When we are shedding weight,  our bodies are going through a pretty intense period of getting rid of that which doesn’t serve us anymore.  When that fat breaks down, not only do we have to cope with the metabolites of the fat, but also of anything stored within the fat cells, like toxins.

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Anyone who has just started on a diet or gone on a juice fast can attest to the headaches that can knock you out in the first couple of days as your body celebrates and opens the detox floodgates.

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One of the things that my medical herbalist suggested I do, together with an alkalising diet (basically all things natural and in as natural a state a possible), was Dry Skin Brushing.  As the skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body, it makes sense to support it in its’ work of ridding our bodies of toxins and waste products.  It is responsible for getting rid of about a quarter of the body’s detox efforts each day, but unless it’s our face, it largely gets ignored.

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What is Dry Skin Brushing and What Do You Use?

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Brushing the skin when dry with a natural bristle brush is a simple way to stimulate the circulation, the lymph and adrenal glands and the nervous system and to exfoliate the skin.  This stimulates skin cell renewal and increases the capacity of the skin to continue to eliminate waste.

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I use a brush with a detachable long handle (so that you can reach all of your back) and with a strap on the brush head that makes it easier to use on your feet and other easier to reach parts of your body.

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The bristles must be made of natural fibres for a couple of reasons:  they are softer and more gentle and also won’t create a static electricity build up on your skin surface.

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It must be done on dry skin, not wet.  Apparently this is because the wet skin ‘stretches’ more and its easier to dislodge the dead skin cells and waste when the skin is dry (followed by a shower).

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How to Dry Skin Brush

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1.  Always do the dry skin brush just before you get into the shower – it takes as little as 2-3 minutes, although you can do it for longer if you like.
2.  Start at the soles of your feet near the toes and brush toward the back of the foot – do the same for the top of the foot.
NOTE:  Always brush towards the heart from any point in the body as this will assist the movement of lymph.  The lymphatic system does not have its own pump and relies on muscle contraction and a series of one way valves to work effectively (hence exercise is good for your lymphatics).  If you brush away from the heart, you will put undue pressure on these valves.
3.  Brush vigorously up the legs and thighs towards the lymph nodes in the groin.  Brush over the buttocks and side.
4.  Brush over the abdomen, following the direction of flow through the large intestine (up on the right hand side, across the stomach and down the left hand side – circular movements).
5.  Next go to the fingertips and brush toward the wrist on the front and back of the hand.
6.  Brush vigorously up the arm (all the way around) toward the shoulder.  Remember to do the underarm, another location of lymph nodes.
7.  Brush from the top of the neck toward the heart, going over the shoulder and chest / back.  Use the long handle to help reach those spots on the back that are hard to get to.
8.  Gently brush the breasts, avoiding the nipple area.

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The order you do it in doesn’t matter – start with your hands if you want to.  Just remember – towards the heart and avoid irritated, broken or damaged skin areas.

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Shower Afterward

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Jump in the shower to remove the dead skin cells.  Have a hot shower (or bath) for a couple of minutes, followed by a cold shower for about 20 seconds (repeat once).  This further invigorates the skin and stimulates blood circulation.

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Give your brush a wash with soap and water once a week and put it in a sunny spot to dry as quickly as possible.

So, as part of our weight loss regimes, I can strongly recommend Dry Skin Brushing.  When I’ve done it for a few days I feel good and my skin feels healthy and smooth.  To help the skin further, we need to keep up our water intake, fresh fruit and vegies, nuts and seeds.

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The biggest obstacle for me in doing this is making sure I’ve not run things to close to the wire time-wise, so that I have a couple of minutes to have a quick brush.  Other than that, it’s becoming a habit quite easily.

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If anyone wants to join in the Weigh-In Wednesday bloghop, it is being hosted here tomorrow.  Come back on Wednesday and  join a group of people supporting each others’ efforts in the lead up to Christmas.