Your skin is the largest organ in your body.
It serves as an important buffer to protect you from chemicals and extreme temperatures.
It produces antibacterial substances to protect you from infection, and it enables your body to produce vitamin D when exposed to the sun.
More importantly, your skin plays a crucial role in the detoxification of your body.
If your skin is overrun with dead skin cells or toxins, however, it will not be able to help your body eliminate waste efficiently.
This is where the daily practice of dry brushing comes in…
It brushes dead cells off your skin and activates waste removal through your lymphatic system.
And let’s be honest…who doesn’t want beautiful, glowing skin?
HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRY BRUSHING YOUR SKIN
IT STIMULATES YOUR LYMPHATIC SYSTEM FOR DETOX
Your lymphatic system is responsible for eliminating cellular waste from your body. Within the lymphatic system, there are hundreds of miles of tubules that allow waste to be collected from your tissues and transported to your blood for elimination. This process is referred to as lymphatic drainage.
When your lymphatic system is not working properly, waste and toxins can build up and make you sick. In fact, lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease in the body.
By stimulating your lymphatic system and helping it release toxins, dry brushing your skin is a powerful helper for detoxification.
IT EXFOLIATES YOUR SKIN
Dry brushing removes dead, dry cells from your skin. This clears clogged pores, allows your skin to “breathe” and improves your skins appearance making it look more youthful, fresher and smoother.
IT HELPS TO REDUCE CELLULITE, TIGHTEN SKIN & IMPROVE VISUAL MUSCLE TONE
Dry skin brushing helps release fatty deposits under the skin’s surface and removes toxins that can break down connective tissue and make the skin look lumpy.
This may help diminish the appearance of cellulite, make the skin tighter and improve the appearance of muscle tone.
IT INCREASES CIRCULATION
When you dry brush, it increases circulation to your skin. This encourages the elimination of metabolic waste throughout your body.
IT IMPROVES DIGESTION AND KIDNEY FUNCTION
Many naturopathic doctors use dry brushing to help with bloating and water retention, because massaging the lymph nodes throughout the body helps shed excess water and mobilize toxins.
This can help improve digestion, as well as kidney function.
IT RELIEVES STRESS
The act of dry brushing is comparable to a light whole-body massage. It helps to reduce muscle tension and calm your mind.
If you do it in a quiet space while breathing deeply, it can be quit a meditative experience.
DRY BRUSHING: HOW TO DO IT
The first step for implementing an effective dry brushing routine is investing in a quality brush that’s made specifically for brushing your skin. I prefer to use dry brushes with bristles made from plant sources like coconut fibers, agave (also known as sisal) or tampico vs. boar hair (gross!). I use and love the dry brushes from Yerba Prima that are made of tampico.
Once you have your brush, you can begin making dry skin brushing your skin a part of your daily routine.
It’s very convenient to do right before bathing, since you’ll already have your clothes off and then you’ll be able to wash away all the dead skin cells in the shower.
I also like to do it right before I exercise in the morning, so I can maximize the detoxification action from dry brushing by sweating impurities out during my workout.
The only time you’ll want to avoid dry brushing is right before bed, because it invigorates and energizes the body and may make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Because your lymphatic system flows towards your heart, you should always brush towards your heart using long gentle strokes (avoid brushing back and forth in a scrubbing motion).
Start at the bottom of your feet and work your way up your legs, then move to your stomach, back, chest and arms. Stop at your neck. I like to one additional sweep over my abdomen at the end, since there are so many lymph nodes in the abdominal and groin area.
Avoid brushing your genitals, since the skin in that area is too sensitive for dry brushing. If you want to dry brush your face, only use a small brush intended for facial skin and be very gentle with upward strokes.
The pressure you apply during dry brushing should be firm but not painful (again, avoid scrubbing your skin).
If you have light-colored skin, it will likely be pink after a dry brushing session. That’s totally normal.
If you fall in love with this practice like I have and would like to do it more than once a day, go for it!
When it’s time to wash your brush, be sure to use a nontoxic / natural soap or shampoo.
MAKE IT A HABIT!
Keep your brush in plain sight, so you don’t forget to use it.
I hang mine on the back of my bathroom door and take it with me when traveling, so I never miss a day.
After my weight loss of over 100 pounds, I have a lot of loose skin to contend with. Dry brushing has been HUGE in helping to tighten my skin and giving it a beautiful flow.
I love that a simple investment in a dry brush has given me such amazing natural results, and that it helps tremendously with my daily detox routine.
I hope it does the same for you!
Cheers to adding dry brushing to your daily detox routine!
With love and gratitude,
Kandi
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