths—mid, near, far-infrared—and then the red light. Well, what’s different about our Amplify sauna—that’s another one of the lines that we have—it gets hotter. So the Impulse—it’s going to get you nice and hot. You were saying 140 is where you normally get to—that’s about what I feel comfortable with, and I sweat plenty—while the Amplify goes beyond that. So we have extra heaters in the front that are able to emit all three wavelengths as well. They’re maybe not as high quality as what you’re getting through the LEDs, but you’re still getting a nice dosage of all three wavelengths. And then it’s more simplified controls too. So you don’t have the touchscreen, you don’t have the customized programs. But it’s simple—you turn it on, off, change the temperature, the time. You can do a reservation mode where it starts at a certain time later in the day. And some people just prefer that simplicity. It’s still going to have the speaker system, it’s still going to have the chromotherapy lights above you so that you can kind of affect the mood. And it’s just another great option. From there too, we have the Signature, which is far-infrared only. So it’s a great option—again, maybe a little bit more cost-effective, simple controls. And then with the far-infrared—that’s kind of the grandfather wavelength for us. It’s the one that’s helping with your heart, circulation, that kind of thing—detoxification. So it’s the basis of all of our products, including our Solo system. And the Solo is actually the model that I have at home. I’ve got an older home, so I didn’t want to have to mess with the electrical at all. But this is just a plug-and-play. It’s the one where you get to lie down on the floor—so that’s kind of nice too. Or you don’t have to be on the floor, but you get to lie down in it. And that’s far-infrared only too. So to recap, you’ve got the Impulse—all the bells and whistles; Amplify—gets a little bit hotter; Signature is far-infrared only; and then we have our Solo, which is portable and just a lower footprint, so you can move it around if you need to. Or if you live in an apartment or condo and can’t do anything with your electrical—it’s a great option.
Jim Puplava:
Well, I’m into biohacking. There’s a group of us, including a doctor, and we get into this, and I would say probably the two things that I’ve done biohacking that have made the biggest difference in health is—I train with oxygen on a treadmill, so I have an EWOT machine—and the sauna. I can definitely point to two measurable benefits of using both devices. Vic, is there any kind of study or something that you would recommend if somebody’s listening to this and says, “You know, this sounds interesting, and I’d like to do some research on the benefits of saunas, and especially infrared saunas”? Are there studies out there that you might refer our listeners to that they can kind of read up on before they decide to go in this direction?
Vic Riffel:
Yeah, of course. So I mean, just our—the Sunlighten website—it’s a valuable resource, and education is the backbone of everything that we’re doing on there. So we have a research tab that does list a bunch of the studies. The one you referenced at the start, though—I mean, that one is just so robust. It is mostly with Finnish saunas—so kind of traditional saunas—but the background of those benefits is hormesis, which is a stressor—a nice stressor—on the body because of the core temperature raising. So you don’t have to worry about maybe our saunas aren’t going to raise your core temperature because they are—proven to. That was one of the studies that we did. And then from there, there’s just countless studies—especially now with near-infrared and red light—because they are finding so many benefits. I listened to a couple of your episodes where you were talking with some red light experts and just infrared in general and the cellular benefits that are happening. I mean, if you can affect your mitochondria and improve your health through that, that affects every system in your body—whether it’s helping you with your stress, helping you with your heart, the brain. I mean, the dementia that you mentioned at the beginning—that’s something that the outlook is bleak. I mean, the trajectory that we’re on—it doesn’t look good. But the countless studies that are out there—and we can share these in the show notes—but the amount of studies with near-infrared, red light helping with the brain, helping with different just functions of the body—they’re incredible. From there too—I mean, even we have a study showing increased flexibility. I mean, that’s something that a lot of people take for granted. But I recently went through a bout of extreme lower back pain. And the worst part was I couldn’t even bend over to put on my shoes, tie my shoes. And it’s that little piece of your life where it’s like, “Okay, I don’t have this flexibility that I used to”—that can be so dramatic and affect just your quality of life. So there’s studies out there for all the different ailments and health benefits that we’ve talked about. So just getting in and doing your research—seeing—again, everybody’s different. So one person may not be as conscious of the heart, but maybe the brain diseases that are so prevalent nowadays with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s—maybe that runs in the family. Or it’s just something that you’re more hyper-aware of because it is affecting your loved ones. That’s when it’s like, “Okay, let me dive in a little bit more and go back to science class—essentially, like, what is a mito—what are mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell? Oh, that’s one thing I do remember.” It’s tapping into some of those small things that can really help you with that decision-making. And I will say too—if you have questions, our sauna consultants do wonders. So as you’re looking on our website, we have a form you can fill out to get pricing, but you’re also going to get in touch with a sauna consultant, and they’re going to talk through everything. They’re going to figure out what benefits you’re looking for, how much space you have in your house. Everybody is different, and they all need these saunas for different reasons. So the team is going to be super helpful to consult in that regard but then also share studies and information—not only why our products are great, but also what health benefits maybe are affected by these different wavelengths and that kind of thing. So yeah, I love just empowering people to do their research because once you get out there and see all these benefits, it should be a no-brainer.
Jim Puplava:
Well, listen, as we close, why don’t you give out your website? I mean, I had a sauna, and then—I won’t mention the doctor’s name—he has a podcast, but he was talking about he had the Impulse, and that’s what got me looking. And when I looked at all the benefits and what it did—what I really liked about it—you have these programs, so I can mix it up if I’m—yeah, I’m feeling pain or whatever it is. I can design a program either myself or use one of your protocols that you already have. But give out your website because you have a lot of studies there, and so it would be great if somebody is looking at these issues. Like I said, I have a client that has some memory problems and he had a stroke, and I recommended your sauna to him, and I said, “You know, run this by your doctor and talk to your doctor about it.” And his doctor’s all for it—thinks it’s great.
Vic Riffel:
So yeah, that’s great. And that is something important—I mean, everyone should be consulting with their doctor. But it’s okay to figure out other advice from other people too. Because I recently—I think at a dentist appointment, I had a procedure done and asked, “Hey, is red light therapy okay to do on my mouth?” And they’re like, “Why would you need that?” And it’s—“Well, there’s wound healing,” and not everyone is going to be aware. And I’ve heard you talk about this a bit too in previous podcasts—the system, the healthcare system that we’re in—it’s not always the answer to just take the drug, take the medicine. There are natural approaches that you can take. Sometimes that first line of defense is going to be a medication, and that is okay. And I’m not saying that the doctors now are out to get us, but it’s just—be open, be mindful of these other modalities, and especially when it’s something as natural and healing and helpful as infrared. So sunlighten.com is our website. Again, tons of information out there. We can put this in the show notes—just make sure everyone is able to access that. If you’re on social media, Sunlighten Saunas is our handle. We’re constantly sharing different people’s success stories, different bits of information. March right now is our sleep benefit month. So I was glad we were able to talk about that because that’s a benefit that maybe people weren’t aware of. So, as you said, get out there, research—this is just such a great tool, and it’s worth exploring. I mean, even if you’re not feeling bad—like, optimizers use this like crazy. We work with countless athletes, countless biohackers, as you said, that are just trying to be at absolute peak. It’s not something that you just have to have if you’re trying to relax or get toxins out—like, this can benefit you in endless ways.
Jim Puplava:
Yeah, I keep thinking of—you know, we all heard stories about Bob Hope, who got a massage every day and lived almost to 100. Well, I hope to live to 100 taking saunas every day. And by the way, by June, if I finally get off this medication, it’ll be another testimony of how this has changed—
Vic Riffel:
Absolutely, no. And hoping for the best because you’re on the right path. I mean, just listening to all the stuff that you do—you’ve taken those steps that a lot of people maybe don’t have the time or haven’t made that commitment to do. But that’s where I think too—I talked about this before—if you can have this product in your home or just make the commitment to have it be part of your lifestyle, that’s when the results are going to happen. That’s when these changes—I don’t know that you got your sauna and thought, “Gosh, I want to get off this medication with my sauna.” But if that is something that’s going to help you cross that finish line so that you can do that and start living a little bit more naturally, then hats off to you because that’s—that’s what we should all aspire to do.
Jim Puplava:
Well, listen, once again, the website is Sunlighten, and that is S-U-N-L-I-G-H-T-E-N.com, and we’ll have the notes to this put on the website as well. Well, Vic, I want to thank you for joining us. And like I said—full disclosure—I own one of your saunas, and I have been so thrilled with it, I had to have you on the show.
Vic Riffel:
Awesome. Well, I love to hear that. And again, cheers to June. And maybe it can be another one of those—
Jim Puplava:
You know, if this happens in June, I gotta have you back on.
Vic Riffel:
Yeah, let’s do it.
Jim Puplava:
Okay, take care. Thank you so much for your time.
For a link to our full podcast archive, see Financial Sense Newshour (All) and don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Podcasts!
To learn more about Financial Sense® Wealth Management, give us a call at (888) 486-3939 or click here to contact us.
Advisory services offered through Financial Sense® Advisors, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Securities offered through Financial Sense® Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. DBA Financial Sense® Wealth Management.
Please note, any information presented in this interview is not intended as medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for the guidance provided by a licensed healthcare professional.
Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute health advice.
