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I first heard about dry skin brushing from my friend Ann Louse Gittleman, Ph.D., who highly recommends the practice as part of her famous “fat flush” program. I’ve since become a convert.

Think about it. The skin is the Body’s largest organ, eliminating about a pound of waste a day through the pores. If you’re trying to rid your body of energy-depleting substances, helping the skin perform its natural functions makes a lot of sense. Detox experts believe dry skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, helping to promote the body’s natural detoxification process.

If you want to give this a try, use a natural-bristle brush – soft, but stiff enough to cause some friction – with a long handle for those hard-to-reach parts of the body. Before you begin, make sure the room is warm and you have plenty of towels and a comfortable place to sit. (Note: It’s a good idea to make sure you won’t be disturbed so you can do this quietly without interruption).

Using firm, rhythmic strokes, brush the sole of your right foot, then move to the top of your foot and ankle. Brush your shin and calf, then your knee to the top of your thigh, covering the area several times. Next, brush your buttocks. Always brush in an upward direction, and cover the whole surface. Repeat on the left side of your body, again starting with sole.

The skin is the body’s largest organ, eliminating about a pound of waste a day through the pores.

Brush your back from the waist to the shoulders and neck, covering the whole surface several times. Now brush your right arm. Begin with the palm of your hand, then the back of your hand, and brush from your wrist tot your elbow in an upward direction. Male sure you brush your entire forearm. Next, brush from your elbow to your shoulder, in upward strokes, covering the surface of your upper arm. Repeat the procedure on your left arm.

Lightly brush your abdomen in a circular, counterclockwise motion, to follow the flow of your intestines. Brush lightly around and over you breasts, avoiding your nipples. Because the skin on your neck is very sensitive, either avoid brushing it or brush very lightly.

Either with a softer brush or a dry flannel, carefully brush your face. Take a warm shower or bath. You may want to end with contrast showers – 3 minutes of warm water, followed by 1 minute of cold water. You can repeat the cycle, but be sure to end with the cold rinse.

WORTH KNOWING
You can accelerate the detoxification process by soaking away toxins in an Epsom salts bath, which many people find both relaxing and energizing. Epsom salts are nothing more than magnesium sulfate, and magnesium is one of the most relaxing nutrients on the planet. It’s absorbed into the skin and may help flush toxins and heavy metals from the body.

Make sure your tub is very clean before filling it with the hottest water you can stand. Add 2 cups (96 g) of Epsom salts (you can build up to 4 cups. Or 195 g) and soak for at least 15 minutes (or as long as half an hour). Then take a shoer and dry off with a clean towel.

Dry skin brushing is a great accompaniment to your Far infrared sauna experience (see below). Try brushing before or after your sauna – it’s a totally energizing experience that will relax and invigorate you at the same time.