During my yoga class this morning, I found myself wondering if my yoga teacher has had any fillers in her face. Her face is so plump and juicy – and she must be almost sixty!! But this thought dissipated as I realized that her serious glow cannot be achieved through fillers. I quickly deduced her beauty secret – a hard-core pranayama, or yogic breathing, practice. She was demonstrating a breathing technique as I watched her, and I resolved right then and there to embark upon a regular pranayama practice. Okay, I have been trying to do this for years, but it looks like my vanity might be the thing that finally strengthens my resolve. The bottom line is that pranayama, or deep breathing, will keep you beautiful. Why is that, you ask? One word. Oxygenation.
When we inhale, oxygen from the air we breathe is diffused through membranes and into red blood cells. The oxygen-rich blood then circulates throughout the body and finds tissues in need of oxygen. Every tissue in the body needs oxygen, and the skin is no exception. A few key roles that oxygen plays in the body:
1. Oxygen plays a vital role in every metabolic process in the body. Enzymes oxidize certain nutrient compounds in our body, and this results in most of the energy in our body.
2. Healthy cells in the body are aerobic, which means they need oxygen to survive and thrive. When the body is deprived of oxygen, cells can mutate or die.
3. Dr. Otto Warburg, 1931 Nobel prize winner, discovered a close connection between oxygen and cancer. His studies showed that the primary cause of cancer is directly related to oxygen-deprived cells. In fact, he found that cancer cells are anaerobic and actually thrive in an oxygen-deficient environment.
4. Warburg also discovered that a slightly alkaline pH in the body meant higher levels of oxygen uptake. These days, having a low blood oxygen level, and consequently an acidic pH, is a normal clinical finding for people with chronic diseases.
5. Oxygen is needed for detoxification. Some of the most toxic poisons in the body can only be “burnt up” and neutralized through oxidation. This is the job of oxygen-rich red blood cells that circulate from the lungs and into the deeper organs and glands of the body.
So when you breathe deeply, oxygenation to your tissues is increased and your cells will be able to thrive through efficient metabolism and detoxification. This means your skin cells will remain plump and healthy, and you will attain that unbelievable glow that I admired on my yoga teacher’s skin. The only side effect is feeling calm, energized and balanced. So why not? Breathe for beauty.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032096_oxygenation_body.html#ixzz27n9EQgEJ
