The best proof that raw plant eating and dry brushing is optimal for the body is it makes you beautiful.  Both practices cleans your body from the inside out, nourishes and tones your skin, helps improve circulation and oxygen moving around the body, and best of all you feel energized.

Our skin is the largest organ of the body and it’s appearance reflects how clean and well the body is functioning internally.  When our body can’t get rid of toxins via excretion or perspiration it will use the skin for elimination. The good news is you can start having beautiful skin right away just by making raw plant food and dry body brushing as part of your daily routine.

Aim for a minimum of 80% raw fruits, greens and vegetables in your diet

You are what you eat! Building your body is no different from building your house, you want to use the best materials so that it is strong, resistant and beautiful.  Increasing your consumption of fresh organic foods works wonders for the skin. Raw plants have live enzymes which are vital for digestion, absorption of nutrients and play a huge role in reversing and fighting aging. Cooking food destroys these enzymes at a temperature of 47 degrees Celsius and more.

Using supplements can assist some deficiency symptoms, but why settle for second best when you can have the real thing!  Best to include dark leafy greens in a juicer and in your salads every day.  Mix with fruit and nuts so you are including as many vitamins and minerals as you can.

Dry skin brushing daily will make your skin more pliable, smooth and vibrant.

Invest in a dry plant-bristled brush, and make it your daily beauty regime. Our skin is a living organ which needs to breathe, be fed supreme nutrition, and cleaned! The best way to keep it soft and supple is by gently brushing it with a dry body brush to remove dead skin, and jumpstart skin metabolism. Dry body brush on dry skin and then follow it with a shower or bath. Work out which part of the day best suits your schedule to dedicate a few minutes to dry brush.  You will feel refreshed and rejuvenated after the dry brushing; most importantly, you will notice that your skin is smoother after each brush and shower!

Other tips for great looking skin are: exercise a minimum of 3 times a week, weight bearing exercise, stretching and breathing; Sleep, get plenty of rest to rejuvenate yourself; Use organic cosmetics and skin care as much as possible; Hydrate, drinking enough clean water is a must for anybody who wishes to have crystal clear complexion; Minimize exposure to air-conditioning, it will dry skin out and regular massages to detoxify and rejuvenate the body.

Remember that all positive diet and lifestyle changes can be challenging so just take baby steps to begin with and don’t put pressure on yourself to do everything at once.  As you gradually adopt this new way of life you will be feeling amazing and will love the way your look and feel.

Happy Brushing!

Jodie Smith

www.bodecare.com

Secrets for Your Smoothest Shave Ever

If you are wanting silky legs after shaving and need to know how to prevent red bumps, here are a few quick tips to getting the smoothest results.

Preparing your legs before shaving is key to getting really smooth legs.  Dry body brush really well every day and moisturize skin with an organic body lotion and at night massage a natural body oil for extra nourishment of the skin.  Daily body brushing will ensure the rough skin and dry skin build up around the hair follicles is removed and will prevent ingrown hairs, red bumps and dry rough patches.

When choosing a dry body brush make sure it has a plant bristle this is the optimum type of brush for exfoliation and stimulation of the circulatory system.  Always brush on dry skin and follow it by a shower or bath.  To dry brush the body use seven upward strokes for each area, starting at your feet and working up the leg.  For example, using upward sweeping strokes go from outside of leg, front of leg, inside and back of leg. Work over knee twice and continue with upward strokes on thighs in the same sequence, brushing toward the lymph nodes in the groin. Don’t forget your buttocks and rest of body, it will exfoliate your skin and make you feel energized and alive.

On the day of shaving your legs, first dry body brush skin as usual and then use the bodecare Dry Exfoliating Powder to really work into the dry skin on feet and legs, wash off in the shower.  To soften skin for shaving use an organic coconut oil and massage into area you are shaving, this could be legs, face, armpits and shave the area, wash off.  Pad skin dry and apply your favourite organic body moisturiser and your skin will be soft, silky and glowing.

Happy Brushing!

Jodie Smith

How Do I Buy The Perfect Brush For Someone?

So you started dry body brushing and you absolutely love it and now you would like your friend or family member to experience the same smooth skin and wellness that you have achieved.  How do you decide which is the best brush for them.

Top 6 things to consider are:

1. Have they ever dry body brushed before? Do they use body exfoliants, are they use to exfoliating? If you answered yes to all these questions then maybe it is ok to get a medium or firm bristle brush.
2. Do they have sensitive skin?  A skin condition like allergies, psoriasis or mature skin that is prone to splitting or bruising, you may want to start them with a soft plant bristle brush.  This will gently exfoliate their skin and strengthen the skin tissue.
3. Do they enjoy receiving a massage? Do they like a firm massage? If they do, then this is a sign they would be best with a firm brush. If they don’t like massage and are sensitive to touch, then you may want to consider starting them with a soft plant bristle brush.
4. Do they have excessively dry skin, then they need to exfoliate, go for at least a medium bristle brush.
5. Do they have a lot of sebum build up on their back, like acne or black heads, a sore back, arthritis or highly stressed life-style.  Then you would want to go for a brush that you can dry brush their back, like a long flexible dry back strap brush or a long handled body brush.  The dry brushing will help exfoliate the dead skin cells, open the pores and reduce red spots.
6. If it is for someone that travels a lot, make sure you get a hand held brush or short handled brush, one that comes in a natural fabric carry bag is always handy. (make sure the bag is not plastic, because if the brush is washed and placed back in a plastic bag it will mildew).

These are just a couple of things to think about that might make the choice of choosing the right brush for your friend or loved one a little easier.

Happy brushing!

Jodie Smith

www.bodecare.com

Keep Your Back Spot Free and Looking Sexy This Summer.

Even though we can’t really see the skin on our back it is still really important to spend time on cleansing it, to maintain smooth sexy skin and reduce or eliminate any unsightly red spots.

This summer you will be looking uba sexy in your singlet tops and strappy dresses if you keep your back well exfoliated and clean.  Even day spa’s have realized that the skin on our back is something we are conscious of because now you can book in for specific back cleansing treatments. 

For some people the skin on their back is a hot spot for the elimination of toxins.  Bumpy skin on our back may be from excess sebum coming out of the pores, stress, sore muscles and sweat sitting under tight synthetic clothing.  If the skin can’t breathe and is not regularly exfoliated, the dry skin accumulates on the surface and sebum in the skin’s pores can’t break through, eventually the sebum builds up and clogs the pores and you are left with red bumps, pimples , black heads and in-grown hairs.  Best solution is to keep the back exfoliated with daily dry body brushing.  For extra help use a body exfoliant once a week and keep an exfoliating mitt or washer in the shower to lather up natural tea tree products to cleanse the skin and pores. Also remember my lemon tip from a few weeks ago, so many people have got back to me with really positive results on how the lemon helped their skin.  Lemon juice on pimples and red spots is meant for only a few days until it is healed and then stop using it, as it can dry the skin.

Steps for exfoliating your back using a dry body brush  

1. Lower Back: Once reaching the lower back, start your brush stroke from spine and sweep brush stroke up. Starting on left side of torso work brush strokes up in one direction toward the major lymph in the armpit, as far as you can reach. Brush each area of the back seven times.
2. Upper back: place brush in middle of spine horizontal to base of shoulder blades and move brush in one stroke to armpits, moving up the spine to lower neck.

Repeat on right side

Try to stretch out your back and shoulders daily, we hold a lot of stress in our backs and it will help to alleviate tension and tired muscles and hopefully prevent any injuries. Deep breathing while you stretch can relax your mind, try at least three good deep breathes. And like I say every week, eating raw vegetables and juicing every day will help detox you from the inside-out.

Happy Brushing!

Regards

Jodie Smith

www.bodecare.com

While you body brush you may be interested to have a good look at your skin because it is telling you what is going on within your body. The skin on your face and body is a road map of your mind and your health. Any imbalance in the diet or lifestyle can cause an imbalance on the skin. Some of the beauty concerns you may have that relate to your health are:
Hair Loss
We lose 50 to 100 hairs a day from our head. When approaching menopause your scalp naturally starts losing hair. But if you start losing hair in patches and you are not near menopause, it can be a sign of a poor diet, thyroid problems, extreme stress or depression. Seeking the advice of a naturopath will give you simple and easy solutions to follow that won’t cost a fortune. Other simple and easy things you may consider are: daily scalp tapping with a rubber cushioned base hair brush to stimulate circulation in your scalp; using organic shampoo and conditioner; using natural hair tonics like washing with wheatgrass powder or use the juice of ginger and kale mixed with blended avocado, this will nourish the hair follicle from the roots to the tips; practicing daily breathing techniques to relieve stress and deliver oxygen to the body.
Persistent Dry Skin
Chronic dry skin that never seems to go away, wounds that don’t heal, thin skin that cracks, requires constant care. It could be because you are choosing the wrong skin products, using organic skin care is essential if you want the skin to be nourished correctly and be able to be absorbed by the skin. Daily body brushing is really important to continually shed that surface dry skin and allows the organic skin care to be readily absorbed by the body. Using skin care with petrochemicals or other toxic ingredients can build up in our body and could irritate the skin and cause other problems like clogged pores. Dry body brushing also helps stimulate collagen fibres in the skin to make it more pliable and strong and prevent skin from cracking. Weekly body exfoliants give the skin an extra exfoliation to assist in reducing persistent dry skin. And of course eating lots of RAW vegetables and fruit will ensure you are hydrating your body from the inside out.
Red Bumps
Persistant red bumps across back, shoulders, arms and buttocks. This could be a sign that your body is trying to get rid of toxins, maybe from a poor diet; lots of stress or wearing tight clothing each day covering the skin and making it hard for the pores to breath . Use detox products that will help draw the toxins out of the skin, rub lemon juice on the spots for healing, combined with daily body brushing on those areas and a treatment oil at night to heal and reduce inflammation.

Spotting Possible Changes in Skin Tissue.
While dry body brushing if you notice changes in skin tissue like a spot that goes bright red after body brushing or waxing; a rough patch of skin that won’t go away; a mole that has changed shape or gone really dark, you may want to get this checked by a dermatologist. The reason why I know about this subject is that I have had many skin cancers before and one really bad one about 5 years ago which I had to undergo many operations to get rid of it. I swear I never want to go through that again and have since learnt a lot about natural health and am convinced that the skin cancers were related to what I put IN my body and ON my body as well. My solution for the past few years has been detoxing my body from the inside-out. Which meant eating all organic raw vegetables and fruit, regular detox treatments, organic supplements from a natural therapist, using organic skin care; make-up; hair dye and of course dry body brush daily. This has improved the look and health of my skin and I no longer get skin cancers, red bumps or persistent dry skin and my hair is really thick and healthy. If you do have any suspicious spots on your skin like mentioned above, don’t dry brush over them until you have had it checked out by a specialist.
The old saying “you are what you eat”, is so true and I had to learn the hard way but I am healthier than ever now, so it all turned out for the best. Remember to consult your naturopath or dermatologist for any concerned areas.
Happy Brushing!
Jodie Smith
www.bodecare.com

Using Lemon with Dry body brushing to treat Black Heads and Red Spots.
Ever thought of using a lemon to enhance your skin? Lemon juice will smooth the skin, it is a good dirt chaser, disinfectant for blocked pores and blemishes. This would be a great remedy for build-up of blackheads and pimples or red spots on the shoulders, back, buttock and legs.
How to Dry Brush with Lemon Juice.
This technique can be done as a “repairer” (after you notice you have these skin problems), or a “preventer” (as a habit for people who are prone to spots).
1. Get a fresh lemon and cut in half. You should only need half the lemon and save the other to put in your morning tea.
2. Lightly squeeze the lemon half and wipe the liquid onto your skin starting at feet, legs, buttock and work up the body, don’t forget the back and shoulders.
3. It may sting! Many users note that lemon juice stings when it is applied to “active blemishes,” that is, when it is applied to pimples. Normally, anything that causes stinging of the skin is not a good thing if you have acne. Lemon juice, however, causes a stinging that also slows down inflammatory processes, so that the net effect on the skin is good.
4. If you have quite bad skin problems (very inflamed and red), gently rub the lemon juice in, making sure you don’t hurt your skin. If you hurt your skin by pressing too hard, then you could be making your skin worse.
5. By the time you have wiped the lemon juice to your upper body the lower body will have dried and ready to dry body brush. Dry Body brush as normal, using sweeping strokes in one upward motion to the major lymph nodes of the body. Starting at feet, toes and feet work up the entire body, seven strokes per area. Avoid genitals and breasts and never Dry Body Brush over acne or inflamed sores.
6. After dry body brushing, wash off the residue in the shower and apply your favourite organic body lotion.
Your skin will feel so smooth and amazing. Lemon can be drying on the skin, so I do this as a special treatment for a few days in a row to treat the red spots or blackheads and then I go back to just dry body brushing or alternatively I will do this once a fortnight as a maintenance treatment.
Happy Brushing!
Jodie Smith
www.bodecare.com

There is great potential for improving the quality of your skin if you use cold water after you dry body brush. 

Research from Victoria Boutenko a famous raw food advocate suggests, “During brief application of cold water, blood vessels in the skin abruptly contract, pushing a large amount of blood inside the organism. This results in the re-activation of the inner capillaries, many of which are typically atrophied by the age of thirty, due to poor circulation and unhealthy lifestyle”.  

Tanya Zavasta author of “Beautiful on Raw” quotes from a Russian Scientific Publication: “Several scientific studies have demonstrated that within fifty seconds after the brief application of extremely cold water, an enormous amount of heat is generated by the body, despite the initial shock that can be painful, almost immediately experience an amazingly pleasant warmth from head to toe, causing profound relaxation of the body”.

This means you are helping firm and tone your skin and capillaries by simply switching to a cold shower just before you hop out. Plus you are providing an invigorating and relaxing treatment to start your day. 

Steps

• Dry body brush, seven strokes per area, starting from bottom of feet, legs, buttock, back, stomach, arms and armpits. Use a different brush for scalp and face.
• Hop into your shower (not hot water)
• Just before you get out, switch the water to cold. Cover your entire body including your face. Cool water on your face will help minimize enlarged pores on your skin.

This will invigorate your skin and body, you will be feeling amazing!

Happy Brushing!

Regards
Jodie Smith

Director

Bodecare Brush Company

PH: 07 3870 0860

Ref: Baranov A, Kidalov V:Healing with Cold, Kemerovo, Russia: Astel Publishing, 2000.