Sauna Talk

Why are there no saunas in elderly homes?” “I work with infrared, but it is more of a treatment… Infrared is not connected to the Norwegian culture of badstu (sauna).” Today on Sauna Talk, we visit with Lasse Erikson, reporting in from the outskirts of Oslo, Norway. Lasse is a Sweat enthusiast with a mission to bring more sauna and sweat experiences to the world. He is head of Norges Badstulaug, a Board member of International Sauna Association, and VP Aufguss WM group. Aufguss: “We are story tellers. That’s who we are.” Listen to the steam. Feeling it. These are some of the tasks in which he loves to contribute.

“The feeling I get with wood fired (sauna) is so much deeper than any kind of heat I’ve every experienced. I feel human when I get out of a wood fired sauna.” Today on the sauna bench, we are joined by Mindstrong Harvey, founder, CEO, of The Mindstrong Project. Many of us may not have heard of the Mindstrong Project, but if you were a pro athlete talking about performance, breath work, contrast therapy, sauna, Wim Hof, or any combination of any of these, I can pretty much guarantee you that you would be well tuned to Harvey Martin and the Mindstrong Project. The thing is, Harvey is very humble and low key about his practice and his company. He, like many of my friends for some odd reason, fall into more of the camp of witness relocation program, vs. major social media marketers. And I can’t speak for my other friends on the witness relocation program, but Mindstrong Harvey has good reason to be low key. The work he does with pro athletes is by reputation only. Harvey Martin’s marketing is mainly his reputatio

Please welcome Alex Blyashuk to the Sauna Talk podcast. Though sauna in Belarus is quite popular, Alex, a native of Belarus, didn’t grow up with sauna (or banya as it is called in his home country) but discovered the Russian style sauna experience through several road trips from his hometown in Buffalo, NY up to Toronto, Canada. Alex and his buddies would pack up their car, often on Fridays, head over the Peace Bridge, through Fort Erie, Ontario and up the QE Parkway to experience the heat, steam, and venik treatment action at a public banya in Toronto. Alex’s experiences at the Russian Banya in Toronto were formative. In our chat, you’ll hear more about the venik treatments, their relaxations between hot room sessions, and how they’d try to stay awake driving back from Toronto to Buffalo afterwards. Alex’s mobile sauna Alex constructed his first mobile sauna, in Eastern Europe tradition. Here we have a modified barrel concept where, instead of round, the walls are vertical, giving the interior space a more c

Today on Sauna Talk, we welcome a random, spontaneous, non rehearsed or edited collection of Finns, talking about sauna. I didn’t make a big deal about this interview process. I simply approached a few Finns on the street today, in Helsinki. I didn’t stick my microphone in people’s faces, but tried to be respectful in approaching a few people who didn’t seem to be hurried, or appeared to have an idle minute or two in their day. I’m happy to say that every guest I approached was kind and respectful to me. As you will hear, all were very open with me about talking about sauna and their life with sauna. Last time in Finland, in 2109, I interviewed 12 guests for Sauna Talk, all in one way shape or form connected to sauna. We had Jasper the Finnish actor and owner of löyly spa, We had Sauna Timo, and Kimmo Helistö, owner of two public saunas in Helsinki, and Jesse from Narvi, the folks from Harvia, Dr Jari Laukkanen, Satu and Carita from Sauna from Finland, just to name a few. Yet today, I’m warmed to bring you th

Today on the bench we welcome Jon Sabes to Sauna Talk. Jon is a successful entrepreneur, founding multiple companies in the health and insurance industries. Jon is a high performing athlete, completing several marathons and triathlons, events that just thinking about their rigor makes me want to hit the “no thanks” button and take the short tour to the sauna bench and cold plunge, and hear about the pain later. Foxo Technologies During our chat, we learn more about his current company, Foxo Technologies and their work in the scientific field of epigenetics. Epigenetics is cutting edge science that studies how our genes express due to lifestyle and environmental exposures.  Jon’s using molecular level analysis and technology to change an insurance industry…and improve the health of its customers for the better!  Knowing how and why genes express healthy or unhealthy outcomes is going to empower people to make better lifestyle choices to extend their healthy longevity. Hormesis What’s interesting, and not surpr

Hi John, welcome to saunatimes. I thought I’d start by having you share how and when you first got started with the WHM and cold water exposure. Most of my life I’ve had a terrible relationship to the cold. I hated cold water and if it dropped below 60F I would bundle up like I was preparing for an Arctic adventure. In 2013, when a friend let me know about a Wim Hof workshop that was being held in Austin, all I saw was a picture of Wim sitting in a barrel of ice and though “No way!! Why would I pay money to go sit in ice water?!” My resistance was strong enough, however, that it made me curious, and I signed up. Those first two ice baths with Wim that weekend were miserable, but life-changing. The big issue with living in central Texas – a sub-tropical climate – is that cold water is not readily available. It wasn’t until 3 years later after experiencing two years of brutal insomnia that I found the amazing benefits of a regular cold water practice. After spending thousands of dollars on various insomnia trea

I’m pleased to present my second Sauna Talk podcast interview with Daryl Lamppa. Who is Daryl Lamppa? A third generation sauna stove builder, born and bread in Tower, Minnesota. 100% Finn, and married to a Finn, Cheryl. After marriage, as a young man, Daryl and his father in law built their newlywed house, and milled lumber for the build from Norway pines on their property. Daryl and Cheryl have lived in this house their entire lives. She a former schoolteacher in town, and he a welder of the Vapor Fire wood burning home furnace and Kuuma wood burning sauna stove. I am pretty sure that Daryl is one of the leading living experts in wood burning technology. And I will put money on it, that nobody alive has spent more time researching and analyzing wood burning technology than Daryl Lamppa. First time I met Daryl Lamppa Over thirty years, recently moved to the area. Interested in building my first sauna, to replicate the awesome experience I had rebuilding a cottage on the Baltic Archipelago. Birch and Flounder,

Today on Sauna Talk, we’re pleased to welcome Lassi A. Liikkanen, author of “The Secrets of Finnish Sauna Design”. The book is just now being released, end of April 2021. We start our conversation in a good place, with Lassi’s early beginnings of sauna (before he could walk). And we transition into the definition of sauna, which for listeners new to sauna, is a great place for understanding. We layout what is a sauna from a design perspective. For example, the sauna heater is usually visible, and a center point of the sauna. We talk about how in this time of remote work, many are using their home saunas as offices. There is usually a sauna in most apartments in Finland, and traditionally, saunas in apartments and homes are one room usually operated as primary function, just a couple hours a few times a week. The rest of the time it is sitting still. They have natural bench systems, ideal for sitting and home offices. The small integrated sauna. In apartments. Nothing under 30 square feet. We discuss the 50 sq

Let’s welcome Eero Kipi to Sauna Talk! President of North American Sauna Society. The time we are living is very exciting. More and more people are becoming interested in and aware of the authentic sauna practice. In this episode, we get an understanding from Eero about his upbringing with sauna. And this experience is most likely not much different from most all Finns. A country of “more saunas than cars” and a country where many start taking saunas before they are old enough to start walking. Eero understands good sauna. The North America Sauna Society was founded in 2004. Sauna bathing is a very well regulated process with no regulation.

Sauna Talk global series continues. Today we welcome Sauna Sherpa to Sauna Talk. His real name is Kimmo Raitio, but he’s known around many of the many saunas in Finland as Sauna Sherpa. He is a Sauna Sherpa guide to Finnish sauna. Like many Finns, (all Finns?) Kimmo grew up with sauna. Like many Finns (all Finns?) Kimmo takes good heat seriously, and welcomes those interested in learning more about sauna with a clear and open mind and discussion. And this is what you will hear in this episode. More and more tourists and business travelers were coming to Finland with a keen interest to experience the Finnish sauna. And so Kimmo began taking people around to different saunas in his homeland. This was how the concept of Sauna Sherpa came about. The global pandemic has put a hold on Sauna Sherpa, but the love for an appreciation of good sauna is still very much deep in his bones. Sauna Sherpa guide to Finnish sauna In this episode, we hear interesting antidotes of the Finnish sauna. When asked about what makes a

On this episode of Sauna Talk, we are able to visit with Dr. Zestcott about a current study under way regarding sauna mental health studies for the Sauna Research Institute. This is a survey based study analyzing the mental health benefits to sauna. The link to the sauna mental health studies work is here. It’s particularly interesting to learn how Colin has a keen experience and understanding of what we know of as “good sauna.” The real sauna with good heat and proper cool downs which can include a range of coldness including a lake swim, cold plunge, snow angels, a bucket of water over ones’ head. Colin is reporting in from Duluth Minnesota where he teaches at the College of St. Scholastica, a place where a high of one degree above zero Fahrenheit is not uncommon. research surrounding sauna mental health studies We learn about the budding tree of scientific mental health studies. How survey based work follows certain protocols. We discuss how sauna can potentially be applied to help people in areas such as

The Sauna Talk global cross continent series continues We are pleased to welcome Mika Meskanen and his partner Wendy Liu to this joint podcast. We are publishing this episode on Sauna Talk as well as on their new podcast. Mika and Wendy are fresh on the beginnings of their enterprise entitled: Saunawave where they look to be “hosting meetings with remarkable heat seekers and embark on secret journeys to explore the new wave of global sauna culture”. As a designer and an architect they are also keen to craft sauna experiences that are both innovative and true to tradition. This conversation happened via tele computer, late 2020. Glenn close to his Minneapolis backyard sauna and Mika and Wendy from their London home. A great visit, where Mika and Wendy were inquisitive about the American sauna culture and environment. Here, we talk about the Sauna Belt in the US, which compares only to the bible belt, rust belt, and other belts mentioned by Mika, only in comparative context that they are belts. We discuss how t

We are pleased to welcome Travis Skinner to Sauna Talk! We’ve been following Travis’ work since 2017, starting with his Snail Shell sauna project. This sauna build project is a creative nod to the Fibonacci Sequence, one of the most famous formulas in mathematics. In this episode you’ll hear from Travis about the origins of this sauna, using a yurt frame as a foundation for building this sauna. And let’s not forget the Steam Roller sauna. Here is a link that describes and illustrates the Steam Roller sauna build project. A really unique shape. A canted wall that helps draw and roll the steam in the hot room. Then, it’s on to the Angler Fish sauna project. We wrote this sauna build project in 2018. And now we get to hear from the creator, designer and builder: Travis Skinner. We’ll learn about the “stacking function of sauna.” Where sauna can be multi function, multi purpose. Travis has a key interest in collaboration. Coming together with other artisans to craft as much as possible with their hands. “Working

Season 4 of Sauna Talk in the time of corona has been produced, like most all podcasts, via Zoom and teleconferencing. Yet this episode breaks that mold, where two people are gathered, once again, on the sauna bench to, er… sauna talk. Both Max and Glenn have been under pretty strict distancing: Glenn returning from 5 months on his island in Northeast Minnesota and Max running a tight ship, with his wife due in December with their third child. (eg. no messing around). So, this episode is a return to Sauna Talk on the bench Max comes to sauna, banya as its called back in his native land of Belarus, through a life long tradition and experience. “When I say 95 out of 100 of Belarusians go to sauna – I mean 95% of my friends and family that I know in Belarus go to sauna regularly.” This is the culture of sweat bathing in Belarus. Баня (Banya) is the Russian word for sauna; Лазьня (Laznya) is the Belarusian word for sauna, but most of the people who live in Belarus use word banya since they speak Russian as their

As we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of sauna book “The Opposite of Cold”, we are pleased to visit with author Mike Nordskog, Mike was close to between sauna rounds at his home in Southwest Wisconsin. Glenn was Zoomed up from his island lake cabin in Northeast Minnesota.The sauna building journey vs. destination The iterative process of sauna building allows us to create a sauna that works for us, individually. The story behind “the Opposite of Cold” A resurgence and interest in authentic sauna, particularly in the Upper Midwest. DIY Finnish carpentry to do the details – window molding and attention to detail. Finnish immigrants, more saunas per mile than in Finland, Cotton, or Toivola, Carlton County. What is authentic sauna? Water in the hot room. Not just on the rocks, but ideally a room that you can bathe in there. Ritual aspect that take time. Common sense design principles, eg. two tiers of benches where the upper bench is close to the ceiling, otherwise you are leaving a lot of heat on the table. Th

Cold & Heat It’s interesting how many come to appreciate sauna from the cold, and conversely how many come to appreciate the cold from sauna. Whichever the point of introduction, Jesse and I agree that with cold plunge and sauna, 1+1=3. You’ll hear from Jesse why this is. We will hear about his personal journey towards the powerful goodness of breath work and cold exposure. For most all Finns and sauna owners in Nordic regions of Europe and similar climates in North America, we refer to a few sauna round and a jump into a nICE cold lake just something you do. The practice is built into the rhythm of the day. “I’m going to cut the grass then go sauna.” Or “the sauna will be hot around 5pm, come on by.” Contrast Therapy Yet for athletes looking for an edge, or folks stressed out, or others with a varied list of mental and physical problems, we are seeing some serious positivity with “contrast therapy.” Jesse’s Bio Jesse Coomer is an author, professional breathworker, cold training expert, certified Wim Hof

Anyone lucky enough to have a hard copy of Mikkel Aaland’s 1978 book Sweat can page through his journey into the various sweat bathing practices and traditions from all over the World. Throughout his book, we enter with Mikkel into a Mayan Temescal, a Russian Banya, a Japanese Mushu-buru, a Native American Sweatlodge, and of course a Finnish sauna, amongst other cultural sweat tradition practices. Throughout his global journey, Mikkel gained an understanding of the common human experience. The communal experience and the experience of getting clean, and in my words, the ability to feel and say “aaaahhh” when water is tossed on hot rocks to create steam. As a young world traveler, Mikkel put it all together. He was able to connect the dots of these different “sweat” practices, and has helped us come to the realization that we, as humans, share a special bond of sweat practices, and we aren’t really all that different as a species. Fast forward to 2019, and Mikkel was deep into another form of world travel. He

Today on the bench, we hear from kindred spirits from across the big pond: Jake and Max Newport. As testament to our mutual love of authentic sauna, though this episode has been in the works for month, it was put together within minutes. I sent Jake an email, heard back right away, and we jumped on a Zoom call. We got right into the chatter, as mutual lovers of good sauna tend to do, and so it was easy to hit record and just make it happen. Doers vs. dreamers We hear the origins of Finnmark Sauna, from their first experience of Finnish sauna, to building a wood fired sauna in their family backyard, to the origins of their sauna business, Finnmark Sauna. Jake and Max are busy guys, helping customers all over Great Britain with their desire to own their own saunas. Dr. Mathew Walker Why We Sleep Could infrared cabin marketing hucksters be committing a cultural crime? Sauna is an experience to be enjoyed. There is an ethos in Great Britain that “the medicine should taste foul” and with exercise, “it must be pain

I first learned of Scott Carney as he was writing his 2016 book, What Doesn’t Kill Us, the story of Scott being commissioned by Playboy Magazine to write an article debunking the cold water deep breathing “iceman” Wim Hof. Scott went to Wim’s training center in Poland. His intention was to get into the depths of Wim’s cold water immersion therapy and deep breathing methods, to reveal the cracks and fallacies of the practice. And this was Scott’s specialty. He was on the heels of his 2015 book The Enlightenment Trap, (then entitled under the title A Death on Diamond Mountain). The book explores the cult like practices of adaptive, Americanized versions of Eastern religions. How guru’s in the US try to capitalize on “enlightenment” for their own finances and fame. For Scott Carney, a journalist and anthropologist who lived in India for six years, debunking myths is his specialty. Debunking Wim Hof So, back to those days at the Wim Hof training center in Poland, I can imagine Scott’s bullshit detector on high. H

Today on the bench, we are pleased to welcome Jessica Kelso, founder, owner, and proprietor of Löyly in Portland Oregon, which today comprises two public sauna facilities. Growing up in Oregon, Jess first encountered sauna as part of “a bit of the hippy culture of the area” but she, like many sauna enthusiasts, became hooked on sauna from her time spent experiencing the public sauna scene in Europe. We get to hear from her voice, the pivotal moment when she committed herself to opening a public sauna in Portland. And after opening her first sauna facility in 2006, Jess helped grow this business and then opened a second location a few years later. We learn about her companies efforts to reposition their business during this time of Covid-19, when public facilities like restaurants, health clubs and public saunas are on lockdown, and just now looking to reopen safely and within guidelines. How great to hear her heartfelt feelings of the power of sauna, as a space for community and gathering, healing and feeling