I've got a morning habit that I have been doing religiously for 2 years now. It's called dry brushing. I first learned about it from the book "Do It Gorgeously" and had been reading about its great benefits since. It helps detoxify your lymphatic system, sheds dead skin cells, thus, improving skin texture and increases skin circulation flow (no more clogged pores and less cellulites!) to name a few.
But Jen, wouldn't it hurt to brush the body dry??? Just a tad bit, honey. It depends on your brush. I purposely chose a brush with bristles that is on the medium to hard range. One of the reason I do this is to wake up my senses. I used to wake up so early for work when I started this habit and I needed a real wake-me-up ritual and this came along perfectly. I love my brush. I make sure it's on my suitcase when I travel. :) Make sure that you choose a natural (vegetable bristles) brush with a long handle and you're good to go.
OK, let's do this! You should do this right before you shower. Start from your feet and stroke upwards. Stroke upwards from hands to shoulders. Always brush towards the heart so as not to put extra pressure on the valves. Use circular strokes for the tummy and continue with the rest of your body. Some resources say that it's OK to start from head to toe. If you would like to see detailed instructions with specific motions for the other parts of the body and number of strokes, you can download the Daily Plan from The Pleasure Nutritionist. I complete the process with a warm shower/bath and a body oil.
This ritual is inexpensive (C'mon, just 1 brush!) and yields great health benefits. Try it, and you'll be glad you did.
