EXFOLIATE! DETOX! GLOW!I'm a voracious reader of self-improvement books. At the moment I have a stack of books next to my bed that, if toppled, could break my nose. I'm reading about everything from, cholesterol and the heart (I'm starting to believe statin drugs are just another slick pharmaceutical campaign--more on that later) to growing my own pharmacy (I started with wormwood, not sure why...maybe I should figure out how to make my own absinthe?).
Anyway, when I read the same thing 3 or more times from different reputable sources, I start to really prick up my ears. Recently, dry brushing kept cropping up all over the place, so I bought myself a Sisal body brush and have been religiously dry brushing my body for more than 30 days every morning. At first, I thought I was just imagining all the great benefits, but after 30 days of observation, I'm a believer and I'm hooked! Dry brushing my body is like brushing my teeth now; it energizes me in the morning, makes my skin über soft, my leg hair grows more slowly and comes in more soft AND the best part, my jiggly bits are a bit firmer.
I now refer to my Sisal brush as my magic wand and I plan to travel with it!
Dry brushing (not to be confused with wet brushing and scrubbing in the shower) stimulates your lymphatic system (the system responsible for eliminating toxins) and it encourages new cell growth.
Skin brushing 101:
Economical spa treatement—you can get a good quality body brush for under $10 dollars.Dry brush in the morning before getting dressed.
Start at your toes—brush with firm, sweeping strokes toward your heart. Always brush toward your heart which encourages blood and lymphatic flow.
Spend a little extra time brushing over your lymphnodes (located at the back of your knees, the groin area, your armpits and your neck).
Also spend a little extra time on your jiggly bits (if you have any)—brush in a circular motion on these parts. I pretty much attack these areas like I'm scrubbing a burnt, greasy pot or pan. The experts say over-brushing causes skin to turn red and become irritated, but I'm not one to ever do something carefully or in moderation and I have sensitive, fair skin, and I brush like a maniac and my skin is fine. I don't, however, brush my neck or face which need a softer brush.
Unless you get a brush with a handle or enlist your partner, reaching your whole back will take some limber arms. I could ask my husband to brush the wee bit of my back that I miss, but there is something a bit too geriatric about it, so I don't.
When I feel like skipping a day because I'm in a rush or just plain lazy, I remind myself that my dear, little lymph nodes filter out all the dead bacteria, viruses, and other dead tissue from the lymphatic fluid and eliminate it from my body, so stimulating them with a dry brush is the least I can do. And it will only take you about 2 or 3 minutes.
YogaSexy
YogaRemedy
YogaBliss
Everyday Fabulousness
CIGGY
Unfortunate Umbles