Care of the self starts with care of the physical body as a top priority, and the mental,emotional, and spiritual bodies follow closely. Last week I posted about a ritual I love, drinking golden milk each night. The second wellness ritual I want to share in this little mini-series on the blog is about a practice I began last autumn: Dry brushing.
Again: I’m not a medical doctor. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor before starting new regimens
Dry brushing is easy, takes just a minute, and has so many benefits (besides just brushing off dry skin cells,) including:
- Stimulating the lymphatic system: eliminating cellular waste & toxins
- Exfoliation: removing dry, dead skin cells, thus unclogging pores and helping you glow
- Increasing circulation: encourages metabolic waste elimination
- Reducing stress: The act itself is meditative and can relieve muscle tension and calm your mind, like a body massage might
- Improving digestion & kidney function: Supports organ function by shedding excess water & toxins
- It's invigorating: It simply feels good!
One very important thing to note is that there is a correct way to dry brush in order to reap the benefits, especially those involving toxin release and lymphatic drainage. The best how-to I found for this is this video. It's just over 11 minutes long, but its so thorough and informative that it's well worth the watch.
I like to dry brush just before turning on the shower. I purchased a soft bristle brush with a long handle, like this one from Amazon. I also bought a smaller version that's good for travel.
Enjoy! A third installment in this mini-series on physical well-being will be posted next week...
