Skin Brushing

Skin brushing is a simple and easy technique that only takes minutes a day to do. It is inexpensive and will help to keep your skin youthful, glowing and healthy.

There are also many other tips to natural organic skin care that you can read here.

The Health of Your Skin

Our skin is our body's biggest organ. It is an organ of absorption, elimination, protection and temperature control just to name a few of its many important functions. And because our skin is the largest eliminative organ of the body, when it is not functioning properly a huge burden is placed on the other organs of detoxification and elimination (lungs, kidneys, bowel and liver).

It is very good to brush your skin every day but is especially important to implement when doing a juice feast or a detox cleanse.

Our overall holistic health cannot reach it's potential if our skin is not healthy and functioning properly. The skin is a visible indicator of how healthy we are on the inside of our bodies and good skin care is necessary to maintain the health of our skin and therefore our entire bodies.

This page will talk specifically about dry skin brushing to help your skin to glow at its best but know that there are many other things to keep in mind when it comes to the health of your skin.

Your Lymphatic System

The lymph in our body runs through a network of veins called the lymphatic system.  The lymphatic system works to whisk toxins away and to deliver needed materials.

Whereas your heart is the pump that will move the blood through its vascular system, the lymphatic system doesn't have a pump and relies on movement for stimulation.

Exercise, massage and dry skin brushing are extremely helpful in assisting the lymph to move easily throughout our bodies.

The Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing

This simple practice has so so many benefits including;

• helps to keep the many pores in your skin unclogged and unhindered when doing their jobs of elimination and absorption
• helps to remove old, dead cells and invigorate the new cells on the surface
• encourages circulation, bringing nutrients to your skin and whisking toxins away
• stimulates your lymphatic system including your lymph nodes which helps the entire lymphatic system to function efficiently
• reduces cellulite
• stimulates nerve endings
• strengthens the immune system
• stimulates all inner organs as there are several places on the surface of the skin that reflex to these inner organs and skin brushing will stimulate all of these places

How To Brush Your Skin

To brush your skin, start at your extremities and work your way in, brushing mostly towards your heart. The goal is firm, long strokes but start with gentler pressure, if needed, and build this up over time.

• Start at your toes and brush the tops of your feet, then across the edges of your toes and the bottoms of your feet.
• Next use long strokes to brush from ankles to knees on all sides.
• With outstretched legs brush behind your knees.
• Use long strokes again to brush from knees all along upper thighs (be gentle on inner thighs)
• Use a circular motion to brush buttocks.
• Brush up sides of torso and up lower back.
• Spread fingers apart and brush between fingers, tops and palms of hands.
• Use long strokes to brush entire length of arm on all sides.
• Use a circular motion to brush both armpits.
• Brush down neck, shoulders and upper back.

Be careful not to use the firm bristled brush on the delicate skin of the nipples. A much lighter pressure should be used on the breast tissue and in a clockwise gentle motion on the abdomen. Be gentle on these areas and leave them out if very sensitive. If brushing your face use very gentle pressure. For some it may be best to get a much softer brush just for the face or to leave the face out altogether and just use a gentle scrub on the face instead.

Keep in mind that this dry brush skin massage should feel pleasurable not painful.

This whole routine should only take a few minutes.

Some Cautions

Brushing your skin is a very safe practice but do be aware of the following;

• Do not brush over broken, inflamed or infected skin.
• Do not brush over rashes or skin irritations such as eczema or psoriasis.
• Do not brush so hard as to break skin or leave skin a bright red (a slight flush is okay as this indicates a healthy increase in circulation).
• Avoid nipple area and be gentle with breasts, abdomen, face and inner thighs.
• Avoid genitals.

When To Brush Your Skin

Brushing your skin can be very invigorating making it a great morning activity but any time of day is fine. Brushing right before getting into the shower or bath is a nice thing to do. Brushing your skin is just as important and should be just as routine as brushing your hair or your teeth.

Make this a part of your daily routine and be sure its included any time you are doing a juice feast or detox cleanse.

Which Skin Brush to Use

When choosing a skin brush, find one that;

• has natural bristles (synthetic fibers can irritate the skin)
• is firm (if it seems too hard and scratchy for you, start with very light gentle pressure and build up over time, before long your skin will be loving the firmness of the brush)
• has a long wooden handle (to reach the back)

You should be able to find a good body brush at any health store for a reasonable price. You can also purchase a skin brush here.

Every couple of weeks it is a good idea to wash your brush and dry it in the sun.

Radiate Health!

Dry skin brushing is a great addition to your daily routine. It takes hardly any time at all and in return you will be helping your skin to be glowingly healthy.

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