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In our quest for anti-aging skin care, we have realized that a true approach to the ageless face and body is a holistic one. It is logical to assume that the skin, as the largest body organ, reflects the state of our health, which is influenced by the food we eat, our level of fitness and the way that we cope with stress. It is also interesting to note that the brain and the skin are derived from the same cells in the developing fetus, which gives rise to the assumption that your mental state is reflected in your skin.
On this page
On this page we concentrate on stress and the practice of meditation, which has been used for thousands of years as a tool to combat stress - to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body.
Stress is a normal process which occurs when we try to handle emotional and physical challenges that come across our path in the normal course of life.
Stress is a normal response to a potentially threatening situation. The body reacts to stress by releasing hormones, such as adrenaline, nor epinephrine and cortisol. These hormones make the heart start beating faster (which increases the blood flow to the muscles), dull pain, stimulate the immune system and turn sugar and fat into energy.
This response protects the body from damage and heightens the awareness, to enable us to cope with the danger. This reaction by the body is designed to help us cope with short periods of stress.
However, in our modern lifestyles, we face challenges and dangers that are constantly present and unnatural, such as frustration in traffic, overcrowding, the amount of preservatives and colorants in the food that we eat, time deadlines and a results orientated society, coupled to the fact that the old community support systems and the “nucleus” family are dissolving.
People in the modern day therefore experience high levels of ongoing or chronic stress, which causes an almost continual outflow of stress hormones in response.
It has been reported that situations, such as abuse, combat fighting, unrealistic pressure, illness and anger can cause a prolonged flood of stress hormones, which may cause shrinkage in certain brain areas, particularly in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory activity.
Luckily, it is also reported that certain parts of the hippocampus can be repaired by the body, if the stress situation is relieved.
The release of stress hormones, specifically adrenaline, causes blood to flow away from the skin and sends the blood to the muscles instead. The skin appears sallow and washed out. This is due to the fact that the body believes it must feed the muscles for extra exertion. This action also prevents excessive blood loss if a wound occurs in conflict and is not harmful if it occurs for a short period, which is not the case when dealing with modern day stressors.
The release of stress hormones also stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, or oil, which can cause the pores to block and encourage the formation of pimples. This gives a link between acne and stress and many people find that excessive stress causes a breakout on their skin.
Continual and unrelieved stress causes the muscles to become stiff, preventing the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the skin and preventing the normal swift removal of wastes from the skin, making the skin look puffy, congested and sallow.
Stress also causes the skin to slow its rate of cell renewal. Fresh cells take longer to reach the surface of the skin, causing a loss in moisture and hydration in the surface of the skin. Cortisone secretion is increased, which curbs the action of the immune system. The defense mechanism of the skin breaks down and this makes the skin more prone to irritation by external chemicals and pollutants.
It is therefore considered important in modern times to help the skin cope, by using a well formulated skin care range, such as our Dermaxime Rejuvenating or Problem Skin Care Range.
Stress relief, especially in the modern day, is only found once we have learned to interpret and control the situations or influences that trigger stress. Meditation is a great way to achieve a balanced and relaxed approach to life, helping us combat and relieve stress.
Meditation can be defined as a state of relaxed concentration on the reality of the present moment, or a state where the mind is free of all thoughts, or a state where the mind is freed from all restlessness and is focused on your God / Disciple or a higher consciousness.
Whichever definition you wish to follow, meditation is also thought to improve the mood and cognitive performance and has been a subject of successful studies targeted at improving the state of senile dementia in the elderly, as well as cognitive functions in children suffering from attention deficit disorder (ADD).
Meditation forms a part of almost all religious faiths, and may also be called contemplation. Prayer is also thought of as being a type of meditation, where the mind centers on communion with a higher consciousness.
What we believe is that the benefits of meditation can be achieved regardless of the path followed, so long as the correct procedure is followed.
Below, please find a simple meditation technique, which you may find to be useful:
Find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your arms next to you and your legs uncrossed. Close your eyes and imagine that you are seeing your body.
- Start relaxing your entire body from your feet upward - feel how the tension moves out of your toes, bridges of your feet, your calves, upper legs, buns, abdomen, chest, upper and lower arms, neck, face and scalp.
- It might take some time to get your whole body relaxed, and some people fall into a very light sleep in the beginning. As you practice this more, you will be able to relax totally without falling asleep.
- While doing the exercise, ensure that you breathe deeply and evenly - fill your entire lungs - not just the top part of the lungs, as we are so inclined to sometimes do.
- Next, see your entire body bathed in a bright white light, which is warming your body and calming it. Stay like this for a couple of minutes and enjoy the relaxed weightless feeling.
- Now start to visualize your body the way in which you would like to see it - more erect, slimmer, healthier and more vibrant. Imagine every detail - from your well groomed fingers to your well kept hair and your vibrant energized body.
- Then reflect on all the things that worry you, be that conflict at work or at home, financial troubles or health problems – if you wish to pray, this is also a very good time to do so.
- Form or picture an image in which all these problems are resolved and enclose them in a bubble of bright light – send them out into the universe and release them to God or a higher consciousness with the belief that all your problems will be resolved as pictured.
The saying of "where the mind goes the body will follow" is very true, and this exercise will help you train your mind to visualize yourself, your relationships and your surroundings as perfect, which will positively influence your life.
While doing this exercise, do not feel a sense of urgency to achieve the desired result - your body and actions will follow your mind at the right time. Do however feel that you are in control of your surroundings and body.
After you have let the image fade from your mind, start consciously feeling your body as it is lying on the floor, and feel the energy washing over you from your feet to your scalp - in the same way that you did when you relaxed.
When your body feels totally energized, you can get up. Get up slowly and enjoy the relaxed way you are now feeling.
Many people have benefited from visualizing and concentration - give it a try and see what you can achieve. You should do these exercises at least once a day.
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