Maybe when you look in the mirror you see a resemblance of your Mom looking back at you. You probably see more than just sagging or fullness under your eyes; you most likely see jowls, pouches, a downturned mouth, spongy skin, the dreaded wattle, sagging cheeks and more in the mirror.

These conditions – sagging facial features – make us look old and tired.

It is not unusual that a family resemblance is apparent because when aging strikes our faces we definitely have a tendency to remark that this must be hereditary because our Moms or even our Great Aunt Hilda wore the same look when they were a certain age.

Aging in our faces is sneaky; it seems that wrinkles, sags and bags can appear almost overnight. It is true. It is not uncommon for a wrinkle to seemingly appear out of thin air.

Seeing a new wrinkle upon arising may be a result of improper sleeping. These wrinkles that look so cute on a four year old when they awaken from a nap are surely disastrous when they are on the face of a forty year old. The realization that you have created this hideous crinkle may have you feeling hopeless and ready to succumb to the surgeon’s knife.

Do not despair as there are natural remedies for aging that will not require recuperation or spending your children’s inheritance.

Sleeping on a flat, mushy pillow can wreak havoc on your face, especially if you have a tendency to sleep mostly on your side. Same goes for those of you who sleep on your stomach. If you want to enjoy a wrinkle free face without under eye bags and sags, you might want to elevate the head of your bed by placing one inch thick books under the legs of your headboard while sleeping on a large, thick buckwheat pillow.

Bags and puffiness under your eyes can also indicate that you are using too much salt in your diet. Sodium seems to be hidden in many pre-packaged foods so if you awaken in the morning seeing puffiness you may have consumed salt laden goodies or eaten Chinese food or enjoyed certain vegetable beverages that are well known for their high sodium content.

Drinking water seems to have a positive effect on your face and especially your brain. Drinking purified water is a real boon to better health. According to the Mayo Clinic, water is a vital component to flush toxins, carry nutrients to our organs and provide needed energy to enjoy life. If you are short on water, your brain may act sluggish due to dehydration, you may feel dizzy and experience chills and even vomiting.

Exercise is another positive step that keeps you looking younger. The choices are wide and varied: walking, bicycling, Pilates, karate, Kung Fu, tennis, softball, volleyball, surfing, jogging, kick boxing, Jazzercise, weight training. According to Jackie Silver, author of ‘Aging Backwards‘, “Exercise is the fountain of youth!” It is likely you agree.

Our bodies appreciate the rush of endorphins when we complete a strenuous workout. The sense of completion and satisfaction usually shows up on our faces as a beaming, broad smile. We feel euphoric...vital...young...until we look in the mirror and wish that our faces looked as young as we felt right now.

Alas, your face needs exercise just like your body does. Without it, the once vibrant muscles, the youthful, unlined facial skin is unavailable to you.

Even when you are meticulous and extremely careful about your face, including using the finest skin care, it is inevitable that your face will appear tired and elongated as your skin loses its firmness and its youthful contour. Exercise from the neck down isn’t enough to sustain or maintain a youthful face.

A pro-active approach to a younger face is not about having surgery or injections; rather, a younger face is possible when you use facial exercise to stop the sagging and to maintain the uniqueness of your face.

Just as exercise changes the shape and contour of the body, specialized facial exercises, using your thumbs and fingers, will gently begin to soften stressed faces while lifting and toning the hidden muscles that support the skin. If the facial muscles are not exercised, the skin is continuously dragged downward by the elongation of the muscles.

This downward slide is what makes faces look old and that is when you see the resemblance of your mother, your aunts and others who are older than you.

If you are serious about learning the secret to a youthful face, begin a facial exercise program in earnest to lift, tone and tighten those sagging facial muscles.

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