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Cleansing is an important part of anyone’s wellness routine, to help our body unload some of the toxic burden that accumulates despite our best efforts to live a very healthy life: eat clean organic foods, drink pure water, breathe clean air, etc. What is your favorite cleansing ritual? I love getting together with girlfriends and spending an afternoon in a spa with a sauna, after which we all feel rested, rejuvenated and glowing. Many of them report that after such a spa day they are asked what beauty regimen they use. Indeed, your entire skin and your eyes will immediately reflect the effects of deep cleansing, rehydration and relaxation. It is no wonder that all ancient traditions developed some sort of hydrotherapy for its wonderful health benefits. All of them incorporate sweating using dry heat or steam, a cold dip, vigorous exfoliation, rest and hydration. I have developed a protocol that is fun and effective, incorporates the traditional elements and includes a special Remineralization/Rehydration drink that I will share here over the next few posts.

Here is Dr. Nina’s Sauna Health and Beauty Regimen:

Step One: Dry skin brushing

Dry skin brushing before your weekly sauna cleansing is essential to invigorate lymph flow and make detoxification that much more effective. Use a soft natural bristle brush on a dry skin by gently stimulating the lymph just under the skin, following the lymphatic flow. Start with gentle circular motions above the collar bones, in the the armpits and groin, move down to elbows and knees, wrists and ankles. Then brush the limbs towards the body, between these limbs, starting from closest to the and proceeding to the distant: from elbow towards armpits, from wrist towards elbow, front and back.

Finish with brushing the skin of the torso, from center towards the armpits and groin, front and back. Finish with the neck, head and face. Use a specially designated brush just for the face.

Now you are ready for Step Two: sweating!

After the dry skin brushing described in Dr. Nina’s Health and Beauty Regimen: Sauna Part I, your lymph flow is activated and you are now ready for the sweat.

Have you ever wondered why sweat therapy is present in so many traditional cultures? Skin is the largest organ of the body and one of it’s most important functions is that of elimination. We sweat out toxins deposited in the layer of fat just underneath the skin through the pores that open in a hot environment. Skin is also a very resilient organ, so sweating is an amazingly effective way of unloading a major load of toxins that otherwise are locked in the fat cells or circulate in our system, and could cause damage to vital organs.

Dry sauna is my preference, as we can tolerate a higher temperature and sweat easier. It is important to wear a wool hat while in the sauna. The duration can be 5-20 min, until your skin is moist with beads of sweat. Some people may need to watch their heart rate and start with shorter time, and gradually increase it.

Now the fun part – the cold plunge! Because the pores are open the sweat and toxins contained in it can get reabsorbed easily back into the body, many cultures have a form of a cold plunge, so that the pores get locked closed and prevent the reabsorption. It is a very invigorating, needless to say, and a very crucial part of the regimen. Luckily, it is also short – 10-20 seconds will do. The effect is in the contrast, as the blood that was at the surface will now rush into the core of the body. This is a very rejuvenating therapy, when all the internal organs will get a powerful supply of cleansed blood. Now wash the skin thoroughly with a soap and sponge, and rest. Salt scrub is a wonderful way to achieve an even deeper exfoliation.

I recommend repeating the ritual two-three times for a deeper cleansing and rejuvenating effect. While resting between the sweats you can enjoy a massage, acupuncture, and sip on raw coconut water, herbal tea or Dr. Nina’s Sauna Remineralization Drink. As we sweat we not only unload the toxins but also loose valuable water and electrolytes, so these need to be replenished. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Once you have mastered this routine (including the cold plunge!) you may be ready for the next adventure – using eucalyptus, birch or oak branches in your sweat therapy. Stay tuned!

Body-Building Smoothie

I wanted to address one of the concerns of my mostly vegetarian/vegan friends and clients that keeps coming up. These people are usually quite wellness-oriented and are in good health. The concern is something a lot of folks would almost envy to have: how do we keep our weight on? Especially muscle weight. It may not sound like a problem to most but people don’t realize that for somebody with healthy metabolism and on a healthy but a low-calorie diet it may be more of a struggle to keep the weight on than for others to shed those stubborn last pounds.

Here are some tips:
Try to have a routine in your daily life
Eat regular meals, at least three times daily.
Always have breakfast!
Add protein-rich foods: beans (soaked and lightly sprouted), seeds and nuts (freshly-shelled), quinoa, amaranth, barley, eggs, raw milk and cheese, sprouts.
Supplement with protein powders.
Have a high-prtein meal/smoothie w protein powder within 30 minutes of strength training
Add lemon juice or vinegar, digestive enzymes to high-protein meals

Body-Building Smoothie:
1 apple
4 prunes
1 bunch dandelion leaves
2 leaves kale
10 sprigs parsley
1/2 cup coconut water or filtered water (or more)
2 T freshly-ground flax seeds
2 T freshly ground sun flower seeds
1 scoop protein powder (whey, pumpkin, hemp, rice, pea)
1/3 can coconut milk

Use this smoothie after a workout, preferably before noon. The ingredients in it are combined to stimulate production of the growth hormone which is responsible for regeneration and repair and lean muscle building.