Tag: NYC

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Kadampa Meditation and Compassion

I attended a class yesterday evening at Kadampa in Chelsea, New York City.  The class started off with a 10 minute conversation about meditation led by the instructor, Taz. Taz then led the class into a 25 minute meditation- both guided with some moments of silence. The theme of the class was compassion- self compassion and compassion for others. ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀

⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀
After meditating, the instructor read some parts of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s book, Modern Buddhism. It is the distillation of Geshe Kelsang’s life’s work of bringing Kadampa Buddhism to the contemporary world in practical and modern way. Taz read through some of the book and then would reflect on the concepts to help us integrate methods of Buddhism into our lives, continuing with the theme of compassion. She spoke about having a headache and how in that moment how irritating a headache could be. When thinking about how many people in the world have headaches, the headache’s annoyance could then dissipate. ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀

This reminded me of many concepts from one of my favorite books by Pema Chodron , “When Things Fall Apart.” Below are a few excerpts from the book that came to mind during class. ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀

🔹”Unwise selfish people think only of themselves, and they result is confusion and pain. Wise selfish people know that the best thing they can do for themselves is to be there for others. As a result, they experience joy.”⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀

🔹Tonglen is a practice to awaken our compassion. Whenever we encounter suffering in any form, the tonglen instruction is the breathe it in with the wish that everyone can be free of pain. Whenever we encounter happiness in any form, the instruction is to breathe it out, send it out, with the wish that everyone could feel joy. It is a practice that allows people to feel less burdened, a practice that shows us how to love without conditions.

Taz gave us a short homework exercise to do before next week’s class- to breathe in the pain/stress of someone we knew, then as we breathe out, to send happiness and joy their way.

The class was from 5:30-6:30 for only $10. They also have $5, 30 minute classes during lunch and after work during weekdays. I really liked this class and definitely recommend. It was really nice to go to a class that incorporated learning about Buddhism, meditation as well as self reflection.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ayurvedic Food

I ate dinner at Divya’s Kitchen the other week with a friend. It is a Vegetarian Ayurvedic restaurant in the East Village and I couldn’t be more pleased with my experience! My friend and I both ordered lunch/dinner again from there within the next few nights.

What does Ayurveda mean? It is the traditional Hindu system of medicine, which is based on the idea of balance in bodily systems and uses diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing.

On the menu there were the words “Vata”, Balancing for Airy, “Pitta”, Balancing for Fiery, “Kapha” Balancing for Earthy, and “Tridoshic” Balancing for All. Next to each dish, would be one of these words.

There are several ways to determine your body type. The most accurate is through the detailed history and physical by an Ayurvedic Physician. The owner, Divya Alter , studied Ayurveda in India. I was lucky enough to speak with her after my dinner. She is extremely knowledgeable and passionate, and has a beautiful blog with many recipes and an article that further explains Ayurvedic eating.  You can check her website out here.

She also offers Ayurvedic cooking classes above her restaurant that I am so eager to check out!

Below is Roasted Seasonal Vegetables with Quinoa-wild rice pilaf, beluga lentils and tahini sauce

Below is Seasonal Khichari, a grains and lentils stew with yellow mung, red lentils, quinoa, basmati rice, green beans, carrots, zucchini, kale, cilantro-mint chutney and sautéed leafy greens.  This dish was so warming and filling but also light and I left feeling super nourished.

Below is delicious Raw Chocolate Mousse dessert sweetened with dates

They also have the most impressive tea selection I have ever seen! I would totally come here with a friend just to meet up for tea.

img_0055.jpg

Some other fun facts about Divya’s Kitchen:

  • They make their cultured Ghee ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀
  • They cook their soup 2x a day ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀
  • They make their own almond milk (no nasty fillers/preservatives) ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀
  • Divya sells her cookbook, ghee, raw chocolate and many other goodies at a table in the restaurant, seen below. You can find her cookbook here:

Check out more on my Instagram @simply11.made

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Floating

Saturday I floated in a tank at Floating Lotus in Midtown Manhattan with hundreds of pounds of epsom salt for an hour with full sensory deprivation – no lights or sound.

Before getting in, I put in ear plugs and then rinsed off in the shower. Then, I got into the tank, laid down and hit a button on the wall to shut the light off.

When I first laid down in the water that is set to the same temperature as our body, I felt an irritation in the lower part of my back. I cracked my back and it was then fine. Apparently, its common for aches and pains to arise in the water and for our bodies to become more aware of them while floating.

The women at the front desk, Noah was very informative and mentioned how floating was a meditative state between being awake and being asleep. In my first few moments of floating, it felt exactly like this. I had a similar feeling as when I seldom dream at night of flying. It felt as if my body was being elevated and that I was caught between an awake and sleeping state of being. There is no gravity pulling you down in the tank, so the sense of euphoria/freedom I felt made sense

For a while after, my mind started racing about my plans for the rest of the day. I tried to calm it down by focusing on my breath. I do like meditating, but I usually meditate with a a guided meditation or a sound meditation with intense noise. I was told that flotation this has higher benefits and gets “easier” the more often you do it (like anything else, right?). When my hour was up, the light turned on. I got out and showered. There was a noticeable difference in my anxiety levels. I felt relatively anxious earlier that day and felt a noticeable difference in my mood after floating. I felt very calm and relaxed and ready for my day!

Some other benefits according to Floating Lotus include:

Mental Benefits

🔹Stimulates left/right brain synchronization

🔹Creates mental clarity, alertness

🔹Increases creativity, problem solving

🔹Heightens visualization

🔹Deepens meditation

Physical Benefits

🔹Decreases the production of cortisol, ACTH, lactic acid and adrenaline

🔹Increases production of endorphins

🔹Speeds up rehabilitation and recovery

🔹Relieves pain

For more, check out my Instagram at simply11.made

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Chromotherapy/Color Therapy

How appealing does this Infrared Sauna look right now in this cold April New York weather? Have you ever heard of Color Therapy or Chromotherapy? Chromotherapy is used in NAO Wellness’s Infrared Saunas in order for users to reap benefits of both the sauna and chromotherapy at the same time. NAO Wellness is a wellness sanctuary located on a beautiful street in the West Village. They offer nutrition counseling and food intolerance testing, reiki, chiropractic care, host wellness workshops and events, have infrared saunas and are currently working on a room for sound healing and other holistic services. IMG-2851

There are so many benefits of using an Infrared Sauna alone including detoxification, muscle and joint pain relief, increase of circulation, reduce inflammation, lowering of blood pressure, weight loss and skin purification. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Infrared Saunas  you can check out my previous post here.

IMG-2855

Chromotherapy is a method of treatment that uses the colors of electromagnetic radiation to cure diseases. It has health, emotional and cosmetic benefits.

Ancient observation chromotherapy is a centuries-old concept. It was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, China and by the Mayans. The Egyptians utilized sunlight as well as color for healing. Color has been investigated as medicine since 2000 BC.

Color psychology and medicine were substantially tested by Robert Gerard, Ph.D., of UCLA in the 1950’s. He analyzed the area of light, color and their psychophysiological imprints. He tested the reactions of the entire body with colored light beamed onto the skin of the subject. Gerard’s data showed that all colors affect the human both psychologically and physiologically.

Warm colors: Warm colors showed a consistently pronounced pattern of stimulation. Warm colors helped those with reactive depression or neurasthenia. They increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.  Exposure to warm colors increased respiratory movements, frequency of eye blinks, cortical activation and palmar conductance (arousal of the autonomic nervous system).

Cool colors:  Cool colors showed a consistent pattern of relaxation.  Anxious subjects were calmed by these cooler colors, lowering blood pressure, providing relief from tension, alleviating muscle spasms and reducing eye blink frequency. They also proved to be an aid for insomnia.

If you are interested in reading more about the specific light color benefits, check out the image below. In the sauna, you have the choice to choose a color to stick with or you can have the light system rotating automatically through each color during your session.

IMG-2859

For more, check out my Instagram @dshamptonorganics

References:

Azeemi, Samina T. Yousuf, and Mohsin Raza. “A Critical Analysis of Chromotherapy and Its Scientific Evolution.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2, no. 4, 2 Dec. 2005, pp. 481–488., doi:10.1093/ecam/neh137.

NAO Wellness. “Infrared Sauna.” NAO Wellness, naowellness.com/.

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Nut Milk: How to make your own & recipe

image3

Why make your own nutmilk?

  1. Many store bought nut milk brands contain additives to prolong their shelf life and to help keep a consistent texture like carrageenan which is destructive to the digestive system and causes inflammation in your body. Carrageenan is hiding in many store bought nut milks, dairy-free ice creams and dairy products. For example, So Delicious is a popular brand in the dairy free world which has carrageenan in their nut milks and DF ice cream products.  Its safer to make your own nut milk (and nice cream-link to nice cream recipes) to avoid consuming additives.
  2. Making your own nut milk has a creamier texture and tastes better.
  3. Just like juicing, there is leftover pulp after milking your own nuts. Another reason to make your own Nutmilk is that there are multiple uses for the leftover nut pulp, which I get into below.image1(1)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups raw unsalted organic hazelnuts
  • 6 cups filtered of purified water
  • 2 tbsp local raw honey or manuka honey
  • 1 vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1) Soak raw hazelnuts and vanilla bean (if using bean and not extract) in filtered water for 8 hours.

2) Discard soaking water. Rinse the hazelnuts and the vanilla bean.

3) Place soaked hazelnuts, honey, vanilla bean and 6 cups of water in a blender. Cover and blend on high for 1-2 minutes. It will be milky and have a bit of foam on the top.

image2

4) Strain milk through a nut bag. I use Ellie‘s Best.They are good quality and BPA free. If you order from them, for 10% off, use Coupon Code: Deanna10 at checkout. They also have a free nut milk recipes E-book on their site.

5) Add raw cacao powder, cinnamon, banana to the Nutmilk and blend together. Note: I have seen people add the cacao/cinnamon before using the Nutmilk as well (in step 3).

  • I do not recommend using the cheesecloth, strainer or any other method. These methods are messy and require multiple passes to strain out the bits. Also, it is not as creamy as when I use a good nut milk bag.

What to do with leftover pulp?

  • Add it to smoothies or your morning oatmeal
  • Add it to dips, homemade granola, to the batter of your cookies or muffin
  • Make crackers
  • Dehydrate it and blend it to make almond meal
  • Add it to DIY cosmetics, Ex: body scrubs, face masks. See my DIY  Hazelnut Body Polish
  • Compost it.

Check out my Instagram @dshamptonorganics for more.

References

“Our Nut Milk Bag.” Ellie’s Best. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Yang, Bo, Sumit Bhattacharyya, Robert Linhardt, and Joanne Tobacman. “Exposure to Common Food Additive Carrageenan Leads to Reduced Sulfatase Activity and Increase in Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans in Human Epithelial Cells.” Biochimie. U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2012. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.   Web here

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Salt Scrub

image12

 

Ingredients📝

  • Sea Salt
  • Epsom Salt (more intense exfoliant than sea salt)
  • Coconut Oil
  • Almond Oil
  • Avocado Oil
  • Vitamin E
  • Lavender Essential oil

Benefits of using salt on your skin:

  • Kills bacteria on the skin
  • Exfoliates the skin
  • Promotes Circulation
  • Magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium are critical for proper cell-to-cell communication, so replenishing the skin with minerals can help restart the signaling processes that slow down with age.

For more DIY cosmetics, check out my instagram @nychamptonshealth

Posted on by — Leave a comment

“Thermotherapy” Heat Therapy to get through the Winter

This article was published in Andrea Ashley Magazine Winter 2017 Isuue https://andreaashley.ca/magazine

During the winter months, many of us struggle to get through the days which have a limited amount of sunlight and cold weather. The cold weather has a strong effect on our bodies. It tightens muscles, causes more muscle pain, muscle spasms, muscle knots, joint pain and less circulation. “A cold breeze blowing across an already-energy-deficient muscle will throw it into shortening, and shortened muscles can be a primary and key cause of pain,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD director of The Annapolis Center for Effective Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia Therapies. Also, changes in temperature or barometric pressure, a measure that refers to the weight of the surrounding air can trigger joint pain (Goodman).

Below are some of my favorite methods I use to get through the cold winter months in New York.

Biomat: A BioMat uses far infrared rays which penetrate deeply into the body and address imbalances at the cellular level. You can adjust the heat on the mat to your liking and then simply lay down on it. It feels as if you are being warmed up from the inside and is ideal on cold days. It can be used to help with a wide range of health issues, including relieving minor muscle pain, joint pain and stiffness, increasing blood circulation, reducing stress and more.

Sauna: There are many benefits of using a sauna including detoxification, muscle and joint pain relief, increase of circulation, reduction of inflammation, lowering of blood pressure, weight loss and skin purification. “It causes you to sweat and can help release endorphins,” says David Geirer, MD, a sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina. “And the heat also increases blood flow to the muscle and the periphery of the body, which helps sore muscles feel better temporarily.” Physical therapist Patrick Walsh states that heat therapy is usually reserved for treating older injuries or chronic muscle or joint pain, like arthritis. (MacMillen). Stretching in the sauna gets a deeper stretch and muscles will loosen up quicker. It can be like a mini hot yoga class.

Steam room: The steam room can help with winter congestion, colds and sinus infections. Breathe in the steam with eucalyptus essential oil on a towel to help with any type of respiratory infection.
Hot Detox Bath. There are many types of detox baths that can be taken. My favorite in the winter time in order to relieve pain and muscle cramps is a hot epsom salt bath. It is great for detoxification and also good for after a hard workout. Epsom salt helps to detoxify your body by making you sweat out toxins. Also, you will absorb some of the minerals and trace minerals found in the salt such as magnesium. Stay in bath for 25-35 minutes and make sure to have a water bottle next to you to stay hydrated since the salt pulls out water from your body. Submerge your whole body up to your chin to receive the most benefits. Take the bath before bed time since it makes you tired, but make sure to shower after bathing to get off any excess sweat and bacteria. This bath can be taken one to two times a week and more once your body adjusts (Morrison 138).

Essential Oil Diffuser: Essential Oil Diffusers provide an excellent method of calming and moisturizing to build a healthy, natural, warm, and pure living environment. Use eucalyptus essential oil to help with congestion, to control coughing, or to sooth a sore throat. This oil is perfect for boosting concentration and for keeping your energy level elevated. It is great for dark, cold or rainy winter days when extra stimulation is much needed.
Heat Pads: Selective heating, also known as local hyperthermia, of affected joints with hot packs can be very beneficial in treating chronic aching and dysfunctional joints and muscles. The best type of heating pads are clay heating pads which is heated up in the microwave. Stay away from electrical heating pads because they expose you to Electromagnetic Fields also known as EMF (Storl 193).

Hot tea: Cold fruit smoothies are refreshing on a hot summer day, but in the winter our bodies crave something warm. Consuming a hot drink will heat up your whole body. My favorite tea mix in the winter acts as a natural antibiotic. Whenever I feel like I am getting sick, my go-to tea remedy is a mix of raw manuka honey, black pepper, turmeric, coconut oil, ginger, lemon, apple cider vinegar, garlic, oregano. Also, warm water and lemon is easy to make with many health and detoxing benefits.

For more, check out my Instagram at @nychamptonshealth

References
Goodman, |. By Brenda. “Weather and Arthritis Pain.” Weather Pain | Weather Forecast and Pain. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2017.

MacMillan, Amanda. “Do Saunas Help or Hurt Sore Muscles?” Outside Online. Outside Magazine, 06 Oct. 2016. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.
Storl, Wolf-Dieter. Healing Lyme Disease Naturally: History, Analysis, and Treatments. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2010. Print.

Jeffrey A. Morrison, M.D.,  2011. Cleanse You Body, Clear Your Mind, New York, New York, The Penguin Group
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points. It is known to be effective in the treatment of specific health problems.

Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force. This energy, known as “qi or chi” should run smoothly through pathways, or meridians in your body and out of it. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance. These points have been mapped by the Chinese over a period of two thousand years. Recently, electromagnetic research has confirmed their aimage2ccuracy.

In comparison, most Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. Practitioners think this stimulation can boosts your body’s natural painkillers and increases blood flow, explained by the May0 Clinic.

The medical field in the U.S. does recognize and approve acupuncture. Depending on your insurance, some companies will pay for acupuncture treatment. Call your insurance and ask. You can also try sending them a form and receipt for your treatment. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recognizes more than 40 medical problems that can be taken care of with acupuncture. The below conditions are are suitable for acupuncture treatment according to the WHO as well as vast amounts of research in China, explained by the Cleveland Clinic.

  1. Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders. Toothaches, pain after tooth extraction, gingivitis, acute or chronic earaches, acute sinusitis, acute rhinitis, hay fever, runny nose and acute tonsillitis.
  2. Respiratory Disorders
  3. Gastrointestinal Disorders
  4. Eye Disorders
  5. Neurological and Muscular Disorders
  6. Gynecological Disorders
  7. Stress Disorders
  8. Immune System Disorders
  9. Sports Injuries
  10. Pain

Personally, whenever I have had a minor new injury and have gotten acupuncture, the injury is completely better with 1-4 treatments. It has helped me with muscle pain and tightness. For my muscle tension and tightness, the effectiveness is similar to an intense deep tissue massage. I like the “dry needling” technique for muscle pain and tightness relief, which is more popular in western acupuncture culture. This is also known as intramuscular stimulation, Myofascial Acupuncture, Tendinomuscular Acupuncture, or some version of Sports Acupuncture.

Recommendations: I have been to several acupuncturists and can highly recommend the below in New York City and Long Island.

  1. Liming Zhao, Garden City Acupunture: 81 Poplar Street Garden City, New York     (516) 741-7206. Also working out of Syosset, New York
  2. Ralph Salerno, Twin Dragon Acupuncture: 3 Gaymor Rd, Happauge New York
  3. Dr. Rongsheng Lin: 128 Mott Street, Manhatten, New York (718) 886-8727

For more, check out my Instagram at @dshamptonorganics

References:

“Acupuncture.” Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.

“How Does Acupuncture Work? What Is Acupuncture?” Cleveland Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ionic Foot Bath

FullSizeRender (2).jpg

It is difficult to find reliable sources on the Ionic Foot Bath. I usually like to source all of my blogs from reliable sources. For this particular article, I will state some information on what an Ionic Foot Bath is and my own experience with them.

What is an Ionic foot baths?

In simple terms: Removes toxins by generating positive and negative ions which are able to attach themselves to impurities that are oppositely charged in your feet.

In more detailed terms: The bath operates through a process called electrolysis. In this process, an electrical current is generated within the foot bath water which causes the molecules of water to divide producing negative ions. Once an abundance of these negative ions are present in the foot bath water, the body then absorbs the ions through osmosis, which is the movement of particles through a membrane from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. In this case, the higher concentration refers to the negative ions produced by the ion field that is set up by placing electrodes into the water. As the vast majority of foreign contaminate matter found on the feet and within the body is positively charged, including such matter as harmful chemicals, heavy metals, parasites and other such materials, the negative ions are attracted to the positively charged foreign contaminates and bind with those foreign contaminates. The body then can readily eliminate the bound foreign contaminates through its own natural processes.

Toxins Removed:

  • Heavy Metal Toxicity
  • Lactic Acids
  • Pesticides/Fungicides
  • Cholesterol Deposits
  • Drugs/Medication Debris
  • Lymphatic Congestion
  • Cellular Debris
  • Exhaust Fumes
  • Parasites
  • Second Hand Smoke

Benefits:

  • Liver Detoxification
  • Increases Energy
  • Reduces Stress
  • Pain Relief
  • Improves Memory & Sleep
  • Sexual Health
  • Stronger Immune System
  • Oxygenates Your Cells
  • Better Well Being & Attitude
  • Calms & Relaxes

My Experience

Based on how your foot bath looks at the end of the session, tells you what toxins were pulled from your body through the pores of your feet. Common colors are orange for joint toxins, blue for hormonal toxins or black for liver toxins. Usually within your first few foot baths, the color will get darker, which indicates more toxins being released. As you continue to get the foot baths on a regular basis, the water should get lighter. I have had many foot baths. I have noticed this pattern occur in my foot baths. There was a time a few months ago my water was almost completely black. I noticed that my bath always has a heavy dose of colors specific to my “problem areas” of my body. I have had people sitting next to me with completely blue baths who tell me they have hormone problems and that their bath is always that color. Also based on my observation, usually older or those with serious illness have very dark baths, indicating high toxicity levels. Based on these observations it seems like there is some validity to the Ionic Foot Bath detox.

Where to get an Ionic Foot Bath

 

For more check out my instagram @nychamptonshealth

References

“Colon Hydrotherapy | Detox Clay | Garden City | Smithtown.” Cleansing Concepts. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

 

 

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Dry Skin Brushing-Lymphatic Drainage

Why you should Dry Skin Brush

Dry skin brushing is a process of dry brushing skin with a natural brush to stimulate lymphatic flow, improve circulation, and exfoliate skin. The largest organ in the body is the skin. It is responsible for 1/4 of the bodies detoxification

. It is important to eliminate through the skin.

The lymphatic system consists of various sizes of lymph vessels and nodes. The system is part of the immune system, as the lymphatic fluid carries cells that fight off viruses, bacteria, and other harmful substances. The lymphatic system does not have a pump of its own, like the blood vessels which have the heart. It depends on supplementary help to move the fluid around the body. Exercise is a great way to assist the lymphatic system as well as dry skin brushing.

The lymphatic system mobilizes waste and fluid back into the body’s drainage system so that the waste and fluid can be more effectively eliminated. As well, it increases immunity, promotes healing, and balances fluid metabolism in body.

This massage is especially useful for those individuals that feel that their system is sluggish, or those who seem to get regular colds and flu. It is also recommended for people who lead sedentary lifestyles, or those who want to reduce puffiness or swelling.

Manual stimulation directly applied to our epidermis to maintain overall health and wellness has been practiced by many since ancient times. From the Ayurvedic practices of India (which are still active today) to the Greek athletes using skin scrapers for circulation to various Native American tribes who used the sand from riverbeds for both strengthening the skin as well as beautification. These ancient societies were aware that the pores of the skin that need our focus as well as the lymph glands, just beneath o

fullsizerender-1

ur skin, that become sluggish with toxic waste.

How to Skin Brush 

1. Purchase a natural (not synthetic) bristle brush with a long handle so can reach all areas of your body.

2. Stand in a bathtub or tiled surface to catch any dead skin with no clothes on.

3. Begin brushing by starting at your feet and moving in long sweeping motions toward your heart.

4. Brush several times in each area, overlapping as you go.

5. Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas, like breasts. Your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.

6. It is best to dry skin brush before exercise or before showering.

7. After getting out of the shower, pat dry skin and apply a oil (ex: coconut oil).

8. Dry skin brush everyday for best results. Clean your brush with soap and water once a week. Leave to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush.

Benefits of Skin Brushing

Cleanses the lymphatic system
Removes dead skin layers
Stimulates the hormone and oil-producing glands
Tightens the skin preventing premature aging
Increased energy and blood flow
Tones the skin
Strengthens the immune system

For more check my instagram at @dshamptonorganics

References

Lymphatic Skin Brushing for Breast And Body Health.” Lymphatic Skin Brushing for Breast And Body Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

“Start Dry Brushing to Reduce Cellulite + Toxins.” Dr. Axe. N.p., 04 Jan. 2016. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.