3 simple things you can add to your daily routine to promote wellness

Our bodies are amazing machines that never stop working - but sometimes, they need a little support!

Finding balance within the body is key to optimal wellness. Unfortunately, we are constantly bombarded with toxins from air, water, and food. A toxin is a substance that is irritating and/or harmful to our body. Although we can do our best to eliminate toxins by buying organic foods and filtering our water, we cannot control everything. Sometimes our bodies become overwhelmed by toxins and this is when we can start to see dysfunction in our systems. Our liver does a great job of filtering out the toxins and then eliminating them through our colon, kidneys + bladder, skin and lungs. However, when our liver is overwhelmed and our systems are backed up, we start to see issues such as acne, eczema, asthma, “brain fog”, loss of energy etc.

Our body is continually detoxing. Detoxification occurs when you are awake and when you are asleep - it is continuous and natural. It is essential for the health of our body because it helps to free important cellular and organic activities, allowing our body to function optimally and efficiently.

However, even though our body is an amazing machine, it needs support once in a while.

Here are a few simple techniques that are easy to add to your daily routine:

1. Oil Pulling with Coconut Oil

What it is:

Oil pulling is an ancient ayurvedic therapy that entails swishing a beneficial oil in your mouth for a period of time. This age-old tradition is thought to excrete toxins from the body through the mouth. It can help inhibit cavities, gingivitis, bad breath, bleeding gums, plaque, dry mouth, chapped lips, and keep your mouth healthier overall.

Coconut oil, which contains lauric acid, has been shown to generate antioxidants. This oil is beneficial for oral health because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Why do it:

The health of the mouth is connected to the health of the body. “Oral cavity harbors billions of microorganisms, some of these contribute to the development or progression of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus…” (source)

How to do it:

Oil pulling should be done on an empty stomach and can be done up to 3x/day. Try to buy organic virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil as this is the least refined oil.

Take 1 tablespoon of oil - swish and pull it around in your mouth for about 20 minutes. The effects of oil pulling occur after 5 minutes of swishing and pulling. By the end, the oil will be milky. Be sure to spit it out (into the wastebasket, not the sink).

Do not swallow, as it will be filled with bacteria and toxins that you do not want back in your body!

My advice:

When you are starting this ritual, it is best to start with a small amount + in shorter intervals - work up to the full tablespoon and the 20 minutes.

For more information about about oral health check out this blog post.

2. Dry Brushing

What it is:

Lightly brushing the skin with natural fibers or vegetable bristles. It removes layers of dry skin, stimulates and increases circulation and oxygen in the skin, and helps to move your lymph system.

Why do it:

Detoxification occurs within many systems of your body including your skin. Your skin excretes waste through sweat, rashes, acne, etc. Your lymph system entails a vital detoxification fluid that acts as a pre-filter to the liver. It assists in filtering out bacteria, viruses and organic materials. Your lymph doesn’t have a pump, so it relies on movement from the muscles, lungs, and smooth muscle fibers to move it along.

How to do it:

Buy a brush with natural fibers about the size of your hand. Before you shower, start at your feet, and move up towards your heart by lightly brushing in a circular motion. Brush in this order: feet, legs, hands, arms, stomach, chest, neck, face.

My advice:

Take 5 minutes before you shower to lightly brush - be sure not to break the skin. Take a warm shower and at the end of the shower, switch to cold water to further stimulate the lymph. After your shower, apply a natural moisturizer.

To learn more about the lymph system check out this blog post.

3. Spritzing with Probiotic Spray

What it is:

A probiotic spray is a water filled with an array of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) which can help repopulate your skin with good bacteria.

Why use it:

Probiotics = “For Life”

Your microbiome entails all the bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and microscopic organisms that live in your gut and beyond - even your skin! It is defined as the bacteria (good and bad), parasites, fungi & viruses living harmoniously in balance - found in the small and large intestines, but also throughout and on our entire body. The skin acts as the first barrier and defense against harmful pathogens and an imbalance in the microbiome may contribute to certain skin diseases and overall skin health. Although I do believe that your skin is a direct reflection of the health of your gut, and fixing your gut is the best way to fix your skin; adding probiotic spray can help and assist your skin from the outside.

How to use it:

Spray your face and anywhere on the skin that is irritated. It can be used on cuts, eczema, rashes, bug bites, cold sores, fungus, etc. Let it dry and do not wipe.

My advice:

I spray my face in the morning and at night! We also use this on cuts, burns, rashes - everything! There are many brands out there and it may be a good idea to try different ones in order to obtain different strains of bacteria. This is great after a day in the sun - especially after you clean off all your sunscreen!

To learn more about skin health, check out this blog post.

Sources:

Sezgin, Y., Memis Ozgul, B., & Alptekin, N. O. (2019). Efficacy of oil pulling therapy with coconut oil on four-day supragingival plaque growth: A randomized crossover clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 47, 102193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102193

Shanbhag, V. K. (2017). Oil pulling for maintaining oral hygiene – A review. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 7(1), 106–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.05.004

Tong, J., & Li, H. Y. (n.d.). The human skin microbiome. The Human Microbiota and Microbiome, 72–89. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781780640495.0072

Lunjani, N. (2019). Microbiome and skin biology. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol, 328–333. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31107258/