EP 25 The Warmth of Wellness: Sauna Culture and Contrast Therapy with Gloria Nash

In this Podcast episode JoAnne Pavin interviews Gloria Nash, founder of Homestead Saunas, who shares her journey from wellness enthusiast to sauna expert. JoAnne highlights her passion for thermal therapy and its health benefits. Recorded inside a sauna, Gloria discusses the transformative effects of sauna use and contrast therapy, detailing their ability to improve health and wellness. She emphasizes the cultural and community aspects of saunas, creating an alcohol-free space that fosters genuine connections while incorporating herbalism into her practices.

The episode covers the therapeutic offerings at Homestead Saunas, including unique Ukrainian bath rituals and various massage therapies, as well as insights into sauna design features that enhance the user experience. Gloria also outlines upcoming events and workshops, inviting listeners to explore the holistic benefits of sauna culture and its potential for personal rejuvenation.

Check out Video cast of this episode at: https://youtu.be/pBiILv2tt3g?si=fCDrFF6tcNT1tfBG

Follow Gloria Nash:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/homesteadsaunas

@homesteadsaunas 

Sauna Synergy:

https://www.instagram.com/saunasynergy

@saunasynergy

• Interview conducted inside a sauna with Gloria Nash, founder of Homestead Saunas
• Gloria's background in wellness began as a teenager with an independent study on bioengineered food vs. organic food
• Gloria discovered her love for saunas as a child and later became a regular at King Spa, a Korean bathhouse in Niles, Illinois
• King Spa features different rooms with various healing properties, including very hot rooms
• Contrast therapy defined as moving between temperature extremes (hot sauna to cold water/snow)
• Gloria started Homestead Saunas as the trend of thermal therapy was gaining popularity

🧠 Health Benefits of Sauna and Contrast Therapy 

Moving from hot to cold environments increases human growth hormone production

• Benefits include improved collagen production and immune system function
• Contraindications include high blood pressure and pre-existing heart conditions
• Regular sauna use can help prevent heart disease and cardiovascular risks
• A 20-minute sauna session provides cardiovascular benefits similar to a workout
• Thermal/bath culture spans across different cultures worldwide using elemental forces (fire, water) for transformation
• The 'sauna bro' trend focuses on extreme biohacking rather than the holistic transformational process

🌿 Community and Cultural Aspects 

• Homestead Saunas created as an alcohol-free community space in Wisconsin
• Alternative to drinking culture that promotes authentic connection and vulnerability
• The sauna experience engages all five senses and connects people with nature
• Gloria incorporates herbalism into sauna practices through botanical sauna brooms (venik/vihta)
• Different plants used include birch (most common), oak (more masculine), and linden
• The sauna serves as a 'womb space' where women can emerge renewed and rejuvenated
• Sauna helps bring people back to homeostasis and supports the body's natural healing

🧖‍♀️ Therapeutic Practices at Homestead Saunas 

• Ukrainian bath ritual is a transformational process using intention to release and grow
• Various wooden massage tools used for lymphatic drainage and bodywork
• Sensorial experiences in sauna can include dizziness if staying beyond personal threshold
• Importance of listening to one's body and developing internal wisdom
• Sauna experiences reconnect people with nature through 'vitamin Earth'
• Temperature ranges from 60°C (140°F) for therapies to 70-80°C (approx. 170°F) for regular sauna
• 30-degree temperature difference between top and lower benches allows for comfort options

🌊 Therapeutic Offerings and Future Plans 

• Ukrainian bath therapy is 'the ultimate five sense experience' with cleansing elements
• Includes use of salt, honey, citrus, herbs, and cold water for transformation
• The sauna designed with cedar for natural aroma and properties
• Two bench heights to allow temperature variation
• Homestead offers additional services: massage therapy, cranial sacral therapy, Mayan abdominal massage
• Simpler options like salt scrubs available for those who don't want full ritual process
• Upcoming event: Sauna Synergy on April 11-12 at Kettle Marine Ranch in Eagle, Wisconsin

🏗️ Sauna Design and Future Events 

• Gloria and her husband built their mobile sauna during the COVID pandemic
• Key design elements include cedar wood, two bench heights, and the Hum stove from Estonia
• The wood-burning stove provides elemental fire connection versus electric heaters
• Tour of the sauna showing changing area, wooden tools, and botanical brooms
• Barrel saunas discussed as alternative design with pros and cons
• Homestead Saunas will be at several events: Midwest Women's Herbal Conference (May) and Mycelium Mysteries (September)

 

Website: homesteadsaunas.com and Instagram: @HomesteadSaunas