Fast ways to firm the body (that don't involve working out)
Having never really signed up to the idea of a January detox (too cold; better to wait until spring to eat salads and juice, I think), I do subscribe to the wisdom that anything that boosts lymphatic drainage is only ever a good thing in terms of toning up the skin, reducing cellulite and aiding natural detoxification.
Rather basically and boringly, at home this has translated to actually keeping to a few minutes of dry skin brushing a day pre-shower, simply because it is so effective, cheap and easy. Not only are my limbs decidedly softer and smoother (more so than if using body scrubs, even) but there’s a definite reduction in puffiness, too, with decidedly less water retention on my legs and stomach.
Less mundane than body brushing altogether is the Manual Lymphatic Drainage Cupping treatment with Yumiko Inoue at Khera Griggs clinic, a treatment that could only be described as the Rolls Royce of lymph drainage. Aside from the fact that it is blissfully relaxing and includes a rather fabulous ‘mini facial’ with the sculpting suction cups (if you feel your face looks bloated this is for you – she also does a pure facial version) this body treatment gave more of an immediate ‘wow’ effect than any of the more high-tech treatments I’ve tried.
This body treatment gave more of an immediate ‘wow’ effect than any of the more high-tech treatments
Yumiko works over the entire body, using soft silicone cups that lightly suction onto the body, allowing her to gently pull the skin away from the deeper layers of fascia. Moving the suction cups in a stroking massage towards the lymph nodes, toxins and excess fluid are duly drained away; for me, it was on the stomach and hips that the reduction in sponginess was most apparent – my jeans were immediately looser.
Whilst I would steer clear of body treatments that claim to ‘slim’ (none of them melt fat and anyway, thinner is far from necessarily better; smoother and taughter skin and a healthy body is far preferable to losing the last 5 lbs) – this treatment works in a deeper, more holistic way to support and boost the detoxification process.
If you need convincing that boosting your lymph is something you should take seriously, it is excellent as a pre-event fix or as part of a more serious ‘detox’…which, if it happens, won’t be until at least June.