Dry Brushing and Beautiful Skin

 Did You Know?

• The skin is the largest most important elimination organ in the body and is responsible for one quarter of the body’s detoxification each day.
• The skin eliminates over one pound of waste acids each day in the average adult, most of it through the sweat glands.
• The skin is known also as our third kidney.
• The skin receives one third of all the blood circulated in the body.
• The skin is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to show signs of imbalance or deficiency.

Skin brushing, a technique that goes back thousands of years, may be one the best ways to treat your skin today. It is done by gently brushing dry skin and is used to clean, stimulate and exfoliate the skin.

In the past, rough materials such as loofah, dried corn cobs or sand have been used. Today, the most popular ways to perform dry skin brushing is with the still popular loofah, exfoliation mitt or my favorite a long handled vegetable fiber brush.

Avoid synthetic brushes as they may cause irritation.

What Are The Benefits of Skin Brushing?

• Helps to remove dead skin cells, opening pores and preventing clogging.
• Open pores are better able to eliminate sweat and toxins which help the body to detoxify. Since 1/4 of our body's detoxification each day is through our skin, our skin can eliminate about 2lbs. of waste.
• Increases blood flow to the skin and improves circulation.
• Increases lymphatic circulation by stimulating the lymph glands to release toxins. The lymph glands are a part of our bodies natural defense system. Lymph travels through our lymph system located throughout our bodies (groin, armpit, neck, under the jaw, behind the ears and the back of the head) and helps filter impurities out eventually moving them out through the colon.
• And as an added benefit, it helps fight cellulite by helping to break down those fat cells.

Simple Steps The best time for brushing the skin is when the skin is dry, just prior to bathing.

If you've never used a dry brush, you may find it to be very stiff and rough especially when you are new to brushing your skin. Start out very gently until your skin gets used to it.

Start brushing your skin in small circles. I like to start with the soles of my feet and work up in each leg. Always work toward the heart. Next move on to hands and arms.

Brush upwards on the body and across the back, up the neck and across the jawline applying a lighter touch to areas where the skin is thinner. Avoid nipples and any sensitive or inflamed areas. That's it.

You skin may have a slight flush due to increased blood circulation.

You can be done in as little as a few minutes. Now follow up with a shower of alternating hot and cold water to further improve circulation. It's an invigorating way to start the day.

Don't forget to moisturize. This is the perfect time now that all the dead skin cells have been removed.

If you stick with it and that's easy because it feels so good, your skin will be feeling soft and smooth. And you didn't have to go to any great expense or go to a spa.

Comments

[Mary Kelly]

Wow. this sounds easy. I can't wait to try it. I am wondering..... should one dry brush every day?