Facial wrinkles are part of aging. However, yoga can help prevent the early advent of wrinkles. It counters them because asanas take care of the physical fitness while pranayama takes care in correcting mental, emotional and temperamental problems. Why do inverted asanas work? Inverted poses help achieve the following: 1. Increase flow of blood to the hormonal glands like pituitary and thyroid, to the eyes, skin, hair, thus helping reverse aging process. 2. It reverses the continuous downward pull of gravity which causes skin to sag and wrinkles to happen. 3. It helps release accumulated blood in the legs and lower region of the body to the heart to get refreshed and used. It rushes blood to the face, giving it that extra shot of oxygen and nutrients for longer healthy skin. Sarvangasana · Lie down on the mat with your head and spine in a straight line. · Keep your arms by the sides of the body, palms facing down and legs together and straight. · Inhale and contract your stomach muscles and raise both legs together until they are perpendicular to the body. · Relax and use your arms to lift your torso with the spine off the floor. · Once the whole body is vertical, bend your arms at the elbow and place your palms under the back just where the rib cage ends to support the whole body. · The chin will be pressed against the chest in the final position, raising the chest by a little. · Relax your legs, feet, toes and the whole body and remain in the final position for as long as you can. For those who cannot do Sarvangasana, lie down on your bed or yoga mat and prop up your legs at ninety degrees against the wall. Pranayama routine Bhastrika helps throw out toxins, reduces carbon dioxide in the blood, strengthens the nervous system, induces peace, tranquility and concentration. Begin with Bhastrika. · Start with a forceful exhalation and immediately follow it up with a forceful inhalation. Continue this practice of forceful exhalation-inhalation for a few rounds. · With every exhalation, the stomach muscles will pull the stomach in, the diaphragm will move up, squeezing the lungs. As you inhale, the stomach muscles will push the stomach out, the diaphragm will move down giving space for the lungs to expand to the fullest. · Start with 10 counts and build it to 50 counts. Then do the Nadi Shodhan, which balances the nervous system, breathing in through the left nostril, influencing the right side of the brain and breathing through the right nostril, influencing the left side of the brain. · Place the middle and forefinger of your right hand at the eyebrow centre, use the ring finger to close the left nostril and the thumb to close the right one. · Close your right nostril and breathe in through the left nostril as deeply without strain. · When you have reached your maximum capacity, close the left nostril and slowly breathe out through the right nostril. Repeat.
