The achievement of wellness in mind, body and spirit has many components. Among them is the practice of taking a sauna as a means of detoxifying both body and mind in a practice dating back thousands of years across many cultures.
It is now within easy reach of Grosse Pointers, thanks to the Change Your Life Infrared Sauna, an Urban Sweat Company located on Mack Avenue.
Wellness is a core belief of owner Karl Messenger, known to many as a pastor and the former Area Director of Young Life ministry in Grosse Pointe.
“I see mind-body faith as having a strong connection,” says Karl, who opened CYL in April 2022 to carry out his vision of bringing wellness - - true wellness that results from the mind-body connection that is at the very heart of his Christian faith - - beyond the walls of church and into the community.
“Do you want to be well? In every facet of our humanity, do you want to be well?” Karl asks. If the answer is yes, “Making the leap to wellness is a pretty easy connection.” Helping others get there by way of a wellness studio is a natural effort for him because it provides him with a means of sharing his experience, strength and hope with others. After all, one of his tattoos says, “Hope Dealer.” He acquired the tattoo to serve as a reminder of a pact he made with friends involved with the nonprofit Laundry Project in Tampa, Florida (which provides free laundry services for low-income families), to stay faithful to their calling and carry the message of hope with them everywhere they go and in everything they do.
Karl Messenger has made it his personal creed, so it was a natural progression to get involved with a business venture that allows him to promote wellness in both body and mind.
“I have always been entrepreneurial,” Karl reports. “Anything that is customer-focused got my attention.” When he experienced firsthand the benefits of CYL Infrared Sauna, it was a logical next step on his career path.
CYL Infrared Sauna offers a full-body, immersive, and relaxing experience through infrared sauna sessions, red light therapy, and a cold plunge. Clients can safely heat their body core in a 30-minute infrared sauna session and begin reaping benefits immediately.
“Toxins in our environment are unavoidable,” Karl explains. “Our body’s natural way to detox is to sweat out the toxins. Sauna also aids in muscle recovery. A lot of our clients come to CYL right after they work out.
“The red light provides skin benefits that work from the outside in,” he adds. “It mimics natural sunlight, increasing serotonin levels and boosting energy to help with seasonal depression. Red light also improves acne, smoothes out wrinkles, and helps soothe sore muscles.”
Taking a cold plunge after improves circulation and tightens pores.
More importantly, these practices enhance and strengthen the mind-body wellness connection.
“Taking a cold plunge involves doing a hard thing,” Karl explains. “Your body says, ‘I don’t like this.’ But after you do it, your body says, ‘I feel great now.’ There is something very empowering about it.”
Karl has always had a mindset for wellness that is rooted in his strong Christian faith. He holds a degree in Religion from Missouri Baptist University and moved to Grosse Pointe to serve in a pastoral role at Grace Community Church. While there, he met his future wife, Liz. They married and moved to Tampa, Florida, where Karl worked in the nonprofit sector.
They returned to Grosse Pointe in the summer of 2020, when Karl joined Young Life ministry in Grosse Pointe as Area Director. He served Young Life for two years, and his experiences strengthened and deepened his commitment to wellness that is rooted in Christ.
Karl was on a trip to Dallas (where he grew up) visiting a high school friend who invited him to check out a CYL Infrared Studio for the first time.
“I walked in and was blown away,” Karl says. “It was very nice and very high-end. I tried the sauna therapy and cold plunge and was hooked immediately.
“I felt great. I slept that night. It was amazing.”
Karl explored options for bringing the concept home to Grosse Pointe, and the result was the opening of his first franchise location here soon after. He is expanding and has just opened a second CYL franchise in Louisville, Kentucky.
Karl and Liz are firmly rooted in Grosse Pointe. “I am all about local,” he says. “We live here and work here and serve here.” Karl coaches Bulldogs hockey at East Side Hockey, and his wife, Liz, is the Head Freshman Girls Basketball Coach at Grosse Pointe South High School and also coaches a travel team of eighth graders.
“We feel Grosse Pointe is home,” Karl says. “It is great to provide Grosse Pointers with a service and a resource to help everyone get well.
“Where in our busy days do we get 30 minutes to relax and rest?”
CYL Infrared Studio is located at 17108 Mack Avenue. Hours are 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Friday; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. weekends. Check out their website at: www.cylinfraredstudio.com.
“I see mind-body faith as having a strong connection.”
“Where in our busy days do we get 30 minutes to relax and rest?”