I drink water and herbal tea (yes, it's an expensive habit) to the tune of 64 ounces / 2 litres daily. Strangely, I pee less than ever, though I attribute this to feeling less anxious about needing to pee - something my anxiety condition glommed onto at some point. More to the point, I understand how people wake up, drink a glass of water and actually feel their cells soak up liquid to improve mobility and diminish pain. Sure, I can't say that's what I'm feeling literally, but I definitely notice a huge difference after that first glass of water. I also feel altered, for the better, by water consumption after yoga.
If you want to do something life-altering and stupidly easy while contending that you've achieved a new year's resolution, get on board with this one.
In that spirit, I recently decided to implement an effortless new lifestyle change: body scrubbing.
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| Merben Sisal Body Brush (can be purchased at Ziggy's and elsewhere online) |
In fact, the practice of body scrub is known to:
- improve circulation (something that all peeps can benefit from - especially the pain-havers)
- decrease stagnation in the upper layers of the epidermis
- soothe sore muscles
- feel good and scratchy
- exfoliate skin to improve its natural colour and texture
- increase energy - cuz egad, that scrubbing is lively!
If you decide to try this, apparently you should massage in small circular motions from the limbs towards the heart. Don't go crazy with the pressure. A little goes a long way. And if you're wet brushing, do ensure that the gizmo can dry out between showers. Mine is very robust and, though my house isn't damp, it's not drying. I'm frankly as creeped out by dry brushing, germs notwithstanding, cuz, um, dead skin flakes on the floor?!?!?
Needless to say, don't use exfoliating scrubs with microbeads because they're trashing our ecosystem.
Technically I started this practice a couple of weeks ago, but I'm cashing in on the resolution angle because, why not?
So there you have it: 2 entirely fuss-free ways to make a self-improvement promise that you can keep and therefore brag about. You're welcome.
Today's questions: Do you body scrub and, if yes, how has it improved the quality of your life? (I'm looking for motivation!) Do you drink a ton of water or do you avoid it tenaciously because, you know, you have better things to do and you prefer the taste of booze? Can you provide another example of a resolution that's easily and effortlessly incorporated into one's life? Let's talk!
Posts
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI do need to drink more water (kidney stones), but I haven't really been a fan. But my office recently started stocking Perrier (and Montpelier) sparkling water. I am in love! I easily drink 1L a day now, and I even have it at home.
Eeek - kidney stones suck. A friend at work has had to deal with them and they're really painful. I wish my office stocked the sparkling water! Take advantage of it all the time...
DeleteI drink a ton of water. Doing CF it makes all the difference in my pain post-workout. I have a dry brush but rarely use it, it's that whole taking time before the shower to stand there naked and dry brush.
ReplyDeleteI know - it seems like a waste of time. At least when you wet brush you're taking a shower :-)
DeleteI've been trying to do a better job of drinking more water too, but I dont always remember, even though I feel way better when I do.
ReplyDeleteAs for exfoliating, I do that with a scrubber from Walmart every shower. Mine dries out, but it's just a scrubby mesh. I dont know if the more expensive kind are really that much better or not. I also LOVE using old olive oil and brown sugar as a scrub. I do it whenever the shower needs cleaned, because it makes a mess, but it makes my skin feel amazing!!!
Yeah - those plastic ones dry fast, so I may have to give one a try. I just don't think they're as chic as the sisal ones :-) Also, I've always wanted to do that sugar scrub but the idea of having to clean it out of the shower stall afterwards is enough to put me off. I'm too lazy to deal with oil slicks.
DeleteSince switching to homemade soap, my skin is much less dry... I use a mesh scrubby in the shower as well. I make my own recipe of coconut oil, olive oil, cocoa butter and sweet almond oil, with lavender, patchouli and rose geranium essential oils. I have dropped drinking juice and drink mostly water, and some booze once a week (just one drink)...Now I need to incorporate more exercise.
ReplyDeleteBarb
I've considered those mesh scrubbies because they do dry easily, so I've heard. But they're not as exfoliating (not that that's a bad thing). Your recipe sounds lovely.
DeleteI have so much trouble drinking enough - partly because with teaching, you can't just take a bathroom break when you want to! That just my excuse tho... I find it hard to make liquids exciting enough to bother with! :P I love your theory off adding something for New Years instead of stopping something - sounds like a smart approach! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI totally get that! And, fwiw, I have to go to these semiregular fancy meetings that can last hours and I wait in an antichamber for a lot of the time and, if I have to pee, it's a total stress fest. You don't want that kind of situation on your hands. And I didn't think of this as an addition rather than a subtraction but you're right! I like that.
DeleteThese are great ideas! I'm not a big resolutions person as I struggle to form new habits, but I'll say that I've started drinking way more water just by keeping a refillable bottle in my bag. When I'm home, I fill up a glass right before I start any kind of computer task, or sit down to do anything. It really helps me remember to drink it! I've not heard of dry scrubbing but it sounds intriguing!
ReplyDeleteReading this post suddenly made me very thirsty. :) This is an excellent resolution, no matter what time of year. I can always use a reminder to drink more water.
ReplyDelete