Try A Little Brushing

By Reverend Paul N. Papas II

August 1, 2017

The world around you may be descending in chaos, but you don’t have to go with it. Try a little brushing.

When the lights go off when you’re in the middle of a project, try a little brushing.

The bird flying overhead may splat something on the top of your head, but you don’t have to let the bird build a nest in your hair.

If you watch the news or many programs on TV you might be getting anxious about the condition of the world. The TV has been pushing violence for awhile now. The days of Ozzie and Harriett and Leave it Beaver on TV are long gone. If you believed most of what is pushed on many TV news and talk programs today you could end up on some heavy anti-depressants and checking your healthcare package to see if you are covered.

It is especially frustrating and down right madding when you have been to a nice family friendly event to see it portrayed as evil on the TV screen.

The violence on TV is part of an agenda and you don’t have to watch it. Try a little brushing.

Brushing your hair or of a loved one, or pet reaps great results.

Benefits of Brushing Your Hair (1)

Brushing Your Hair with a Boar Bristle Brush is Cleansing

Did you know that brushing your hair is a form of dry shampooing! Proper brushing can eliminate waste materials, including deposits of uric acid crystals, catarrh and other acids and impurities that build up and become encrusted on the scalp. (I know, that sentence is totally gross.) With so much talk about the benefits of ditching toxic shampoos, implementing proper hair brushing can help keep your hair hygiene in check. And it’s easy.

Brushing Conditions and Strengthens Your Hair

Yep, the benefits of hair brushing go beyond simply cleaning your hair, it also conditions. (Talk about a two in one shampoo/conditioner!) Scalp stimulation from both hair brushing and scalp massaging help distribute your natural sebum evenly through the hair. This helps your overall hair health and keeps those shiny locks resilient and strong. In addition, as your hair is coated with sebum you’ll find moisture is restored, and the hair is generally more sheen, smooth, and manageable.

Brushing your Hair Helps Prevent Hair Loss

This benefit of hair brushing was surprising to me. I have to admit, hair loss hasn’t been an issue for me (I tend to have more hair than I know what to do with!) But hair brushing with a boar bristle brush stimulates the capillaries, increasing blood circulation in the scalp and transporting oxygen and nutrients to the hair stem, root and bulb. It also helps to balance the sebaceous glands by stimulating them and allowing them to breathe while retaining natural oils. Sebaceous gland imbalance is often to blame for hair loss, as overproduction and underproduction of sebum cause weakening and undernourishment of the scalp.

Cat’s Fur: Problems and Grooming (2)

Brushing your cat not only removes dirt, grease and dead hair from her coat, but it helps to remove skin flakes and stimulates blood circulation, improving the overall condition of her skin. One or two brushings per week will help kitty to keep her healthy glow and allow her to bask in yummy together time-and you’ll find that regular sessions are especially beneficial when your cat ages and is no longer able to groom so meticulously on her own.

Healthy Coat and Skin

Before brushing, check out the condition of your kitty’s coat. If it’s healthy, her hair will have a natural gloss and spring back under your hand when you touch it. There shouldn’t be any bald patches or signs of fleas and ticks, and her skin should be free of wounds and unusual bumps.

Calming A Child By Brushing (3)

Many children with sensory processing disorder or autism spectrum disorder receive occupational therapy. Often times these children are prescribed a sensory diet that may include a brushing technique used for calming. According to occupational therapist Michelle Mitchell, writing for the Sensory Perception Disorder Companion, the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol is the technique commonly used in these cases.

Next time the power goes off get out the brush and start the calming, cleansing, stimulating action of brushing your hair, your loved one’s hair or your kitty.

You might enjoy it enough to shut off the TV and try a little brushing.

When life’s stress gets to you…try a little brushing.

Reverend Paul N. Papas II is a Pastoral Counselor with Narrow Path Ministries (MA, AZ) and Founder of the Family Renewal Center (AZ) www.narrowpathministries.org and www.familyrenewalcenter.org

References:

http://www.thankyourbody.com/surprising-benefits-hair-brushing-kind-brush-matters/

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/cats-fur-problems-grooming#1

http://www.livestrong.com/article/1006287-brushing-childs-body-calm-him-down/