The Benefits of Dry Brushing
Dry brushing! What is it? Why do we do it? What’s the point?
Let’s start from the beginning. For centuries, dry brushing has been a major impact on daily rituals from ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, Romans, Chinese, Japanese, Scandinavians, Russians, Turks, and Native Americans. The main impact of dry brushing is to keep the body healthy from the inside out.
Within each culture, there were influences that started this trend. For ancient Egyptians, Cleopatra, also known as the Queen of Beauty, was known for her beauty routines and rituals. She was a firm believer in self care, which we love. For Indians, Ayurveda, also known as the science of life and India’s holistic health care system of over 5,000 years, uses dry brushing as a staple, also called Gharsana. It’s played a major role in Japanese bath rituals, as well. Another way dry brushing was created, in traditional Chinese, was with a gourd fruit called silk squash, also known as a loofah. Would you believe that the Greeks and Romans would use strigils, which looks like an anomalous tool that has a sharp curved blade, to remove dirt, sweat, and oil before they bathed? Yikes! { via }
Anyway, you get the point. Dry brushing is something that’s been around the block.
Now, let’s get into the benefits of what exactly dry brushing does for the body:
Reduce the appearance of cellulite- I’m sure you’ve heard this, as I did before I actually started dry brushing, but it really does reduce the appearance of cellulite. It’s something that takes time and consistency, but the act of brushing your skin helps the circulation in your legs as crazy as that sounds. Cellulite is when your skin develops dimples from fat protruding and having nowhere else to go. When you dry brush, you are able to massage these tissues under the skin by breaking down these toxins. “Cellulite is basically the dimpling of the skin due to protrusion of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. The subcutaneous adipose tissue is a connective tissue that stores fat and also insulates or "cushions" the body. Unfortunately, such a vital tissue gets bombarded with toxins to the point that they literally "heap up" or protrude the skin over specific areas of the body.” { via }
Detoxes your body- When you dry brush, you promote healthy blood flow and circulation throughout your body. This leads to a more even skin tone, smoother skin texture, and it promotes the flow of oxygen-rich blood. By having better circulation, you are also helping to cleanse your lymphatic system, which helps to wash away toxins. This aids in better digestion, as well, since you’re clearing your skin from having bacteria enter into the body in the process. { via }
Exfoliates your skin- You can assume this is the case because by brushing your skin, you are exfoliating dead skin cells, which helps with skin renewal. By getting rid of dead skin cells, you are allowing your skin to be subtle and soft. Exfoliation is necessary for your skin to be at its best. This helps with keeping the pores unclogged for healthier skin, as well. Healthier skin means fewer wrinkles, and who doesn’t want that? ;)
Tightens the skin- Along with helping the appearance of your skin, it keeps your skin looking right and looking tight. Who doesn’t want tight and toned skin? By brushing your skin and helping the blood flow, you are constantly generating new skin cells, which makes your skin more youthful.
It’s a stress reliever- We mentioned before how it detoxes your body by cleansing the lymphatic system, well this also acts as a stress reliever on your kidneys because you’re keeping things moving. Therefore, your kidneys don’t have to work as hard to get rid of toxins and they’re able to perform better. The act of dry brushing is known to be very relaxing and meditative if done in a slow pace. It also feels good!
A beautiful physique- With dry brushing continuously, you are helping your fat to distribute evenly throughout your body. It also activates the nervous system, which helps to improve muscle definition, and stimulates the muscle fibers. This helps with recovery and toning, which gives you a better, and more beautiful, physique.
Ok, so now you’re probably wondering, how do I do it?
Here’s how: brush your skin going UP towards your heart. Start from your feet and work your way up. You can brush your skin in circular motion if you’d like.
Here’s a photo for a visual of how it should be done:
Photo cred: { via }
Bottom line: your skin is your body’s largest organ, so let’s take care of it the best way we can! Right?Something about dry brushing just feels right. If you’re skeptical, just give it a try. You really have nothing to lose! This is the one I use. I also LOVE this tool, recommended by Melissa Wood Health (go check her out, you will LOVE her), for extra lymphatic drainage.
So, go ahead and try it out! Let me know how it works for you.
Have you dry brushed before? Do you like it? Talk to me :)
With all my love and so much light,
Ash x
