In this Howdini.com video, Annelise Hagan, author of The Yoga Face, with exercises for minimizing eye wrinkles and lifting brows. (more videos below)
Our current culture is concerned with our appearance as we age and heavy media emphasis is put on youth and beauty. But we are also a culture that loves instant gratification, convenience and the quick fix. As evidenced by the millions of plastic surgery procedures performed each year. Bottom line is that there are no quick fixes. There will always be some personal effort involved, but the rewards are well worth it.
We rarely ever hear about exercising our faces, but as we like to say around here “there must be a natural way” and it makes perfect sense. We exercise our bodies, stretching and working muscles to keep toned and firm, so why not our faces and necks? There is a movement to do so and with great results. Not to mention with a more graceful aging than the look one can often get going under the knife. And aging is a natural, unavoidable part of life.
Of course, anyone with an interest in exercise, and looking good will need a diet rich in organic, raw fruits and vegetables that may keep wrinkles at bay by strengthening your skin’s natural ability to protect itself from sun damage. Drinking plenty of water will keep you hydrated and your skin will be more plump and elastic. Insulin and leptin resistance accelerate the aging processes, so it’s important to keep their levels low if you want to stay healthy and have a youthful appearance. The most effective way to do this is by reducing or eliminating grains and sugar , especially fructose, from your diet. Get a good night’s sleep, there’s a reason they call it beauty rest. And reduce stress levels in your life. I will do a post one day soon about ways to reduce stress.
Just like the rest of your body, with lack of use the muscles will begin to droop causing a sagging appearance in the skin. Your face has more than 50 muscles that we use to create our many facial expressions. Some we aren’t even aware that we have. These muscles also create contouring and shaping of your face, so that’s how exercising your face can help you keep a youthful look as you age, by preventing those drooping eyelids, crows feet or sagging neckline.
By regularly exercising your face and neck, you can help keep them firm. Increasing blood flow through these muscles can also help counteract wrinkles. And how much better (not to mention safer) than an expensive trip to a plastic surgeon is that? Best of all, it’s free!
Most recommendations call for repeating each exercise 10 times, at least twice a week, for noticeable results. So bookmark this page and start working your face firmer!
Hagan discussing the cause of double chins and sagging jowls, and several exercises for firming and toning your neck area.
In this video, Gary Sikorski, creator of Happy Face Yoga, explains and demonstrates how to lift and tone your cheeks and combat bags under your eyes for a more youthful look.
