Brush Away Stress (and Cellulite!)

Pilates in Holland is all about entire body health and wellness: from movement in Pilates to nourishing your body inside and out. I recently started adding dry brushing back into my daily practice though I’ve known about it for years (in fact, dry brushing dates back to ancient Egyptians and is part of the 5000-year-old Ayurvedic tradition). And I can do it from the comfort of my home, or even my bed (just ask Jessica)! 

With cooler weather, we have a tendency to move less. This doesn’t just affect our muscles or mental health, it also affects our lymphatic system, which doesn’t have a regular pump within the body. You have to move the lymph with activity, whether it’s doing Pilates or going for a walk. If you’re sitting around too much or are stressed (sound all too familiar?), your lymph system can become stagnant. When that happens, our bodies may do a poorer job of flushing out the stuff that doesn’t benefit us. Daily dry brushing can stimulate these nodes, vessels, and glands to aid in the body’s natural detoxification process, improving immune function and helping keep skin healthy and glowing.

Benefits of dry brushing include: (Directions for dry brushing and a how-to video are below.)

• A healthy lymphatic system to remove toxins & strengthen your immune system
• Removing dead skin cells to reveal your glowiest skin
• Producing collagen and tightening skin
• Reducing the appearance of cellulite by softening and distributing fat deposits more evenly
• Unclogging pores to allow better absorption of nutrients
• Relieving stress by reducing muscle tension
• Increasing circulation to eliminate metabolic waste

During Thanks & Giving November at PIH, we are giving away a dry brush set from Beautycounter. Our very own Jessica Fashun is a Beautycounter consultant. Beautycounter promotes overall health and well-being (just like Pilates in Holland!) through safe products that are actually good for you. If you’d like to check out more about Beautycounter, you can join our Facebook group- Pilates in Holland + Beautycounter which is open for one week from today, November 3-10. Jessica will share lots about the health of your skin (including dry brushing), why chemicals don’t need to be in your beauty products, nourishing recipes, and more. Join us here! 

And if you’d like to peruse and consider purchasing some Beautycounter products, you can grab some Beautycounter goodies with Pilates in Holland here. Jessica is available for any and all questions via email- jessica@pilatesinholland.com, through the private FB group, or in-person if you’re in class with her!

How to Dry Brush:

1. Dry brush before showering or bathing, at least once per day using wide, circular, clockwise motions.
2. Use light pressure in areas where your skin is thin and harder pressure on thicker skin, like the soles of your feet.
3. Start at your feet and move up your body. Brush the soles of your feet first, because the nerve endings there affect your whole body.
4. Brush your arms after you have brushed your feet, legs, and mid-section. You should brush upward towards your armpits.
5. ALWAYS dry brush towards the heart.
6. After dry brushing, take a cool shower to help remove the dry skin.
7. After your shower, dry off and then consider adding natural plant oil, such as olive or coconut oil, to moisturize your skin.
8. Wash your brush every few weeks in water and allow it to dry.

When you first start dry brushing, it’s best to begin with light brushing. As you get used to it, you can increase the pressure. Dry brushing can increase the rate at which you lose water through the skin and this can make your skin more prone to dryness, so it’s important to moisturize after.

Skin should feel smooth and clear, not irritated, after regular use. Some people should avoid dry brushing or proceed with caution. People with open or inflamed skin, including people with eczema and psoriasis, should avoid dry brushing over the inflamed area. You should also avoid dry brushing over an open wound.