Fashionista Shameena tells us how yoga helps us look young and what if does to keep the skin healthy. Learn more in the weekly column, exclusively in Different Truths.
Admiring those glowing faces in beauty cream advertisements, we often wonder if we too could have a skin so young and beautiful. Well, it’s not a far-fetched dream anymore! After having tried extravagant beauty products or treatments for your skin rejuvenation are you ready to try something new and inexpensive? With growing awareness, the time and money spent on looking good are at an all-time high.
Now you too can flaunt healthy, radiant skin that draws attention without any chemicals and no pricey beauty packages. Just a simple four-letter word – yoga – and a glow on the face that lasts for long is yours to keep. As they say, you must be healthy and well from the inside to be able to look good on the outside. Yoga has proved beneficial here too. It not only has multiple health benefits physically, it is also known to work on your skin and give it a glow like no commercial cream or serums can. All you need is an hour and you will see positive results with zero investment.
But before we talk about the solution, let’s first understand where skin problems such as wrinkles and dark spots stem from.
Common Causes of Skin Problems
- Some start wrinkling premature, primarily due to stress or unhealthy lifestyle practices such as smoking, alcohol, drug addiction, and wrong food habits.
- Acne is another common skin problem among all age groups. Sometimes, it could occur due to hormonal changes in the body. There’s nothing to worry about because it heals itself as time passes.
- Improper digestion also shows up in the form of pimples.
Yoga for Healthy Skin
Practicing some specific Asanas (yoga postures) help increase blood circulation to the head and face area. These postures also increase oxygenation to the system; as such are called chest openers. All inverted postures and forward bends, which increase blood supply to the head, can help achieve clean, glowing skin.
Sarvangasana: It is also known as the shoulder stand and is considered the most effective yoga asana for glowing skin. It helps in improving skin texture and quality by promoting blood circulation towards your face. Practicing this asana three to five times a day will get your skin rid of a pimple, acne, wrinkles, and dullness.
Halasan: It is also known as the Plough pose, and is one of the best asanas for achieving healthy and glowing skin naturally. This asana helps to improve your digestive process that is essential for glowing and healthy skin.
Utthanasana: This forward-bending pose promotes blood flow to the face and makes it one of the most functional poses for glowing skin. This yoga pose not only increases oxygen supply to the skin cells but also supplies helpful nutrients that fight the damage caused by free radicals and encourages skin rejuvenation.
Bharadvaja’s Twist: Digestive health is a must for achieving healthy and nourished skin. The seated twist helps in removing toxins and other harmful substances from the organs. Clearing the body of waste is always good for the skin.
Matsyasana: It is also called the fish pose that promotes healthy skin by improving the functions of the thyroid, pineal, and pituitary glands and normalises the hormones. This asana gives a good stretch to the muscles of the face and throat which makes it one of the beneficial exercises to get rid of double chin.
Trikonasana: Famously known as the Triangle pose, it is indeed the best yoga asana for glowing skin which opens up the lungs, chest, and heart. It supplies more oxygen to the skin and hence the skin feels refreshed and rejuvenated.
Bhujangasana: Though it’s a relaxing cobra pose that helps to reduce tension, stress, and fatigue, it also helps in skin rejuvenation by supplying extra oxygen to the skin cells which in turn helps the body to flush out the accumulated toxins from the system.
Ustrasana: This asana is also called the camel pose, and it involves an intense backbend that helps to open up the rib cage and increase lung capacity for inhaling more oxygen. This pose reduces stress and balances the hormones in the body that are responsible for acne and pimple outbursts.
Pavanamuktasana: The wind relieving pose is by far the best asana for improving digestion and it also helps in relieving. It also cures constipation which in turn reduces acne and pimples on the face.
Tadasana: It is also known as the Mountain Pose, and this simple standing pose in the beginning of Mountain Pose helps to concentrate on deep and rhythmic breathing that is a vital element of healthy skin. Getting more oxygen through controlled breathing helps the body to release harmful toxins and keep the skin healthy and glowing.
How to Get Glowing Skin Other Than the Yoga way
- Drink lots of water: Lukewarm water with lemon and honey helps detoxify your system while keeping your skin clean and healthy. Also, the Patanjali Yoga Sutras mention Shaucha, or cleanliness of the body, mind, and speech, as the first of the five rules of yoga.
- Eat fresh: Make sure you include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C in your diet. Papaya can work wonders for your skin. You can either eat it or apply it to your face for a massage. Potato is also effective in reducing dark spots and scars, tan and sunburn. Also, try and avoid too much of fried or junk food and excessive spice or sweets. Substitute chips or fried rolls with dry fruits or some other healthy snacks. It’s also a good idea to check your body type – Vata, Pitta, or Kapha – and knows the kind of diet that is suitable to your unique body constitution.
- Rest well: When your body is deeply rested, it automatically shows on the face. A minimum of eight hours of good sleep is ideal.
- Apply natural stuff on your skin: Treatments which are chemical-free, made from natural herbs and leave your skin fresh, rejuvenated and glowing. Use Ayurvedic face scrubs once a week and massage your face with an oil that is particularly suitable for your skin type. Vitamin E oil is recommended. Moisturise your face twice a day and make sure you wash your face after returning home from a long day. Also, splash water on your eyes at least 2-3 times a day. Give yourself a weekly body massage with an oil suitable for your body type. It cleanses the toxins away.
- Smile: This is the best and the easiest make-up you can apply on your face. The more you smile, the more your face would naturally glow! Also, keep a positive attitude. How you look at yourself reflects on your face. Yoga practice can help you become positive about yourself and others around, and this positivity will make you glow!
- Meditate twice a day, every day. The more you do, the more you will radiate from within and without. Who needs makeup then? Meditation will be your natural make-up that lasts long and makes you look beautiful!
©Shameena Abdurahiman
Photos sourced from the Internet and sourced from the author
#Yoga #SkinCare #Beauty #Health #Asanas #Meditation #FashionFunda #DifferentTruths
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