Why dry skin brushing should become a part of your morning ritual

Image courtesy of Pixabay/Pezibear

Do you like to learn about useful inexpensive ways of keeping your body healthy and happy?

Last fall I taught a class introducing pharmacy students to various Complementary and Alternative Medicine techniques.  

Every week I brought new practitioners (chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic doctors, you name it) to meet my students.  

I am a huge believer in learning by doing.  

So one of the requests I made for each of the guest  practitioners is to show my students useful exercises and techniques to widen horizons or enhance their well-being.

Last year, one of the biggest hits during the course was a class taught by friend and colleague of mine, Jean Svizzero. Jean taught my kids the magic of massage.  

It was great to see tired pharmacy students exploring massage techniques and testing them on each other.

You should’ve been in that room and seen the faces! Giggling, happy, sometimes wincing from a bit of pain or pressure, these guys were very excited to learn ancient and powerful techniques.

This classroom experience inspired me to share one of Jean’s tips (that I religiously follow) daily foot massage.  

Another self-massage practice you should give a try is dry skin brushing.

It’s easy, fast and has multiple health benefits.

You probably know that skin is the largest organ we have and it’s one of the important ways your body removes toxins.  Dry skin brushing certainly helps with that.  

Dry skin brushing is primarily known for its ability to:

1. Exfoliate your skin and unclog your pores 

Your skin becomes softer and more radiant from exfoliation from the first try.

2. Enhance your lymph flow 

Dry skin brushing helps lymph flow, and that assists in elimination of waste products.

3. Increase blood circulation 

Increase in blood circulation typically invigorates you, and this is one of the reasons why dry skin brushing is recommended in the morning.

There are even anecdotal reports that it might reduce cellulite.  

Dry skin brushing is definitely an enjoyable, invigorating and stress-relieving practice.

And one of the best parts, it’s super simple.

All you need is a nice soft natural brush (preferably with a long handle so you can reach your back comfortably).

This is the brush I use.  Here is a couple of other examples that you might want to check out – Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush, Brush Fuzz and Bristle Natural Bristles.

Dry skin brushing is done right before your morning shower.  

You typically start from your feet/legs and arms.  Overall, brush in the direction of your heart, repeating a couple of times.  On a smaller scale, brush toward your lymph nodes.

Immediately after brushing take your shower.  Some practitioners recommend to experiment with alternating cold and hot water in the shower, but that’s certainly not required.  

After you get out, pat yourself dry and apply your favorite oil, lotion or cream.

And that’s pretty much it!

Questions: Have you ever tried dry skin brushing before? Would you consider giving it a try? What are your favorite morning invigorating rituals?