Spa Girl says protect your lips with this ubiquitous vegetable that hydrates, cools, and heals!

 Winter showed its chilly disposition this week plunging temperatures into the minuses.   This time of year everyone needs to be proactive and prevent chapped lips.  One of the best ways of soothing this tender tissue is to reach for a slice of cucumber!

This ubiquitous vegetable hydrates, cools and sooths when applied to your lips and eyes or grated for an exquisite mask and tonic for the entire face.

Belonging to the same family as pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon and squash, cucumbers are rich in  natural salts, enzymes, vitamins and minerals which are essential for the repair and development of cells.  They are also powerful antioxidants and because of their high water content, great for helping to flush the system;  the alkalinity of cucumbers make them a top choice as a diuretic.

Found in most spas (in addition to teas) cucumber water is one of my favourite beverages in-between treatments.

So when the thermometer dips and your lips need some tender loving care, slice up some cucumber, and hold it to your lips for several minutes and it will help with the irritation and dryness that comes with this seasonal change.  I also love to apply (after I use the cucumbers) organic coconut oil which has rich emollient properties, it helps retain the moisture generated from the cucumber.

Spa Girl also advocates drinking at least two to three litres of water a day to avoid dehydration, this is especially important in the winter!

The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42

The Health Benefits of Cucumbers

http://www.gardeningchannel.com/the-health-benefits-of-cucumbers/

Spa Girls Review for Thomas Cook Travel Magazine

Spa Girl was recently invited by Thomas Cook Travel Magazine to review one of my favourite Spa get-a-ways.


http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1087

The review starts on page 54 / you will need to click the link and register to view the magazine...

SPA SECRETS 

Seven Spa and beauty bloggers divulge their favourite places for pampering.
http://www.ink-live.com/emagazines/thomas-cook-travel-magazine/938/november-2011/#/61/zoomed

Check out the magazine, or better yet, hop on a plane and check out some of these fabulous spas.

Spa Girl says get healthy stay healthy with Skin Brushing

I love a good salt scrub, not only does it exfoliate your entire body it helps stimulate blood and lymph flow.  Followed by a relaxing Vichy shower this it is one of my favourite spa treatments.

In between Spa visits I routinely dry brush my skin which provides the same important benefits.  Skin brushing helps to improve your skin by removing dead cells and stimulates the regeneration of new skin, it also encourages blood circulation, improves lymphatic flow and greatly enhances elimination of toxins.  And when you thought there was no hope of getting rid of cellulite, skin brushing will help with that as well! 

The skin is the largest organ in our bodies, and helps to remove up to 2 pounds of waste each day; as a daily routine, skin brushing is one of the most important detox activities you can add to your 'get healthy stay healthy' regime.

The Benefits Of Dry Skin Brushing

• Dry skin brushing helps to shed dead skin cells, which can help improve skin texture and cell renewal.

• Dry skin brushing increases circulation to skin, encouraging your body’s discharge of metabolic wastes, which greatly aids the lymphatic drainage of the entire body. When the body rids itself of toxins, it is able to run more efficiently in all areas.

• Dry skin brushing also helps to tighten the skin because it increases the flow of blood. Increasing the circulation to the skin can also help lessen the appearance of cellulite.

• Dry skin brushing stimulates the lymph canals to drain toxic mucoid matter into the colon, thereby purifying the entire system. This enables the lymph to perform its house-cleaning duties by keeping the blood and other vital tissues detoxified. After several days of dry brushing, you may notice the gelatinous mucoid material in your stools.

• Dry skin brushing helps with muscle tone and more even distribution of fat deposits.

• Dry skin brushing also rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulating nerve endings in the skin.

• Dry skin brushing helps your skin to absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health.

• Individuals who sit at a computer screen all day long will particularly take pleasure in the benefits of skin brushing. People who have inactive lifestyles or jobs usually experience stiff and sore necks and shoulders that reach even into their arms and down their spines and into their lower backs. Increased blood flow begins entering the areas brushed and you will experience an increase in electromagnetic energy that permits you to feel energized and invigorated.

• Cellulite is toxic materials that are accumulated in your body’s fat cells as they are unable to be eliminated. So, rather than liposuction surgery, how about utilizing the “dry skin brushing” techniques coupled with an alkaline diet program and a great exercising routine. It will break down the unwelcome toxic body deposits and send them scurrying out of your body through the elimination channels we discussed above. 

http://www.jashbotanicals.com/articles/skin_brushing.html

So here is what you do...

Starting at the soles of your feet and work your way up your legs, then front (use a circular clock-wise motion on this part of your body) then the back, brushing vigorously as you go. Last the hands and arms always brushing in the direction of your heart.

Skin brushing is ideal first thing in the morning or before you take a shower.

Enjoy Spa Girls & Boys!

The Smart Yogini demonstrates her dry skin brushing technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoTBP_WJy9E