Effectiveness of the therapeutic lifestyle changes diet complemented with Thai traditional herbal sauna to improve cardiovascular disease parameters

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant health concern with detrimental effects on patients' quality of life. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet has been proven to improve blood lipid profiles, a critical CVD parameter. Additionally, steam sauna therapy may stimulate metabolism and enhance blood circulation. This study investigated the effectiveness of the TLC diet complemented with Thai traditional herbal sauna in improving CVD parameters among individuals with dyslipidemia. A total of 60 participants were recruited and divided into 30-person control and intervention groups. The intervention group received individualized dietary planning based on the TLC diet guideline from a registered dietitian (biweekly appointments) and participated in herbal steam sauna sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. The control group received only TLC diet-based dietary planning. Blood lipid profiles, Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), and body composition were assessed at baseline and study endpoint. Results demonstrated that participants in the intervention group exhibited significantly lower triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels compared to the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the intervention group showed significantly reduced arterial stiffness index values at right brachial and left ankle regions (p<0.05). In conclusion, TLC diet intervention appears to be more effective when complemented with herbal sauna steam therapy in improving CVD parameters.