Body Brushing

Hi Everyone!
I keep talking about self massage and body brushing. I thought I'd better explain what they are all about :) I have been body brushing for many years. Its awesome for re-energising you and it has many great health benefits. One of the things I noticed when I was pregnant was the increase of cellulite. Noooooooo! Its because of all the hormones and the fluid retention. I have included a little fact sheet for beating cellulite. Also you notice after the birth that the skin on your tummy is not as tight as it once was. Body brushing and massage help eliminate cellulite and tone the skin. Hooray! Also it only takes about 5 minutes a day which is do-able with a newborn. I thought I would have more time when I wasn't working, hilarious!


About Body Brushing
Body brushing the skin is an ancient therapeutic practice - it exfoliates and tones your skin, helps slow the skin’s aging process, increases circulation an alleviates muscle tension. Body Brushing is a great way to relieve your body of stress because it induces relaxation, stimulates blood circulation and helps your lymphatic drainage system remove toxins from the body. In doing so, it helps to reduce cellulite in thighs and the bottom, where fats, proteins and waste products tend to accumulate.


Just 5 Minutes a Day
Body brushing will help to reduce cellulite especially if you also improve your dietary habits. If you are dry brushing, a warm bath or shower using herbal or essential oils aids in the rejuvenating process and washes away the toxins that your body has eliminated through the skin. After body brushing you can self massage with oil or moisturiser. If I have a bath I tend to do a few minutes of self massage on thighs. You do this by pressing your fingers fairly hard and moving in little circles from knees upwards. Also a pinching movement works well, just not too hard and make sure you grab the fat as well, not just skin. Oils that work well mixed in with a good base oil (like almond) are; grapefruit (my favourite), black pepper, juniper, rosemary, clary sage and lavender. I tend to just use grapefruit and lavender because I like the smell :) Black pepper is good too though.

Check out these websites for more info:
http://aromatherapy.bellevuemassagetherapy.com/2009/05/liver-lymph-cellulite-and-essential.html
http://www.aromatherapy-at-home.com/essentialoilsforcellulite.html


How to Brush Your Skin

Firstly you need a body brush. There are so many different types, make sure you get one with natural plant bristles. The synthetic ones scratch your skin. I prefer one with a handle too so you can reach your back. I have seen these in the Body Shop or if you just look up body brushes on the internet there are about a million! Even a loofah will work though.

Start at your feet, brushing up your legs and thighs towards the groin in long strokes. Spend a bit longer on back of thighs and bottom. Work in circular movements over the tummy round belly button in a clockwise motion, then from outside of waist in towards belly button. Brush from hands, up arms and across the back and shoulders. Always work towards your heart. This encourages the return of blood and lymphatic flow. Your skin may redden and start tingling as the body brushing increases the circulation in areas of greatest fat concentration. How firmly you press depends on how toned your skin and body are now. Go easy at first. Your skin will soon become fitter and more toned and then you will be able to brush more vigorously. Avoid body brushing if you have eczema, psoriasis, broken or infected skin, or varicose veins.

There is some more good info here:
http://spas.about.com/od/skincare/a/skinbrushing.htm
http://yourbeautyspot.ninemsn.com.au/bodycare/388654/why-you-should-body-brush


Benefits of Body Brushing

• Assists in skin exfoliation
• Increases circulation
• Helps tone muscle
• Stimulates sweat and oil glands
• Activates lymphatic drainage
• Induces relaxation.

Six Ways to Fight Cellulite
Don’t think there is an overnight cure! There are many causes of cellulite so you’ll get the best results if you  take a holistic approach. This includes the following:

1. Increase your daily intake of pure room temperature water to assist in flushing toxins from your system. This will stimulate the liver, making the detoxification process more efficient.
2. Decrease your intake of caffeinated drinks, alcohol and highly refined and processed foods. These have a direct effect on the lymph and circulatory system, slowing them down and leading to a build-up of toxins in your system, which will eventually contribute to cellulite.
3. Don’t smoke. It dramatically restricts circulation and puts a magnitude toxins into your system.
4. Take regular exercise. This will increase your cardiovascular fitness, boost your metabolism, strengthen the muscles and the connective tissues in your body. It will also stimulate your circulation and lymphatic system. It doesn't have to be a marathon - try a brisk 45 minute walk three or four times a week, or yoga. You know how I feel about exercise! It helps you mentally and physically. Don't make exscuses, just do it!
5. De-toxify your mind. You are not defined by your body shape or your cellulite, and a few lumps and bumps certainly do not make you a lesser person. Treat yourself well and do things to boost your self esteem, like pampering yourself with a facial or massage (or a workout hehe).
6. Body brush each day. Your skin is the body’s largest excretory organ, so make sure you slough away those built up dead cells on the surface. Body brushing each morning will help you shed these dead cells. By working from your feet towards your heart in long sweeping motions - in the same direction as your blood flow - you’ll assist in stimulating lymphatic drainage of the body which eliminates those cellulite causing toxins.

Well, there it is, a little fact sheet on Body Brushing. I hope this info helps everyone!