Sagging faces and wrinkles concern just about everyone over the age of thirty. In fact, the search for the “fountain” has reached an all-time frenzy as consumers pay more and more money chasing after new, better and improved creams, toners and potions just hoping for a miracle in a jar that will erase, and then stop the wrinkles and sagging.

Sagging muscles in the face drag down the skin; you see the result of that when you witness nasal labia folds, jowls and pouches on the jaw and eyebrows that seem lower than usual. It has been reported that our facial muscles can elongate as much as one-half inch by age fifty-five. We certainly witness elongation in our arms, legs and buttocks; arms become flabby, inner thighs lose their firmness and the once firm derriere begins to slide into our upper thigh. The face loses its firmness, too. Aging isn’t what it used to be but even when we slow the process with good nutrition and exercise, our faces show stress - and our age.

Here are five areas of the face that can make us look older than our years when muscles begin to lose their tone and the skin loses its resiliency:

Forehead and Eyes

The forehead muscle, the frontalis, runs vertically from the hair line to the eyebrows. When this muscle atrophies, it elongates and adversely affects the eyebrows by adding gravitational weight causing the brows to lower and that’s when horizontal lines develop on the forehead. This downward action also distresses the eyelids and they begin to show lines or folds and eyelids can become “hooded.” Hooded eyes are very common; these heavy lids can impair your vision and make one look angry or tired.

The eyebrows sit on the top of the obicularis occuli muscle that encircles each eye. The obicularis occuli and frontalis muscles are muscles we use to “raise our eyebrows.” When the forehead muscle atrophies, there is a noticeable reduction in the distance between the eyebrows and eyelashes. If you can’t see your eye shadow, it’s probably because the eyelid is sagging, wrinkling or folding.

Neck:

The platysma muscle in the neck is very large compared with the other muscles of the face; it runs from the upper chest area through the neck to the lower cheek area. When this large muscle atrophies, it sags quite noticeably, resulting in the dreaded turkey wattle, double chin and horizontal neck lines. The good news is that these muscles can easily be conditioned using resistance and the tongue.

Upper Cheeks and Lower Cheeks:

The upper cheek muscles, zygomaticus and levitors, anchor into the hairline but the other end of this 12-part muscle group inserts under the mouth muscle. When these heavy muscles lose their battle with gravity, the elongated muscles begin to “pool” into the muscles near the mouth and lower mouth areas, resulting in folds alongside the mouth, pouches and jowls, down-turned mouth corners and a less than refined jaw.

Aging faces have three choices:

1. Do nothing
2. Invasive procedure
3. Facial exercise

Just as exercise shapes and contours the body, exercise for the face can shape and contour the face. What happens when specific exercises are used for the face? The muscles become stronger and the skin becomes resilient; after a few weeks the facial muscles rehabilitate and the user looks refreshed because the droopy skin has been revitalized with oxygenated blood flowing to the tissues.

How does one choose a facial exercise program that will produce the best results? Resistance and isometric contractions reshape the body and these same principles will rehabilitate the face.

There has been controversy regarding the efficacy of facial exercises; the biggest misconception is thinking contorted grimaces produce the type of contraction that will lift, tighten and shorten the facial muscles. They don’t. Excessive squinting and scrunching the face will contribute to further wrinkles and stretching of the skin.

In the face, the muscles are attached to bone on only one end; the other end inserts into another muscle or the skin. To achieve resistance the muscle and skin must be anchored. Only when the muscle is anchored can a resistance contraction occur and when this happens, the muscle responds by tightening and repositioning; the face looks younger because the muscles, just below the skin, are in much better physical condition.

Whether you are 30 or 70, you will see a difference using resistance/isometric facial training. Imagine looking five, ten, even fifteen years younger in just weeks.

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all-natural facial fitness with many years experience in health & beauty related fields. She has appeared on The View, Fit TV, HGTV and other popular shows. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children’s inheritance.

Who Wants to Live Forever?

As far as anybody knows, humans are the only animals that have a sense of mortality. For a very long time - presumably ever since we gained this awareness of impending death - we have speculated about the prospect of immortality. Not all cultures wish for immortality. Some religions, perhaps most religions, would regard any search for immortality as undesirable. With the greatest respect to those who do not want immortality or do not agree with it, we must surely admit that many of us - including many of religious faith - would welcome immortality, or at the very least, a prolonged life.

Civilisation Produced Old Age

Before we look at the ways in which this could be achieved, let us consider where we are now. Humans have evolved into the dominant species on earth. Fewer and fewer predators have threatened us as we have gained in strength, cunning and inventiveness. As a society we have learned to harness nature to the extent that food can be stored and packaged and eaten without the need for all of us to hunt and gather. Medicines have been developed to counter disease. We have found ways of keeping our water clean for drinking. Many of us can heat our homes (or even cool them) when necessary, and to a greater or lesser extent look after our old as we look after our young. We have become civilised.

Wear Out

The phenomenon of old age that civilisation has brought to us sets us apart from other animals. It is virtually unheard of to see old age amongst wild animals. As we have become civilised our bodies have not caught up yet. They were never designed to last for centuries because uncivilised man could never have lasted that long in its wild environment. We die because we wear out - not because we can’t feed or look after ourselves. The good news is that we are catching up. Each generation (usually) lives longer then the one that went before. Many of us are choosing healthier lifestyles that helps to prolong life. But we are still wearing out.

Body Part Replacement

Scientists and surgeons have become increasingly knowledgeable about transplants of human body parts. The problem of rejection is not the barrier it once was. With the advent of DNA technology it is possible, in theory at least, the "grow" a human body part using the DNA blueprint found in just a small sample. Putting these two facts together, there is a real chance that we will soon have the means to transplant most body parts. In time we could replace all body parts. Once transplantation is perfected we would then have the means to replace worn-out body parts at will. We could all have a scan where a DNA profile of our bodies was compiled. The information in our personal database would be used in order to grow our replacement parts. Using micro-surgery techniques, new parts could be fitted every 5 years! Can you imagine it?

What About the Brain?

Change as many bits as you like, but take the brain away and then surely the person no longer exists. Even if it were possible to grow a replacement brain, how would the information from the old one - including our very state of existence and self-image - be transferred to the new one? Well, the brain is indeed a special case as it holds not only our thoughts and memories but also our sense of being. Because of this, swapping one brain for another and disposing of the old one would be tantamount to murder and defeat the point of the whole exercise. On the other hand, if the brain could not be rejuvenated just like the rest of the body, it will die from old age anyway.

Brains Rarely Fail

There are various ways of dealing with this issue. It must be remembered that thousands of our brain cells are dying every day. It is possible for new cells to be created, but the rate of cell death is far greater than cell creation. Whatever the reason, the rate of aggregate brain cell death seems to grow as we age. That said, it is very common for the brain to remain in a good state whilst the rest of the body fails. When people die of old age, it usually a part of the body - such as the heart - that fails and rarely the brain itself.

Apoptosis

Why do brain cells (or neurons) die? There are various causes. They are certain illnesses, accidents and the use of certain drugs (e.g. alcohol) or other environmental toxins. These factors only play a minor part in brain cell death. A more common cause is apoptosis. This is where cells effectively commit suicide. This process is not fully understood but is thought to be necessary for the long term health of the brain. It is thought that cells that are in some way damaged (for instance their DNA might have become scrambled) die before they can cause damage to the rest of the body. It is also thought, however, that apoptosis occurs to cells virtually at random. One idea is that, as our body fails certain neurons are no longer required and simply expire rather than use resources. This may be a significant theory: our bodies wear out: we slow down: less stimuli reach the brain: the brain doesn’t need as many neurons: apoptosis results.

Introducing New Cells

Perhaps apoptosis is the key to the fact that our brains generally outlive the rest of our body. The brain simply gets leaner but stays meaner compared to other body parts that simply cannot shed unwanted or bad cells. So why even think of transplanting the brain? There is no reason to replace parts of the brain because unwanted cells die out voluntarily. One idea is simply to add new cells, prepared with the correct DNA structure. With nano technology it would be possible for microscopic robots to enter the body (perhaps through the gut, if taken regularly as a drug) and carry the new cells with them to the brain. It may be possible for a one-off procedure to deposit a culture in the body that will act as a brain cell reservoir. Nano robots would release new cells at an appropriate rate. In addition, if limbs were being regularly replaced, the body as a whole would be quicker and this would undoubtedly result in a lower rate of apoptosis. Oh, and easy on the alcohol!

In our throw-away society we may have lost the habit of replacing parts. The thing about us humans is that we can’t simply be replaced by a new model. We need to be renovated and renewed occasionally. Perhaps a few of the things we buy could get the same treatment. When I am not thinking about immortality, I am promoting Insectocutor Fly Killers. We are always happy to sell you a new model. We also, however, carry a range of spare parts. There are some Insectocutor models out there that are over 30 years old. We are proud to have supplied the odd spare part when it has been needed. Immortality indeed!

Vernon Stent is a marketing consultant for Arkay Hygiene which sells Insectocutor fly killers and many spare parts for fly killers such as industrial series lamp holder

You can slow down the aging process by embracing a secret new discovery which shows you how to reduce the stress contributing to the acceleration of the aging process. Your discovery journey begins when you ask yourself the key question - "How do I eat?"

To benefit from this discovery you can use these steps. They cause you to see your eating experience in a new way.

1. Decide to Eat at A Table With Loved Ones

Chose to never again eat in front of a TV. The question - "How do I eat?" needs to be followed by another - "Where do I eat?" Choosing to eat at a table with loved ones enables you to get attention off the news of the day and on to your health. Your digestive system will thank you for making this choice. And reward you with a reduction of indigestion challenges that can come from viewing upsetting news whilst eating.

2. Make Yourself Eat Slowly Take One Bite at A Time

Even if you feel like you could eat a mountain of food keep squashing your appetite. Keep control of your food intake at every meal especially if you’ve reached the babyboomer years (were you born 1946-64?).

The key secret discovery is that when you eat slower you enable your body to get the greatest benefit from the food you are consuming. Not only is absorption of nutrients better, the elimination of waste is much improved.

You will be truly amazed as you put this little secret to the test. Try exercising all he control you can with eating slowly for three days at all meals and you will observe first hand your system rewarding you with regular and improved elimination. This benefit has proven to give a sense of wellness to those who follow the system. Some would say this has extended their life by preventing bowel cancer.

3. Forgive Before You Partake of Your Meal

The question - "How do I eat?" also needs to be followed by another - "What’s my attitude to those I’m eating with?" Forgive them for all the wrong they done you before you sit down to eat with them. Make peace with them and you’ll be at peace within yourself which will be a blessing to your digestive system.

Expect and work at maintaining a peaceful atmosphere whilst eating and you will find your meals are completed without the development of raging headaches.

These steps will make sure as the years roll on that you’re getting the best out of all the food you consume. Malnutrition will be a thing of the past and you will age at your best pace.

Kenneth Little is a writer, teacher, public speaker and the publisher of a re-released classic - in a revealing ebook- that will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. True success will be yours no matter what your age. Amazing "How I Became Young at Sixty" brings renewed strength to your body, hope to your mind and increased prosperity to your lifestyle.==> http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

You can take control of the aging process and rediscover years of youthful vigor by going on a Word Watch, and getting into Thought Sport.

Get back those long forgotten years. Use the following suggestions and you will observe a transformation in both the way you look at others and the way they look at you.

1. Decide to Go on a Word Watch

You Word Watch by taking control of what comes out of your mouth. Also Word Watch when you write anything or use a computer keyboard.

Rework your vocabulary to fill your speech and print outs with words that speak more often of the future than the past. Speak and write with a sense of excitement about your future. Speak of it with full conviction that the best years of your life are ahead of you.

Communicate with those who are much younger than you, wherever possible. At Church, at the mall, at the community college, on the Internet. The possibilities are limitless. Share your experiences. Gently correct any who refer to you as old. In love let them know you don’t feel any older than you were 30 years most of the time. Say you’re older but will not accept the "old" label.

They’ll have a new regard for you and will treat you in the way you expect.

Tell all who listen you’ve given up retirement and have decided on Refirement. You will need to explain Refirement is the opposite to retirement. Share how you’ve entered a time of rediscovering yourself and your skills and abilities. Make sure they know you are passionate about putting these skills to work to generate a prosperous future.

Future years of youthful vigor will be yours as long as you stay on a Word Watch.

2. Make Yourself Get into Thought Sport

Experts worldwide agree, that baby boomers and those in the years beyond 60, must keep their mind active. The Bible exhorts us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

The truth is that you are what you think you are. Join the swelling ranks of Refirees, not to be confused with retirees, who have embraced Refirement, and have decided to get into Thought Sport.

Your suggestions for Thought Sport include starting a Bible study group in your home, enrolling in an online program in Internet marketing, or attending a community college course on how to set up your own small business.

You are never to old to keep your mind in top performance mode. Consider the example of Eric, Australia’s most mature small businessman. At 103 he drives his own car and manages a home based business. If there was an Olympic event for Thought Sport Eric would be a Gold Medalist.

All of us who are younger can be assured of a long season of "renewed youth" when we choose to stay in Thought Sport.

Following through with these suggestions will make sure you get control of the aging process and, are blessed with fresh regard from those you meet, plus future years of youthful vigor.

Kenneth Little is a writer, teacher, public speaker and the publisher of a re-released classic - in a revealing ebook- that will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years. True success will be yours no matter what your age.

Amazing "How I Became Young at Sixty" brings renewed strength to your body, hope to your mind and increased prosperity to your lifestyle.==> http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

You can benefit greatly from the anti-aging insider secret that you have naming rights over your life.

Adam was the original owner of God-given naming rights. Yours are waiting for you to claim them.

Claim them today.

This is your day to bring the aging process under your control.

Get back those years of believing you had no control over your quality of life and just had to allow yourself to be swept along in the decline too many people call the "aging process".

The following suggestions will help you regain a higher quality of life and make you a blessing to all as you come out of retirement expecting a more abundant life.

You Can Choose to Rename Negative Events as Positive Events

You can divide life experience into positive and negative events. One contributor to the aging process is feeling down on yourself - every day.

You can stop that by telling yourself you have control over every day. Without thinking about it you give every event a certain level of power by letting it have a certain meaning.

A key insider secret is that when you choose to change the meaning you give to an event, you change its power over you.

Even the event of losing a loved one can be given a new meaning as you celebrate your life with them.

And the fond memories no one can take from you. In so doing you rob depression of its power to put you in a downward spiral aging faster than ever. You attach this positive meaning to every experience and forever change your outlook on life and the people in your life.

You Can Tell Others You’ve Decide to See The Positive

Once you’ve mastered the art of changing the meaning of negative events into positive ones the next step is to put a stop to all the negative values that loved ones pin on you. They will often protest that they want you to grow old gracefully.

You need to rise up on the inside and let them know you have decided to see the positive side of everything. Be sure they understand you view maturity as a process of improving - like fine wine.

Tell them that every day you exercise your God-given naming rights over your life. Quote them the verse - "This is the day the Lord has nade and I will rejoice in it and be glad"

The truth is you have the right to have a good day every day.

Your plan for Choosing to Rename the negative Events and, Telling Loved Ones You’ve Decide to See the Positive in All Experiences can be easily followed. But you’ll have to be diligent. Keep it up every day

Following these suggestions will make sure you control the aging process and get rewarded with a vastly improved quality of life.

Kenneth Little is a writer, teacher, public speaker and the publisher of a re-released classic - in a revealing ebook- that will show you how to get the best of health and wealth out of all your future years.

True success will be yours no matter what your age.

Amazing "How I Became Young at Sixty" brings renewed strength to your body, hope to your mind and increased prosperity to your lifestyle.==> http://www.Young-at-Sixty.com

I recently bought a magnifying mirror . . . a big, lighted magnifying mirror that makes it impossible for me to ignore all my face’s imperfections. The unreasonable clerk who sold me the mirror wouldn’t let me return it. She said not liking what I saw in it wasn’t reason enough to get my money back.

Mirrors like this one should be illegal. It enlarges objects seven times their natural size. The thing is a health hazard. When I looked into it, I screamed in horror, then hyperventilated, passed out, and hit my head on the bathroom sink. I needed CPR to be resuscitated, and I think some of my brains might have been flushed down the toilet. I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from discovering that my cheeks have pleats. (gasp!) The whole nasty experience plunged me into a state of third-degree, age-related depression.

All this time, I’ve been living in that lovely la-la-land of denial. I had fooled myself into believing that I still looked twenty-nine. Mother Nature played a cruel joke on me. Time to wake up and smell the extra-strength age spot remover. Reality hit me right between my puffy, sagging eyelids. Ouch! That smarts.

My laugh lines are no laughing matter, now that they’re buried deep within my saggy cheeks. The only advantage is that I can finally say I have cleavage, even if it IS on my face. The black bags under my eyes are bigger than my feet. They’re helping to save the forests, though. I carry groceries in them, rather than using the paper sacks at the grocery store.

I look like a puckered pile of flab and wrinkles with whiskers. When my husband calls me “pet,” it’s because my drooping jowls make me look like Cousin Delmont’s old coon dog Otis, and my flabby neck jiggles like a Tom turkey’s. My cheeks sag lower each day, like melting blobs of raspberry ripple ice cream. I’m afraid I’ll awake some morning to discover that my face has slid down around my waist.

The dermatologist made my day when he called the dark patches on my cheeks “old age barnacles." I must look like a sunken ship. I asked him if plaster of paris might help, but instead he suggested that I have my face “resurfaced.” So now I’m a well-traveled, worn out road? I must admit that my face does sort of look like a truck ran over it.

Wrinkles aren’t the only revolting development that’s got me down. It’s bad enough that I’ve turned into grandma Moses, but I’m looking a lot like Grandpa Walton too. I’ve sprouted a beard and mustache, and my whole face is lower than it used to be. Yesterday, my husband called me “floppy cheeks," and I don’t think he meant it as a term of endearment. I no longer count gravity among my friends. It’s pulling everything southward, and parts that once were perky are now in danger of being stepped on and often get road rash from dragging on the pavement.

I’ve placed my youth on the endangered species list. It’s evaporating faster than spit on a hot griddle. Instead of aging like a fine wine, I’m afraid I’m more like moldy cheese or curdled 2% milk. As my six-year-old grandson says, “I’m not happy about this.”

You can understand why I appreciate the Bible verse in Proverbs 11, which says, "A kind hearted woman will gain respect." I’m relieved, because I know I can’t get by on my good looks. I hope people find my heart more pleasing to behold than the rest of me.

I don’t even know Grace, and I don’t want to grow old with her, but I’ve found at least two things for which old timers can be thankful:

1) For those who love and obey Him, God does not examine faults with a magnifying glass. If He did, it would be a sight even more grotesque than the one staring back at me from my mirror. Instead, God is willing to remove each soul’s blemishes and forget them forever. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

2) Secondly, nobody is ever too old to be used by God. No matter what my age, or how many thousands of wrinkles and gray hairs I have, there is always something good I can do. God has plans for each of us. Jeremiah 29:11 says: "’I know the plans I have for you, ‘declares the Lord, . . . to give you hope and a future.’" We always have a place in God’s scheme of things, even if one foot is in the rest home. We can’t outgrow our usefulness and no one’s ever too old to have hopes and dreams or to accomplish some pretty nifty things with God’s help. I heard of one hip grandma who rode a motorcycle on her ninetieth birthday. That sure beats staring at the wall from a rocking chair in a puddle of drool. God doesn’t just use young and beautiful people.

In fact, I would guess that He can probably more often use older folks who have gained experience and learned the lessons that come only from making mistakes. How cool is it that He can work through anyone, wrinkles, age spots, and all? He’ll use anybody, as long as they meet two requirements: A: they are willing, and B: they’re still breathing.

That includes you. So open those wrinkled, baggy eyelids of yours and take a gander at the world around you. Forget your age. You will always be younger than someone somewhere. If you look, you’ll see loads of things you can do. Get your pruney face and your varicose veins out there and get busy!

And by the way, if you have a magnifying mirror, toss it into the dumpster or give it to a young person. We have better things than wrinkles to focus on.

Marsha Jordan
Author of "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter"
hugsandhope@gmail.com
www.hugsandhope.org

One of the signs of aging is chronic pain and stiffness in various areas of the body and restrictions of various movements. By the time people reach their thirties, many have these restrictions. According to popular opinion and medical science, that is to be expected. Popular opinion and medical science don’t say why it is to be expected, except perhaps to blame (without an illuminating explanation) our genes. While bodily changes are linked to our genetic destiny, there is another factor, one which is within our power to control.

This article provides an illuminating explanation as to why pain and restriction often appear with aging — and what you can do about it. The illuminating explanation has to do with a common, seemingly innocuous condition underlying the movement restrictions of aging in nearly all persons — the accumulation of muscular tension. By preventing tension from accumulating now, one can prevent the damage that leads to poor aging later; by eliminating accumulated tension, one can reclaim much of the physical grace and comfort one had years earlier.

THE OBVIOUS SIGN OF DECREPITUDE

How can you tell an "aged" person at a distance? It’s by their posture, isn’t it? Posture is a habitual way we have of moving and positioning ourselves, using the muscular system.

Much has been said in recent years about osteoporosis — loss of bone density — being responsible for changes of posture. While that is true in some cases and to varying degrees, muscular tensions have much more to do with the postural changes of aging than does osteoporosis. The posture of aging reveals muscular tensions that a person has accumulated and may have carried for years.

Along with postural changes, the mythology of aging has two key features: pains and stiffness.

Is it possible that chronic muscular tension alone can create the pains and stiffness of aging?

SOURCES OF PAIN AND STIFFNESS

When muscles get tight and stay tight, they cease to be elastic; they restrict movement. That sense of restriction is what people call "stiffness", and it exists quite apart from the effects of arthritis.

Those same muscles, held tight for days, weeks, and years, get tired, sore, and prone to spasm. That feeling of muscle fatigue and soreness produces much of the chronic pain of aging. The effects of muscle tightness on joints is another factor that adds to pain and stiffness; tight muscles pull bones together at joints, creating pressure.

Most people are sore to the touch in one place or another — not because they are "old", but because they are tight, and their muscles, overworked.

The problem exists, however, not in the muscles themselves, but in the brain that controls them — why is why massage and stretching provide only temporary relief. Muscles obey the brain, and if the brain says, "contract", muscles contract — massage and stretching notwithstanding.

There is nothing wrong with people’s brains, however, and they don’t need medication or a brain-scan; they need to learn — or relearn — to relax. They need to break their tension habits, formed over a lifetime.

People go through their lifetime of experiences doing either one of two things: tensing or relaxing. Think back to an earlier time in your life when you were in a new and possibly stressful situation — one that you knew might last a while or that lasted longer than you expected. Notice how you feel when thinking about it. Are you tense, or relaxed? Can you tell? How were you, then? Did you manage your tension or did you turn your attention to "more important things"? Did you get used to your tension? If so, you probably lost some of your ability to relax. Over a lifetime, did you get more flexible, or more stiff? That’s how you know, and that’s one way a person’s brain gets conditioned to maintain a level of tension.

Another way is through a physical injury. When we get hurt, we guard the injured part by pulling it in and out of action. The event of injury may make such an impression upon us that we may (and many people do) continue to guard the injured area in memory of the injury for decades. Thus forms a tension habit that leads to accumulated tension, pain, stiffness, and sometimes joint damage — "arthritis". Even without arthritis, accumulated tension adds drag to movement and makes it more difficult; people feel tired all the time, "old".

Even physical fitness programs can lead to chronic tension. Many kinds of fitness training emphasize strength and firming (tightening) up. Rarely do they teach a person to relax. More often, they teach a person to stretch and "warm up", which is not the same as teaching relaxation. So many fitness programs (or at least the way some people do them) cause them to form tension habits.

So, it’s not so much our years as the tension habits we form over those years that determine whether we develop the pains and stiffness of aging and lose that part of our youthfulness.

A WAY BACK TO MORE YOUTHFUL COMFORT AND MOVEMENT

The pain and stiffness of aging start out as temporary tensions that become learned habits. Those habits can be unlearned.

The odd thing is that our tension often seems to be "happening to us" — rather than something we are doing. Much of it exists below our "threshold of consciousness". We’re "used to it"; we don’t notice it. So, the first step to breaking a tension habit is to become conscious of it. Only then can we stop tightening ourselves up.

"Somatic exercises" effectively break the tension habit. The word, "somatic", means "self-sensing and self- controlling" — the way you sense and control chewing. There are a number of systems of somatic exercises that accomplish this goal.

Somatic exercises improve posture, make you feel younger, improve flexibility, and ease or eliminate chronic pains. They pain spontaneous movement without pain possible, again.

The clinical form of Hanna Somatic Education clears up especially painful or persistent problems.

Either way, you gain freedom of spontaneous movement without pain, better coordination, more complete relaxation, and more strength guided and helped by the coaching of a somatic educator.

Improvements are stable and require minimal upkeep — a few minutes of somatic exercises as part of ones daily regimen. Once a problem has been resolved, those exercises can keep you comfortable and supple for a lifetime.

So, if you thought pain and stiffness are the inevitable result of "aging", consider the possibility that you can forestall or reverse those effects and decide whether it’s worth the effort to you to do it.

Lawrence Gold, bio page
BRIEF:
Lawrence Gold served as Associate Instructor with the Novato Institute for Somatic Research and Training and for two years he was on staff at the Wellness and Rehabilitation Center of Watsonville Community Hospital, California.

He has written and published advanced handbooks of practice for professional practitioners and movement therapists, and self-care instructional programs for back pain and general health, for the general public.

Illustrated instructions for somatic exercises are found in The Magic of Somatics (For a free preview, send email to (POINT AND CLICK:) free preview

See also: Somatics : Reawakening the Mind’s Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health (Perseus Books); available in several languages.

A quick web search on the term "graceful aging" brings up phrases like:

Combat the signs of aging.
Who said that we have to age?
Defy the aging process.

These phrases reflect the fact that most of us look at aging as something to be resisted for as long as possible. Regardless of how liberated we’ve become, many women and men still experience aging as a threat to their sense of self worth and quality of life.

To age gracefully in a culture which idolizes youth requires inner strength and wisdom. I’ve discovered two basic requirements of graceful aging. To borrow from the Serenity Prayer, graceful aging requires the "serenity to accept the things we cannot change; courage to change the things we can; and wisdom to know the difference".

Certainly acceptance of aging is a key to aging gracefully — but which of the changes that commonly come with age are the things we cannot change and which are the things we can change?

Aging Factors We Cannot Change

One thing we absolutely cannot change is the fact that every day brings us closer to death. This one fact alone may account for a great deal of our difficulty with aging. As soon as we see signs of aging, we are reminded that this body is eventually going to die. As we age, we come face to face with our mortality, and to deal with this we must rely upon our spiritual resources. Our spiritual health may well be measured by how we face the fact of our mortality.

There is more of a gray area when it comes to identifying what else we cannot change, as we are only now starting to make scientific discoveries about the aging process. Nevertheless, there are some changes that are clearly inevitable as we age. With menopause, both male and female, we begin to live with a different hormonal environment. The appearance and function of our body changes and we must adapt. Our roles change dramatically as our children grow older and leave home, and we become grandparents rather than parents. At some point, many of us become parents to our parents as they enter their final years.

Growing older also brings more loss. Not only is there loss of many aspects of being young, more people we know die. This may be one of the most difficult aspects of aging. If we haven’t learned to grieve earlier in life, the all-important tasks of living with loss must be learned to avoid psychological and health problems.

What We Can Change: The Myths of Aging Revealed

Now that we’ve outlined a few of the inevitable aspects of aging, let’s look at some myths about aging to reveal things that can be changed. Attitude has an enormous role in how we age. Since much of the decline that people experience with aging comes about due to the belief that this decline is inevitable, examining these myths can help to free us to live happier, more vital lives as we age.

Myth #1 – The older I get, the worse my body will feel. The increasing stiffness and aches & pains that often come with age are not a result of age, but are due to lack of movement (if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it). Although there are some changes in our tissues as we age, we can continue to remain remarkably flexible and free of pain through something as simple as regular stretching.

Myth #2 – It’s too late to start taking care of myself — it won’t do any good at this age. A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important factors in how we age. Improvements in lifestyle (with the 3 key areas being good food, exercise and regular relaxation and rest) have been shown to bring improvements at any age.

Myth #3 – I’m getting too old to learn new things — Research shows that older people can, and do, learn new things. Attitude plays an important role here — if you think you can’t, you won’t try. People who believe they can learn new things do!

Myth #4 – Sex is only for the young. People can, and do, continue to enjoy sex well into their senior years. We are sexual beings throughout the life cycle, but sexuality is experienced differently at different ages. Changes in hormones will affect our experience of sex, and we may need to find different ways to be intimate. Relaxation is key here so that we don’t panic when things don’t happen the way they used to. We’re not over the hill, but simply need to give ourselves some breathing room to become familiar with our changing physiologies.

Myth #5 – The older I get, the less attractive I become. There is nothing more attractive than someone who has aged well. Haven’t you ever noticed that special radiance of an older person who is at peace with themselves and life? Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with age!

It’s never too late to change the two most important ingredients to graceful aging – attitude and lifestyle. Some of the most effective lifestyle changes are the simplest. Relaxation and stretching are extremely effective tools for successful aging. You can start with either of them right now. Incorporating these two simple things in your daily routine can make a world of difference in how you age!

Mary Maddux is a practitioner, teacher and writer in the fields of healing and self-development. She has an MS in clinical social work, has been trained as a Healing Touch Practitioner and has many years of experience in the practice and teaching of meditation. Drawing on her extensive work background in both conventional and alternative settings, she has created a unique series of CDs for relaxation, meditation and healing. Visit her website, http://www.heartofhealing.net for in-depth discussions and practical information on topics related to healing.

North America accounts for only 7% of the world’s population but dominates the world’s GDP.

What we’ve actually gained is a stressed-out nation and the highest cancer rates, more than anyone else in the world. We’re producing less children, some sociologist claim that it is fear of adding more burdens to our already hectic lives. We’re not talking about exciting new job jitters but prolonged emotional stress.

Stress and Aging Our stressful lives make us old. Scientists have finally identified the first direct link between stress and aging. When we start to feel pulled at both ends how many of us really give our bodies a break? And, what about our skin? Dull complexion, blemishes, eczema and other skin disorders can be a direct result of prolonged stress. It can even result in premature aging…,even at your age.

Perhaps its time we manage our lives in a more holistic life style. The holistic view brings mind, body and sole together, it seeks balance.

So, instead of reaching for a quick fix, invest in some of these holistic practices that promote your good health and emotional well-being over the long-term. Because after all, good health and natural glowing skin really is…,skin deep.

Massage for Longevity The treatment of massage is effective in combating the negative effects of aging. The benefits of a massage are numerous including stress reduction, increased circulation, increased energy and, decreased fatigue. In fact, during a more vigorous massage this encourages blood flow to the skin bringing healthy nutrients and oxygen. And, a massage is always deserved after a work-out at the gym.

Quiet your Mind Whether it is mediation, prayer or a silent walk through the woods, add this practice to your daily routine. A time you remove all noise from television, radio, phones from your daily obligations, even a 5 minute quite session will help you relieve stress, ground your footing and refocus on what’s really important.

This can be especially beneficial during times of greater stress. Because the greater our perception of what kind of stress we are under, the worse we will feel.

One Day at a Time Difficult as it may be, try to remove many of the processed foods from your daily diet. Especially during times of stress where many of us will reach for something high in sugar - studies have shown that sugar can cause premature aging and of course, contributes to obesity. Start by replacing one food item, make it easy and make it fund – take it one day at a time.

It all comes together Then there are too many sleepless nights, greasy skin, bad diet and puffy eyes – for some of you, your skin maybe paying the price for your stressful life. Take care of your skin. Cleanse daily with a delicate facial cleanser, one that contains a natural, organic alpha-hydroxy acid to help shrink open pores which seem to get bigger as we age. Do exfoliate often which improves circulation, removes dead cells and keeps the skin glowing. Use only quality, natural skin care that provides holistic benefits to your skin.

Resources Appleton, Nancy. Lick the Sugar Habit Sugar Counter. Penguin Putnam. 31 May. 2001. Stein, Rob. “Study Is First to Confirm That Stress Speeds Aging.” Washington Post 30 Nov. 2004, A01

She loves skin care products. So, it’s no surprise that she co-created http://www.anaturalperspective.com to be “The Place” for Canadian-made 100% natural, holistic skin and health care products. A Natural Perspective is a resource for the busy consumer who wants quality, well-priced skin care.

Activity Keeps You Young
When your doctor is unable to find a reason for the cause of your ailment or discomfort, the doctor may consider the problem as being "all in your head." In a sense, most ailments are if you consider that your mental state greatly influences your physical condition. Your thoughts have such a strong effect upon your body that they can powerfully contribute to the aging process.

Aging is a disturbing and confusing issue that concerns all of us. When our thoughts, fears and stress are out of control, our bodies suffer from the resultant negative impact. What complicates matters is that the mind doesn’t just exist within the brain; it is present in the form of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) within every cell of the body.

DNA is a master processor of information for the entire body and therefore stresses and strong emotions have a bearing upon this processing. DNA is a force in nature that does not age or perish, and its mysteries may hold key answers about the aging process.

Slowing Down the Aging Process
DNA is indestructible; therefore, why should aging take place? By thinking of ourselves as only physical beings, we will continue to age because our mind reinforces physical limitations. We associate our identity or existence to an ever-aging physical body.

A human being’s essence is energy. Physicists have determined energy to be the basis of matter which comprises our bodies and all things physical. We draw energy from the calmness of our inner selves.

Calm Your Mind to Calm Your Body
Focused, mental calmness is the initial step to protect cells from the ravages of stress and aging. Consuming natural foods and beverages is the next step that enables the cells to maintain their integrity, strength, and durability. By using a deep cleansing supplementation program, the cells’ circuitry will retard the aging process.

Since we all choose to nourish our bodies and minds differently, our physical conditions and appearances will vary greatly at the same chronological age. This also affects the development of so-called diseases we anticipate with the aging process.

If you desire to feel younger and healthier, your mind will assist you. The mind provides you with intuitive knowledge about whether you are helping or harming yourself with your lifestyle and eating choices. Because the mind electromagnetically instructs every cell. It is a master healer. Your chronological age is unalterable - but your biological age is determined by how you live your life.

Studies prove that consistent calmness for a few minutes per day can add years to a person’s life. Peaceful contemplation, meditation, or prayer allows the body to be still and the mind to slow down. A rested mind facilitates the release of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) from the adrenal glands.

A Calm Mind Increases Your DHEA Levels
DHEA, a steroid hormone released by the adrenal glands that may be related to longevity, holds great potential in retarding the aging process. It is a naturally occurring hormone that measures its highest in people who are in their mid-twenties. There is a continuous decline of DHEA to approximately 5% in a person’s early seventies.

DHEA occurs at higher levels for those people who choose to focus and relax their minds while eliminating disturbing thoughts during this process. Scientific research of these individuals has proven decreased rates of diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and especially those diseases affecting the heart.

Toxicity: Root Cause of Illness and Aging
Discovering the root cause of a problem accomplishes true healing. The root of aging, as with illness, is often due to blockages within the body. Blockages occur from internal pollution that is mostly due to toxic foods such as refined white sugar, refined white flour, cow’s dairy products, artificial additives, and preservatives that lead to premature aging and illness.

If you could avoid or erase every upsetting or unpleasant event, you could substantially slow your aging process. These events cause stress and add to problems caused by the worn and toxic cells apparent in an aging body. The greater the amount of these cells, the older your body’s biological age.

Youthful health is apparent in people of all ages who radiate the energy that empowers a strong sense of wellness. When people look to natural ways of calming their minds and eat in a healthy manner, they help to protect, repair, and hinder their cells from absorbing toxins. They often act and feel younger than those whose bodies become over-burdened with toxicity.

© 1997-2005 by Mary L. Rodio, Ph.D.

Formulator of Dentizyme™ and other natural remedies, Dr. Rodio is an Ethnobotanical Research Scientist and the Director of Natura Health Services, Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona. She researches how plants, foods, and customs influence the health of cultures around the world - socially, emotionally, and physically.

You can access the Natura website at http://www.NaturaRx.com or call 480 451-0168.