TheHotYogaDoctor

first of all, sorry if this is in the wrong section of the forum. I’m pretty new to posting…

but I was reading your topic about sweating not being detoxing, Gabrielle. I find it really interesting because I have heard that so many times, myself. so if sweating in Hot yoga is not really releasing toxins, then is it also a myth that twists (such as seated spinal twist) are also not really ‘detoxifying poses’? lastly, and I know this is way out there, but I just happened to recall an interview with the journalist who revealed that some of Japan’s top yakuza paid for liver transplants at UCLA. he said part of why the yakuza needed liver transplants is because they have full body tattoos, thus the sweat glands are non-functioning, which (in combination with lots of sake) results in frequent liver failure amongst yakuza. this would seem to be at odds with the idea that sweat does not equal detoxing. and why, for that matter, do I feel so good and refreshed after a sauna? sorry for going on so long on this topic!!

“The tattoos are so dense that it’s very hard to sweat, which means when you can’t get rid of the toxins in your body, that’s also very hard on the liver,” Adelstein explained.

—CBS News, 60 Minutes

ps. I have done more research on this since, and it seems that physicians either say sweat is not detoxifying, or that it is inconclusive. whereas alt health people all swear adamantly that it is crucial to detoxing. sounds a bit like the arguments for/against homeopathy, acupuncture….and yoga, for that matter.

Hi Richard

I think FAQs is a fine place for your comments to be!

You asked about sweating as a means to detox. The implication was that if that was not true then twisting poses may not be cleansing.

I think the 2 mechanisms cannot be directly compared. When you exercise your body and engage your spine in a big twist there is definitely the potential for a large cleansing effect. The movements can be creating improved circulation, gaining access to areas that have been left dormant for who knows how long!

I will research this a bit (in time), but from memory tattoos don’t affect the sweat glands. The dye is taken up by macrophages which are scavengers and eat up junk around the body, stuff around the body (debris), pathogens. They are part of the immune system.

I wonder if Adelstein is talking about heavily tattooed subjects.

As for sweating and toxins, it does feel great to sweat, it does feel cleansing, as far as detoxing goes it seems that that is the job of the intestines, liver, kidneys and lungs. It’s hard to assess the singular effect of one system. They work in concert with the others. Would someone in acute kidney and liver failure benefit from a hot yoga class because they sweat out the toxins? Hmmmm…. I have a feeling there’s a lot more alchemy and magic to the workings of the body than distilling it down to one thing. But that’s just my opinion

Namaste
Gabrielle

I think too there is or may be a diff between ‘cleansing’ and a true ‘detox’ that is a good point Gabrielle about the circulation and other effects to your body. I know I also feel really good after a good cry like an emotional rain and though I may ‘feel’ better and like I’ve processed and cleaned house ....... the issue is still there to a degree. 
I find the same thing after a good class and sweat. It feels good but like you’ve just cleaned house and there ARE many good things going on…...... but actually rid of toxins???????? maybe it helps bring blood flow and better function to those organs that do detox the body?