Slowing
down the Aging Process
Skin begins to age the
moment we are born, but it really starts to
show in our early 20s. We may not be able to
turn back the clock but who says we can't
slow it down.
There are two kinds of
aging :-
Intrinsic Aging which
occurs with natural passage of Time
Skin gets thin and
this is accompanied by a loss of collagen
and elastic tissue. This is the inevitable
thinning of our skin accompanied by a loss
of collagen and elastic tissue - which is
mainly responsible for firmness of skin or
the lack of it.
Good News: This
accounts for only 10 percent of the aging
process and is the natural route to graceful
aging. The solution? Moisturize!
Extrinsic Aging is
the cumulative result of environmental
conditions, responsible for a staggering 81
per cent of aging.
- Sun Damage:
The sun's penetrating rays have a direct
effect on skin, injuring the cells and
their contents. The skin shrivels and
wrinkles in the same way and apple does
when it loses moisture. And it doesn't
stop there. Expect a 21 per cent
reduction in collagen levels in our
lifetime if you like to tan - and this
is just day-to-day sun exposure, not
even active sun worshipping! It is the
main cause as it accounts for 90 per
cent of aging.
Good News: It is
easy to prevent this by controlling
exposure to the sun.
- Facial
Expressions: You can blame all those
furrows and crow's feet on your facial
movement. Control your expressions by
changing the way you emote. Try not to
grimace or frown too much- break the
habit now!
Good News: It just
takes 13 muscles to smile, but over 70
muscles to frown.
 Gravity:
It doesn't just work
on the apple - it works on your skin too!
The earth's gravitational pull is
responsible for the gradual elongation of
our earlobes and nose. With age we lose
underlying fat, so that the eyelids and
jowls start to droop. Our bones shrink,
resulting in loose sagging skin. Major
weight loss also contributes to gravity
inducing wrinkles - so avoid a drastic
weight change in a short period of time.
Bodies that are well toned and muscular age
better than bodies that are not.
Good News: Yoga can be
used to a certain extent as a preventive
measure since it involves anti-gravity
exercises. Meditate on that.
- Sleeping
Position: The average person sleeps
for one-fourth to one-third of his or
her life. By the age of 60 a person
would have slept for at least 20 years.
So each night you spend six to eight
hours pressing wrinkles to form. Chinese
women slept on their back using concave
porcelain pillows so that their heads
don't sink to cause wrinkles. You can
sleep on your back, on propped up
pillows and place cushions under your
knees to give you support. Invest in a
silky smooth satin pillow cover so that
your skin does not stick to it like it
does to cotton.
Good News: No
concave pillow for you - do it the easy
way.
- Smoking: Not
only does it solicit cancer, it adds
five years to your appearance it
accentuates facial wrinkles. Tiny but
prominent, they especially appear on the
upper and lower lip. Crow's-feet are
accentuated and the cheeks and jowls
hang because of the constant inhaling
and blowing actions. Due to nicotine
blood vessels constrict which is why a
smoker's skin turns leathery and gray.
Good News: You can
stop smoking right now!
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