Sweating it Out

I think I’ve discovered the yin to the yang of my lifestyle. Although I try to lead a relatively healthy life, I appreciate that between the regular alcohol consumption and all the other random stuff I put in and on my body, a fair amount of toxins have built up somewhere. I recently bought Dr. Brandt’s detoxifying serum and I have every cream for perfect complexion, but after today, I think I’m sold on a remedy that’s been offered in NYC since it opened in 1892 – the Russian Turkish Bathhouse. It's also available everywhere else under its commercial name: a sauna.

I’ve heard this place was no frills, and what I’ve heard was correct, but after one visit to the historic bathhouse I’m a fan and finally educated myself on the benefits of saunas. This particular bathhouse had a variety of wet and dry saunas, including one room that’s heated by a 20,000lb rock that’s literally cooked at night and emanates heat all day. After a few minutes, I was dripping sweat could feel my pores opening up. That’s when I broke out a mud mask someone suggested I bring. After my friends and I slathered ourselves in mud, we went back into one of the dry saunas for the mud to dry (which took less than a minute!) and then poured big buckets of freezing cold water over our heads to rinse it off! Everyone else in the room seemed unfazed heaving a huge bucket of water straight over their heads. I was initially a bit more ambivalent, but it was liberating. Walking around in a bikini in the co-ed sauna was a bit liberating too because the environment has a really relaxed, non-judgmental vibe I’ve never seen before in a place where men and woman are walking around together sweaty and nearly naked.

What I learned from the experience is:

- Since it gets your heart racing (and sweating), 15-20 minutes in the sauna can be the equivalent of an hour of physical exercise!

- There aren’t many alternatives to get your skin feeling so fresh and clean.

- A session in a sauna is relaxing and helps release toxins through sweat that makes you feel lighter afterwards.

- Cute seemingly straight men go to the Russian Turkish Bath!

- You can check it out at http://www.russianturkishbaths.com/