Healthy Choices: Body Brushing

One of my passions is healthy living, and hopefully I'll be writing more on that in the future. Taking care of one's body is beyond important and not just for the hipster student 20-somethings who are into weird stuff like juicing, quinoa and chia seeds. Not that that is a bad thing, I myself fall into that category but I want to make it clear that healthy living is for everyone. Healthy living all starts with making, smart, informed healthy choices - choices that anyone can (should) make.

Healthy living also goes far beyond food. I always tell people that healthy living is not a diet but a lifestyle. You can't just turn it on for a week or two when you want to improve something then turn it off again once you think you're better - the body just doesn't work that way. The poorer job you do at taking care of yourself, the less healthy you will be. Simple.

Something I'd like to introduce today as a healthy choice is body brushing. So trendy and hipster, I know. But again, not just for those weirdos who drink that weird green juice stuff and swear that putting food on their faces works (by the way, it does). There are numerous articles on body brushing claiming many miraculous things like reducing/eliminating cellulite, clearing and pulling toxins out, preventing stretch marks and toning muscles. Are they all true? I don't think so. I'm still researching but I haven't yet found convincing studies backing up all such claims.

That aside though, the reason why I'm all for body brushing is for the practical reasons. A good, stiff natural bristle brush used on skin will act as a fantastic exfoliant. Exfoliating the skin encourages blood circulation and clears away dead skin cells and cleans up clogged pores which will help with the skin's normal oil production, leading to smoother, healthier, glowing skin. If your legs are looking a little dry and rough and you want smooth, glowing pins for summer, start body brushing.

Body brushing is so easy and all you need is a few minutes to do your entire body. 5-10 minutes of your life, tops. The only thing stopping you now is laziness. The brushes are also pretty inexpensive. I recommend natural ones. I got mine, that long handled bamboo brush, at Whole Foods for about $9 USD or so. You can get them for more or less elsewhere. Try Amazon. To start, you can either brush on dry skin or damp right out of the shower. Some swear that it works best when your skin is soft and damp and the pores are open from the hot water, but others swear the other way too. Take your pick. I personally think it's a good idea to brush before showering, that way you can wash away all the dead skin you've just exfoliated. Then, you take your brush and use a circular motion as you brush (gently) or brush with upward strokes in each section 3+ times. That's it. If you're not showering afterwards, I recommend moisturizing once you're done as your skin will likely be needing some extra moisture after its cleansing.

Living a healthy lifestyle is all in the mindset and choices you make, be it about food, medicine, or how you treat the external. Skin is our largest organ. Taking care of not only what we put in our bodies but how we treat the outside has a huge impact on personal health. Take care of yourself; the only type of person you have to be to make healthy decisions, is willing.

Do you body brush? Will you?