Why you need to try a Korean enzyme sauna
Would you submerge yourself in sawdust for the sake of wellness? That’s exactly what happens during a Korean enzyme sauna. Here is why you might want to try it.
A Korean enzyme sauna is a bathing ritual completely unlike any other you may have experienced.
For a start, it’s dry. That’s right, there’s not a drop of water in sight.
Rather, the waterless bath – an ancient practice dating back centuries – involves submerging your entire body in a unique blend of hot cedar sawdust, rice bran, Korean herbs and enzymes.
Proponents claim the experience can boost immune function, improve hormone balance, detoxify the body, assist with skin conditions including acne and eczema, and aid circulation and energy levels.
But what exactly is a Korean enzyme bath, and how does it promote wellness?
How does a Korean enzyme sauna work?
A Korean enzyme bath is a traditional spa treatment involving a dry bath in a mixture of sawdust and fermented natural ingredients such as rice bran.
Jane Kim, founder of Healing by J, Australia’s first and only cedar enzyme sauna, explains the specific “bath” formula triggers fermentation.
Jane says this generates heat, which helps to raise your body’s core temperature, assisting detoxification through increased sweating.
“It is when you are fully immersed that the enzymes start working, cleansing the body and breaking down waste,” Jane explains.
What does a Korean enzyme sauna feel like?
If you’re not certain a hot sawdust sauna sounds relaxing, your instincts are right.
“You will feel like I’m going to bury you in hot sand,” Jane tells The House of Wellness TV host Luke Hines.
“Then you will sweat like crazy. From there, you can feel like (you’re) exercising – your heartbeat goes higher, and it’s a bit hard to breathe.”
How hot does it get?
During the treatment, temperatures reach between 55C and 70C.
Korean enzyme sauna vs traditional sauna : what is the difference?
Both a Korean enzyme sauna and a traditional sauna will make you sweat, Jane explains, but this is where the similarities end.
“Sauna temperature will be normally 45C or up to 50C,” she says.
With an enzyme bath, although temperatures often reach up to 70C, Jane says your body is better able to cope with the heat and can therefore experience the detoxification benefits for longer.
“This enzyme therapy gives a high-cardio exercise effect, not by your muscle fibres working, but by your heartbeat being higher,” she adds.
How often should you do it?
How often you take an enzyme bath is very individual, but Jane says it could be daily if desired.
“Think of it as exercise – how much do I want to train my body and how fast do I want to make it?” she says.
Is a Korean enzyme sauna hygienic?
Being fully immersed in a bath of sawdust soaked in sweat may raise concerns about cleanliness; however, Jane says the high temperature ensures nasty pathogens can’t survive.
Plus, the enzymes are treated after each session to reactivate them, and replaced once a month.
Luke Hines’ verdict on a Korean enzyme sauna
If you’re keen to push your wellness boundaries, Luke Hines says this treatment is a must-try.
“I’m wet to the bone,” he says following his visit to Healing by J in Melbourne.
“I’ve got to be totally honest and tell you that being buried alive isn’t at the top of my wellness to-do list.
“And that’s what I find so fascinating about this particular treatment – it treads that fine line between something that’s about wellness and relaxation, but equally about challenging yourself and pushing your body somewhere it’s never been, and that’s what I loved about it.”
More wellness practices to explore:
- How reflexology can help you restore balance
- Can the power of crystals revitalise your wellbeing?
- Beginner’s guide to the ancient health practice of Ayurveda
- The benefits of gua sha (and why it might be better than a facial)
Written by Claire Burke.
