Without a doubt, war brings horrors and life-long traumas that affect not only the participants, but their families and the entire culture. Each country attempts to handle and heal their wounded warriors in their own unique ways. Here in America, now into our second year of war in Iraq and our third year in Afghanistan, our wounded are returning in numbers that are almost numbing; over 5,000 at this writing.

The current military strategy of deploying units together, rather than individuals by random numbers, as was done in Vietnam, adds strength and cohesiveness to the mission. Fidelity, knowledge and understanding of each other and their families gives an underlying core of complexity and camaraderie and camaraderie that is unbeatable.

The down side of this equation is that in small towns as well as in the poorer sections of large cities across America, the pains of these wars are being felt in a way that has not been experienced since WWII. Several from the same Reserve or National Guard Units are returning home in coffins or without arms, legs or eyes. Those not so obviously damaged are having children either stillborn, or with major birth defects. Since, for the most part, the middle and upper classes of America are being spared the burden of these traumas; it remains largely a concept, a theory, or an intellectual exercise for many. Adding to this dilemma are the tremendous costs incurred by the military and the Veterans Administration in dealing with so many people seriously ill and dying. The shortfall from all of this is quite obvious; it falls to the poor individual families and towns to care for their own. A few brave souls from the first Iraqi War have been diligently searching for answers to the problems of Depleted Uranium and Plutonium that are being used in the missiles and bombs now in numbers unimagined.

Our soldiers are also receiving high levels of immunizations as well as eating MREs that are full of chemicals and preservatives. The good news is that answers are forthcoming, and are not as complicated as one might think. Saunas have been in practice for a long time. What is new is the low-frequency Far-Infrared Sauna that detoxifies on a very deep level without the use of steam or high heat, and therefore is safe for nearly everyone. In a recent book, ‘Detoxify or Die’, by Sherry Rogers, MD, she graphically explains why and how this system works, how necessary it is in our culture, and why nothing else is nearly as effective. Not only has this been proven to pull from the body Agent Orange, Depleted Uranium and Plutonium, but also, Arthritis and pain from disease. When dealing with disease, no matter the source, proper protocol is essential to keeping the body stable and balanced throughout the entire detoxifying process. Certain minerals and nutrients must be monitored and replaced with every visit. Some modalities greatly enhance the detoxification as well, namely, bodywork or exercise before, colonics afterwards and daily additional nutrients. Care and caution in listening to the body are important, as the sauna is a powerful instrument, and one could experience various levels of sickness as the toxins are released into the blood stream. It is much better to move too slowly rather than too quickly through the various levels of release.

Some information is available on the Internet about Far-Infrared Saunas. We have been conducting our own pilot-program here at the St. Louis Aquatic Healing Center since our sauna arrived in mid-March 2004. The results have been nothing less than amazing, and my wish is that Americans will want and desire this for our returning young veterans and families who have fought the good fight for our freedom and way of life, and who have offered their all. If we can not truly honor those who lay their lives on the line for us, are we really serious about freedom and democracy?
The St. Louis Aquatic Healing Center is a 501 (c) 3 foundation and is accepting donations for the detoxification program for veterans, so that they may participate for free. For more information on this program, or the Far-Infrared Sauna, please call 314-432-5228. Kathleen Christ is the mother of a Marine who recently returned from Iraq, and has been a wife or mother of a military member for 40 years.