What we eat, what we drink and the products we put on our skin all contribute to teh state of our health and how our body functions. The texture and tone of our skin, clarity of our eyes and health of our mouths are all indicators of the state of our inner environment.

With regular practice of these ancient and gentle cleansing techniques as a natural beauty cleanse, your overall health is sure to improve, and you’ll be glowing from the inside out!

1) Dry Brushing

Flushes impurities from the body by stimulating the transport of toxins
and wastes accumulated in the blood and tissues to the organs of detoxification.

HOW-TO

1. With a dry stiff bristle brush, make firm, circular sweeping motions over the skin towards the heart to encourage lymph drainage and circulation towards the organs of detoxification and transportation.
2. Start at the feet and work your way up the legs, the buttocks, back and tummy, and then do figure eights around your breasts.
3. Next sweep circles from the hands up the arms and sweep down the neck.

BENEFITS

+ Reduce cellulite
+ Increases circulation
+ Removes dead skin and makes the skin glow
+ Improves immune function and lymphatic drainage

2) Neti Pot

Rinses pollutants, allergens, and bacteria from the sinuses for
easy and pure breathing while awakening the eyes.

HOW-TO

1. In your neti pot, mix 1 cup of lukewarm purified or distilled water with 1/4tsp to create a saline solution to match the body’s natural salinity; (too much or too little salt will feel like getting pool water up the nose!)
2. Leaning the head forward over the sink, turn your head to the right and place the spout into your right nostril and begin to pour the water into your nose. Feel it rinse your sinuses and pour out your other nostril.
3. Repeat on the other side.

   If you feel the water going down your throat, simply tilt your head lower to direct the water up into the sinuses instead of down your throat.

BENEFITS

+ Awakens and reduces dark circles around the eyes
+ Prevents and eliminates colds, allergies and sinusitis
+ Clears the sinuses prevent mouth breathing, migraines and even snoring!

3) Khapal Bhati

An ancient pranayama, a breathing technique, translated closely to ‘shining skull’ that further eliminates congestion in the airways to brighten the eyes and face, while cleansing the lungs.
Do this after using your Neti pot to remove any remaining moisture in the sinuses.

HOW-TO

1. Find a comfortable seated position with your hands on your stomach.
2. Take a deep inhale inflating the belly. On your exhale, forcefully pull the belly in towards the spine to force all of the air out of the lungs.

   Because the exhalations are active, the inhalations become passive and natural in between the out breaths. It is much like trying to get the last little bit out of the shampoo bottle, squeezing the bottle rapidly and forcefully.

3. At a comfortable pace, cycle through 30-60 pumping’s of the stomach 3 times, with a few long and deep breaths in between cycles.

BENEFITS

+ Tones the abdominal muscles
+ Releases pollutants, allergens and stagnant energy from the lungs and airways.
+ Massages the organs from the stomach pumping to increase their detoxification process.
+ Stimulates the Ajna chakra; your third eye and energy center of intuition, and highest knowledge.
+ Brightens and shines the eyes and the space around; the whites of your eyes will brighten and your face will glow!

4) Oil Pulling

An ancient and incredibly easy Ayurvedic technique of drawing bacteria, heavy metals, and other impurities from the blood while brightening your smile! Plus, it’s gentle and safe for everyone!

HOW-TO

Essentially, any organic and unrefined oil such as sesame, or sunflower oil would work, but I highly recommend coconut oil because of it’s natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and it tastes way better than any other oil!

1. Put ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil into your mouth and swish it around for no less than 15 minutes, up to 20 minutes.
2. Spit it out, then brush your teeth with natural toothpaste and rinse the mouth well with water.

   * I start swishing the oil in the shower, and by the time I am showered, shaved, dry and dressed, it’s time to spit it out.
   * Be sure to spit it in the trash, and not down the sink as oil may harden and clog the drain.

BENEFITS

+ Reduce bad breath
+ Reduces candida and other infections
+ Whitens the teeth, prevents and eliminates cavities and gingivitis
+ Draws fat soluble, heavy metal and fungal wastes out of the body

5) Enema

We clean our face, our hands, our teeth, ears, and our entire bodies, but many of us wince at the thought of cleaning our insides, which is super important considering we can carry up to 10lbs or more of fecal matter packed to our insides, which recirculates waste throughout our whole body! This is when autointoxication or self-poisoning occurs. An enema is an internal bath for the colon with endless benefits.

If you don’t have an enema can, cup or bag, you can purchase one from your local health food store, pharmacy or online. There are two types of enemas; cleansing and retention, and many examples of each such as coffee enemas, probiotic enemas or apple cider vinegar enemas that each have a specific health benefit and goal, but today we’ll focus on basic cleansing enemas with pure water.

HOW-TO

1. Fill your enema can, cup or bag with lukewarm pure distilled water and hang it 3-4 feet above the shower floor. (Either hang it on the bath spout or with a long string, from the shower head.) If it’s too high up, the water will pour too quickly and be difficult to retain.

2. Position yourself comfortably: you may either lay in the tub on your left side bringing your knees into your chest, or lay on your back with your knees up to allow space for the water to flow in. You may prop towels for comfort.

3. Allow a bit of water to flow out of the tube to rid any air bubbles, then insert the enema nozzle into your anus and release the water to fill the colon. You may use a small amount of natural oil as lubricant to insert it.

4. Gently but firmly massage the abdomen in a clockwise manner if there is discomfort or pressure. This will pass.

 

5. Retain the water for 2-5 minutes. The first few enemas, you may not be able to hold it this long, so release when it becomes uncomfortable. Avoid standing up while retaining as it may accidentally expel.

6. When you are ready, slowly and careful make your way to the toilet and release the water.

7. You may complete this a few times or until the water comes out a bit more clear.

8. Be sure to clean your enema can with natural soap and warm water and dry it before storing it.

BENEFITS

+ Improves overall health immensely.
+ May reduce a fever, stomach pains, and the flu.
+ May reduce allergies, asthma and skin conditions.
+ Eliminate bloating, indigestion, flatulence, constipation and yeast infections.

Making these ancient cleansing techniques a part of your morning routine (strategically done in the order listed,) will in time improve your overall health and you’ll be shining from the inside out.

What are your favourite methods for a health & beauty cleanse? Be sure to share in the comments with us all!