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Natural health for mind, body and spirit: Dry brushing for your health
Lucie Sauvageau
Special to the Express
Your skin is not just a protective hide that keeps blood in and germs out. It’s the largest organ of the human body, the one that encases all the others.
You can’t see through it to know what’s going on inside, and you don’t need to; cause it mirrors what’s going on inside. Some skin wrinkles, freckles, moles, age spots, varicose veins, spider veins, can be attributed to too much sun, childbearing, heredity and daily wear and tear. But a lot of what we see is actually toxic waste surfacing on your skin.
Your skin is a large organ of elimination, where toxins picked up from tissues and circulated by the blood and lymph are deposited in the skin’s layers if they’re not filtered out by the liver and kidneys. If those layers don’t get shed and regenerated, the toxins just sit there.
So pretty soon, you’ve got buildup. Over time, you’ve got degradation of skin tone and elasticityr, or worse, the toxins get reabsorbed into your system, along with new ones contributed by pollution and or solar radiation.
But, have no fear...there is an immediate way to start the cleansing process, and it’s called dry brushing.
Buy yourself a loofah (those natural sponges people often use as exfoliating wash cloths) and use it dry. I do not recommend those plastic brushes or sponges.
You’re going to scrub your skin everyday, before you get into the shower. Brush in one direction only; stroke your skin so that you’re always stroking towards your heart. Which means: wrists to elbows, elbows to shoulders, neck to shoulders, ankles to knees, knees to thighs, abdomen to chest.
You’re accomplishing several things with this “dry brushing”.
You are exfoliating the dead skin cells, along with their toxic load.
You are also stimulating and increasing circulation of both blood and lymph; and a gentle stretching. Overall, it’s like a massage.
Now, I’m also keen on saunas. If you’ve got access to one, either you own your own or make an appointment to use one at your nearest spa, a sauna or steam bath can optimize the effects of dry brushing and even a massage.
Hot steam speeds the toxic removal process by stimulating circulation and causing you to perspire.
Heat opens your pores so that you literally sweat out the poisons. It’s also relaxing. However, high temperatures are not beneficial to everyone. Pregnant women, children, and those with heart conditions should take a pass on saunas and steam baths.
Dry brushing, is a great ritual to do, especially while doing a detox.
It’s just one of the different ways to purge these toxins, just like other ways like fasting, through herbs, and through nutritional supplements. It’s a great way to keep the skin soft, with a healthy glow due to increased blood circulation, while increasing the immune system.
Treating yourself to a morning ritual of dry brushing or a relaxing sauna is just one way of starting off your day on the right track.
It might feel like you’re being pampered while at the same time you’re doing something for your health. And that’s nothing to feel guilty about, cause after all...you’re worth it.
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