The skin plays a vital role in ridding the body of toxins and impurities. Dry skin brushing is one of the best techniques to stimulate and detoxify the lymphatic system.
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and is responsible for one-fourth of the body’s detoxification each day. It also makes it one of the most important elimination organs! For this reason the skin is also known as the “3rd” kidney, with the lungs being known as the 2nd kidney.
Our circulatory system has its own pump (our heart) to move blood through our bodies but our lymphatic system does not. It primarily relies on our movement to assist it. Typically, the more active we are physically the better condition our lymphatics will be.
Skin brushing helps move lymph fluid and gives us a jump-start on health. When the pores are not clogged with dead cells and the lymphatic system is cleansed, the body is able to carry out its important function of eliminating toxins and waste material.
Under normal circumstances the skin eliminates more than one pound of waste products every day. If the skin becomes inactive with its pores clogged with millions of dead cells and other debris, toxins will remain in the body. This puts undue stress on the other organs, mainly the kidneys and liver, making them increase their activity. Eventually they become overworked.
Dry skin brushing improves the surface circulation of the skin and keep the pores of the skin open, encouraging your body to discharge metabolic wastes. Doing this simple technique will change the health of your whole body by helping it get rid of toxins.
Here are some benefits to consider about your new dry skin brushing routine.
Lymphatic System
One of the key benefits of dry brushing occurs to the lymphatic system. This is an important benefit because this system helps remove cellular waste. The dry brushing technique helps open the cells and the system to cycling the waste out and to rebuilding the skin and cellular system. It helps prevent blockage in this system as well. Think of it as opening up blocked pores and making sure that things are cycling out properly and allowing the area to be cleaned properly as well.
Circulation
Poor circulation can cause a number of problems with the skin including a build up of dry skin cells and a buildup of fat in certain areas. The increase in circulation that is caused by the dry brushing technique can help stimulate your cells just like with the lymphatic system. This increased circulation helps with the removal of metabolic waste from the body which can help the skin distribute natural oils making the skin softer and smoother over time without the need for over the counter lotions that can have harmful chemicals and ingredients.
Stress Relief
Another leading benefit to dry brushing is the ability to add a new level of stress relief to your routine. The act of dry brushing can stimulate the skin and help release tension throughout the body without a hard massage or deep tissue option. Following the dry brushing with a hot shower can also help relieve even more tension and stress. Ideally, you would follow all of that with something equally relaxing like alone time or mediation.
Additional benefits of dry skin brushing:
- cleans toxins from the lymphatic system
- helps digestion
- increases cell renewal
- strengthens the immune system
- tightens the skin
- removes dead skin layers and other debris collected in its pores
How to Do Dry Skin Brushing
The body should be dry, and the brush should pass once over every part of the body except the
face. The best time to do skin brushing is before showering or bathing at least once a day, and twice, if
possible.
Do not wet the skin since it will not have the same effect because this stretches the skin. The skin should not become red. If it does, you are probably brushing too hard. There should be no back and forth motion, circular motion, scrubbing, or massaging – one clean sweep does it. Use long gentle, but firm, stokes.
The direction of the brushing should generally be towards the lower abdomen.
To brush the skin, use long gentle, but firm, strokes
- Start at the feet and legs brushing upwards to your groin.
- Then do your hands and go up your arms to the armpits.
- Then brush upwards on your buttocks.
- Brush down the neck, chest and trunk.
- Brush your lower abdomen towards the center.
- It is permissible to brush across the top of the shoulders and upper back as the best contact
with the skin is made that way. - Do not brush your face.
- Brush the breasts very lightly, avoiding the nipples.
Use the Right Kind of Brush
The brush used should be a long-handled, bath-type brush. It is essential that it contain natural bristles and not synthetic ones. Synthetic bristles will scratch the surface of the skin and are harsh and irritating. The brush should be kept dry and not used for bathing.
Thoroughly wash the brush with soap and water every couple of weeks. Always allow the brush to dry out when not in use.
Additional information
If you haven’t done skin brushing before it is wise to start with only one pass over the skin’s surface. Over time you can gradually increase the number of strokes done during each skin brushing session. The reason is that too much stimulation can be too hard on the body.
And always use long gentle, but firm, strokes. Remember that your skin should not turn red,
which means the pressure on your strokes is too heavy. The idea is to stimulate and not to irritate
the skin.
Many people may find large amounts of lymph mucus in their stools a day or two after beginning skin brushing. This is the emptying out of the backlog of mucus from the lymphatic system and is the effect of detoxifying the lymph system.
