Ciao -
Self care this and self care that - I know what you’re thinking. Another buzz word, blah blah. But, hear me out. The act of ‘self care’ really has so much value and opportunity to raise quality of life and wellbeing, whatever that may mean for you. Everybody knows the saying - ‘my body is a temple’, and we chalk it up to the bodybuilders, but I encourage you to not take it as a saying. Take it (somewhat) seriously, because there is truth in that.
Our skin is our largest organ, and does so much for us and our health, including literally holding us together (think muscles and bones hanging out… or don’t). Our skin protects us externally, it helps maintain homeostasis of the body temperature, it allows us to touch and to feel. It also plays an important role in detoxification and toxin control, which is a silent but fundamental part of our existence’s that our skin largely takes credit for.
What is it?
Dry brushing is an ancient Indian practice used to not only keep skin healthy and glowing on the outside, but also to stimulate certain processes on the inside. It is as it sounds - brushing your skin, with a dry, hard bristled, brush. Not too complicated!
I found my current dry brush at Target many years ago, and a quick search on Amazon brings up an abundance of brushes to suit everyone’s taste. There are even dry brushes with long handles to reach your back!
What does it do?
This manual practice of brushing the skin dry does wonders for exfoliation, cell renewal and rejuvenation, and clearing clogged pores that can help with ingrown hairs, acne prone skin, and scars/stretch marks. It helps with blood circulation, opening pores to allow for an easier release of sweat (which yes, we want, to let the body get rid of toxins), aids in digestion and reducing bloating, and stimulates the lymphatic and nervous system.
The lymphatic system is a process in the body that detoxifies and cleans out the junk that naturally builds up from metabolic processes and what we naturally are exposed to in our everyday lives. This process happens by fluids running through the filtering lymph nodes - and dry brushing can encourage the flow of these fluids to give the lymphatic system a boost. Our bodies naturally detox, and this is a simple way to encourage and increase the productivity of said detoxification.
Dry brushing also stimulates the nervous system by increasing blood flow and wakening nerve endings from all areas of the body, specifically in the hands and feet. With increased blood flow and awakened nerve endings, often people notice they have an energized and invigorated feeling throughout their bodies when the dry brushing is completed.
How to dry brush?
Dry brushing is best done right before a shower, because with exfoliation comes the natural shedding and turnover of dead skin cells that can linger if not washed off. Starting with the extremities such as the back of the hands of the tops of the feet, use short, gentle, upward strokes of the brush against the skin, moving towards the heart, continuing this pattern in movement towards the center body and chest. There is no need to brush over the same area more than a few times, but you can do whatever feels good for your skin. It is important that the flow of the brushing is always upwards, because the lymphatic system only flows in one direction - towards the heart.
Be extra gentle on areas of sensitive skin such as the chest and neck, and it is not recommend to ever use a harsh dry brush on your face. Post dry brushing is a great time to show your skin a little love with a good moisturizer after a cleansing shower.
This practice need not take longer than a few minutes, and only needs to be done a maximum of a few times a week. Our skin benefits immensely from exfoliation, encouraging production of the natural skin oils that keep our skin protected and soft, but not everyday. This practice is best done to suit your needs, whether that be only once a week or more often, or giving extra attention to your legs and only lightly brushing the arms.
I encourage you to consider bringing this practice into your self care ritual, as for such a small sacrifice of time in our busy lives, this packs a big punch of benefits.
I am a firm believer in there’s no such thing as ‘too busy’ to take care of ourselves - because even if the temple thing is cliché, this body is the only one we got, and we need to consciously try to take care of it.
Food for thought,
Lai