Naturopaths back 'sweat lodges' but warn of dangers

Friday November 5, 09:04 AM

Natural therapists have warned of the dangers of the "sweat lodge" practice at the centre of an outback tragedy on Wednesday, but say the incident should not deter people from using it.
A 37-year-old Melbourne man died from dehydration at a property near Leigh Creek, after using a sweat lodge, which involves pouring water on hot coals in a teepee.
Adelaide naturopath Marni Morrow says those with health conditions such as heart problems should avoid the practice.
But she says others can benefit as long as they stay well-hydrated.
"[It's] exceptionally good for weight control, it's very good for detoxifying the whole system, it can be wonderful," she said.
"But there's two things, not just the dehydration, you've got to also be worried too that you don't leach out all the natural body salts or tissue salts, so you may need to look at that as well, especially if you're doing it repeatedly."