For seven years I owned a spa, and among my favourite things about that experience was becoming exposure to daily classes in natural health and learning simple, effective techniques to support my immune system. One of my favourite methods for immune system support was (and IS) dry brushing.
Advantages
In actuality, dry brushing has numerous advantages and is so great for the immune system which I mandated that most of my therapists perform this technique on customers as a precursor to each body treatment that happened at my spa. It happened to me to write about dry cleaning as you truly don’t need to go to a spa to do this. It’s something that you can easily do at home on your own, your partner, and your kids. All you need is the perfect gear: a dry brush, which you can get for not lots of money (usually $6 – though it’s likely to get one for much less than that) – I’ve seen them sold at many organic products retailers, traditional drugstores, beauty supplies, as well as online by massage equipment providers. Look for a brush that has natural bristles (usually from a wild boar) and a good-sized handle. Just ensure you don’t get a nylon brush, because nylon can tear the skin and disturb its natural electromagnetic balance. Stimulates skin circulation to boost elimination (when you consider it, your skin is just one large elimination organ, playing an important role alongside your lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, and lymph system).
Lymph system
Speaking of lymph system, dry brushing is excellent for strengthening filtration and lymph circulation, which in turn strengthens immunity. Improves flow and averts lymph congestion. Tones the muscles and stimulates nerve endings. Stimulates sweat and oil glands (which decrease production with age, and that’s the reason why mature skin is often dry). Stimulates the connective tissues and collagen in the skin. Exfoliates dead skin cells, boosting the skin’s appearance. Helps break up areas of cellulite and prevents additional cellulite. There, are you convinced? First, do not wet the brush! Hello, it is called “dry cleaning” Water acts as a lubricant, and in this case, we actually need the advantages of the friction that’s caused by brushing against dry skin. Second, do not wet your skin! See above. No water on either the brush OR skin.
Always brush to the center (this is to stimulate the flow in the veins). Take your brush and begin in the feet, making short strokes upward (towards the center ). I like to do one leg out of foot-to-buttock, then another leg from foot-to-buttock. I then brush the back from waist-to-mid-back. Then I begin in the shoulders and brush to mid-back (again, brushing to the heart). Finally, I brush out of hands-to-shoulders using short, firm strokes. DON’T brush the face. DON’T brush any place that’s tender or inflamed. You CAN brush the bottoms of their feet, however (and you should, it is really great for them).
Start with gentle pressure until you’re utilized to the sensation. This can feel quite rough to start with, so brush mildly! Brush once each day for best results. If you would like to actually augment the advantages, you can dry brush before jumping in the shower. Then, in the shower, you can substitute standing in warm and cold water (hot water for 3 minutes, cold water for 30 minutes ). Or, you can give yourself a salt scrub after a dry brushing session for optimum exfoliation.
Conclusion
There! Now you know how, you can go chase your partner and children with a dry brush! And then it is possible to bribe either said partner or children into dry cleaning you. And then you all can enjoy the benefits of an improved lymphatic and immune system collectively.