The benefits of using a sweat lodge would require a whole book in itself. However in many parts of the world it is commonly known that sweating has very deep therapeutic and, in many cases healing effects. The old saying goes ” Give me a fever and I can cure any disease”. The process of sweating removes toxins very deep in the skins, impurities that inhabit the organs are flushed out. Bacteria and viral agents cannot survive at temperatures much higher than 98.6 degrees fahrenheit. Also when rocks are heated and water is then poured onto them, (negetive ions) are released into the air, countering fatigue and tension. Envirnments with an excess of (positive ions) often found in houses with central air conditioning and smoggy areas has been linked to many resperatory problems such as heart attacks, insomnia and asthma to name a few.
Source: The Native american sweat lodge by Joseph Bruchac
Solar showers are one of the greatest inventions. They can offer nice warm shower/bath with very little energy.
A typical solar shower is made of a large plastic bag “black will absorb solar energy better” a hose fastened to the bag with a nozzle and a place to hang in sunlight above your head. Keep in mind if your shower is tucked under a tree you can lay the bag on the ground in direct sunlight and when ready you can relocate to your desired location. Anyone can fabricate a solar shower, using material that you may already have in no time at all.
Material List: Large plastic bag, or bucket (5-7 gallon capacity)
Hose
Valve
Shower head
Adhesive (apoxy, silicone, superglue)
Hand saw
Drill bit and or scissors
1. Depending on the container that you choose, almost anything can be used as long as it can be painted black, and hold water without leaking. Note that sunlight absorbs the dark material, warming the water inside the bag. Smaller containers heat up much quicker than larger ones.
2. First drill or cut a hole in the bottom of the bag or bucket to connect the valve “make sure the cut is a little bit smaller than the valve’s opening”. Next apply your adhesive on both sides of the valve’s lips. Then atach the hose to the valve and then to the bag. Allow to dry for several hours.
3. Now attach the shower head to the end of the hose using adhesive to secure it.
4. Combine two or more shower bags together for more water pressure and longer showers. Simply connect them by using an additional hose and extra adhesive. Also make a small hole at the top of your bag to allow water to flow freely out the bottom, and to allow for gas to escape.
5. Securely hang the shower bag up above your head. Make sure that it can hold the weight.
Always be carefull when working with tools, adhesives and hot water!
